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
UNLOCKED /328/ The New Scramble for Africa
Excerpt: /354/ Reading Club: Legitimacy (II)
/353/ Bunga Sells Out ft. Jason Myles
Excerpt: /352/ Cold War Marxism, East & West ft. Sean Sayers
Excerpt: /351/ Eating the Left’s Lunch? ft. Cecilia Lero & Tamás Gerőcs
Excerpt: /350/ Reading Club: Legitimacy (1)
/349/ The PMC & Their Politics ft. Dan Evans & Catherine Liu
Excerpt: /348/ Aufhebonus Bonus: June 2023
Excerpt: /347/ Feminists Touch Grass w/ Amber A’Lee Frost
Silvio Berlusconi: An Oral History
UNLOCKED: /87/ Berluscoming
Excerpt: /345/ Who Is The New Elite? ft. Matt Goodwin
/344/ Don’t Do The Work ft. Ben Hickman
Excerpt: /343/ Reading Club: Freedom (4)
Excerpt: /342/ Maybe Don’t Abolish the Family? w/ Amber A’Lee Frost
/340/ How to Grow a Backbone ft. Russell Jacoby
/339/ Erdogone? People vs Nation in Turkey ft. Alp Kayserilioglu
/338/ The Energy Theory of Everything ft. Matt Huber
/337/ Nigeria Rising Downwards ft. Sa’eed Husaini
Excerpt: /336/ Reading Club: Freedom (3)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free