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Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
Fri Mar 16, 2012, 08:55 AM Mar 2012

Eli Zaretsky interview on BBC Radio 3

Philip Dodd with an interview with cultural historian, Eli Zaretsky on his new book, 'Why America needs a Left' in which he argues that the idea of the left has become discredited. Examining three key moments in American history - the Civil War, the New Deal and the civil rights movements since the 1960s - he explores the ways in which the active involvement of the left was indispensable and that, without the left's critical interaction with mainstream liberalism, the Democratic Party has become ineffective.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01d0yfn/Night_Waves_Eli_Zaretsky/

The Zaretsky interview starts at about 23 minutes in...

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Eli Zaretsky interview on BBC Radio 3 (Original Post) Blue_Tires Mar 2012 OP
This ties into something ELSE I've been thinking about lately....... socialist_n_TN Mar 2012 #1
excellent points Blue_Tires Mar 2012 #2
Bingo. TBF Mar 2012 #3

socialist_n_TN

(11,481 posts)
1. This ties into something ELSE I've been thinking about lately.......
Fri Mar 16, 2012, 07:30 PM
Mar 2012

(I know I keep saying that, but it's TRUE dammit , the ONLY times in US history when we've had serious progressive changes is when the ruling class has feared a revolution. So the left not only has to be PRESENT, a solid percentage of it MUST BE MILITANT. Or they're not scared enough to throw us any crumbs.

TBF

(32,084 posts)
3. Bingo.
Mon Mar 19, 2012, 04:59 PM
Mar 2012

Folks like Eugene Debs got votes and the Palmer Raids weren't conducted under a republican administration - leftists scare the status quo. FDR's "new deal" was in response to socialists/communists doing so well with the trade unions.

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