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
Excerpt: /144/ Reading Club: New Social Movements
Excerpt: /143/ Aufhebonus Bonus (August)
/142/ Dollar Empire (2) ft. Daniel Bessner
/141/ Oh Lebanon, What Now? ft. Rima Majed
Excerpt: /140/ Three Articles: Right-Populism
/139/ Dollar Empire ft. Yakov Feygin & Dominik Leusder
Excerpt: /138/ Fuck, Abolish, Defund: The Police
Excerpt: /137/ Reading Club: War, Technology, The State
/136/ Banana Monarchy ft. David Edgerton
UNLOCKED /115/ Singapore Shangri-La ft. Lee Jones
Excerpt: /135/ Aufhebonus Bonus (June)
Excerpt: /134/ The Call - Afterparty
/133/ The Call ft. Krithika Varagur
/132/ Partial to Slavs ft. Lily Lynch
Excerpt: /131/ Reading Club: The PMC
Excerpt: /130/ Three Articles: BLM
/129/ The Right Is Weak ft. Corey Robin
/128/ BACKLASCH! ft. Anna Khachiyan
Excerpt: /127/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (3bis) ft. Angela Nagle & Michael Tracey
/126/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (3) ft. Angela Nagle & Michael Tracey
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