Eric Aarons:
'What's Right?'
A review by
Tristan Ewins
23 September, 2003
'What's
Right?': a bold new book by sculptor and life-long progressive activist,
Eric Aarons, is nothing short of vast in its breadth: the product of
an entire lifetime of dedication and critical thought. Following his
1991 autobiography, 'What's Left?': a text which explored the history
of Australian Communism, including its final decline, the author's latest
work, looks rather to the future. Recognising, at once, the mutual extremes
of communist collectivism, and neo-liberal individualism, Aarons ponders
the possibilities of 'waging a defensive struggle' against the present
dominance of neo-liberal ideas, thus setting the foundation for a possible
"counter-offensive." This book will surprise readers with
its nuanced insights, ranging in scope from the history of ethical philosophy,
worldwide environmental crisis, globalization, and the extremes of Left
and Right thinking, to current debates on US unilateralism, the United
Nations and the "immoral" and "anti-human" terrorist
threat. Indeed, the book even goes so far as to consider in depth topics
barely considered by other progressive authors: the possible emotional
and biological foundation to ethics, the mapping of the human genome,
and the consequences of the privatisation and possible abuse of this
research.
Tracing the ideas
of Friedrich Hayek: the prominent Austrian neo-liberal economist and
ideologue, and of the 'father of Communism', Karl Marx, Aarons subjects
each to penetrating criticism. Recognising the errors of the Communist
movement he once championed, Eric emphasizes the importance of individual
enterprise, enhancing initiative and innovation to the betterment of
society as a whole. Traditional Marxist accounts of 'historical inevitability'
and 'the withering away of the state' are, in turn, criticized unsparingly
in the light of contemporary developments, and the historical failures
of Communism. The orthodox Marxist delusion that markets could be abolished,
to the betterment of society, is demolished: the author duly recognizing
their essential role in providing "price signals" and "consumer
input". Nevertheless, while Aarons makes apparent his 'loss of
faith' in Marxism as a comprehensive and holistic doctrine, he nevertheless
insists he has retained the "moral principles" which animated
him throughout an entire lifetime of progressive activism. It is on
this basis, then, that he criticizes neo-liberalism: the present, dominant
ideology of rampant individualism characterized in George Soros's words
by "market fundamentalism and geopolitical realism."
Aarons's critique
of neo-liberalism is as penetrating as it is withering, questioning
the shibboleth that distribution arising from markets is essentially
just, because stemming from 'voluntary', 'bilateral' relations. As Aarons
insists, such an ideology 'masks' "great differences in power".
Most damningly of all, the author condemns the hostility of this extreme
individualist ideology to "human solidarity", "empathy"
and "altruism". In this sense Aarons perceives a potential
tension between traditional or 'classic' liberalism, which retained
a sense of the 'public good', and its 'neo-liberal cousin'. The alternative
posed by Aarons appears, effectively, to be a reinvigoration and renewal
of that social-democratic tradition which has historically 'staked out'
a position somewhere between communist collectivism and liberal individualism.
Such an approach, by Aarons's account, recognizes the 'dual nature'
of human beings: at once co-operative AND competitive. Sustainable development,
progressive taxation reform, economic democracy, strategic social ownership,
the reinvigoration of social expenditure and 'social power': these are
amongst the prescriptions offered by Aarons in response to the neo-liberal
hegemony.
Aarons's survey
of the post September 11 international landscape is equally fruitful.
Despite the real horror of terrorism, Aarons perceives the need of United
States neoconservatives in a post-Soviet world order for a new 'external
enemy': "primarily a device for unifying a Western Civilisation"
divided within and facing "social fragmentation" as a consequence
of neo-liberal policies. In light of the meteoric rise of the Chinese
economy, Aarons prophetically predicts that the current era of US economic
and military dominance "cannot last forever."
The author's suggestion
of a foundational system of ethics, grounded largely upon human emotion
is bold and refreshing, going well against the grain of postmodern dogmas
of absolute moral relativism. His analysis of the human genome project
is genuinely enlightening, as his fears for its abuse are disturbing.
Some radicals, however, may be disappointed by his apparent conflation
of 'socialism' with the historical experience of Chinese and Soviet
Communism. Aarons's apparent concession that the horrors of Maoism and
Stalinism have 'invalidated' socialism, ignores the true diversity and
breadth of socialist movements - often resolute in their opposition
to totalitarianism - while ignoring the ensuing consequences, say, of
Pinochet for the 'legitimacy' of capitalism. In truth, 'capitalism'
and 'socialism' are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and are ultimately
whatever we make of them.
Aarons had long
ago made clear his break with Stalinist orthodoxy, courageously opposing
the Soviet invasion of Czechslovakia, and leading the Communist Party
of Australia down the road of an essentially liberal 'Eurocommunism'.
This truly significant new work continues the necessary task of wedding
liberal and socialist/social-democratic principles. The author proposes
heartfelt ethical foundations for a Left too long ensnared by illusions
of 'historical inevitability': illusions which, in Aarons's words "stilled
consciences" providing a rationale for acquiescence in the face
of Stalinist crimes. Although the author does not explicitly come to
this conclusion, surely the alternative to such determinism can only
be a new voluntarism. Perhaps herein lies the only hope for a Left fighting
against, rather than with the tide of 'History'.
Regardless of readers'
personal political perspectives, this book will prove to be refreshing,
challenging and engaging.
(the reviewer is
a freelance writer and long time member of the Socialist Left grouping
of the Australian Labor Party, He moderates the broadleft network egroup:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/broadleft/ )
Published by: Rosenberg
Publishing, 224 pages
At Amazon,
the book can be ordered from the following URL:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1877058106/qid=1060424845/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/102-5426554-1171305?v=glance&s=books