Remaking the American Left

Part One:

Currents in American Radicalism

Stanley Aronowitz

          While clearing out some storage space a few minutes ago I came across photocopies of some pages from a book published prior to April 1983. Aronowitz's article contained this footnote: An expanded version of this two-part series will be published in book form by South End Press.

The facing page contained a six panel cartoon (© 22 August 1982) by Feiffer:

Two characters are talking:

1. 1. Why don't the democrats come up with fresh alternatives to Reaganism?
   2. Democrats have always gotten their ideas from liberals.
2. 1. { Drinks wine. }
   2. Liberals have always taken their ideas from the left.
3. 1. { Leaning back crossing arms. }
   2. They dump the ideology, they soften the language, they make the ideas respectable. Twenty years later, they squeeze them through congress.
4. 1. { Leans forward putting elbows on table. }
   2. Today we have democrats, we have liberals ... What we don't have is a left.
5. 1. { Rests chin on clasped hands }
   2. So liberals are stuck their own ideas.
6. 1. So?
   2. Reagan Triumphs.

          In spite of what Feiffer might have thought thirty five years ago or thinks to this day, the left is still here.