소극적 수용과 전략적 선택 : 공화당과 트럼프주의의 관계 설정

초록

Trumpism, blending populism and authoritarian extremism, has emerged as a deviation from traditional Republican conservatism. This study sees Trumpism as both a destroyer and inheritor of that tradition, focusing on how the Republican Party came to embrace it as mainstream. Two main interpretations explain this shift: one attributes it to institutional weakness within the party, while the other emphasizes strategic choices by party elites. The former created the conditions for Trumpism’s rise; the latter shaped its trajectory. Rather than a sudden rupture, Trumpism reflects a gradual reorganization of conservatism. This study highlights how differing interpretations affect our understanding of party gatekeeping failure, elite responsibility, and democratic recovery. Ultimately, it argues that the Republican Party’s ideological incoherence has legitimized institutional decay, making the restoration of party functionality central to reviving American democracy.

키워드