Radical America - Vol 6 No 4 - 1972 - July August

8/8/2019 Radical America - Vol 6 No 4 - 1972 - July August

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Volume 6 Number 4

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Vo . 6, Number 4 July-August

RAD CAL MER CA

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A en Hu t r a dA o- Um 1\ T f i)

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Edito ia Boa d: F ank B odhead Pau Buh e Michae H sch A eHunte Ja es Kap an Ma k Lev tan Ja es O'B en eTippens. Associate Edito s Jack e DiSa vo en DuBois MaG a e an Ann D Go don D ck Howa d Roge Kee an Ma oMontano Ma k a son B ian Pete son Pau Richa ds M aeSchu an

RADICAL AM RICA Pu shed - onth y at 8 8Massa husettsAvenue Ca dge Massachusetts 0 0Su sc pt o ates $pe yea 8 0 fo two ea s 0 fo th ee Su sc ipt on w tpa ph ets 0pe yea ee to p sone s

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Second C ass Postage paid at oston Massa husetts aaddit ona a ng o fices

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Volume 6 Number 4 July-August 972


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o 6 u e Ju y August

RAD CA AMER CAP a u l B u h e, T HE ECL I P S E

LEFT: SOME NOTES O THE NEW

Ja me s ' Br i e n , B E YOND EMIN IS CENC E:

T H E N E W L E F T I N H I S T O R Y . . .

Rizzi PICTUR S FROM Marcia Salo MY LI E

Al l e n H un te r an d Ja me s O Br ie n, RE A D I N G AB O U T T H E E W L E F T .

ND THE MERIC N

Mark Nai on SPORTS

EMPIRE

Back Cover C right M l

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73

95

ito ia oa F ank o hea Pau uhle Michae Hi schA en

Hunte Ja es Kap an Ma k e itan Ja es O ien eckyippens Associate ito s Jackie iSa o en u ois Ma tina e an Ann o on ick Howa Roge ee an Ma io

Montano Ma k aison ian Pete son Pau Richa s MichaeSchu an

RA CA AM R CA Pu ishe i onth y at 8 8MassachusettsA enue Ca i ge Massachusetts 0 0Su sc iption atespe yea 8 0 fo two yea s 0 fo th ee Su sc iption withpa ph ets 0pe yea F ee to p isone s

u k Rates % e uction f o co e p ice fo o o e copiesook sto es ay o e f o Ra ca A e ica on a consign entasis

Secon C ass Postage pai at oston Massachusetts ana itiona ai ing offices


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l 0

By P ul Bu le

v ral y ars aft r th d sint grat on of thA ri anN ft, th r r ains no signif ant politi al int rpr -tation of th app aran , d sapp aran , and final ani gof th politi al ov nt wh h so thorough y shap d ourund rstand ngof th orld and of ours v s.This va uu

ay b attribut d npart to a s ns of d spa r for n arlyall of us hav xp ri n d a ns of loss thatis stil notov r o ; n part to th r al ty that on y th arrival of thn t stag of r vo utionary d v op nt wi l a owa full r

lu inationof our past ti , as w ga n mor distanfro th N L ft w a b g nto mak prov s ona analys s, and w ar join d by th pra t of thos individua sand groups, r spondingto t nd n sn th larg r so i ty,

ho hav alr ady b gun to r gath r th ms v s in pr parat onfor th hard ork ah ad (1)h d v lop nt of aN w L ft ay b t rm d,in Gra

s i's phras a r vo t against a ita ,against N n t nthC ntury arxism t nd d ong past itsh stor imits For

ar , th ss ntial d v op ntof a lass so i ty andass struggl lay around th for at on of an ndustr a

prol tariat, its ns av nt to apital in in r as ng y so-phisti at d for s, its so alization throughth p ri nof prod tion, and its s lf d v opm nt to th point of xpropr at ngth xpropriators Although h ar y r og-niz d th origins of pr mitiv a u u at on n th sp id gradation infli t d on thos outs d thfa tory prop r,

arx narro d th fo usof h s writings about thsubj tof th r volut onary pro ss to thindustri l ork r. Th s


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was indeed histo i all unde standable : The swif oveent of he p oleta iatf o the stage of itsappea an e as

an anti bou geois fo e in Pa isof 1848to he appea an eof the Co une in 1871 p o iseda evolutiona onclusion in the next phase

elabo atin a wo ld wide t ansfo ation, howeveCapital c eated a social s ste whose ontou s nei he itsdefende s no itssha pest c iti s ouldfull g asp. Theinvasion and t ansfo ation ofthe so ieties la e to beknown as the Thi d Wo ld we can te toda theex enalization of Capital The t ansfo ation of the fa il wi hits anifold i plications, in tu n weall Capi al'sintenalization. These te s a e not e e facts of opp ession,but s bols fo social elationships whi h have p ovidedthe win bases fo ode n indust ialso ie andwhi hsin e Wo ld Wa have i pa ted an enti el new ha ate to wo ld wide lass st uggle

With the e ospe t of the 1 7 s we an und s and abe e than theost p escient evolu iona of aenturyago the full i pa t of he social ove ents in the undedeveloped" secto sof the wo ld Capital a e in o thewo ld in Ma x's wo ds d ipping with blood", and ha

aintained its ule th ou han a ele ating debau hery ofthe wo ld hu an and natu al esou es Ma xists havedi l , and fo the ost pa one sidedl ecognized anaspe t of this p o ess in he o uption of so e se ionsof the Weste n wo king class.(2) But the have e ainedblind to the la ge d na ic that this exte aliz ion had seinto otion, a pulsation of ebellion which hinted no e elat the ove th ow of pe ialis , but at the eje tionof

pe ialis as a cultu al enti f o within and wi houtthe pe ialnations o e indi ation of he i po an e of

this eje tion and its i plica ions fothe evolu ionarp o ess a e exp essed within the United a es,whe e hehis o i alin lusion of a Thi d Wo ld" peoplehas b oughta new d na i to an in easin lstagnant and bank up

u u e : a eshaping ofthe a ts the sensibilities, and theen i eself unde s andingof a new gene ation an epochalview of all iet 's futu ewe can see still fu the he integ ation of a wo ld o uni whi h will un uestionabl


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de onst ate ho u h the est has to ea aboutitse fand about h an existen e e e a 3

Ma x did ot fai to o nize thatthe specifi task ofthe p o eta ianevo utio as to e ovethe ant e ofs ave y f o the o a in he o e of ife and othe ndeed,he ent so fa in the 1844Manus i tsas to asu e thep o ess of hu anityby the e ationsbet een the sexesYet neithe Ma x no the Ma xistsof the Nineteenth C ntu y cou d asp the dia e ti a deve op ent then o ngon

ithin the fa i y hi h ou dat once dep ive o en of

the ea status ofthei p e indust ia o e i p oductionand the eby f e thei ost advan ed ep ese tativesfopenet ati insi hts into the ho e so iety si te na deveop ent Theadvan ed so ia natu e of A e icasociety inpa ticu a evoked a po iti a iti ue : the Co unistaneifesto of 1848de a ing the futu ofthe p o eta iat as

i o edby the ene aFa s, Ne Yo k conventioof thesa e yea de a i g the spe ificneeds of o a fo theongoing evo utioof so ietyto its potentia nou o n entu y, the onve en e of o a 's inc ea i so iast ength( a ked by theinte upted but deve oping o e in theabofo e)and the step by step disinteg ationof the fa i y hasp odu eda g a ing o t adi tiobet een a tua po e anda eptedsta da ds. With the decay ofthe o de va ues,aa cu u atin ei ht fa s u oa o e andpotentia sfo unde standingand a tivitydenied sin e theda of idust ia ization a e i evo ab ye eased (4)

The e abo ation of Capita isvast ybeyo d Ma x'sexpectatio s dependedfina y on the extension of itsexp oitation ove a theo d s inhabitants at in easing eve ,and the ent en h ent of its po e th ou h thes a est ofso ia u its ithi the et opo is. Neithe exte na izationo int na izatio as based on e e b utefo c butboth

e e a sop ofound y cu tu apu ve izingthe o d usto s,th o in the vi ti s off ua d ith ne o es of p oess backedby the fu eight of st uctu aso ia deve

op e t At a point at hi h theWeste p o eta iatseesu essfu ypacified the fo esost tho ou h yaffectedbe o e in ea ingsou es ofinstabi ity as even theMa xists ud i y e o nize.(5 ) At the u inatingpe

iod of c assso iety, the eve sa of initiativesf o the

]


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ppress r t the ppressed spreads the attack n apitatside the fact ry i its (6) Andwhi ethe breakd wn f

I peria ist s ciety at every eve akes evident its g wing inabi ityt eet the st bvi s h an needs and de-sires the increa ing y th r ghg ing resp nse f reshad wsthe birth f the new s ciet within the w b f the d

The New Left naive y b t n nethe ess gen ine y expressedthis new s ciet inits se f nderstanding andits expectati ns f re ti naryp ssibi ity Each hist ric phasefthe dern U Left pr vides a g i pse f the e e ging

rder, even as the radica m vement s cc bst thep ess res f apita is The ve ents f the pre W r d WarI years ffered an evange icavis n f cia is as a reas cia p ssibi it ,and a c ncepti n fw rkers c ntr na p ant by p ant basis The m ve ents f the930saddeda s cia c ncepti n fthe w rkings f dern s ciety i

eas rab richer, fi ing in ear ier abstracti ns with a

c nc ete depicti n f the mass w rker in rganized ti nThe intervening peri d has c ntrib eda b ack cha enget the entire ivi izati n which hasn tyet abated And theNew Left br ght a sense fits 0 er transft n The W en s ve ent ab ve a , c arified thattherev ti narypr cess depended n the s ccess f a prerev ti nary c t ra ev ti n In this way, the NeLeft signified that the rev ti nary pr cess w s c ntin

s, and the ins rrecti nary act n ythe defense and extensi n f theNew ciety against its enemies Previ s y,the IWW and anarchist gr ps had expressed si i a be

iefs B tthe New Left rendered these visi ns f by addinga c t ra di ensi n, and n nger Ut pian by making thethe i p icit princip es thr gh which mass p itics wasc nd cted

