7 Conclusions
-
Ian Goodyer
Abstract
Rock Against Racism's (RAR's) politics and its relationships with the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and other organisations and individuals have been interpreted via crude assumptions regarding the left and movements of popular protest. Insufficient attention has been paid to the specific historical context in which RAR operated and the political and cultural traditions that informed its activities. The author addresses these issues in his study and he proposes a number of conclusions on this basis. RAR was an important partner in the anti-racist and anti-fascist mobilisations of the 1970s. Many of RAR's leading activists may have been Marxists, but those who were in the SWP represented not only a Trotskyist perspective, but a dissident, state capitalist, variant at that. Far from expressing a monolithic Marxist approach to culture, RAR broke ranks with most of the left by choosing to orient itself on the products of the capitalist music industry.
Abstract
Rock Against Racism's (RAR's) politics and its relationships with the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and other organisations and individuals have been interpreted via crude assumptions regarding the left and movements of popular protest. Insufficient attention has been paid to the specific historical context in which RAR operated and the political and cultural traditions that informed its activities. The author addresses these issues in his study and he proposes a number of conclusions on this basis. RAR was an important partner in the anti-racist and anti-fascist mobilisations of the 1970s. Many of RAR's leading activists may have been Marxists, but those who were in the SWP represented not only a Trotskyist perspective, but a dissident, state capitalist, variant at that. Far from expressing a monolithic Marxist approach to culture, RAR broke ranks with most of the left by choosing to orient itself on the products of the capitalist music industry.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations ix
- Preface xi
- Acknowledgements xv
- List of abbreviations xvii
- Introduction 1
- 1 Origins and contexts 10
- 2 Critical responses to Rock Against Racism 22
- 3 Rock Against Racism and the Socialist Workers Party 44
- 4 Rock Against Racism, youth culture and multiculturalism 81
- 5 Rock Against Racism, culture and social struggle 98
- 6 Aftermath 127
- 7 Conclusions 153
- Index 161
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations ix
- Preface xi
- Acknowledgements xv
- List of abbreviations xvii
- Introduction 1
- 1 Origins and contexts 10
- 2 Critical responses to Rock Against Racism 22
- 3 Rock Against Racism and the Socialist Workers Party 44
- 4 Rock Against Racism, youth culture and multiculturalism 81
- 5 Rock Against Racism, culture and social struggle 98
- 6 Aftermath 127
- 7 Conclusions 153
- Index 161
