The very notion of the "left" in the United States is little more than a gloss. It is close to a meaningless term. What is its referent? There is no organized left to speak of so the term left can only mean ideas left of the mainstream.The mass media calls moderate democrats the left so how can the term left mean anything to us? When people attack leftists they are imagining a group that does not exist. They are creating a mythical being to attack. They often refer to icons the media has created. There is of course the left intellectuals who speak every year at several conferences, but they do not constitute an organized left.The image of the left is often the target of attack by neo-cons or liberals if they don't want to be tarred with the same brush.The left refers to all the people who read Monthly Review or Socialism and Democracy! GS
----- Original Message -----
From: Joan Roelofs <mailto:joan.roelofs at MYFAIRPOINT.NET>
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2014 12:45 PM
Subject: [PSN-CS] a Challenge
Here's an article in Counterpunch damning Western leftists. Perhaps igniting a discussion on this network?
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/11/14/do-western-leftists-hate-socialist-co untries/
Also, on another matter. A friend of mine admires progressive economists she names: Rick Wolff, Jeff Faux et al.
She asks: Where are the younger economists of this ilk?Â
Also: revisionist historians on Stalinism: Sheila Fitzpatrick, ed. Stalinism: New Directions, 1999 Routledge
Joan