Thr ghs ch nderstanding, the New Leftdisc veredf ritse f see ing ye e entary princip es f s cia participati n which were, h wever a sweeping inn vati nf thehist ric Left In rejecting the ere ec n mic ab ndance

ffe ed ch f A erican s ciety by advancedapita is ,it c ear yinsisted that the need f r rev ti ndid n t rest

n the pr ise f a higher standard f ivingesp sedfr Washingt n t sc wRev ti nwas s ething

re than and different f adeq ate e r i nin a


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ci lism fp spe it ; t w s n less th n fullp ticip -ti n in g ve ningb eve membe f the c mmunit s the

essenti l e ement nthe s ciet 's ec nst ucti n M x hst esse th t the ibe ti nf the w king c ssw s t skf the w kingcl ss itse f; eninin the m st f ebui -ing Russi n s c et ins ste th t elementsf the p pu-

ti n h t t ke c ntinu us e in se f g ve nment.Yeteven nthe m st v nce f s c etiesthe me ic n eft

em ne b n e b ts wn the es unti ew eft p -c ime t t p t c p t n s ts g

F n the ci cumst ncesf the ew eft f ce tg inst the t te n m nne unp ece ente f the n nn chist me c n eft. c istsC mmun sts n

ne l the enti et f the w king c ssm vementh hist c en unce n thec nt f the t te b C p t7

he m t nts fthe 96 swe ef ce b the wn expeence t fu the : s the ec nize the genc f

mu e us gg ess nb n supp ess nt h me w sthe bu e uc c tse f m st centu fte theP sC mmune M x s less nth t the st te h t be sm shew s exten e ecis ve with the w esp e c ncept nth t ts ep cement w u n ngebe the t te buts mething ffe ent n 8 8 the si n p let i tc lef the c epub c" bec use t c u n t f m

c ncepti n f ci l sm.B the 96 s ist nctive eft

ep esenting m sses f uthc l e f st f P t c p tDem c c n te fCu tu ev uti n bec useitsc ncept nh b p sse the c ism c te b ef m sm n t nism n etc ul n t f n me ns fexp ess ng C mmun smthe next e t e p f hum ns ciet

7

he essence f the ew eft in its p ct c g spf th sep t cu ten enc esf the 96 s which m ke

the m en s f s c cti n Eve th ng inits ex-pe encep ep e it t un e st n n ct n thec cksn the hegem n f w l mpe lism n f p t i ch

v ueswith n thef mi t h me. Butthe ew eft c uln t mp ehen the cl ss me t ns fthe spec fic ev

ut n p cess p ecise bec use fts fi e t theg e t s ci issues f thetimes s ci l m vement evebette exp esse thep nc p ef eg tiveUnit the p


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gressive tr nsfor tion of force through continu l sheing of outw r for s, th n theNew eft Continu ll , the

New eft r sh e itse f roun tt cks on r cis , i pe -i is , n sexis , n thereb foun itse f Unlike itsEurope n counterp rts, however, it h no ooringsin thehistoric eve op ent of cl ss forces th t itcou un er-st n , n to th t extent its se f neg tions wereore

brupt, ore vio ent, n fin ll orese f estructive.The eric n New eft ore th n n others w s freetoso r fro bove n be on the constr cteren s of itspre ecessors, but un b e to plot f n coursets i itw s tsc ss origins n be on those it coulnot p ss

t cont ine theon true perception of societ ong theeft, but so fu unten b est nce for the cl sswi e

strugg e to fo owThere w s oub eron in the New eft co l pse of

1969 7 : first, n th t be ow the surf ceof po itic efforts

there w s in f ct resh pingof the working c ss nsecon , in th t esp te ts own contr r consciousness, theNew eft w s tself contributing to th t process ikethe

ssi i t on n the ch nges of pro uction ofthe 192 swhich ero e the b ses of e r ier working cl ss r c l-is , the sh fts nsi e n outsi e the f ctor inthe prosperous perio fo owing Wor W rren ere the eftun erst n ing rch ic forthe 195 s 196 s The tr ces ofc ssw e se f consciousness pp rentin the e r ier sof the C iss p te into f i n group b se

t When the New eft took sh pe, these ten enciestow rcl ss fr g ent tion were t kin of high ti e, turning one

ector of the work force g nst nothern ren ering nun fie response to eterior ting con itions possib e.

B the e r 197 sthere were istinct signs th t this

ph se of iv s veness h p sse . Two inter inketren stow r pos tive resh ping of the cl sscoul be etectestructur reun f c tion which, for inst nce,brought the

highest percent ge of wo enworkers in eric n historinto he bor force, bl cks into ke sectors of he v in ustr , n white co r workersinto consciousness oftheirpro et ri niz tion th t encour ge theirunit w th blueco l r sectors; n n i eologic lreunific tion, b se in

&


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p rt on the ver cultur l homogeniz ionth the pos -Worl W r perio h brought o clim x Workers nespeci ll the oung en o e v sterunivers lit th n h

n working cl ss in Americ ncon itions The issues whichthe New eft h built i self roun n h popul rizem e ecisive contribu ion to the i eologic lresh pingthe legi imiz tionof protest g ins he Vietn mW r cul-tur l oppos tionto the existing norms n senseof self-

e ermin tion whichhelpe inspire unw llingnesso cceptthe con itions of w ge sl ve ther con ribut onsof the

New eft (most specific ll he effect of heWomen'sMovement on the ctions n tt tu es of fem leworkers)re onl now beginningto be felt.The supremevirtue of the New ef w si s is orte but

nonetheless genuinerecognition of bro er soci l struggle th n previous efts h beenble o un erst n Arounthis bre th he New eftcontinu ll reorg nize itself in

heprocess openingthe p th for fullerrevolution r theorn pr cticeBe on his chievement theNew eft i non coul not succee .But its un erst n ing n ctivitiess well s i s f iluresh ve ltere the course of revolu

tion r politics perm nentl

F TN TES

(1 Themost sens ble contribution tothe retrospectiveiscussion hus f rh s beenTo Gi lin Tow r s Neweft P rtis nReview XXX X (Summer 1972(2 We h ve sc rcelbegun th t necess r explor tion

propose b AimeCes ire F rst we mustshow howcol-oniz tion works to eciv lize thecolonizer to brut lizehimin the true sense of the wor to egr e himto w ken inhim burie instincts to c vetousness violencer ce h t-re n mor lrel tiv sm; n we must show the ch time he is cut off or n e e putout in Vietn m n in Fr ncethe ccept he f ct e ch time little girl is r pe n inFr nce the ccept thef ct civiliz tion cquires nother

e we gh univers l regression t kespl ce g ngrenesets in centerof infection begins to spre ; n th t

he en of ll these tre ties th t h ve been viol te llthese lies th t h ve been prop g te ll these punitive ex


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pe it ons tha t ha ve been tole ate , al l th ese p isone s who ha ve be en t ied up and ' nte rr ogat ed a these pat r ot s whoha ve be en tor tu re d at the end of a th e r ac a pri de th at ha s be en encour ag ed , a the boas tfu ln es s th at has be en dis p ay ed a po son has bee n nst ed in to th e ve ns of Eu-

pean s but su e thec nt nent p cee s t a sava a sava e hich Cesa e nte p etsas Ame -can Imp e alism D scou se on Co on alism (e w Yo k

M nth Rev e 19 2a e 133 h sp nt s a ab exp esse inthe p et f

Cesa e h chexp esses b ththe i e a fthe West( ea the h te /h b fat ue b ts mmeeff t/ ts ebe us a t cu at nsc ackun e ha /sta s/

ts nf ex b tiesf b ue steep e ce the m st c/f esh heats t eache us v ct es t u pet n ts efeats hea

an se a b sthe p t fu stumb n /Me cf u mn scient an naive n ue s )an ts ve c min

n e a e stan n n c nt anha n the n tt e hann n ts en usf st the f ce s n tnus butab ve us n a v ceh ch p e cesthe n ht anthe au ence ke the st n fan ap ca pt c hnet

n thev ce ec a esthat f centu esEu pehas stuffe us th es an b ats usthpesti

encef t s n t t uethat the k fman is f nishe

that e have n th n t in the that e a e pa as tes in thethat e have n t accept the a f the

but the k f nhas n be un

an t emains f an t c nque a p hibt ns b ze n thec ne s f he fe v

an n ace hasa n f bea t inteence st en th


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R tu n t MYNativ L and (Pa is, s nc f icain ,968) P g s 3 23 24

4) cl l h s th s p m t p u consc ousn ssth t not bl om n j u n l stc n sp f b kth oughnhum s xu t wh c ) sg ng t ccu b c us o-

m lst t t k ng ch g f t wn s xl v s Bb m n : h b tg sm M ugust 972Ev g nt th o s us g of th t m volut n"bsuch m g z n s sM , th s s usxp ct t n th t

n thth sh f ch g t sh ch lt nsfo m th m st nt m t sp cts f hum n f nth by ( h th M c s s th sp nt t)th 5t t of h m f

5 m t ng u s v st th U wc s w th uth s t t th t th c gn t f sp c f c s u c sf v

ut on n g ut n m usof th l p t th sn v b t n up b ch c .m f c th p s-

nc n p t c st t s th h ntn t on l fo c s mun st n g of t Bl cku st onn th m c n C mmun sts th th pp tqusc nc f th ng cl ss m v m t s h ft

th m '4 s c ul th s m tt s bt n up ful nn th st s s f cl ss m v m t coulth

fu l t th c ss st ugg b un st .6) hus, wh f G B l (R M Ju 972)C p -

t s pl s utg w g th f ct t th po nt f thsub t n f s c l t ns t p uct

t s , t pp s t w u pp qu t u :th t f ctob s nc s gl ff ct ct n p l t c l b

th soc l t s f th hs c t7 ) nth bs c f succ ssful v ut m v m nt

f mth g c ssth w ft sf th n v

t b c p tu t n f m oth thv u s fC pt sts c t w th t wn g z t ons s g f ngt p ct c m sh s ccu c sh u mb n us t th sp c f c n m csn qu co t but ns

f v us m v m nts th shou th ut ghtm ch smf s m b ck m v m nts o th t c ss tt tu s

s m s ct s f m sm n th t 96 s.


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l :

By J e O B e

s h r , 0 y ars af r h or Huron a n ,a N wL f h d a s ? d rs andably,h r s s l-do h ard h s days, sinc h adj c v whas an-ing o ly for hos p opl whos pol ical awar ss da sfro h 50sor arli r Ev n as d fro h qu s o ofla ls s fa rly cl arha hsoc al ov w us d

o call h N w L f s o long r an n ty Only h osop s c w ll choos ob l v ha is a slu b r ng gia , r ady o spr ngn o ac o onc aga n wh condi ionsar r p and h appropr a sloga s arnvok d Th w akn s and h r ual s cna ur of ca pus r spo s o hs p d up bo bingof doch na i h springof s

ough o r fu such auphor c b li fu a h pr s h u b r of p opl who ak an

ov y o s c v w of hN f s cl arly uchs all r han h u b r hos a i ud so of x rp s a d coll c v s l d n gra onn his la rv h N w L f s a soc al ov n ha has now bd c v ly d f a d, w h o lya f w surv vor who r p a

o r o h opl a d carr on h work, unawarl h apan s s raggl rs on r o ac f c lands

af r orld ar ha h ir sid has los volu onn

accord ng o h s v w, is h r anu r i poss -b li or so h ng ha canb ach v d only by back ng upa ry g a co pl lyd ff r n rou fro h o akby f

a has o b u d rs ood, inh ds of h d spa rha ha so co onlys n, is ha h N w f waa

s ag i h d v lop n ofa r volu onary ov h was cr a d by a par c lar g n ra onof coll g


