Greetings from a Classical Radical

[LadyJacobin]

Hello, my name is Alice. I have been influenced by the Enlightenment radicalisms, Liberalism, Republicanism and Socialism. I find that I have increasingly little connection to many later branches, such as Marxian socialism or Progressive liberalism; I find them to be confused caricatures of the classical radical-liberal idea.

I am devoted to what you might call 'middle-class' radicalism, the radicalism of a complete and representative republican government instituted to protect the lives, liberty and property of its citizens. I believe in the abolition of all privileges and the institution of rational laws; upheld by virtue and reason.

I've largely been influenced by the mixture of English and French liberals and radicals; as well as some later figures such as Proudhon. Unlike some 'radicals' I have encountered, I take the science of the economists very seriously (though doubtless much of it is bunk), and I believe that the institution of a purely rational and just res publica is far more important than wrangling about 'the influence of heirarchy and patriarchy on modern art' or whatnot.

[Weezer]

Hi...welcome to the Proletariat's Forum. Beware of Wallmasters. :ninja:

[Martin Blank]

"Life, liberty and property" is reactionary. Enjoy OI.

[Q]

"Life, liberty and property" is reactionary. Enjoy OI.

That's a little rash, don't you think?

Welcome regardless.

[Die Neue Zeit]

The more politically correct phrasing is "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The explicit use of "property" is used by the rabid right.

[9]

Hello, my name is Alice. I have been influenced by the Enlightenment radicalisms, Liberalism, Republicanism and Socialism. I find that I have increasingly little connection to many later branches, such as Marxian socialism or Progressive liberalism; I find them to be confused caricatures of the classical radical-liberal idea.

I am devoted to what you might call 'middle-class' radicalism, the radicalism of a complete and representative republican government instituted to protect the lives, liberty and property of its citizens. I believe in the abolition of all privileges and the institution of rational laws; upheld by virtue and reason.

I've largely been influenced by the mixture of English and French liberals and radicals; as well as some later figures such as Proudhon. Unlike some 'radicals' I have encountered, I take the science of the economists very seriously (though doubtless much of it is bunk), and I believe that the institution of a purely rational and just res publica is far more important than wrangling about 'the influence of heirarchy and patriarchy on modern art' or whatnot.

Well, I think you are missing the historical context in which this sort of Enlightenment ideals were 'radical'. They were radical for their time - that is, in the era of bourgeois revolutions, to which they corresponded. But this is history at this point. The triumph of capitalism over feudalism is complete in every meaningful sense; capitalism is a world system now. It attained its highest (and last) stage - imperialism - nearly a century ago, at which point it had become a decadent system and the bourgeoisie ceased being a progressive class. So it follows that the ideological components of the rise of the bourgeoisie - that is, 'democracy' and 'liberty' and individualism and many other such Enlightenment ideals - have likewise not only ceased being progressive and 'radical', but IMO in many cases have in fact become reactionary, insofar as they serve to justify and reinforce the rule of the bourgeoisie and the continued dominance of capitalism, regardless of whether this is the clearly stated intention.
Simply put, there has never been anything 'radical' about defending the status quo. All the more when the status quo is rotting from the inside out and threatening the very existence of the human race.



Also, welcome to revleft. :-)

[Raúl Duke]

hello...