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books

The Struggle for a Decent Politics: On “Liberal” as an Adjective

Mario Clemens LSE Review of Books
In this new book, writes reviewer Clemens, author Walzer "muses on the evolution of the word liberal, from indicating a fixed ideology to signifying a ‘universal’ set of values that can be attached to a diverse array of political projects."

Tidbits – Apr. 20, 2023 – Reader Comments: Clarence Thomas = Corrupt; Mifepristone Ruling; Supreme Court “Ethics”; Biden’s Right Turn and 2024; Lula’s Plan: Global Battle Against Trumpism; LBJ vs. MLK; Danger of Nuclear War; AI, Labor, and Tech;

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Reader Comments: Clarence Thomas = Corrupt; Mifepristone Ruling; Supreme Court "Ethics"; Biden's Right Turn and 2024; Lula’s Plan: A Global Battle Against Trumpism; LBJ vs. MLK; Rising Danger of Nuclear War; AI, Labor, Tech; Cartoons; Announcements;

books

The Problem of Democracy

Jonathan Freedland The Guardian
In this book, author Hamid writes about what he calls a "democratic dilemma" facing U.S. policymakers, who, he says, "want democracy in theory but do not necessarily want its outcomes in practice.”

The Evolution of Post-Soviet Ideology

Arseniy Krasnikov Russian Dissent
There is no dividing line between the Russian “quasi-liberals” of the 90s and the ideology of Russian imperialism today. They are aligned politically and economically, the first easily spilling over over into the second.

books

Yascha Mounk’s Misguided War on Wokeness

Ian Beacock The New Republic
“The Great Experiment” flatters liberal readers that by expressing their distaste for cancel culture, they have become diverse democracy’s most gallant defenders.

tv

In HBO’s Sex and the City Reboot, the Thrill Is Gone

Marianela D’Aprile Jacobin
At its best, the original Sex and the City took the romantic lives of its characters seriously while presenting them hilariously. But its reboot, And Just Like That…, has sucked all the fun out of its stories.

tv

The Small Business Utopia of Schitt’s Creek

Aaron Giovannone Jacobin
Schitt’s Creek offered its audience a vision of capitalism free of prejudice and exploitation. The absurdity of this fantasy was both the source of the show’s limitations and its brilliance.

books

The Economist: Cosmo for Capitalists

Stefan Collini London Review of Books
A deep read into the history of the classically liberal Economist, the book under review shows a magazine fronting for empire building, militarism and the triumph of finance capital.

books

Whose Liberalism? Critiquing The Economist

Ben Jackson Boston Review
With its elite decision-makers and opinion-formers—and over 1.5 million copies sold per week—The Economist has exerted tremendous influence on popular liberal discourse for more than a century. The book author finds its reputation undeserved.
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