Death of the Liberal Class [Paperback]

Chris Hedges (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 29, 2011

For decades the liberal class was a defense against the worst excesses of power. But the pillars of the liberal class— the press, universities, the labor movement, the Democratic Party, and liberal religious institutions—have collapsed. In its absence, the poor, the working class, and even the middle class no longer have a champion.

In this searing polemic Chris Hedges indicts liberal institutions, including his former employer, the New York Times, who have distorted their basic beliefs in order to support unfettered capitalism, the national security state, globalization, and staggering income inequalities. Hedges argues that the death of the liberal class created a profound vacuum at the heart of American political life. And now speculators, war profiteers, and demagogues— from militias to the Tea Party—are filling the void.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In this tsunami of terrifying revelations, juxtaposed truths, and demonstrated facts, Hedges (War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning) argues that the traditional beacons of the liberal class—the universities, media, church, labor unions, and arts–have sacrificed themselves completely to the dominance of corporate greed and unbounded capitalism. We are all to blame and everything moral about our democracy stands to be lost—is indeed already vanishing, in Hedges's view—and those who draw attention to it are banished and booed. While every page erupts with calamities of the human spirit worthy of their own irate broadcasts and bull-horned fury, Hedges is at his best when he unpacks the density of his polemic and embraces the power of his narrative. Regardless of form, however, his most interesting theses include the parallel between the current domestic climate and the fall of Weimar Germany and the conclusion that "Everything formed by violence is senseless and useless. It exists without a future. It leaves behind nothing but death, grief, and destruction." These insights come not just as warning, but as witness. (Nov.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The real danger to progressive social ideals is not President Obama’s failure to push through a more liberal agenda or the threat presented by the Tea Party and others pushing the Republicans more to the Right. Hedges argues that the true threat to liberalism is the long and gradual weakening of its ideals. Drawing on analysis and interviews from his long career as a journalist, including 15 years with the New York Times, Hedges chronicles the corruption of such bastions of liberalism as the Democratic Party, academia, and labor unions. He cites the NAFTA agreement and welfare reform during the Clinton administration and union coziness with corporations as recent examples of the merging of government and corporate interests to the detriment of the interests of the poor or even the middle class. He also reviews the long history of assassination and co-optation of radical voices in the U.S. and the singular career of Ralph Nader as a consistent voice against capitalist excess. This is a thoughtful analysis of why and how liberals have compromised principles due to the allure of power and wealth. --Vanessa Bush --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Nation Books; First Trade Paper Edition edition (November 29, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568586795
• ISBN-13: 978-1568586793
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chris Hedges is a cultural critic and author who was a foreign correspondent for nearly two decades for The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor and National Public Radio. He reported from Latin American, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He was a member of the team that won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for The New York Times coverage of global terrorism, and he received the 2002 Amnesty International Global Award for Human Rights Journalism. Hedges, who holds a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, is the author of the bestsellers American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle and was a National Book Critics Circle finalist for his book War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. He is a Senior Fellow at The Nation Institute and writes an online column for the web site Truthdig. He has taught at Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University and the University of Toronto.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

202 of 219 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This truly is a "must read" November 11, 2010

By David Shank

Format:Hardcover

The term "must read" is admittedly overused and abused. Not so with this recommendation because this is a book that will advance the debate we are having as a country about who we are, what we are doing, and where we are going. Additionally, in the interest of complete disclosure - I am a huge fan of Chris Hedges' work - even though I do not agree all of the time with his points of view - his work is always well written, well researched, and very well presented. No difference here.

His fundamental premise is compelling and enlightening. He argues that the "real division in America today is not between Democrats and Republicans, but between average citizens and the corporate and financial elite...." If you are like me, you have been dismayed at the breakdown in our political rhetoric over the last 20 years; you have been depressed by the hostility and vitriol that marks the "debate" about politics; you despair at the prospect that the logical conclusion is that there is no "solution" at the end of the road. For my team to win this game - your side must lose. The old saying that "politics is the art of compromise" seems to have gone right out the window.

Although I have not finished the book I have read enough to understand what Hedges is doing and (I think) where he is going. His argument resonates with me because although I voted for Obama I am one of those who have been very disappointed with the gulf between what he promised and what he is doing. His campaign rhetoric energized me (and perhaps millions of others) with the promise that "change" was coming but he lied - giving proof to the sad truth that there is not really a "dimes worth of difference" between the political parties.

