Is there more to the Left than a dense, reflexive "anti-Imperialism"?
There has to be, though sometimes it seems hard to identify.
"The Left has lost the plot" is the title of this clear, well-stated recapitulation of the argument that, even in terms of some of their own ideals, many on the Left chose the wrong side in the debate on Iraq. For such "radical traditionalists", loyalty to the trappings of the radicalism of a world now far removed from ours, of nostalgia for a posture in an ideological struggle from days of yore, is more fascinating than engagement with the world as it is. Expressing distaste, hatred, for America and American power is more satisfying than fighting actual full-blown fascism, more important than the suffering of an oppressed people.
The article is by former New Statesman editor John Lloyd, and is apparently excerpted from a longer piece in the NS explaining why he has now resigned as a New Statesman columnist. There was a kerfuffle about this last year, when it came out that the NS had, for "marketing" reasons, declined to publish a letter to the [current] editor from Lloyd, the former editor. I wrote a bit about it at the time-- don't worry about that blank space at the top: scroll to "Marketing the Left."
The New Statesman charges for all content these days. (I guess the 25% boost in circulation attributed to "nothing but anti-American content" policy didn't last, or wasn't enough. So much for that market niche.) I have to say that that doesn't often affect me too much. But I'd really like to see the missing bits of this excellent article. Can anyone who has read it quote or summarize?
Posted by Dr. Frank at April 11, 2003 11:07 AM | TrackBack