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as you g people ho o aso s hatl p dhe a p a d s v f ng p sp v so

s a oh ent ov hN ft ay e sa dto ave is on y f o 5to Itas o a doul no hav e n a i less e ity k ep ng i s oh siv

ss and o en u ega d ss of ha g g i u s aI s isin g at on afte 969 as fo he ost pa a

al su t of i s o nt al akn ss s s t Nft in this light we an avo h s ak ofudg gi y

sta da ds hat a e possi ly h ghh N ftaf allhe ped o advan easu a ly h o eptioof hy l fu de api alis s opp ess v and th o p on o h

evolu on ght ean in an advan d ndus ial so iAs a ltof the pe ien es and failu esof he New

ef th A e a so alist he age s fa he tothan t oul othe wise ha e een To unde sta d h Ne

f n olves two p i a y asks : The f st is o p o

so al o gins an ts u lt nli at o s as a fo e fohang l the se o d no less po tant is to app ate the ay n h h thNew ef despite i sli i a-

ons anag d to un ove s gnifi ant t uthsa out ode napitalis so e y and the poss ty of ansfo ming i(1)

The I t a o ld and he Rootsof a N Lef

The N L ft as a ove e t as asi ally he eationof young people who g aduated f o h ghs hooland ent dollege so ewhe t een oughly 57and 9 hese

e oung p ople hosef stp u e of poli sand so -ty (2 as fo d du ng so pa t of th inte valet n

th Ko a a of 95 53 andthe d siv s ala io ofth Indo hi a a n th d 96 s. Th sthe sta ng pointfo a analysis of heN L ft isa und sta di g of h

ain featu es of A e an so iety du ng hat nte ape-iod. h se yea s spanning h isenho K n dy andea ly ohnson Ad n st a onse ha a ze a ovall y the full andv tually un ped d flo ingof o po -a apitalis n h U It as th atu ationof h epo h

hi h gan ahalf tu y ea li ith i tof heode n i dust ial o po at on a dhe i i ia oof the -

al Gov ent's a ve o ein o o ina ng e o o y


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N w in he 195 s n '6 sperpe u mi i rspen ing w she rners ne pr speringe n m The mi i r

bui up s un ers re n pr e e heU 's e n mimin i nver m s fthe g be Thep i i b sis r

he mi i r spen ing nf r he untr s in erventi nisf reign p i mi i n nti mmunism serve s

exer e ening inf uen e n ef wingp iti issen . w s ne wr ppe p k ge n wit in i he

pi is i s s emw s free fr m n hingresemb ing nimme i e risis r h enge h me r br

ne ess r n i i n f r hes bi i f he pit iss s em uring e interw r e rsw s hemu ing f ssn li twi hin meri n s ie There were sever frs whi hhe pe bring b utt is n iti n The simp-

es th ughn ne ess ri t e m simp r n w s hepr speri br ught b ub perm nen mi i r spen ingDespi e e re essi n f1957 58 n persis en unempment r un the 6% eve int e e r 196 s re w gesgener s we me ningfu rise vert e peri s w eT e b urge is s uti n f minimizing is ntentb

in re sing thesize f t epie w s w rking t h extenhe hegem n f n i mmunism whibe me perv s

ive theme f meri n p iti s int e e19 s nre-t ine i s streng t ere f er w s sextreme imp r-

n N i nsf ss nf i t ( p rfr m p iti i ns r -i i n ppe s the mm n pe p eg inst eves e

interes s ) were enie egi im n inke wi hsinis-er intern ti n nspir B t epr speri n t en i mmunism in turnf i i te hebs rpti n f he

in ustri uni nsin t e F pe f rmu business uni nism is f rmuw s ne inw i he un-i ns g ine p wer b rg in f rw rkers n ques i nssu h

s w ges n urs n f r their p r g vethe emp ers

m repre i b e b rf r e sin e w rkst pp ges ukep e n un er rigi efine n i i ns The uni ne ership m re ver j ine wh ehe r e in the efenf meri nism g inst mmunism b t b rr ingu vig r us f reign p i per ti ns in njun i n wi

g vernmen gen ies n b purging eft wing issen ersin eir wn r nks Jus s e gi fbusiness uni nism


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asse ted a c n inte est between e oye s nd e s in intai ing oducti n, sothe uni ns en i t ntthe anti co unist c usade was based an assu tion oa nati nal inte est which ught t e ide class inte e tOthe act s alshelped t c eate a situati in w chc ass clea age we e elati el less p ine t inthi e

i d tha he had been i the 0sa d ea lie Fo e aple, the a t al c siti the w ki g class was shi ting in wa s (e peciall the g wi g be b ac shea i t a d w e i white c lla obs wh sei licati we e a bei g e st dThe w ingclass wa i e e t what it had been i the 0s andit w ul ta e a l g ti e the i e e cet be ab o bedint a e i ie wo ki g class c sci us ess

he p t he e, h we e , is tt c e p with a cplete catal g eas s the lack a isibleand i sge t wo ki g class e e t d i g the i te wayea s,but p i t t that thelack s ch a o e e t was ai ta t cha acte istic that pa tic la pe i d eican hist What itea t the st e ts wh we e t bed aw int acti ist litic t wa d the e d the pe i dwas that lab id t exe t a a peal si ila tthe neit had held intellect als a d st e ts ithe 19 0s

lace the LaF lletteC ittee which had e p sed thest ike b eaki g tech iques a ti i e pl e s in the

ea l C da s, the e was n wa McClella C ittee ep i g c pt i icials It was the st at al thini the w ld iddle class libe al a e e adical stude ts t is iss Big Lab as the exactequi ale t

Big Busi ess", a d tign ethe w king classe ti elyas a s cial ce

The athetic state the ganized Le t i g thei tewa e i dwas i la ge a ta e lecti the sa e ceswhich hinde ed the e el e t ins ge t w king classe e ts TheC nist Pa ty in pa tic la was badlyh t by ep essi e ede al, state and l cal laws a dby litical inquisiti s withinthe lab u i s Thec tinuedp s e itywas see i gl in e tati n the t aditi alLe t wing iew that capitalis w ld n t w k nits wnte s Boththe c istand the s cial de c aticLe t


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ha a st ategic pe specti e that was la gely ut atebei g base ec ic ep i ati a c isis a thebuil i g u i s Neithe g up haa eal c itique thepe a e t wa ec y the stabilizi g le u i sWhile the ti y cialist a ty e stea ily cl se t bec i g a i isti guishable l yalist g up withi the De

c atic a ty a aba eits l ut pia isi stheC u ist a ty clu gt the g al e luti but with uta y eal basis seei g e luti as a p ssibility

the e was st g w ki g class i su ge cy aithe ga ize Le t haspe t its e tu as a a icalce i s ciety thewhe e i the NewLe tc e

L ki g atthe U i the i te wa pe i weca see twai eatu es that we et p i e the basis thepe

culia type a ical e e t which was the New Le te these eatu es lay i the w l c texti which the

U u itsel his pe i with Chi a wully i epee t a with ec l izati p cee i g i ica was atu i g p i t i thece tu ies lhege y white Eupea ci ilizati e the est the w l he c t a

icti was especially i p ta t theU t ly because it was w thew l 's lea i g p wewith a expa i gsyste i pe ial c it e ts all a u thew l butals because it ha a la ge white i i y

ispe se withi its w b e s Withia with ute ica capitalist s ciety was i i ect c tact with white pe ples wh we e a e whel i g a ity thew l 's p pulati a wh we e e e less ea y t acceptwhite i ati

By itsel c u se the g wi g c t a ictibetweewhite capitalist i ati a the sel acti ity white pe ples w ul t ha e let a ew a icalizatiwithi the white p pulati the U . hus itis ecessa yt iscuss a sec i p ta t weak ess e ica sciety i the i te wa pe i his weak ess wasa utg w h the act that the ec y ha e te e a phase

atu i y I stea a u li ite h iz pp tu itiesi epe e t e t ep e eu sa ee p essi als

the e was a h iz stable bu eauc acies aki g up e


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e y ma o secto of Ame ican societyIn these ci cumstances co po ate capita ism found it difficu tto generata se f enewing sense of excitement o pu pose amonyo ng peop e he co egiate "Si ent Gene ation ofthe1950s was the ob ect of much head shakingamong businessand educationa spokesmen because of its comp acency anpass i ity As a w ite in Commonwea noted w y y, Ame i-can ind st y needed two cont adicto y images a Ho atioA ge image to att act c eati e ta ent and an image of ux-

y and secu ity to se its goods (3 t was the atte im

age the cons me ethic , that tended to p edominate inthis pe iod But fo a new gene ation g owingup in e ati eaf f uence with thei fami ies a eady ha ing made it thecha enge of achie ing a comfo tab e midd e c ass ife-sty e was no cha enge at a it offe ed on y the p ospectof chaining onese f to a d ob in o de to attain a i ingstanda d they we e a eady accustomed to his didnotmean that e ery co ege st dent was thus a ma content and

ipe fo ebe ion,but it did mean that the System's abi ityto att act the zea ous oya ty ofmany of its b ightest yo ngpeop e was being se io s y e oded hen this is addedtothe fact that young peop e g owing up in the ate 50s andea y 60s we em ch ess affected bythe fea of commu-nism than we e thei e de s then we ha e the basis fo the

ew Left: a segment of the count y s youthfu popu ationeady to find in po itica ebe ion the excitement and pu -

pose which the society fai ed to offe them

he Bi th of a ew Left, 1960 65

nti 1960 the absence of a iab e Leftin Ame ican so-ciety was as e ident on co egecamp ses as anywhe e e se

he e had been m ch po itica fe ment oncamp s in the1930s e i ed fo atime in the ate ' 40s by both adicaand ibe a g oups but since thehigh tide of anti commu-nism du ing the Ko ean a an unb oken po itica si encehad p e ai ed By 1960 i tua y the on y students at any

ni e sity who cou d emembe po itica demonst ations onthei campus we e g ad ate students of ongstanding heg acia ca m was b oken decisi e y in the atewinte andsp ing of 1960 bythe Southe n sit in mo ement. his spon


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tan ou wav of non viol nt militanc u uall taking th form of it in at Jim Crow lunch count r , tart d with four fr shm n at North Carolina A&T Coll g andq ickl

pr ad among black coll g tud nt al acro th SouthIt al o touch d off th first wid spr ad political activitamong whit tud nt inr c nt m mor At scor ofNorth rn campu , tud nts pick t d ool worth or oth r chain

tor s, coll ct d mon for th South rnblack stud nt , andld ralli s to xpr s th ir upport P rhap a man a

ight to t n thou and whit tud nt an unh ard of numb ragain t th background of th 1950 , took part inth ool-worth pick ting which was th trong st form that upport for th sit ins took

uring th n xt thr ar , a th Stud ntNon viol ntCo ordinating Committ (SNCC m rg d out of th it inand mbark d on a program of organizing in catt r dpock t of th pSo th whit st d ntsupport for civilright continu d Stud nt rai d fund , brought p ak rto campu , and occas ionall took part in dir ct action pro-

ct organiz d b Congr s ofRacial Equalit chapt r orb ad hoc groups th r importan political issu s whichh lp d to nurtur th nasc nt tud nt mo m nt w r thHo s Un Am ricanAc i iti sCommitt (whos film" p-

ration Abolition m odramatical d pict dth Commit-t s oppon nts a Communist d p and atmo ph ricnu-

c ar t sting uring th 96 62 school ar,wh n R siaand th US r sum dt sting, a campu p ac mo m n d -lop d that wa (again, b tandard of th 1950 of an

impr s i siz . P rhaps a hundr d camp s had p acgroups of om ort, and th Stud nt P ac Unionb camth arg st b far of th stud nt prot t organizationsA march on ashing on which th SPU pon or d along withoth r gro ps in F bruar 962, focu d mainl on nucl art ting, dr w an un xp ct dl larg turnout of fi to ightthou and

can arn som thing about thi arl tud nt movm nt, and about th N w L ft which it lat r volv d into,b looking at th t p of campu nvironm nt wh r it gr w

t gr w arli st and fa t t ata f w of th mo t acad micall pr tigio s tat uni rsiti s (B rk l Michigan,