Hedges gives us an answer to why this is happening. Our leaders our serving their masters - the problem is that those masters are not the people of this country - they are the corporate interests who now are the ones who get what they need and want from the government. When Hedges writes about the economic collapse and the ensuing "relief" bestowed on wall st. and various corporations while people get slammed I am outraged - again. His "promise" that wall st. bail-outs and reform would unlock lending to kick start the economic engine that is the American people - he flat out lied. The bail-out happened. The lending did not. Obama does not seem to care about it. The Dems don't care about it. The R's don't care about it. And Americans are increasingly and justifiably outraged at the abuse.

You can imagine that the rage behind the tea-party is really only the beginning of what is to come as a result of our discovery that "the emperor has no clothes." The R's are naive to believe that the tea-party is a good thing for them. As Hedges eloquently observes - this is not about D's and R's. It is about something much more fundamental.

Read this book. Learn this perspective. You will be a better citizen for the effort. Ultimately we will be a better country as a result.

120 of 132 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars OUCH November 24, 2010

By William O. Straub

Format:Hardcover

I have read most of Hedges' books, and he is easily my favorite political/cultural writer. But this book is also his darkest to date. I've given it five stars, mostly because I still believe that what Hedges has to say is worth reading, now more than ever.

That said, the book comes off rather as a hissy fit against the now-impotent liberal class which, in Hedges' opinion, has utterly failed to live up to its moral principles. And he's right. Since the world's ruling uber-class is interested only in acquiring more and more wealth and power, Hedges believes that all we have to look forward to at this point in human history is eventual economic and environmental devastation. To allay the inevitable sense of utter hopelessness, however, Hedges leaves us one redeeming moral act: civil disobedience and resistance. While admitting that this path will almost certainly lead to self-destruction of those who choose it, Hedges implies that it would at least give us the satisfaction that we will have done our moral duty. Shades of Immanuel Kant, indeed.

Chris Hedges, who left seminary and social work to become a war correspondent and political writer, is a truly moral and compassionate man, perhaps the only one of his kind left on the political scene. My advice, however, is that you read the last chapter of this book first, "Rebellion." If you can stomach that without feeling totally hopeless, then go back and read the rest of the book to see why Hedges has come to the worldview that he now feels compelled to unveil to us. It's pretty bleak, and I can only wonder if this will be his last book, as I cannot for the life of me think of what else he has left to say about the probable fate of our world.

53 of 58 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Depressing but true January 15, 2011

By Zman VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Chris Hedges is a regular contributor to the Truth Dig blog and I have always enjoyed his commentaries, so I just finished reading Death of the Liberal Class. As a progressive/liberal I found this book to be very depressing, because Hedges makes us confront the obvious: the corporatists have won. Our real enemies are no longer Fox News or any other conservative outlet. The enemy is ourselves or to be more correct, what passes for liberal leadership in the United States. Basically the liberal class has sold out. They no longer represent the downtrodden. They represent the elite viewpoints of those who have progressive values but who could care less about helping others to the degree that was done in the 1930's. Liberals today identify as much with the wealthy as do the conservatives. At least that is what Chris Hedges thinks and he has built a strong case in his book. He doesn't think very highly of Bill Clinton who identified very heavily with corporate interests. Barack Obama is preoccupied with his own power and prestige. When the President was asked who he admired in the business world he cited Fred Smith the CEO of FedEx who was a notorious union buster and a key contributor to the Republican party. Your could argue with the pessimissm of Mr. Hedges but you would have a hard time marshalling the facts to counteract his assertions. Because if we take an honest look at the progressive movement in this country, it has been going down hill for at least the last three decades. And Mr. Hedges claims it is only going to get worse as we ignore the dangers of climate change and as the gap between haves and have not's widens. We are in for more wars as the rich try to protect their gains and getting the lower classes to fight their wars for them. Hedges seems to think at some point we will need to man the ramparts to fight against the corporate tyranny or we will die a slow death anyway. The belief that science will come to our rescue and save us from climate change will be our ultimate undoing. As it dawns on the corporatists that there is nothing left to grab off to add to their bank accounts they will hit the panic button and try to save themselves. It has the potential to be a very gloomy future and there will be none of the traditional progressive institutions to come to our rescue. This is a very depressing book but worth reading.