[lbo-talk] Why Richard Hofstadter Is Still Worth Reading butNotfor the Reasons the Critics Have in Mind

Seth Ackerman sethackerman1 at verizon.net
Wed Oct 11 14:37:30 PDT 2006


Doug Henwood wrote:


>> What was individualist about the subtreasury system? What was
>> individualist about the call for government ownership of the means of
>> communication and transportation? In other words, what was
>> individualist about the historical Populist movement?
>
>
> They were gov't schemes to preserve the small farmer.

You're actually suggesting that in order to not be individualist, small farmers have to support getting themselves thrown off the land?!! Where in all of human history has this happened? Do you think the French farmers who vote socialist are hoping someone will foreclose on them so that they can make their own small personal contribution to the development of the forces of production?

Besides, as a fan of the New Deal, what do you call the New Deal's price support system? Collective agriculture?

Seth



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