Paul Johnson (writer)

1. Overview

Paul Bede Johnson (1928-2023) was a prolific British journalist, popular historian, speechwriter, and author. He initially identified with the political left during his early career but transitioned to become a prominent conservative historian, known for his more than 50 books and numerous contributions to magazines and newspapers. His writings covered a vast array of subjects, including world history, religious history, biographies, art, architecture, and contemporary issues, reflecting his broad intellectual interests and distinct viewpoint.

2. Early life and education

Paul Johnson was born in Manchester, England, on November 2, 1928. His father, William Aloysius Johnson, was an artist and served as the principal of the Art School in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Johnson received his early education at Stonyhurst College, a Jesuit independent school, where he appreciated the Jesuit method of instruction more than what he later encountered at Oxford. He then attended Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied history and was tutored by the renowned historian A. J. P. Taylor. During his time at Oxford, Johnson was also a member of the exclusive Stubbs Society.

After graduating with a second-class honours degree, Johnson completed his national service in the British Army. He joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps and subsequently the Royal Army Educational Corps, where he achieved the acting rank of captain. His military service was primarily based in Gibraltar, a period during which he observed firsthand "the grim misery and cruelty of the Franco regime" in Spain, which influenced his early political views.

3. Journalism and political evolution

Johnson's military background facilitated his entry into journalism, leading to a position as assistant editor for the Paris periodical Réalités from 1952 to 1955. During this time, he adopted a left-wing political stance, significantly influenced by witnessing the police's "ferocity" during a riot in Paris in May 1952. The riot involved Communists protesting the visit of American General Matthew Ridgway, who had just been appointed NATO's Supreme Commander in Europe. Johnson stated he "would not have believed [the ferocity] had I not seen it with my own eyes." Following this, he became the Paris correspondent for the New Statesman, aligning himself as a convinced Bevanite and an associate of Aneurin Bevan. In 1955, Johnson returned to London and joined the Statesman's staff.

From 1965 to 1970, Johnson held successive roles at the New Statesman as lead writer, deputy editor, and finally editor. His appointment as editor faced some resistance, including objections from writer Leonard Woolf, who disapproved of a Catholic taking the position, leading to Johnson being placed on a six-month probation. An anthology of his Statesman articles, Statesmen and Nations (1971), revealed his interest in biographies of conservative politicians and an openness towards continental Europe. In one article, Johnson positively viewed the events of May 1968 in Paris, which led Colin Welch in The Spectator to accuse him of having "a taste for violence." During his tenure at the Statesman, Johnson filed 54 overseas reports.

Johnson's early writings occasionally displayed a certain iconoclasm. His first book, The Suez War, published in 1957, was criticized for equally damaging remarks about both Hugh Gaitskell and Sir Anthony Eden, though Johnson maintained that the Labour Party's opposition to the Suez intervention marked a return of the party's "old militant spirit." In 1958, he critically reviewed Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Dr. No. By 1964, he warned of "The Menace of Beatlism" in an article, which Henry Fairlie in The Spectator described as "rather exaggerated." His novel Merrie England (1964) was mocked by The New York Times for its indignation and "funny names," with the reviewer noting that its hero, a public schoolboy, could not escape his establishment roots despite trying to "play Savonarola amid upper-class corruption."

During the late 1970s, Johnson's political views shifted significantly rightward. He began publishing articles in the New Statesman that were critical of trade unions and leftism in general. He served on the Royal Commission on the Press from 1974 to 1977 and was a member of the Cable Authority from 1984 to 1990. From 1981 to 2009, he wrote a regular column for The Spectator, initially on media developments, later titled "And Another Thing." In his journalism, he frequently addressed issues he perceived as indicators of a broader societal decline, encompassing areas like art, education, religious observance, and personal conduct. He also contributed a column to the Daily Mail until 2001, though in a 2003 interview with The Daily Telegraph, he criticized the Mail for its "pernicious impact," stating that such journalism was "bad for the country, bad for society, bad for the newspaper." Johnson was also a regular book reviewer for The Daily Telegraph. In the United States, he wrote for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Commentary, National Review, and Forbes magazine. For a brief period in the early 1980s, he contributed to The Sun at the urging of Rupert Murdoch, who wanted him to "raise its tone a bit."

