Rebuilding the Left
Published on 15. January 2007
Book
Hardback
176 pages
978-1-84277-256-0 (ISBN)
Description
What future is there for the left, faced with the challenges of the twenty-first century? Based on a lifetime's experience in politics, Marta Harnecker addresses the crisis facing the left today.
At its heart, this book is a critique of social democratic realpolitik. Harnecker reminds us that, contrary to today's orthodoxy, politics is not the art of the possible but the art of making the impossible possible by building a social and political force capable of changing reality.
She believes that the social experiments being carried out in Latin America today hold out hope that an alternative to capitalism is possible; they are essentially socialist, democratic projects in which the people are the driving force. To create a real alternative to capitalism, though, the left must change.
Rebuilding the Left offers real hope to those who still believe that we can create a different world.
At its heart, this book is a critique of social democratic realpolitik. Harnecker reminds us that, contrary to today's orthodoxy, politics is not the art of the possible but the art of making the impossible possible by building a social and political force capable of changing reality.
She believes that the social experiments being carried out in Latin America today hold out hope that an alternative to capitalism is possible; they are essentially socialist, democratic projects in which the people are the driving force. To create a real alternative to capitalism, though, the left must change.
Rebuilding the Left offers real hope to those who still believe that we can create a different world.
Reviews / Votes
'This book is an illuminating overview of the revolutionary left, particularly in Latin America, and its failings in the second part of the 20th century. Essential reading for all those who are trying to revive the left to meet new challenges.'Samir Amin
'Full of observations, analyses and reflections which are extremely useful for the times we live in. Harnecker's personal knowledge of so many social and political movements makes this book particularly important.'
Francois Houtart
`For Harnecker, politics is the art of discovering the potential in the present in order to make possible tomorrow what appears impossible today. In this book she does just this for Latin America and in particular Venezuela. But first she ditches the dogmas of the past with a disarming frankness. The result is an original and valuable contribution to rethinking left politics.'
Hilary Wainwright, author of Reclaim the State
'Here in Britain, we still have a lot to learn about participatory democracy and this book is an excellent place to start. Charley Allan recommends Marta Harnecker's in-depth study of left-wing movements to anyone aiming to change the system.'
Revolutionary Links, Morning Star
'Marta's ideas about what the left should be doing is a great tonic; and not just for those in Latin America but for those of us on the British left in these dying days of Blairism.'
Hugh O' Shaughnessy, Tribune
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
365 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84277-256-0 (9781842772560)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Marta Harnecker is a sociologist, political scientist, journalist and activist. After studying with Louis Althusser in Paris she returned to her native Chile, but was forced into exile following the military coup against Salvador Allende's government. In Cuba she ran the research institute Memoria Popular Latinoamerica (MEPLA) and continues to write. She has published over 60 books to date, from her classic The Basic Concepts of Historical Materialism to the more recent The Left after Seattle. An ardent defender of the Bolivarian revolution, Harnecker's most recent books are Hugo Chavez Frias: un hombre, un pueblo; Venezuela: Militares junto al pueblo and Venezuela: una revolucion sui generis.
Content
Introduction
Part I: The Left and the New World
1. Profound Changes in the World
2. Profound Discontent among Much of Humankind
3. Towards the Creation of an Alternative Social Bloc
Part II: The Crises of 'Party' and Why we Need a New Left Political Culture
4. Crisis of Theory
5. Programmatic Crisis and the Crisis of Credibility
6. The Organic Crisis
7. The Theory Underlying this Concept of Party
8. Politics as the Art of Making the Impossible Possible
9. Why we Need a Political Organization
Part III: The New Political Instrument
10. The Characteristics of the New Political Instrument
11. A New Paradigm for Internal Organization
Part IV: From Reforms to Revolution: The Bolivarian Revolutionary Process
12. Local Governments: Signposts to an Alternative Path
13. The Left and Reform
14. The Bolivarian Revolution - Is It a Revolution?
Notes
Index
Part I: The Left and the New World
1. Profound Changes in the World
2. Profound Discontent among Much of Humankind
3. Towards the Creation of an Alternative Social Bloc
Part II: The Crises of 'Party' and Why we Need a New Left Political Culture
4. Crisis of Theory
5. Programmatic Crisis and the Crisis of Credibility
6. The Organic Crisis
7. The Theory Underlying this Concept of Party
8. Politics as the Art of Making the Impossible Possible
9. Why we Need a Political Organization
Part III: The New Political Instrument
10. The Characteristics of the New Political Instrument
11. A New Paradigm for Internal Organization
Part IV: From Reforms to Revolution: The Bolivarian Revolutionary Process
12. Local Governments: Signposts to an Alternative Path
13. The Left and Reform
14. The Bolivarian Revolution - Is It a Revolution?
Notes
Index