Persecution and the Art of Writing

Persecution and the Art of Writing, published in 1952, is a seminal work by Leo Strauss that examines the tension between philosophy and politics.

Strauss argues that philosophers often concealed their most controversial ideas within their texts to avoid persecution, distinguishing between exoteric (public) and esoteric (hidden) teachings.

The book critiques moral relativism and emphasizes the pursuit of truth as a fundamental human impulse.