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Wisc si Mi es t d ew the best p i te i-e sities d c edc eges (C e , w th eChic gbe i , ti ch H d R dc i eC et C bi

Reed , st e c si e g ibe ts st de tswe e t e be s te ities s itiesIt h dsec d i p ct, g thes e secti the st de tb d t s e the e ite e s d w e 's c eg

ew b i e sities d be sec d ki gst te i e sities d ibe tsc eges st ck

tswh ts e e tte che s c eges tech ic sch

e th e ew ch ch e tedc eges Thest te i stit ti s th t h d st ted t s sch sdec des e ie d h d t et c p etedthei e -

ti i t ec d st te i e sities we e s t chedThe st de t e e t g ew i i d cc p s s bc t eth t w s ch cte i ed b e bk

sic It tt cted b sic tw t pes st de ts The ew s si e b e i it ed di pe b bies"wh g ew

p i d e t i ies i the 19 0s wh h d e e i b ed with the st d d e ic c d w th g ,d wh se b ckg dsh d de the kee se siti e t

s ch iss es s c i ights pe ce d eed speechThe e w s ge be st de ts dicb ckg ds t pic the chi d e ibe i ded p

essi swh h d sw wed ibed s ge e i-c ide s i thec se g wi g p d whwe e e dt be sh cked whe ide swe e d t t c esp dwith e it (

The t e the st de t e e te ected b th thec ssb ckg ds its p ticip ts dthe ck isib e

e t t diti i the Thet ew s ked e h db disti ct c ti b t p itic dg e ts dthe

the b se se the eedt ke pe s witess g i stthi gs which see ed s t i e with ide s s t be big s e i .I this c teg

we e seg eg ti ( te st i the th ,p ti thet sphe e b c ewe p s d the c eb e

the H se e ic cti ities C ittee. N p itic iss es with e p icitc ss c te t s chs st ikes,

e p e tec icp i ies t ti e g ged


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he s ghtes ttent n the student e ent N d d

student e ce ct tye b cee en ud ent y c t que e sThe s he e ent w see ted ye essed nn gn st c s b ut h w u e ts

ght h e ng te e ects ne st dent cket ngnd st ng n nt the Wh teH use g nst theesu

t n nuc e test ngs d : E en wed n't ch nge nyne' s nd we' e g ng n ec d u se es We'd kt

c n e t e e th nk e d Iw ntedt d s eth nge ce Iee uch eh nest te ' e g tten ut ndd nes eth ng (6

E ce t the Y ung Pe e's c stLe gue wh chded g n z t n kn w h w thetudent e ce

Un n nn t n y g n zed u t ssue g u s yedj en the e ent tudents De c t c

cety ( D wh se 1962 P tHu n t te ent w sthe

stc he ent te t t ge new t csynthes s utthe se te st nds the new e ent w s st seg ng t ented nd du s the th n b

de g n z t n Itsn t n sec et y e ted t the end1962 : We h e n e g n z t nb se Th s s

c e Weh e ewg u s c ect ns wh sh eue s ect e We h ee e e ng t e tt en th s th t c us wh w ntt g n ze' thenn thngh ensThe ctth t we h e dded nu be th sn e te st s n ts gn c nt(7) The student eent s wh e theth n e esent ngnyth ng ke

c he ent t c cew sessent yse es d h ces nses t thed sc e y success e t c

e sIt w s the e s n the c ghtsst ugg e n the

s ng nd su e 196 w ng thee ch ssde nst t ns nB ngh th t n ected new deg ee

b e dth nd c t ent nt the wh te student testHund eds students went tj n de nst t ns nb thN th nd uth nd n the su e 196 we e 00t k n es s u t e c ghtsg n ze sn theDee uth M st the went t M ss ss thest


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dang rous Sou rns a For t ns o ousands o o rs ud nts, undraising and ot r a tivi i s in suppor oSNCC l n al as a vi arious invo v m nt in s rugglAnd SDS r sponding o a ivis impuls , am a signi i ant national group or irs im und r aking10 ommuni organizing pro sin Nort rn and o d rs tat s aim d at s imulating an int rra iamov m nt o

poor .

J,

DE T

upsurg o Fr dom mov m n w n 19 3and1965 not onl m ant a uan itativ ump in d gr ow it s ud nt a tivism, ut also ada pro ound innudging a tivis s to L SNCCwas t prin ipalgroup w i x r d t isradi alizing in lu n doing i intwo omplim ntar wa s. n was SNCC sinsis nt d mandt a t F d ral Gov rnm n(w i und r Pr sid ntsK n-n d and o nson ad a larg l und s rv d imag o aiding

ivil rig ts) us i s ull ons itu ionalpow rs o pr v nSout rn o i ials romarassing and ru alizing mov -m nt SNCC swillingn ss o on ront D mo ra i Ad-ministra ion was most drama i all xpr ss d in A lantiCit in Augus 1964 r Mississippi Fr dom D m-o rati ar soug t o s at d in pla o t ir stat sr gular all w i d l gation to t D mo rati na ional on-v ntion out om an Administration ompromis w i


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efused o e ognize any of he F eedomDemo a s asep esen a i esof hei s a e ou aged S CC and i s sup

po e s Taken oge he wi hheJus i e Depa men s spa -ing use of i s powe s op o e Sou he n b a ks ying oasse hei igh s heA an i Ci yepisode made mains eam Ame i an ibe a ism u ne ab e o he mo a is ipo i i a udgmen s ommon wi hin he s uden mo emen

The o he fo mwhi h he S CC inf uen ed adi a iza ionook was a popu is i one. S CC a one amonghemajoi i igh s g oups ook p idein o ganizing among he

poo es e emen s of he u he n b a k popu a ion S CC fie dwo ke s (manyof whom ame f om owe assba k-g ounds hemse es insis ed ha hese peop e hadbo h he

igh and he abi i y o pa i ipa e in he de ision makingp o esses of so ie y S CC a a ked mains eam ibe aism a A an i Ci y and e sewhe e fo i sop down s y eof a owinga few eade s o ugg ehe in e es sof o dina ypeop e Fo whi es uden s oming in o heSou h and expe ien ing a p ofound u u e sho k o s a wi hhis e emen of S CC sapp oa h madea s ong impa As aMis-s issippi Summe o un ee w o e:These peop e house-wi es unski ed wo ke s many bu no a unedu a eda e fan as i Peop e whoha e ne e spoken pub i y be- fo e ge up and make he g ea e s spee he s (8)Theu ban o ganizing p oje s ofSDS espe ia y af e he ini

ia summe s expe ien e ookon a simi a popu iso ien a ion In easing y he SDS a i is s iedo o ganize

he poo a ound he issue of hei powe essness a hehan a ound a subs an i e na iona p og amDu ing he 964 6 s hoo yea hes uden mo emen

deepened and mo ed fu he o he Lef . TheF ee Spee hMo emen a Be ke ey in he fa of 1964 ou hed off by

es i ionson he a i i y of ampusi i igh s g oups

u ned in o a e o agains dehumanizing aspe s of heuni e si y i se f Be ke ey was fo owedin he win e andsp ing by sma s a ea ions agains uni e si ypo i iesa Mi higan S a e hioS a e Ya e B ook ynCo egeCone Co umbia be in anda numbe of o he s hoo sEqua yimpo an in Feb ua y 96 he Johnson Admini-s a ion emba ked ona d ama i expansion of he ie nam

.

-


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Wa by begi i g a syste atib bi g N th iet aWith igils lea leti g tea h i s a da D sp s ed

a h Washi gt whi h d ew upwa ds 20 000y u gpe ple a st ga pus p test qui kly de el pedagai stthe Wa F the i st ti e it pitted the stude t e e tagai st the e e t a lea ut issue ep li y TheG e e t whi h had e ely see edguilty

la i y a d y i is i itsailu et i te e ei uthe

i il ights st uggleswas w see asg ilty wa ti le e a as i e s ale the espe ts theiet ais sue was a atu al a ry e the i il ights

e t b th ases the whi e s iety whi hthe stude tswe ea pa t was sh wi gitsel apable g s i hu a ityThe s e i se alis was p ese t i the wap test

s a Wis si stude t de e di g he he kli g ate Depa t e t speake s that a pus said a tbe al

l a ddeta hed a y l ge a tspeak s tly whe wa t sh ut t pThis is si k a d i hu a d llsh ut i it will ake e hea d !thi k athe thatbei g ablet si ba k a d wat hu de is what is si k "(9 O aspa ti ipa ts i a hu ge st ike at e tate said Webelie e that the G e e t s a ti si iet a a e allyw g a d as e i a s weall eel g ilty these ati s " (10

By the iddle 196 it uldbe said that the e wasaNew Le t sy b lizedth ugh by ea s e passedby

D The NewLe t was a kedby p siti t the Wadisillusi e t with the s iety s esista e tp g ess i

i il ights a d a eadi ess t halle gethe de isiaki g p esses theu i e sities a d the wh le siety ly i e yea s the e e t had e a l g way

its l w keyed igi s i the W lw th pi ket li eBut as a disti ti e NewLe t the e e t e e helessb e u istakablythe a ks its lass igi s a d thehist i al ep hi whi h it had e e ged ts p sitii ast t that the y uth au ilia ies whi h the Old


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e d ona y d eYo n Co n eaguee r ea e nd now e D Bo s C b a weak

o was no b y on nedos udentsand o e ed o o e ewas a ely any u e o y ung eo e

o wo k ng asso non o lege ba kg oundsongo lege studen s n u n heo e en ont nuedto d aw

a ost ex lus e y o l be al a ts s udents a he thano h se en o edn the ena ow y a na elds.he New e a s b th had nly he aguestlass

ana yses tt e o e eallythan a s ewhat an

dent at n w thhe and essedIt p n o nted nog ou n s ety(othe than sto us o st heeo le w ththe owe andthe need b ng about bashange But to ake th s p ntsn t den g a eu wn

past I annot bee phas zedt st ongly that the New e tsp ang u a a t e when the e an wo k nglass wasat a te po a ystandst ll ea ngas de the leg sla e al an es ont a tedby the FL CI leade sh pthe wo k ng

lass was ak ngn la s n the sy a hy and sup the seg ents o theso et The ost aud ble and u gena sbe ng ade n the students at ent on nthe ea y

1960s we e o ng o he bla kF eedo e en nd the stpa as ex essedby Ma t n uthe ng and

e en by NCC t ese a s hadan a os ex lus ely o -al st and lassless ng nlyan ex a d na lys ng

