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Phil said:
"I'm currently researching the history of US political parties, =
particularly the Democrats (under the heading of "Third Way" politics). =
The difference between what the US polity considers to be "conservative" =
and "liberal" behaviour in politics still surprises me, as does the US =
definition of "Left" and "Right". In Australia and Europe, conservative =
behaviour would be "hands-on". We would define conservative behaviour as =
an emphasis on the importance of institutions, especially government, =
church, and the traditional family unit in controlling mores, policies, =
and laws. Liberalism, on the other hand, emphasises the importance of =
the individual and her or his freedom and thus would favour a =
laissez-faire approach to life, liberty, the economy, and law: hands =
off."=20
"Our Left and Right has traditionally been a division between those =
(Labo[u]r) parties who favour the conditions of workers and the =
Liberal/Conservatives who pander to the interests of Capital. The =
historical traditions of the US are fairly unique in terms of western =
politics."
I agree with your analysis of america's so called uniqueness. In one =
of my classes this semester we had several students from Brasil who saw =
"liberal" as being representative of the right. =20
I am coming to the belief that no such thing as the left exists in =
American politics. A close look at the "biblical" Federalist Papers and =
Consititution it becomes apparent that the so called "evil fractions" =
were nothing else than working class resurgences. The so called =
minorities that needed protection were the capitalists not the working =
class, ethnic minorities as it is assumed today. In a recent Poli Sci =
class the professor (Englishman) was perplexed that a "working class" =
legacy never emerged in the U.S., but if one reads some of the early =
literature of America it is apparant that the lack of a working class =
legacy is one of design. Even the so called "democrats" ,like =
Jefferson, saw education as inclusive by making the working class more =
like the elite so the "republic" could survive. This can still be seen =
today with all the studies on reading, assessment etc. in which there is =
an appearance of a threat to the republic and education is the tool =
which is used to have students identify with the values of the =
"republic'. It has been argued that the "english only laws" are laws =
for the future in which the values, beliefs etc of the republic will =
survive even after the white majority is no longer.=20
So much of the American left and right while differing in details seem =
to hold the same basic assumptions of protecting the assumptions of our =
"founding fathers". It is argued politics are nastier now because they =
are personal as in Clinton's impeachment, but what seems to be forgotten =
is that they are personal because there is no longer any political =
differentiation. What is different between the new left as in Clinton =
and Blair and the progressive right as in many of the governors in the =
states? While this tweddle dee - twiddle dum has a sense a "newness", =
at least in America, it seems to have a long history.
Nate =20
=20
=20
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