In which we discuss the work of the late Domenico Losurdo, especially his brilliant Liberalism: A Counter-History. Part of an ongoing series on the contradictions of liberalism, we debate whether Losurdo is right to point to liberalism's complicity with slavery, racism and colonialism. Why were arguments for self-rule often accompanied by justifications for slavery? Why were some liberal abolitionist arguments in favour of despotism?
We tie these discussions into contemporary paradoxes of liberalism and ask why liberalism is unable to realise its own values.
Reading:
Liberalism: A Counter-History (book) https://www.versobooks.com/books/960-liberalism
Obituary of Losurdo (Jacobin) https://jacobinmag.com/2018/07/domenico-losurdo-italian-marxism-counter-history
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/159/ Biden Time ft. Amber A'Lee Frost & Alex Gourevitch
Excerpt: /158/ Three Articles: Cosmopolitan Austerity & Control
UNLOCKED /152/ I Can't Believe It's Not Weimar ft. David Broder
Excerpt: /157/ Reading Club: Emancipation After Hegel
/156/ Cosmo-Jihad ft. Darryl Li
UNLOCKED /154/ A Reasonably Important Election... Preview ft. Alex Gourevitch
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/153/ Repubblica di Bunga ft. David Broder
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[UNLOCKED] /146/ Class is Cancelled ft. Ben Tippet
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/150/ Shadow Commander ft. Arash Azizi
/149/ It's Not Robots, It's Capitalism ft. Aaron Benanav / Liz Pancotti
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/147/ The Past Doesn't Go Away ft. Benjamin Moser
Excerpt: /146/ Class is Cancelled ft. Ben Tippet
/145/ The End of Conservatism ft. Julius Krein
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