Speakers:
Boris Kagarlitsky: Transnational Institute
Mel Rothenberg: Chicago Political Economy Group
Christoph Lichtenberg: International Bolshevik Tendency
Last year marked the 25th anniversary of the 1989 revolutionsâthe âAutumn of Nationsâ in the Soviet bloc. For an entire generation now of age, the USSR and the Cold War are only historical relics. 1989 is largely remembered as a decisive close to the Cold War contest between communism and capitalismâwith the victory of the latter casting a seemingly damning verdict against Marxism as a form of politics. The planned economies based on collectivized property of these states were indicted as failures, and their totalitarian regimes called into question the very notion of working class rule. The fall of communism thus profoundly affected the Leftâs ability to imagine the overcoming of capitalism, and the possibility of a classless society beyond it. But in passing into history, the meaning of 1989 can also be reconsidered.
The Platypus Affiliated Society wants to use this anniversary to reassess the question of how 1989 weighs on the present. What is the significance of 1989 in its historical context, and what is its relevance for Left politics today? This panel was held by the Platypus Affiliated Society on Feb. 17th, 2015 at NYU.
A discussion with Laurie Rojas and Richard Rubin on the release of The Platypus Review Reader held at the 2nd Annual European Conference of the Platypus Affiliated Society in Frankfurt.Â
Presented by the Platypus Affiliated Society at the University of Chicago, 5 February 2015
Whether it is the gruesome murder of school children in Peshawar or the brutal killing of editors of Charlie Hebdo, it is clear that our world is in the grip of militant Islam. But what is even more shocking is the response of the Left to these incidents. Mired in confusion, the contemporary Left has failed to comprehend the gravity of the current situation and continues to make confounding gestures towards the force of political Islam, liberal values, such as the freedom of speech, and above all, its own orientation toward the current political crisis. This teach-in will address the rise of political Islam as a consequence of the demise of the Left internationally.
