Conspiracy lore outlives the real group and keeps expanding its targets

Evidence

In fact, however, the Illuminati—or at least the image of the Illuminati— had just begun to spread by the 1830s. Both Robison’s and Barruel’s books continued to be reprinted, and both are featured works currently sold by the John Birch Society’s book service. Its catalog touts Barruel’s work as “the most comprehensive expose of a Master Conspiracy to rule the world,” while it offers Robison’s book as a description of “this secret group, whose select members became part of a conspiracy to enslave all people in Europe and America.” By way of updating Robison’s scenario, his current American publisher asserts that the Illuminati “have long since discarded Freemasonry as their vehicle,” preferring to operate in “universities, tax-free foundations, mass media communication systems, government bureaus such as the State Department, and a myriad of private organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations.” — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 268

Categorization

• XREF: Directly connects to the reader’s existing NWO/conspiracy literature (the Milgrom law-merchant work on reputation institutions and the chapters on paranoia canon). Shows how an eighteenth-century master-conspiracy narrative gets continually updated rather than retired. — connects to: Conspiracy legends grow more detailed and threatening with each retelling over years — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 382; Conspiracy literature repurposes the same core text across centuries and targets

Broader Connections

• Conspiracy legends grow more detailed and threatening with each retelling over years #expands (0.85) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 382
• Conspiracy literature repurposes the same core text across centuries and targets #corroborates (0.82)