4. Major Works

Paul Johnson was a remarkably prolific author, producing over 50 books across diverse genres, including history, essays, biographies, and fiction. His extensive bibliography reflects his wide-ranging interests and his deep engagement with historical and contemporary subjects.

5. Thought and Ideology

Paul Johnson was a staunch critic of modernity, which he associated with moral relativism. He strongly objected to individuals like Richard Dawkins and Steven Pinker who used Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to support atheism or justify biotechnological experimentation. As a conservative Catholic, Johnson considered liberation theology a heresy and advocated for clerical celibacy. However, he differed from many conservatives by seeing valid reasons for the ordination of women as priests.

Johnson was a strong anti-communist and was admired by conservatives, particularly in the United States. He notably defended Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal, asserting Nixon's cover-up was less egregious than Bill Clinton's perjury or Oliver North's involvement in the Iran-Contra affair. He expressed admiration for Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, whom he considered a "hero" based on the facts as he understood them. He actively participated in the campaign, led by Norman Lamont, to prevent Pinochet's extradition to Spain after his 1998 arrest in London, claiming in 1999 that "nobody has provided a single scrap of evidence" linking Pinochet to human rights atrocities. In his 2008 book Heroes, Johnson reiterated his view that criticism of Pinochet's dictatorship and its extensive human rights abuses stemmed from a successful "Soviet Union propaganda machine." He also held limited admiration for Spanish fascist dictator Francisco Franco, despite having observed the "grim misery and cruelty of the Franco regime" during his youth.

Politically, Johnson was a firm Eurosceptic. He played a significant role in the "No" campaign during the 1975 United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum, opposing Britain's continued membership in the European Community. In 2010, he critiqued European integration, stating that a common currency necessarily requires a common financial policy, which in turn demands a common government. He characterized the European Union as being "entirely run by bureaucrats" with insufficient careful thought or judgment. He described France not as a democracy but as "a republic run by bureaucratic and party elites, whose errors are dealt with by strikes, street riots and blockades."

6. Personal life

Paul Johnson was married to Marigold Hunt, a psychotherapist and former Labour Party parliamentary candidate, from 1958. Marigold was the daughter of Thomas Hunt, who served as a physician to prominent figures like Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, and Anthony Eden. Together, Paul and Marigold Johnson had three sons and one daughter, and ten grandchildren. Their children include:

• Daniel Johnson, a freelance writer, founder and editor of Standpoint magazine, and former associate editor of The Daily Telegraph.
• Luke Johnson, a businessman and former chairman of Channel 4 Television.
• Sophie Johnson-Clark, an independent television executive.
• Cosmo Johnson, a playwright.

Marigold Johnson's sister, Sarah, married the journalist, former diplomat, and politician George Walden. Their daughter, Celia Walden, is married to television presenter and former newspaper editor Piers Morgan.

In 1998, it was revealed that Johnson had an eleven-year affair with Gloria Stewart, a freelance journalist. Stewart claimed she initially publicized the affair due to Johnson's perceived hypocrisy regarding religion and family values, though she later admitted the affair ended when Johnson "found another girlfriend."

Outside of his writing, Johnson was an avid watercolourist. He was also a close friend of playwright Tom Stoppard, who dedicated his 1978 play Night and Day to him.

7. Awards and Honors

Paul Johnson received several significant accolades during his distinguished career.

• In 2006, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President George W. Bush.
• In the 2016 Birthday Honours, Johnson was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to literature.

8. Death

Paul Johnson died at his home in London on January 12, 2023, at the age of 94.

9. Legacy and Criticism

Paul Johnson's legacy is marked by his extensive and influential contributions to journalism and historical writing, especially his role in shaping conservative thought. His work is recognized for its comprehensive scope and distinct narrative style. However, his shift from the political left to a staunch conservative stance, coupled with his strong opinions on controversial figures like Augusto Pinochet and Francisco Franco, drew both admiration and criticism. Some critics pointed to perceived inconsistencies or hypocrisies in his public and private life, as highlighted by the revelation of his affair. Despite such controversies, his prolific output and intellectual engagement with major historical and social questions ensured his lasting impact on public discourse.