i don't really understand your point, doug. do you imply she's advising people to stand aside? backlash works in at least two directions. many people are waiting for a liberal or left backlash reaction to the shrub group's policies, wondering if it will come soon or if the USA will need four more years of a slow death. for me, the issue is how to be ready for it. and the reaction of a far right that's gotten used to running the USA and this time may not give up power without a fight, contrary to the casual way the left turned loose of its power during and after the '70s.
although i don't want to misuse the word fascism, i'd say today's US is suffering from a fascist reaction to what once was a re-emergent left during the 1960s and early '70. that's what "conservatism" means in the USA. i'd say, pursuant to ms power's quote, we're experiencing right here and now what europe experienced during the period she's referring to. the same power elite, wealthy interests, and social classes are involved keeping "the rabble in line." the power elite is constantly at war with one another; but it knows how to unite against a common enemy. that enemy is the people.
seen any successful radicals lately, whatever a successful radical is. you've just written, as i understand it, that the left has no plausible strategy and lacks a compelling vision of the future. how does successful radicalism emerge from that mix? i can only reiterate that what's needed lies with the problems and needs of the grass roots. successful radicalism never comes from the top down.
R
----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Henwood" <dhenwood at panix.com> To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2004 7:32 AM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Cultural Change?
R wrote:
>the period of the 1960s and 70s was an embryonic period for today's far
>right. barry goldwater looks almost liberal today. during that period,
>militants, liberals, lefties, etc, were constantly being "warned" by the
>powers that be about "backlash." reagan was a product of that backlash.
>and so is shrub. we're living in that backlash.
"World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 contributed mightily to the advent of fascism. The war generated acute economic malaise, national humiliation and legions of restive veterans and unemployed youths who could be harnessed politically. The Bolshevik Revolution, but one symptom of the frustration with the old order, made conservative elites in Italy and Germany so fearful of Communism that anything -- even fascism -- came to seem preferable to a Marxist overthrow."
- Samantha Power in yesterday's NYT Book Review
So let's not be successfully radical, since it'll just provoke a backlash. Better to mutter complaints from the sidelines.
Doug ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk