The Reconstructionists: A New Conservative Blueprint for the Global Economy

LONDON, UK – June 22, 2026 – As London’s summer season hits its stride, a different kind of power summit is unfolding at the Olympia London exhibition centre. It’s not G7 or COP, but the third annual conference of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC), a gathering of nearly 4,000 leaders from over 80 countries. The theme is ambitious, almost audacious: “The Age of Reconstruction.”

The event, timed to coincide with the United States’ 250th anniversary, aims to do nothing less than debate and define a new course for Western civilization. The speaker list is a testament to this ambition, featuring a potent mix of political power, industrial influence, and intellectual firepower. Confirmed attendees include U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, former Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, alongside CEOs from Bayer and Axel Springer and thinkers like Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Founded in just 2023, ARC has rapidly evolved into a formidable force, creating what many describe as a global “anti-woke Davos.” This week’s summit is not merely a forum for discussion; it is the physical manifestation of a coordinated, well-funded movement seeking to challenge the prevailing economic and cultural consensus and replace it with a new blueprint for progress.

A New Transatlantic Power Axis

At its core, the ARC conference represents the consolidation of a transatlantic conservative and populist movement. The organization was co-founded by a strategic trio: Baroness Philippa Stroud, a UK Conservative peer; Jordan Peterson, the influential Canadian psychologist; and Sir Paul Marshall, the British hedge fund manager and media mogul. Backed by an initial £1 million from Marshall and further support from American fossil fuel interests and the Dubai-based Legatum group, ARC has scaled its influence at an astonishing pace.

This gathering is the operational hub for an ideology that perceives Western societies as being in a state of managed decline, suffering from a crisis of confidence, fragmented communities, and a weakened economic base. The speaker roster reflects this diagnosis. Speaker Johnson represents a deeply conservative, faith-driven faction of American political power. Nigel Farage, now a Member of Parliament and leader of a surging Reform UK party, embodies the populist challenge to the established political order in Britain. Former Governor Glenn Youngkin, who championed a platform of parents' rights and economic competitiveness in Virginia, represents a model of how these ideas can be translated into policy.

The conference sessions are designed to address this perceived decline head-on, with topics ranging from “rebuilding trust in democratic institutions” to “economic competitiveness and reindustrialization.” Yet, beneath the official program lies a more fundamental project: the construction of a coherent, international network capable of shaping policy, winning cultural arguments, and ultimately, wielding power.

The Gospel of Energy Abundance

Nowhere is ARC’s reconstructive agenda clearer than in its approach to energy and industry. A key figure at the summit is Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy. Before joining the second Trump administration, Wright was the CEO of Liberty Energy, a major hydraulic fracturing company. He is a vocal proponent of fossil fuels and a sharp critic of the global climate consensus, having publicly stated in 2023 that he believes “there is no climate crisis.”

His presence is no mere diplomatic courtesy. It signals the centrality of a new energy doctrine to the ARC project: a pivot away from net-zero targets and toward a strategy of “energy abundance.” Proponents argue that the West’s pursuit of green policies has come at the cost of economic prosperity and industrial strength, making nations vulnerable and less competitive. The solution, in their view, is to unleash the full potential of all energy sources—especially oil, gas, and nuclear—to power a new wave of reindustrialization.

This message resonates with the corporate heavyweights in attendance, with representatives from BP, Rio Tinto, and Airbus expected. For them, the ARC platform offers an alternative to the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks that have dominated corporate strategy for the past decade. It is a vision of progress unshackled from climate constraints, one where economic growth and national security are the paramount objectives. This is not just a tweak to environmental policy; it is a fundamental effort to rewrite the rules of global economic competition.

Rebuilding the West's 'Civilisational Story'

The economic and industrial agenda is built upon a deeper, cultural foundation. ARC’s leadership believes the West’s primary ailment is a loss of faith in its own “civilisational story.” The “Reconstruction” they envision is therefore also a moral and philosophical one. Sessions on demographic decline, educational renewal, and free speech are designed to address the perceived erosion of the traditional family, the rise of “woke” ideology in schools, and the suppression of dissenting views.

Baroness Philippa Stroud, ARC’s executive chair, frames the mission in historic terms. “As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, we are reminded that liberty, human dignity and self-government are not merely an inheritance to celebrate, but a legacy to steward, strengthen and faithfully pass on to the next generation,” she stated in the lead-up to the conference.

This mission to restore a “better story” attracts a diverse set of cultural warriors. Speakers like Ayaan Hirsi Ali argue for a robust defense of Western values against perceived external and internal threats. Seth Dillon, CEO of the satirical website The Babylon Bee, represents a brand of cultural critique that uses humor to push back against progressive norms. This fusion of high politics, industrial strategy, and cultural warfare is what gives the ARC movement its unique and potent character. It seeks not just to change policies, but to change the way citizens think about their history, their communities, and their future.

The Geopolitical Stakes

The conference is taking place in a world rife with instability. The UK itself has seen seven prime ministers in a decade, with public dissatisfaction fueling the rise of populist alternatives. Across the Atlantic, the “America First” doctrine continues to reshape U.S. foreign policy, viewing international cooperation with skepticism and challenging longstanding alliances. In this volatile environment, ARC is positioning itself as a source of stability and purpose—a clear-eyed response to a world in chaos.

The organization’s agenda is unapologetically geopolitical. By framing issues like energy security and economic competitiveness as central to national sovereignty, ARC is providing an intellectual framework for the nationalist and populist movements gaining traction across the globe. The powerful American delegation, representing the highest levels of a Trump administration, suggests a concerted effort to align international partners with a new vision for global order—one based on strong nation-states, competitive markets, and a confident, culturally assertive West. The reconstruction has begun.