The critiques of postliberals are all useful correctives in this regard. Nonetheless, conservative scholars—and perhaps even more so conservative politicians—must beware the potential perils of embracing postliberalism as a term and concept.

“Anyone who says nationalism isn’t too bad is now labeled far-right,” says Nicolaus Fest MEP (AfD), speaking about the upcoming elections and the political realities of Germany.

We are all Germans now. What started out as the uniqueness of German guilt has mushroomed into an all-encompassing Western guilt, now tied to the legacy of imperialism and the transatlantic slave trade. And apparently, we can never finish atoning for our ‘sins.’

Seventeenth century Spain is one of history’s more ostentatious and luxuriant contradictions—a gorgeous oxymoron.