American “bashing” has been a part collegiate academia for the better part of the twentieth century. One of the reason for this is the fundamental nature of professors to question the status quo. This role is entirely justified (and even required) in a free society. However, many of those outside of academia have noticed that this skepticism seems especially focused on the capitalistic nature of our democracy. Why the intensity of disdain for our American style capitalistic democracy?
Lee Harris writing for in the December 2002 issue of Policy Review says that at least part of it stems from the failure of progressive socialist Marxism. Specifically liberal socialism attempt to salvage Marxism by restructuring the theory of material separation (the immiserization thesis) from an absolute difference to a relative one. However, Harris points out that doing so invalidates one of the primary strengths of Marx’s “Communist Manifesto”; namely that the failure of capitalism rested on weakness in its fundamental nature and not some perceived Utopian ideal. Restructuring for relative differences put modern socialists in a position where they were pursuing a theoretical ideal; something Marx himself wholly condemned. Regardless if you agree with Harris or not; his article is wonderfully interesting and worthy of a weekend read.