Le w ng t ad on wh h b us y d dnot ex s uldha e sha ed thewh te students es nse na d e entwaythan t was a ua yshaped Ra hethan a nt ng hede

ed ha a e the New e at tsb hwe sh u da e ate he way n wh h the s udent a t sts la k nany eady ade he et a a ew k we e ne e heless

eadyt be ushed e en u the to the e tby he u se oe ents Rad a za n a eabout by anad ho p ess o

hoos ngs des : NCC and s we ess ns uen y aga nsto e n a sts and aga nst theFede al bu eau a y heetna ese aga nstthe e an ta y and(as n the

F ee ee hMo e ent he se esaga ns the un e s yad n s a o sThe on th ead n theseass ed engage en s was und t be the ague on e that any

al ed a pa o yde o a y the ght a peopletoa o e n thede s ons thata e t he es s as a

j

j


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ing poin , and as he e pression o college s den swhoseow l ves were generall ree o an ma erialdepriva io

iwas

a no igno le principleThe New Le sShor Fo r Year His or , 196 1969

For a period o o r ears a er i s emergence in 196he New Lef en o ed as ead grow h o n m ers Al ho gh

s lles en all con ined o college s den s(or dropo sin he l eral ar s ield, hemovemen spread o manh ndreds o camp ses which had een o ched hepo-l cal s rrings of heearl 1960s B he spri g o 1969

here were perhaps 60,000 o 100,000 o ng peoplewhoook par in local chap ers o S S he pre eminen New

Lef organiza ion, and a m ch grea er n m erwho s mpahized. r ng hese ears he NewLe also con in ed i s

own radicaliza ion, as s ind c menof American socieecame s eadil more wholehear ed and sweep ng This

was he per odof he New Lef 's ma ra ion.A s ch iwas also he per od n wh ch he New Le n ernal weaknesses ecame accen a ed o he poin where,a he peakof i s appare s ze and s reng h, i ell apar Th s proce so grow hand dissol ion deserves care l anal is

The hree soc al developmen s which d d he mos ospeed p he grow h and radicaliza on of he New Lein

he la e 1960s were he Indochina War, Blackower, and o hc l re The War, escala ing ear a er ear provided a con n ing ackdrop opoli ical dissen I washeone iss e wh ch ro gh far he grea es n m ero peo-ple in o poli ical ac ivism The rise of lack mili anc ,s m ol zed on one hand he Wa s re ell onof 196 ando hers ha followedand on he o herha d headop ionof revol onar lack na onalism SNCCand hen heBlack an her ar provided s mpa he cwh es wi h acon in ing example of m li anc and o revol io ar rhe -or c F nall he spread o o h c l re whoseimpor ance

ecame nm s aka l o vio s 1967, alsomade a markon he poli cal landscape Yo h c l re was de ined chiefl

he c l o heBea les, Rolling S ones and o her rockgro ps dr gs and he flo ingo conven ional s and


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a ds o d ssand app a anc In h ov a cont xt o that 960s youth cu tu took on d s nctly po t ca ov

ton s By h p ng toc at a w d sp ad s l consc ousn ss o young p op as a g oup apa t tmad poss

h ac l acc p anco ad ca po t ca d as as anxp ss on o p sona a nat on B yond th v n wh

ts d vot s sco n d po t cs youth cu tu d dp s ntan o t y m ons o youngp op to j ct th l patt ns tha co po at cap tal sm s m d too th m Itthus had p o ound mp cat ons o th d v lopm nt o po

t ca ad ca sm n hSh s th n w th ma o d v opm nts that s t tht ms und wh ch th wL t g w and vo v d n thp oda t 1965 Fa om a t ng ts as ccha ac

St

- s -

th y a ow d th w L t to g ow mo o l ssa ong thn s t had a d out o ts l a v nas t xpand dand mov d u h oth L t hmov m nt ta n d av y st ong th ad opol cal cont nu ty w th spas Phaps th s can s n most cl a ly n la on to th so lack nat onal sm Th nunc at on oBlack Pow yS n 966 put ng a c os o hp od n wh ch wh t shad pa t c pa d d ct yn h m l an w ngo th c v l


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righ s movemen , carrie an ini ia shock or S CC's whi esu or ers n egra ion wasnow being re u ia e b blackmi i an s, bo h asa ac ic wi hin he movement an as agoal or so ie But, ini s im ac on whi e s u en s, hechanging ac ics an goa s o he black s rugg ewere realess im or an han he ac ha he s ruggle continue

ha black eo e were s i in rebe ion against he racismo American socie Becauseo his ac he issue o racism was con an hrus on he a en ion o heew LeRa ica , ra her han c ass ivisions remaine he mosvisib e c eavage in he socie , jus ashe ha been in heear 196 s oreover, jus as he civil righ smovemenin 196 65 ha rovi e a con inuing ins ira iono oungwhite ac ivis s a con inuing remin er ha hes a us quocou be cha enge the grow ho ab ack revolu ionarmovemen in he la e '6 s ha the same exhi ara ing e econ he ew Le

At his oint i ma be esirab e o ause an o eran

o era iona e ini ion ha wi i eren ia e heew Lerom o her ra ical grou s ha exis e on cam uses in hea e196 s EvenS S he ew Le 's main rall ing oin ,

ha a minori ac ion ha ook ea ershirom he rogressive bor Par , a su er Leninis o shoo o heCommunis Par a ing rom 196 1 Ou si e o SDS heexis e a varie o Ol Le ou h grou s; he mosim or

an o hese, he oung Socialis Al iance la e a ke rolein organizing an i war ro es s an ahever en o he

eca e i gaine ra i l inmembershi me o he ewLe 's oli ical rai s were share wi h one orano her o

he O Le grou s, buaken as awho e he a e u oa is inc ive ew e osi ionThe ew e was ar icular wi ling o acce black organiza ions an lea ers asvanguar s o change was a so eager es ecia l in he

as ew ears o he eca e, o give who ehear e su oro he Vie namese resis ance movemen an i s lea ersnbo h areas he ew e o enen e o roman icize non

whi e eo les as well as o single ou in ivi ual lea ersi el Cas ro Che Guevara, o Chi inh, ue e on

or a ula ion he same i e however he ew e wasm uch quicker han he O e grou s oi en i mi le

6


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class y u g p pl as a s m what ppr s s dgr up. itspp siti t th War th charact ristic N w L ft cam

paig was that attack d th war th st d ts' h mgr u ds thr ugh draft r sista c a d thr ugh pr t stsagai st sym lic targ ts (D w h mical r cruiti g, OTm ilitary r s arch a d s f rth that li k d th iv rsiti st th military A d th N w L ft's attit d t ward y uthc l ur was sp cially disti ctiv B th L a d SA pp s d th s f drugs a d th irm m rs w r r lativ ly

cl a c t PL i partic lar vi w d y th c lt r as a sigf urg is d g racy. F rth N w L ft th th rha d, th m rg c fy uth c lt r a d f th hippi s wass as part f th s luti a d t part f th pr l mThr gh a vari ty f m a s sp cially th u d rgr dpr ss, N w L ft p litical activists s ught a c mm gr u dwith hippi s a d dr p ts, li vi gthat all f th m w r

a ically u it d i r j cti g middl class Am rica lif .

With this r gh d fi iti i mi d,w ca g t -ami th way i which th War a d th ris f y th cult r acc l rat d th N w L ft sradicalizati i th lat

6 s a d acc tuat d itsdisti ctiv charact r Th Warca s dir ctly r i dir ctly it was th f c s f m st

camp s pr st, d s rv s first c sid rati .F r s v raly ars, r c rr t pr t sts agai st th War w r a sw r d

ly y th st ady i t s ificati f th U military ff rt.This pr duc d withi th m m t a gr wi g r adi s s t

li v that th ar m st a utgr wth f d ply im-dd d f at r s f th Am rica syst m, tj st a mistak

that c uld asily r m di d.Thus, a critiqu f imp rialism cam asily acc pt d y th N w L ft W atis sig

ifica t h r is tth critiq its lf, which had rigiality t th ma r fits acc pta . t cam tas a

c r llary t a critiqu f capitalism ut asa dir ct tgr wth f p ri c with th War. F r th N w L ft, itcam cl ar at th tim f th D split th asic c tra

dicti i th w rldwas tw imp rialisma d its -whit victims, rath r tha tw w rk rs a d capitalists.Th N w L ft was a a ti imp rialist m v m t f r a dm r fu dam tally tha it was a a ti capitalist m v m t.


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At the same time as we ha e note the NewLef wasp one to a ta king he a an impe ialism ina way that

elate he s uggle tothe New Left own so ial su ounings In pa t thisg ew out of a espe a e sea h fosho tu s o en the a . hen af esistan e be amea se i

ous en ea o in the winte of 1966 67 manysaw it initiallyas a w y of s opping the milita yma hine by utting off i s flow of manpowe hile aft esistan e ame nowhe enea that un ealisti goal, it ne e theless b ough heNewLeft itself to an un e stan ing (th ough onf ontation)ofthe way in whi h in i i ual li es a e isto te an sa i fi e a o ing to the pe sonnel nee s of heSystem. Simila ly, on ampus p otests against milita y elate e

uite s an uni e si y ompli itywe e of en seen as haing a potential fo ausingse ious is uption to themi ita y The tangible effe s of hese ampaignswe e mo est,but they i lea to a sha pene sense within the Ne Left

of the elation be weenuni e sities an impe ialism Fopa ti ipants in the New Left, the f ust a ion gene ate bythe p olonge wa in Asiawas a onstan p o to e aminingthei own pla e in so iety

The New Lef 's elation to you h ultu e fit e in wi han in fa t stimulate its t n en y o elatethe In o hina

a to i s own su oun ings It is ue that aany gi enime the e was s a ely any o e lap be ween hippiesan

