left conservatism

[Brad De Long]

Re:
>
>In my terminology left-conservatives exhibit the following
>characteristics:
>
>1. An inability to appreciate what has changed
>
>2. A preference for state action over independent initiative
>
>3. An innate distrust of ordinary people
>
>4. A willingness to scapegoat sections of society, such as blacks,
>women, lesbians and gays ... but also suburbanites, 'Essex man' (that's
>like  New Jersey to you Americans), 'toxic families', football
>'hooligans', 'male violence' etc etc.
>
>5. A preference to see identities entrenched rather than revolutionised
>or transcended (I am thinking here of Marx's view that the goal of the
>working class is its own abolition, for example).
>--
>Jim heartfield

Now the only two examples of left-conservatives who have been trotted out
for inspection are Katha Politt and Barbara Ehrenreich.

I don't think *either* of them fits *any* of your five characteristics at
all...

Brad DeLong