5. As a Cold War liberal who flourished in the 1940-1960s, Hofstadter was the leading "consensus historian," emphasizing the durability & pervasiveness of small-l liberal though (defined broadly to include centrist Republicans)
-
-
16. Conspiracy theories that led to Iraq War (Axis of Evil, Saddam-AQ connection, WMDs) all fostered by elites.
Show this thread -
17. If you want to see conspiracy theories go read editorial page of Bret Stephens old newspaper Wall Street Journal on climate change or Vince Foster.
Show this thread -
18. Ultimately, the appeal of Hofstadter is that he provides the comforting idea of a sensible center, relegating discontent & error to the margins. That's a false view of history.
Show this thread -
19. One last point: it's interesting how much of centrist punditry still relies not just on Hofstadter but other Cold War liberals (Niebuhr, Trilling). They remain foundational for a elite consensus worldview.
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
Hofstadter & company exaggerated the United qualities of Communism, but it was there. They also missed the role of greed, bribery & blackmail. But when he was writing ideology was the most obvious component of international comspiracies.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
wasn't North Vietnam aligned with the USSR and against the PRC after the Sino-Soviet split?
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
Communism provided a common cause for people suffering under the political & economic yoke of international Privateering Capitalism "Colonialism." It is the lens of post colonialism that let's us criticize Hofstadter for missing this. Anachronism!
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
What is your definition of a conspiracy theory? The view about Vietnam and Red China is more of ideological idee fixe than a conspiracy theory.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
It was misinterpretation, not conspiracy. Based at least in part on the history of the Comintern and the contemporaneous example of the slavish Eurocommunists.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.