New Lef ists Almost by efinition hippieswe e politi alas well as so ial opou s f om so iety an ook no inte esin a i al poli i s as su h Theeme gen e of he Yippiesin 1968 as animagina i e effo tby Abbie Hoffman Je yRubin, an othe s to pu a oss a politi almessage in nonpoliti al guise also was a sepa ate phenomenon f om heNew Left Bu youth ultu e ha ape asi e effe t hat wasno onfine st i ly to full fle ge opou s.A sense ofyo ng people's istin i eness ombine with a is on enwi h a ep e life patte n went fa beyon the anksofthe hippies Youth ul u e p o i e a b i geby whi h anunmeasu e numbe of mi le lass young peoplewe e a

a e a leas b iefly to the New Lef . By the same okenthe New Left i self was p ofoun ly affe eby he ultu al

e olt I sha pene ou own feelingsof e ulsion at so i


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ty, and in that way it p id dan m ti na in c m ntt u sw ping p itica udgm ntsn matt s such as a-cia pp ssi nand ign p icy Inth mi itant campusd m nst ati ns th at s th was anu g ncy whichsp ang n t n y m th p itica issu s which w x-p icit y ais d, but a s m stud nts' wn ust at nswith i in t uni s ty n addit n,th cu tu a t

nc u ag d us t s k th s c a ts what th wism ght ha b n p c das pu y p s na ust ati ns

h m st sp ctacu a nstanc this was th m g nc

a w m n s ib at m nt which g t muc itsimp tus n th at 0s m w m n wh wpa th t

t was nits c nn cti n p s na t s c a issu s thatth w t s c a m t g na ity ay t tstud nts as such, y s us y tn mba ssm ntin a sing d mands chang s inth i siti s th m

s s ath than simp y using th ca sas a c u tm nt c nt uts d st ugg s d t p c n-c usi ns m th g wing p i n y ung p pg ing t c g , wh ch was th t igh duca nhad bc m c ucia t t p ati n Am can cap ta ismh

w L t, m , ach d a t ta c iti u what itm ant t i n Am ican s ci ty. It did this in ati n ts uch ss u s as th d a t and manp w chann ing,th us

uni siti s t p duc ski d and p iab w k s c p ati ns, w m n's pp ssi n and th i w c n-s umpti n as d m stic imp ia sm which s m p p in

a s d h N w L tsaw that cap ta ism ant n tsimp y d a s and c nts xp itati n, butp w ssn ssindignity and d abn ss Li ? w at stak andn t -

y ch ckb ks A this was t ntati ,and it n c ystaiz d int a c h nt i butit n th ss was a

a ad anc in t wing th ught n th . tam unt d tan ass ti n tha uti n mig t b p ssib n with utan c n mic b akd wn th capita ist syst m that nw n it uncti n d m st sm th y th syst mp ac d int -

a bstac s in thway h man u i m nt, and that as n had t b p ac d


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No analysis of the p ocess by wh ch the New eft ma-tu ed in the pe od afte 965 wouldbe complete without a

d scuss on of the weaknesses that we e nhe ent n i sde elopmen he e we e se ous weaknesses and inthenot so long un theywe e fatal nd scussing them howe e we needto keep in m nd the fact that these we e basic featu es of the New eft not a se es of "mistakes o of

nco ect dec sions made by w ong headed"leade she New eft s flaws we e p esent f om he sta t and hey

we e nd ssolubly connected with ts s engthshe most ob ous and pe haps mostbasic l m at on of

the New eft was ts conf nement to a campus m l eu hisis not to say that the e was not a g eat deal of fe menamong wo king class youth n the a my in facto ies onst eet co ne s and nh gh schools in the late 96 sbuis to say that he ewas sca cely any di ec o ganizat onalconnection between these ebellions and he college based

New eft On thewhole ld eft youth g oups such as heYSA we e much quicke and mo e systemat c than SDSabout o ganizing GIs Wh le SDSg oups in a num e oc t es wo kedc eati ely with h gh school studen s, he ewas a tendency fo them t each p ma ly youngpeople f om educated middle class backg ounds sim la to heiown athe than wo k ng class youth As fo fac o y woe s, twas P og ess e abo which lobbied wi h nSDS osend ng students n o facto es; fo the mos pa the SDSleade sh p esisted the dea ssent ally the New ef emained on campus and in campus cente ed youth communi

es not n the wo kplace Wh leas we ha e suggestedth s concent a ion in a single mil euwas helpf l to the New

eft s numbe cal g owth t also p o ided a na u al l mitto what the New eft could be expec ed to achie e I co ldne e ha e become a soc al s mo emen As ts heto icsuggested t was an mpe ialis an ac st and eanti cap alist; bu he inf equency w hwhich the wo d

soc alist was hea d was ind cati e of thelack of a positi e sion Gi en ts class set ng and the na e o s

adicaliza i n twould ha e beenall bu impossible fo heNew eft to de elop a notion of wo king pe pletak ng cont ol of the means of p oduc on and o the soc e yI d no

eal sense of how wo kis ca ied on at p esent no o


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speak of how i migh e carried on under a new socialsys em The vague concep of par icipa ory democracy didno survive long af er 1965 as a generally accep ed sloganwi hin he New Lef andin any case i was never fleshedou y a vision of how i migh make life differen for hema ori y of Americans

A second weakness of he New Lef had odo no so muchwi h i s class composi ionas wi h he par i ular his oricalepoch in which i had emerged The New Lef was he crea-

ionof people who had gone hroughhigh school in heyears

efore 1965 or insome cases a year or wo eyond haA i score he movemen re ained his genera ional s ampven as ens of housands of younger s uden s joinedD

for e ample he propor ion which really ecame a sor edin o hemovemen anddeveloped a permanen iden ifica ionwi h i was verysmall The New Lef as wehave said formed and developed hrough a series of discoveries a o

he iniqui y of American socie y discoveries which h d

as heir ini ial s ar ing poin he rela ive ranquili y of hein erwar era u in he la e 96 yo ng people were coming of age in a world ha was far from ranquil wi h a fes ering war in Indochina wi h la k mili an scondemningwhi e socie yas ankrup andwi ha spreading you h l

u e ha seemed o offera direc challenge o ac ep edpa erns of living. There were o vious so ial rises in he

Uand revolu ionary rhe ori was alrea y very m a

par of he social environmen . These yo ngpeople came ohe movemen read elieving ha socie ywas si k and

needed a revolu ion he q es ion for em was a owe do on he asis of his n rs anding ? olle iv a

ion seemed o show promise i wo ld e adop edowise some kind of individ al adj s m n oa ad soci ywould have o e made.And heNew ef whi h wasa i s

s ronges in i s cri iq e of heeXis ing socie y was neq ipped o furnish em wi any so of revol ionas rip y w ich oday s me ings and mons a ions migreasona ly e e pe e t l ad o omo rows evol ionThe ransi ion f omrevol iona f rvor o cyni ism salways e n an easy one omak andi is nders an a e

ha somany yo ng people hav made i ing he las fewyears


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A d n n w akn o N wL wa poon o wom n w n In a num o wa g ow

and d v lopm n o mov m n a 6 d o a g -n d opp on o wom n m aco mov -m n ' ap dg ow o xampl m an a all andma c cam muc la g ; waa ul an pm um ona v pu l c p ak ng a aon w c m n n

mov m n ad a v ual monopol B ond a c a npol cal nd w n mov m n om1 67 onhad

co glamo z ng pol cal ac v a oc a dp ma -l w m n. wa u pa adox call o n c-o o mov m n a nd d owa dp c m ( o onl

m n uld co d a u and n c oamov d n d c on og a m l ancand v ol nc( o m n w o cmp m n o v ol nc ) N w L ' pa al u onw ou cul ual o addamag g a p c : wa a ong ado mal a -

v n unn ng oug ock u cand ou cul ug n all w l a d wom n ngl o w o

ad lo xual n on nall wa p o -l m o mal up mac wa xac a dn w L n

la 1 60 a m wa all u n v a lg v n mov m n d v lop ng c quo non co-

nom c opp on n Am can oc ha a ongac on would d v lop aga n maldom nanc w n

N w L W h n SDS u wa a d pu l cl aa l a D c m 6 w n a p c alwo k op owom n wa h ld a a na onal SDScon nc a Un v -

o l no 67SDS conv n on awom n' cau-cu pu d a olu on on wom nopp on ocand u d ol mal d l ga pa c pa n am nd ng

olu onOv n x wo a ag ow ng nuo wom nw o con d d m lvpa o N w

lp d o o m wom n' g oup o n dand ou dN w L I would an agg a ono a a ac v-w c a p n d wom n n o opp on

w n mov m n wa a ma oac o n cl mac cSDS p n u m o 6 I wa ow v a x-

m l mpo an ac o n mov m n na l t -con l on a na onal l v la pl B a


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t e thea u u ated e pe e ef f ust at w theft e tt e tastea g stw e f t g t eate

a ew O e the New Left s e tu as a he e te e t had bee dest ed the g wth w e 's s us ess f eda passab e ba et ts e sttut

The p t

Because wasthe p e e e t New Left ga zatts sp te g the su ef 1969 a kedthe s bde se f the New Left The e e ts wh hedup t the sp t

a e w th t a g he e because the sh w ag eat deaab ut the New Left s he e t stab tThe st beg s

the w te f 196 66 wheuthfu e be s f theP g ess e Lab Pa t ha g d ss ed thet Ma2 dM e e t wh h thehad f e w kedt k ut

e be sh p a ds PL was es a a df thef st ea a d a ha f ts p ese ce wass a e

ted B the su e f196 h we e a th ughst weaku e a t was p ese t g w th a he e tp t a

p s t that u d t be g edTh sp s t wasa es f Ma s Le s that was sh f ea asubt et es ts sta t a f the stude t e e ttp a e the b ue c aw k g assat the e te f ts

e s Ip g a at te s th s ea t p a st kesupp t a t t es a d su e w k s PL a s p ted a pus st ugg es aga st s b s f pe aa d t edt te p etthese st ugg es asste s The

e a h g s ga used bPL e be s tt e thep g a s t gethe wasthe bu d gf a W ke tude t

a e

The f sta te at est ateg wh h a st ea pe p e u te p sedt P was a edthe NewW k gC ass the .It was ad a ed 196 b NewY k

eade swh a guedthat wh te aa d te h a w ke swe e beg g t e pse b ue a w ke s the e

d g t th sst ate the best u se f theNew Left was t f wts g a d t t ad a zethe p ese ta d futu e h de s f ew w k gass bs


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T e weak esses i is approac were o so uc i eeory i self as i e way i was propou e i SDS. T e

firs weak ess was ai s a voca es isrea e e ploy-e s a is ics a as P was quick o i oue a era e e rela ive ecli e of lue collar jo s T e secowas a , i s ressi e i porta ce of scie ific a

ec ical workers o e eco o y i ig ore e fac aos s u e ac ivis swere i el eral ar s fiel s, es

pecially e u a i ies a social scie ces os Newef is s i fac eve ou ey were likely o go i o

fiel s suc as eac i a social work, a o s ro g aac e o a yse of occupa io al pla s T ey a li le

ea er ess erefore o co cep ualize w a eir fu urejo s i e like u er workers co rol T erewas as ro g ele e of revol i e New ef a ai s e s u

e s career prospec s u er capi alis u e rus ofis revol was pri arily e a ive ra er a posi ive

T e New Worki g lass eory a e vir ue of spo lii e rela io s ip of u iversi ies o e s api of ela or force of e fu ure u i was o refi e o e e

e of provi i a via le pro ra w ic coul rally eo ajori y i SDS Vir uallyi s las appeara ce was

i a resolu io offere y S eve Halliwell To Bell aBer a i e Do r a e SDS co ve io a rejec eaf er it er e a e.

