Hope Lies In The Proles: George Orwell And The Left
by John Newsinger /
2018 / English / PDF
4.3 MB Download
Few figures on the left are as widely heralded as George Orwell. Yet his actual politics are poorly understood. Hope Lies in the Proles corrects that, offering a sympathetic yet critical account of Orwell’s often muddied political thinking and its continued relevance today. John Newsinger takes up various aspects of Orwell’s personal politics, exploring his attempts to change working-class consciousness, considering it alternately romantic, realistic, and patronizing—and at times all three at once. He examines Orwell’s antifascism, and how it fits in with his criticism of the Soviet Union looks into his relationship with the Labour Party and feminism and delves into Orwell’s shifting views on the United States. The result is the clearest understanding we’ve ever had of Orwell’s politics and their legacyFew figures on the left are as widely heralded as George Orwell. Yet his actual politics are poorly understood. Hope Lies in the Proles corrects that, offering a sympathetic yet critical account of Orwells often muddied political thinking and its continued relevance today.
John Newsinger takes up various aspects of Orwells personal politics, exploring his attempts to change working-class consciousness, considering it alternately romantic, realistic, and patronizingand at times all three at once. He examines Orwells antifascism, and how it fits in with his criticism of the Soviet Union looks into his relationship with the Labour Party and feminism and delves into Orwells shifting views on the United States.
The result is the clearest understanding weve ever had of Orwells politics and their legacy.
