A Straussian Waltz

Let me tell you a little secret. It's actually a very, very little secret, so don't get all excited. My secret is this: I don't like Straussianism, in spite of those aspects of it that strike me as rather congenial. The main reason I don't like it is because of some of the claims the Straussians make about Plato and his philosophy. I think some of them--Seth Benardete, for example--understand Plato fairly well, but by and large I find it very difficult to sail very far with them. So I was rather delighted by the essay at The Weekly Standard by Robert Kagan called "I am Not a Straussian." Kagan is often accused of being one, and his explanation of why he can't be one is worth a read.