Proofs of a Conspiracy Book

In his work, Proofs of a Conspiracy, John Robison lays the groundwork for modern conspiracy theorists by implicating the Bavarian Illuminati as responsible for the excesses of the French Revolution. The Bavarian Illuminati, a rationalist secret society, was founded by Adam Weishaupt in 1776. They recruited by infiltrating the numerous Freemasonic groups which were active at the time. They had a clandestine, compartmentalized, hierarchical organizational form, which has led some modern conspiracy theorists to identify them as the original Marxist-Leninist group.

Since we don't have convenient access to the source documents of the Bavarian Illuminati we have to rely on Robison and the Abbé Barruel's Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism, both in the 'opposing views' category, for information on this group. The Illuminati have today become a byword for a secret society which hoodwinks its junior members and puppet-masters society at large. This book make fascinating reading.

John Robison was a Scottish scientist, who late in life, wrote one of the definitive studies of the Bavarian Illuminati. He was a contemporary and collaborator with James Watt, contributor to the 1797 Encylopedia Britannica, professor of philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, and inventor of the siren.