>As far as I know, Schoenman is still around and is still I think
>active in Trotskyist politics. I think his last major political
>intervention
>was the organizing of demos in support of Poland's Solidarity
>during the 1980s.
I heard of him as late as the first Gulf War against Iraq, when he wrote a document called something like 'the secret diplomatic history of Iraq'. It was the best account of the way that Britain, France and America had divided Iraq and Kuwait both diplomatically and finally, politically.
In message <369ADDA3.5DF2 at humboldt.net>, Eric V. Kirk
<kirk at humboldt.net> writes
>Is there any truth to Horowitz' account of Russell/Shoenman in "Radical
>Son?" We all know Horowitz' politics, but some of his accounts of other
>individuals resonated with my own experiences sans the political
>critique.
>
>Horowitz made Schoenman out to be something of a psycho actually; hiding
>on the coattails of a rapidly becoming senile Russell, who was begging
>Joan Baez for bucks before he shitcanned Schoenman.
My Dad once wrote to Russell, pointing out that his account of the paradox of the classes in the Autobiography was wrong. He got a letter back signed by Russell, but prepared by Schoenman saying thanks for pointing out the error, and the memory does play tricks on one after a while.
All the same the version of history that has Schoenman as the evil Machiavelli, imprisoning Russell is a piece of propaganda made first I think by Mrs Russell, who was jealous of their friendship. Sadly, the elderly Russell was forced by her and other friends to write a denunciation of Schoenman. All the same, I suspect that Russell genuinely liked Schoenman, and vice versa.
Russell's willingness to lend his name to activities that he did not entirely agree with mystified his older circle of friends. But he was more interested in being a part of what was going on at that moment than he was in the finer points of political correctness. And for that reason, Jim F.'s account is closer to the truth - both men "used" each other, though that verb has the wrong resonance. They enjoyed what the other had to offer. Russell especially relished the idea of being a part of a younger generation, and why wouldn't he? It didn't matter so much to him that he was no Trotskyist. To this day, Russell's name adorns the printing house set up by British Trotskyist Ken Coates, and run by his son. -- Jim heartfield