On Future Developments in the College Left

Over the past half-dozen years, college radicalism has been a crucial force in the revitalization of the American Left. Its swelling numbers, its vitality, and its brashness have contributed to a level of political commitment and activism that too long had been lacking. But now there is a feeling among observers close and distant, that college radicalism in America is pointed toward trouble. It is not really something that one can put a finger on, but it is there nevertheless—a mixture of weariness, frustration, and impatience that seems to be directing college radical activity away from its past undertakings. The change seems to have begun last spring in the second go-around with the university and has grown enormously after SDS's fratricidal battles in Chicago last June. Indeed, the RYM II-Weatherman fracture is usually pointed to as an illustration of this shift. However, this is at best only an extreme and partial characterization of recent developments on the campuses themselves, especially since national SDS has consistently been moving further away from college radicalism.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website

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• Anarchism

  Open Access•Robert Goehlert•Political Theory•1976

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