Shelley wrote
It is rather tiresome to read remarks (by Marx) that imply that
philosophers merely busy themselves with finding loopholes in others'
arguments rather than working for REAL social change. I find it hard to
imagine what progress would have been made by the (white) women's
movement if it were not for the words of (women) philosophers such as
Mary Wollstonecraft or Simone de Beauvoir; where the lesbian and gay
movement would be without the work of (French) philosopher Michel
Foucault; or where work on race in the academy would be if it were not
for the writing of (African-American) philosopher Cornel West.
I really have to take issue with this. Mary Wollstencraft wrote in the
19th century, de Beauvior in the 1940's yet it wasn't until the late
60's that second wave feminism had any real impact. This movement was
not driven by philosophers but organic intellectuals such as Greer,
Oakley and Mitchel who together with consciousness groups, brought about
a limited social change.
Foucault, whose work yuou suggest has influenced the gay movement,
published the history of sexuality long after the foundation of the gay
liberation movement. His ideas were rejected by radicals because he
undermined the notion of a gay identity and he himself argued against
his work having any political use.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King did not depend on post-colonial
scholarship, but a comitment to social justice and equal rights.
What social movements rely on is rhetoric and propoganda, analysis comes
later, and is often a reaction to political defeat, as in the women's
movement, which, under the influence of philosophers, post-modernism and
post-structualism has,since the mid-80's increasingly moved towards the
concept of sexual difference as opposed to sexual politics.
One could argue that philosophy is itself reactionary. So Gramsci tries
to explain in his prison writings why revolution in Italy failed.
Nick
Nick Watson
Dept Nursing Studies
University of Edinburgh
Adam Ferguson Building
40 George Square
Edinburgh
EH8 9LL
Tel: 0131 650 3895
Fax: 0131 650 3891
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