Ha ecrises i A erica socie y i e la e s eeless severe a a eve s ove less swif ly ere iave ee i e for e New ef ajori y i S So resolve

i s poli ical u cer ai ies i a eli era e a collec ivea er Bu eNew ef was cau i a social w irlwi

a was o ly i s all par of i s ow aki g. T e eveof i clu i e paralysis of olu ia U iversi y

y uil i seizures e ica o De ocra icco ve ioe ay u e eve s i ra cea e rise of eBla k

Pa ers as a revolu io ary lack or a iza io wo oa a io wi e scale crea e e or ous pressures w

e New ef . A erica socie y ow see e far less s lea i a see e earlier a for is reaso e s a es

i SDSs fac io als ru les ow appeare o e u ier. Te a ive effor s o uil a pro ra arou e New

ef s u ique i si swere ow ra ually a a o e a

'j


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he S S leade ship egan o looko o sidea ho i iges o g idelines o a ion

he mos impo an ning poinwas he Demo aNa ional on en ion in hi ago in A g s 68 SDS hadneda old sho lde owa d plans odemons a ions in

hi ago, and had dis o aged i s ow mem e s om oing nless he wan edohelp make on e s among disil sioned a h s ppo e s B e q i l as s ee

igh ing de eloped in he in oln Pa k a ea SDS mem e sp esen in hi ago e ame gh p in he o ing o a

ini g o ps whi h dis p ed a iand ha assed hepoli e he lesson ha seemed o eme ge omhe hi agoe pe ien e om hee hila a ion o eingin he s ee sand o he in ense em a assmen hahe de ons a

o s a sed he Demo a i a was he al e o milian

he all SDS a emp eda na ionall o o dina ed seies o ele ion nigh ma hes whi h so e hoped wo ldd pli a e he hi ago e pe ien e hese ma hes we egene all small and disappoin ing o e gene all howe e mili an as s h egan o a e i spla e as he en

pie e o he SDSleade ship s al e na i e ohe o keS den Allian es a eg o In a wa i was na al

a his sho ld e so B 1 68 6 heNew e lla

ep ed he no ion haAme i an so ie was e ploi a i ei pe ia is opp essi e omen and o ng people anda is in i s ea men o < s and o he mino i g ohe e we e ew new i ies o e adea o heini

q i o his so ie The onl hing le waso he o emen o es ala ei s p o es a ains heiniq i i al eadsaw.

he ideologi a asis o he a al spli wi h Pwasone ha was nished PL i sel in he win eand sp ingo 6 P og essi e La o i i ized he Bla k Pan hePa and la n hed a s ong mpaign la eling allo ms o

la k na ionalis ea iona his ini ia i e wasa di eh s a he SDS leade ship ss ppo o he Pan he s and

mo e gene all a heNew e s wil ingnesso ollow helead o la k ili an g o ps osi po an P s ha dened posi ion ea ed a se io s impasse wi hin SDS ahe


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h p er eve . uring the 8 s h e rp rti u rin he spring herewere pr es dem ns r i nss re

f mpuses ed b b ks ude sdem nding B k S ud e

pr gr ms nd sim r n essi ns he n tur in in if he S S m instre mw s t give fu sup rtt hesepr tes s whe ever the erupted BuPL pp sed B kS udies d her dem nds h sm ked f n i n ism

hus there w s e v ge verthe m s mpor n str egi ques i n f ing S S h ime Ch r eris iissue w s uded bhe S S e dership's s mewh t fre

ied eff rts ng he B k P ntherP r swe ss tempt dr g PL s i i smsf Cub nd N rth Viemint the deb e , bu hessue w sre n nethe ess.

here w s n r mf r mpr mise he sp it me heS S nven n Chi g iu e when hP s

u us ppe ring h ve umeri m j rit he NewLef f r es firs se eded ndhe de red th t P supp r ers were expe edfr m S

H d heNew Lef n i edsu hstr g i ern -radi ti s, he sp it hPL might h ve resu ed i new

p it vi t ,with he New ef gr uping free rg n-i e nits wnr ther h strugg i g w h PL r tr f

si g e rg ti Bu herewere u tw sp i sinS S he sum er f 9 jus e hese d ew s m re eth i th t e r sh wed he b krupf

the New Le s here p i veme t rem edhe p ssibi hthe ew ef S S wh h re edr fhe d i e Ch g )u d eep rge

stude f w g gr uped behi d s b er h s sbe wee he e ther i wh hhe d s f he

e dership p si s d se gr u ks he Re u r Y he e ti B hh d

e erged i d s f r t he Ju e e dtheh ed r es ge r d fPL the f erm h h w-e er he dr ted p r ds mutu rim dthe e r f iw s e r h he e herm r edS S h d be e ide g pure dre rg i

he e herpe p e emb d edwh m be ed heg us fthe New Le t spr ess fr di i -

b u r ge he ewv r u e erspe fer whi es e w sh pe ess r te .he


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ro efor whi e revo i ries w s i ef e tt s sho ktroops for b ks d for he Third r d si ehe bjetive b sis r worki g ss ve e w s pp re y

ki gwhi e rev i aries h d be o redp by aher i t f wi Th s me he id O t ber ysfR ge i Chi gothe p r i i ry e vers wh sep

i g drove the RY f i f S S b whi h hee herpeop e hopedwo dig ite he i gi ti s fie

ed y gpeop e a r ss the ryB hesa ei e h e her represe ed he i ti fso e

spe s of he New Le t i s rked the i sb do e f theNew Lef s te pts thi k hro ghhe e i gf m reh e s iety i he S The odeh hee herpeop e i p sed he se ves w s i i

t ry e b sedo di ip i er ther th p r i ip i db sed o s i e versio s f stre g h dt gh ess

The RY i sistedo he B y Are Revoio ry i d s t eri g f s gro ps dpr ie t i divid s e sewhere ihe try ts ide gy w srio sb e d. t greed with e her th t the pri i

p o tr di ti isbetwee imperi is d the se fdeter i ti Third or d pe p es.t str g y s pp r ed

he P thers d he Yo g L rds.At the s e ti e itid veryhe vy s ress re hi g theA eri w rki g

ss espe i y b e o r w rkers r es. i s

t e pt t mbi ethe New e s str g i i peri ismwith w rki g ssperspe ive RY y besee sprogressive t emptt b i d o theNe eft's experi

e e B t ike the e therpe p eRY w sregressivei i s o epti s wh t s i ist s iety igh k

ike tw s withi the RY gr p th pr ise rSt iw s stof e he rd. y se he gro pi g w soosek i ds io f r io it s ed o y few

f ersp i ti g w yfro e herO hes rf e thesp i teri g S S e wi hbewideri g s dde ess. At he e d f hespri g he g iz ih d i e se pres ige dte s f h s ds fo ebers he e d f he s er ih d thr e se s of io

spokesme ryi g i f te p red b ooYe heorg i a io o pse w s o si p y the resof b dde isio s by e ders t er how wr g he dedth se


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peop em y seemto h ve been nthe r t ons n 1969S Sw s n embod ment of the ew Left so movementth t s b si y mitedto s ng e se tor of so ietythe

o ege mpus nd to s ng e gener t on ofyoung peop et ou d not be m de to rry the burden of revo ut on forthe who e so ety henpressures deve oped n 1968 nd1969for the New eft to ssume th t burden,these pres-sures resu ted n n e er ted gro h for t me butthey sospeeded the movement's u t m te o pse

Exp os onsnd henS en e

or ye r fter the New eft's pre p tous org n -t on de ne the momentum of student protestwh h h dbu t upover the 1960s ont nued un he kedhe ye rst rted w th m ss ve outpour ngs for nt w r m r hesndr es n s ores of t es n m d tober,nd then n

sh ngton nd S nr n s oon November 1 n the w nter nd spr ng there were repe ted v o ent shes t ndv du mpus enters sp rked by o ssues orby the

onv t onof f ve defend nts n the Ch goConsp r ytr heseoutbre ks o urred t su h d verse p es sS nt B rb r , Buff o d son, nn rbor Berke eyC mbr dge nd Co umbus S pport for the B kP ntherP rty's b tt e g nst repress on m xed nr y of

bout 1 ,000on y y nNew H ven s teof the mur-der tr of Bobby Se e nd sever otherP nthers n

y, the S nv s on of C mbodw s metw th n t onw destudent str ke of unpre edented proport ons hroughoutthe ye r there w s pro fer t on of y b sed t v ty

some of t r d some not n h f do en sep r tespheres : the w r, women's ber t on P nther support,

eg defense work e o ogy nd g y ber t on th Ssent the rotsky st Young st n ew sby f rthe most mport nt Left w ng group on thempuses but

t w s st re t ve y sm Student protest t v ty, esy dur ng the C mbod str ke w s edby d ho o -

t ons of New ndO d eft sts on erned ber s p f stsfem n sts nd tr d t onstudent government st w rts tw s the h gh w ter m rk ofthe student movement, ndeverybody w s non the t


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Benea h he su a e howe e heee whee ng o es so 0 obs u eda bas wea ness he ewas no onge

a se sus ainingNew Le a ab e o o u a ng o ei e es onses o e en sas hey o u edand d aw ngs a egi on usions ohe ong un his ean haon e he ewas any e u in he s a eo a i i y he de

ne wou deedon se and odu ewides ead yni isIt has obe e e be ed ha he 0 s hoo yeawas

ha a te ized by a who ese o s e ia u s an eswhi h taken oge he ena e y s ongbu no ne essa i y

e anen i e us to a us e o he onths betweene e be and May we e a ed bythe P esident s ostenatious dis ega do o u a o es agains he waby heaun hingo i e P esiden gnew s u ous assau

dissente s and he edia by io ent aidson B a k Pan heo i esin se e a ies and heu de o F ed Ha onand Ma k C a in Ch ago and by heChi ago Eigh ia

whi h d aggedon o O obe oFeb ua y and odu edesh judi ia ou agesa os dai y he ewas a os asense ha so e ind ohigh e e ons i a y was a oot

ha yea ai ed a youngeo eand ino i ies The Cabod a in asion a o aniedby N xon s bit e e a sabou a us o es o sand he shoo ingo ou en a es uden s was he ass aw Fo ui ous y hein asion a so

a e a he one i eo yea he a es ing when o ege

s uden s ou dos easi y ouse he se eso o i i ao es hus he o entu o o es in 0 washea i y de endenon a se o ondi ionsand en s hawe e unique o ha a i u a yea

o he ex en ha hewaning i u ses o heNew Leo e hadan e bod en in 0, iwas in he unde

g ound ess whi h on inued o ou sha hough ha di es we e soon o se in.he e we ese e a ea o ii a he es in he unde g ound a e sne was su oo he ibe a ion s ugg es oThi d Wo d eo es : heie na ese Cubans ando he s ab oad b a sChi anos

Pue oRi ans and na i e e i ansa ho e. se ondwas su o o wo en s ibe a ion and( o e hesi an ysin e he gay o e en was jus beginning o s ead a hati e gay be a ion Thewo en s andgay issues we e no

nea y as easy o hand e ashe issue o hi d Wo d ibe


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a ion, becaus e hey hi so m uch c os er o hom e. F r e s h discover ies wer e c ons tant y being m a de abou he p l ace tha m a c h i s m o ha d h e d i n t h e N e w L ef t . Indiv i dua s now found t hem s elves for ced o exam in e hei r who e pa ter n of be av-i o r t owa r d o t h e r p e op l e , a n d t he p r oc e s s w a s p a infu l A thi d the ewas the atte to bui d a senseo so ida i ywi hin he o a us youth o uni ies hat we ese edby he unde ounda e s These we ea eas ha ToHayden one o he hi a o Ei ht alled theo en ia ibe ated zones o hede elo in A e i an e olution o

o s o kon e s tenan s unions wo en s ente s s eedan es anti he oin a ai nsthe e osu e o unde o eoli e a ents oliti al ee in s bai undsthese we e

all a a t o the e oto build enuine o uni iesin theyouth a eas Ty i al yeo le on and a ound hesta s othe unde ound a e swe e the ones who sawhesedis

a atea ti ities as a t oan o e al oliti al s he e andwho linked hat s he eto the su o t o Thi d Wo dst u les These eo e we e the a ie s o theNew Le

aditionIn e lainin the de lineo the New Le t adition a e

the Indian u e o 1969 0 we ha e a so ewhadi eent set o a to s o those whi h e ainthe da eningo a us otest Thenew quietudeon he a usessta

in inthe all o 19 0 an be att ibu ed ainlyto he dis

illusion ent se tin in a te he hu e a bodia o estailed tob in anend to the wa o he asti o e enin ounte insu en y know howa ai able o uni e si y ad

inist ato s and to the uni e sityinan ia isis whi hled to a owingi a ien e with students whosee ed obeadding to the osts by eatin is u tionsFo the enants o theNew Le t howe e he hea iestblows a e

ro sou es o the a usThe o esthat a e he

eatest i etus to theNew Le t s o th in the la e 1960swe e nowa a ently on the wane and we e less a ab eose ing as sou es o ins i ation This is a i ula y

lea in the ase othe bla k libe ation o e entand heBla k an he s The hi hoint o the anthe s esti e

a e with the Re o u iona y eo le s onstitutiona onention in hiladel hia in e te be 19 0A te that a e


