The God That Flails

Bernard-Henri Lévy takes on the rudderless European left.

Michael C. Moynihan from the January 2009 issue

(Page 2 of 2)

This omission is the main difficulty with Left in Dark Times. Lévy predictably suffers from the solipsism and insularity of the public intellectual. As he joined splinter parties, presided over schisms, and denounced heresies, the world barreled forward, globalized, and oversaw the dissolution of the Soviet empire. He is right to criticize his friend Nicolas Sarkozy for his overly cordial relationships with such sinister leaders as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi. But he is wrong to presume that the strict morality of a philosopher applies to the everyday business of world affairs. This is the separation between the open-shirted intellectual—who, with a well-worded essay denouncing totalitarianism or imperialism, can easily position himself on the right side of history—and the statesman, who is often forced to engage in realpolitik with unsavory characters. In the end, Lévy tells us what to do (stop genocide, stop denying genocide) but neglects to inform us just how this is to be achieved.

These are doubtlessly admirable goals, but without any coherent suggestions of just how to purge the illiberal elements of the social democratic left, the reader can only assume that Lévy is channeling his inner Marxist: It is the public intellectual—and his moral outrage—that will be the vanguard of the counter-revolution.

Michael C. Moynihan is an associate editor at reason.

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|12.17.08 @ 12:06PM|#

European left has traded its principles of human rights for a cheap anti-Americanism and an inconsistent and often incoherent anti-imperialism.

The European left had principles of human rights? When was that? I always thought of the European left as the loony HQ for America's left.

Lefiti|12.17.08 @ 12:08PM|#

The European left has never indulged in anything as remotely insane as the market worship of cultish American right-wing libertarians (nothing personal).

|12.17.08 @ 12:11PM|#

I'm with Warren; I thought that the Euro left traded whatever principles it had for frothing anti-Americanism and selective anti-imperialism decades ago.

Lefiti|12.17.08 @ 12:13PM|#

R C Dean

That's because, like Warren, you're a reflexive right-ring nimrod who long ago traded thinking for sloganeering. It does keep things simple, though.

|12.17.08 @ 12:20PM|#

I didn't know that Terry Jones was French.

|12.17.08 @ 1:01PM|#

There is nothing insane about 'market worship', it is the closest man has come to real freedom and liberty. But there sure as hell is something insane about government/ cult of personality worship, which is what the left-wing progressives are all about. As if we just would put the 'right' leaders in charge of everything (no conservatives nor libertarians need apply) all will be peachy keen. That is insanity.

Tyler|12.17.08 @ 1:18PM|#

Imperialism burns me up as much as the next guy. But I still talk to people who think that American "Defense" (read: world police, fuck yeah!) spending needs to be maintained or increased.

As if the English, French and Dutch had nothing to do with Imperialism, and America need hundreds of military bases on foreign soil.

Lefiti|12.17.08 @ 1:24PM|#

doubled

You're a fucking moron.

Egosumabbas|12.17.08 @ 1:52PM|#

Leave it up to Lefiti to raise the level of intellectual debate.

Well, Lefiti my friend, you are a POOPY HEAD of the tallest order.

Egosumabbas|12.17.08 @ 2:01PM|#

In any case, thank you for this article, it's sometimes hard in the US media to get an in-depth view of politics from across the pond

JLM|12.17.08 @ 2:01PM|#

I think Lefiti is Edward.

|12.17.08 @ 2:19PM|#

Lefiti,

Maybe not, but there are more libertarians in office in Switzerland (to say nothing of EU member states and the EU itself) than in the US.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Democratic_Party_of_Switzerland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Liberal_Democrat_and_Reform_Party

I mean, if you want to get pissy on Libertarianism, you should start over there.

Just say'n

|12.17.08 @ 3:13PM|#

A moron I may be lefiti, but it would help if you used argument to reveal this weakness of mine, as opposed to a singular ad-hominem attack.

It is just that it amazes me that people such as yourself seem to belive in the inherent 'evil' of mankind, but only when it is displayed/pointed out on the opposite side of the political spectrum from you. I personally believe there are 'evil' people in all spectrums of society, and the best way to mitigate their adverse affect on others is to give as little power to politicians (who then parcel out the power to 'groups','corporations', insiders, 'buddies' as if they were Santa Claus) as possible and give it instead to the individual. Which is what a free market does, gives one the abilty to make their own choices as to what is important and therefor worth pursuing or avoiding. The nanny state dreams of progressives is the exact opposite of this thinking. That the inherent 'evil' in people requires a ruling class to 'teach' the masses how to live correctly,what they have to pursue nad what they have to avoid, and to use coercion when the masses resist their obvious superior 'intellect'.

MAX HATS|12.17.08 @ 3:17PM|#

Please name me two non-british European political parties without googling, mister expert. Or are you just engaging in instinctive Euro-bashing? Because that would be more than a little ironic.

MAX HATS|12.17.08 @ 3:21PM|#

Right wingers still bitter that France was right about Iraq, news at 11.

cunnivore|12.17.08 @ 3:30PM|#

This is the separation between the open-shirted intellectual-who, with a well-worded essay denouncing totalitarianism or imperialism, can easily position himself on the right side of history-and the statesman, who is often forced to engage in realpolitik with unsavory characters.

Good grief, it's the Bob Barr vs. Ron Paul argument again.

In the end, Lévy tells us what to do (stop genocide, stop denying genocide) but neglects to inform us just how this is to be achieved.

Note well, Reason writers and readers. Note well.

Lefiti|12.17.08 @ 3:34PM|#

The only way to be truly free is to let the government make all your decisions for you. Freedom is embodied by casting a ballot once every four years for one of two candidates, not by spending money on mindless consumer goods. Everyone who doesn't understand this is a moron.

|12.17.08 @ 4:04PM|#

Lefiti said: 'The only way to be truly free is to let the government make all your decisions for you.'

I must be a moron as I can't believe I didn't think of it before, to be perfectly free, one has to be told what to do. Genius at work there.

Jesus|12.17.08 @ 4:14PM|#

If you don't think Lefiti was trolling you with that last statement, you'd probably believe me when I tell you I can save your soul from sin.

Paul|12.17.08 @ 4:28PM|#

Left wing: Gulags and concentrations camps.

vs.

Right wing: Believing in supply-side economics.

Paul|12.17.08 @ 4:30PM|#

BTW: that previous post of mine was merely an observation of where our favorite troll seemed to be going.

Erebus|12.17.08 @ 10:54PM|#

Nick Cohen is not Jewish.

http://www.zionism-israel.com/ezine/Nick_Cohen_Anti_Semitism.htm

agolmar|12.21.08 @ 7:48PM|#

One find Europe's left and far right agreeing on many issues. Obama's victory will get them even closer, as liberals will soon become disappointed, and fascists in conservative or even libertarian guise will have no reason to be pro-American anymore (they've always been, except for a short spell during Bush presidency, a right-wing socialist). Even local divas are singing to the Old Continent's decadence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgRFB87DniA

|12.25.08 @ 9:51AM|#

I wonder if Msr. Levy would take up Desmond Tutu's suggestion that we need to invade Zimbabwe to get rid of Mugabe!
Remember this is the same Tutu who called Pres. Bush a war criminal for invading Iraq!
Of course Tutu wants AFRICAN troops to stop the Zimbabwe "genocide" as if this legitimises the pre-emptive action he found so loathsome when practised by US troops.
Msr Levy is on the journey every sensible thinking man must make, from Left to Right. I just hope, for his sake, he gets there before his head explodes!

nfl jerseys|11.5.10 @ 4:55AM|#

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