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ser es o blows n su ess on over thenext h l e rA pl nned ollow upnW sh ngton to the Ph l delph on-vent on w s m sm n ged nd led There w s re t ong nst the P rt 's tenden to glor nd v du l le d

l m xedb the d s losure th t Hue Newton l vedn luxur p rtment. In the spr ng therew s spl t n theP nther's top le dersh p w th sens t on l h rges betweethe two t ons At the s me t me the P nthers were wn ng number o the rourt tr ls nd thusppe red less

s the v t ms o perse ut on even thoughthe Governmenth d h eved tspurpose b keep ng P rtle ders n j l

s long s t h dIntern t on ll the seem ng qu et n the Indo h n

dur ngthe nterv l between C mbod nd the 1972 pr ngO ens veme nt tempor r loss o theen our gement

h h the Amer n movement h d dr wnrom the er eV etn mese res st n eto ntervent on (Th s per od w s

not m rked b n tu l lull n the ght ng butthe ste dd seng ge ento Amer nground omb t troops helped tog ve t th t ppe r n e ) The lure o C b smp gn toh rvest 10 000 000 tons o sug r p gn nwh hNew e t stsh d strong e ot on l st ke through the Ven-

eremos Br g des o oung Amer n volunteers w sblow o s m l r sort. And the Ch nese Government's support or P k st n nd Ce lon nthe r blood suppress on opopul r nsurgen es d d u h to t rn sh the m ge Ch n nd Ch rm no s s mbols o world w de revolut on The N xon v s tto Ch n though t w sn p rt n dm ss ono de e t n the vernment's e ort to sol teCh n h d to exert urther d mpen ng e e ton Ch n srevolut on r m gemong oung people

n ll the per od when outh ulture h d representedn oppos t on l movement w th n Amer n so et w s

p ss ng Broughl 1970 longh r nd drugs werebe om-ngw del epted sh ons w th no pol t lmpl t ons

Even n the o mpus l ber ted onesouth ulturew s no longer serv ng s ement hold ngoung peopletogether s om un t h le m n nst tut ons su hs

ood o ops nd women's enters surv ved the over r hr mework o ommun t w s m ss ng. H gh rents hero

nd the e s l proven b l t othe pol e to dowh tever


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they w nted there m de these liber ted zones symbolsodesp ir s mu h sof hope.

The women's movementh d momentum nd logi of itsown th t did not dependon the existen e of bro der NewLeft, but it lso r ninto serious diffi ulties fter19 0the previous twoor three ye rs the women s movement h dundergone nin redible growth in its ons iousness boutthe n ture of women'soppression in so iety ndin the Left.Now however,the problem w s to find vehi les orexp nding the movement through progr ms otherth n ons ious-ness r ising. h problem w s org niz tion l r therth ntheoreti l tion lismrose over th issue of lesbi nism nd over the p i ip tion of womenwho b longed tomixed L ninist org ni tionssu h s the YS Theb ggestfrustr tion howev r, w sone th t w s strongly suggestiveof the New Left's problems hewomen's movement foundit extremely h rd to re h working l ss women, whether

s f tory oroffi e workers or s equ llyexploited house-wives hile the liber l wing of the women's movemententered in the N tion l rg niz tion for omen nd the

N tion l omen's Politi l C u us, h s m deppre i bleg ins in opening opportunities orwomen in the profes-sions, the more r di l movement whi hgrew out of theNew Left h sfound mu h slowergoing

ny oneevent ould be s id to h ve ignified the buri lof the New L ft s we knewit th t event w sthe ston sh-ingly su essful mp ign of Sen tor George vernforthe emo r ti Presidenti l nomin tion. r more th nthe C rthy rus de of 968 the Governmp ign

bsorbed the impetusof re ent movementsfor h nge inthe US. n 1968there h d been vibr ntNew Left p bleof exerting Leftw rdpull on the impulse for so i l

nge owhowever, t e overn or es were etodispl e ther di l dem nds of the New Left ndthe student protest movementwith se of Left liber lme suresth t ould on eiv bly be implemented withinthe existingso i l system. hey were ble to m ke this repl ementwithout diminishing in f t exp ndingthe number ofpeople who ouldwork enthusi sti lly in f vorof the

use he liber l wings of the nti w r movement nd of


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he wo en s o e ent layed ball wi h M e n and woni o ies ha wo ldha e see ed in on ei able in hewake

o the on ention held in Mayoaley s hi ago o yea sea lie Yo ng eo le also gained ann e edented deg eeo e esen a ion inside thee a i a y he o e all

one o he Go e n a aign si ila ly wasa elibe al e sion o he o t aged idealis whi h had beensos ongly ha a te is i o he New Le ts a y heM Go e no eswe e ableto e la e he now de n tNewLe with the e o ati a tyas the synthesizing o e in

the single issue o e ents o hangeFinal Note

We end o e o less whe ewe began he New ewasthe eation o a a ti ula gene ationo yo ng eo leinand a ound ni e si ies It sustaineditsel and adi alizeditsel in es onse to the s essi e dis o e yo o agesabout e i an so iety o eti es thesehad odo with

atte s that did not di e tlya e t the NewLe t itseabo e all the b talization o non white eo les a ho eand ab ad eti esthey had odo with as e ts o hest dents wn li eswhi h we eseen to be disto ted by he

no al un tioning o a italist so ie y Us allythesewo i lses we einte wo en he e isten e oa ili an

bla k e ent in the U and he ot a ted ggle ohe ietna eseagainst e i an inte ent on h d heee t not only o e singthe hy o isy o e i an soiety but als o aisingthe ho e hat su ess ul st ggle

against it was ssible hus a st ng NewLe t h i edonthe a uses o se e alyea s But i did no su i e olong no o ldit ha e It was a te all a a tial o e

ent in one se to o so ietywith no oots in the wo kinglass he a ti la anneo i s adi alization by ase ies o sho ks was uniqueto a single gene ationoi ddle lass young e le wh uld besh ked di s

de elo ent ne essa ily b ought it into a ollisionowhi h it w s un e a ed with theeali y o wo en so

ession in he so iety as a whole and in he o e ent itsel te a disinteg ation ha was al os as a idas itsinitial ise the New Le t has had itsday


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Amid the wreck ge ofso m n hopes whi hwere r isedndthen sh ttered in the sp ce of few e rs is it possib e

to end this ess on note o optimism ? The nswer ises The first deve opment to be noted is the rge number

of veter ns of the New Left who h ve been immersingthemse vesin working c ss ommunities s f ctor oroffice workers s high schoo or junior co egete chers

nd s communit ctivists nd who see their work sp rt of gr du emerging soci istmovement ith thec ss essr dic ism of the New Left h vingbeen rge

def ected into e ector po itics or c nicism it h s beenm de incre sing c e r th t c ss b sed po itics rethedirection in which former New Leftists who re sti com-mitted to r dic visionh ve to move Thegrowing num-ber of soci istcommunit newsp perswhich re working-c ss oriented but which ret in the New Lef stress onissues such s women's oppressionr cism nd imperi -ism is on surf ce indi tionof the energ th tis goinginto this reThe economic squeeze which h s been evidentfor thep st sever e rs nd in p rticu r the w ge contro s im-posed b the NixonAdministr tion in 7 h ve so m dec ss divisions m tter of pub ic discussion for the firsttime in dec des The m th of homogeneous midd e c sssociet h sbeen b own w This is not tos th t we recurrent witnessing gre t w veof working c ss mit nc indeed such outbre ks h ve r re t ken p ceduring times of rising unemp o ment but on to s th tthe b sis for c ss consciousness is being id

B f r the most import nt b sis forhope however isthe w in which the composition of the work ng c ss h sch nged over the e rsThe proportion of womenwho h veentered the job m rket h s been ste di rising for the p st

two dec des This does not me n th t thesewomen re nowin the working c ss whi e s housewives the were in someother c ss h t it me ns r ther is th t the now h vedirect ro e in production which former w s denied tothem T ken in conjunction with the spre d of women s on-sciousness which is sti in its ver e r iest st ges theincre se in women workers portends dr stic ch nge inthe po itic compositionof the working c ss This s me


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k dof ch ge s re dy pp re t n thero ewh chb ckworkers, who were tr d t o y co f ed to pe s nt st

o ther gr c t re, h vebeg to p y n the Northernd str es nto wh ch they h ve moved overthe p st fewdec des. he h stor c post w dc t of 1 0, for ex mw s rge y ed by b ck workers s m r mthe

tt t des of yo g wh tem eworkers h ve c e r y beeffected by the ferment t k g p ce mo g yo g peop e

the w der soc ety he spre d of h gher ed c t ot thecomm ty co egeeve h sbee red c g theg p t re d exper e ce betwee co eged o co ege yo thh t th s mo ts to s ssert o th tthe work gc ssof the 1 0s, bothbec seof ts st t st ccompost on d bec se ofthe w y the soc moveme tsof the

60sh ve exerted the r f e ce s m rked y terc ss. he s ghts of theNew Left, desp tethe f ct th tthe New Left s soc moveme t cons sted m n yofyo ng peop e from profess o nd m n ger bgro ds h ve re ev nceto work g c ss po t cs todf r gre ter th n th t wh chthey wo dh veh d n the p st.

or ts st mb ngthe New Leftr sed twopr p esth t co st t te v b e eg cy forthe soc strevot on rymoveme t th t m y emerge nthe U the com gper od. hef rst s th t pr c p e th t revo t onm stbe

ntern t on th t t c ot s mp y be red str b t on ofpower mo gwh te mer c ns, b t m st t keto cco ntthe p ceof estern wh te c v t onthe tot schemeof th gs, d th s be ge ne y t r c st heseco dpr c p e s th tp t sm ffects peop es'sves noton yby d vert g workers'mo ey tothe pockets of the r bos-ses, b t so by d stort ngthe r perso vesndth t

o revo t on co d be comp ete th t d d not remedy thd stort on he New Leftw s ot soc stmoveme tB t,

f ts her t ge s ot foo sh y eg ected, we c n hopeth tthe New Left's exper e cew h ve b d ngnd be

Documents

Radical America - Vol 6 No 4 - 1972 - July August