Aziz Rana, a Professor of Law at Boston College and author, delves into the intricate relationship between American history and its constitutional framework. He discusses how hyper-nationalism from World War I and the Cold War shaped liberalism and anti-communism. Rana critiques the Supreme Court's role in protecting civil liberties and explores the psychological impact of McCarthyism. He also contrasts FDR's dynamic leadership with Obama's, while critically examining the legacies of racial and immigration policies within the ongoing struggle for rights in America.
The podcast emphasizes how the American Constitution evolved through historical tensions and conflicts, reflecting the complexities of its liberal and imperialist legacy.
Aziz Rana discusses radical critiques from groups like the Socialist Party, highlighting their call for greater democratic reforms beyond traditional constitutional frameworks.
World War I marked a critical turning point that fostered hyper-nationalism and curtailed radical left movements, reshaping American political narratives.
The New Deal era illustrates the dynamic between labor rights and constitutional law, as progressives challenged judicial restrictions on economic justice reforms.
The conversation warns against the veneration of the Constitution, arguing it may obscure systemic injustices and marginalize voices advocating for transformative change.
Deep dives
The Context of Revolutionary Aspirations
The podcast discusses how the recent uprisings in Iran serve as a critical lens for examining what constitutes the success or failure of revolutions. In light of these events, the scholar Hamid Dabashi asserts that traditional measures of revolutionary success appear inadequate when facing the complexities of modern uprisings. Dabashi aims to provide a more nuanced view that transcends the simple binary of success or failure. He also emphasizes the importance of looking beyond Western imperialist perspectives to appreciate the inherent aspirations of revolutionary movements.
Re-examining American History
The conversation examines American history through the frameworks of conflict and tranquility, highlighting how its liberal, capitalist, and imperialist constitutional order has evolved over time. The historical narrative begins with the founding of the United States as a settler colony and follows its growth into a global empire after pivotal events like the Spanish-American War and the World Wars. This examination leads to the recognition of the historical tensions that have shaped the nation’s current political climate. The discussion sets the stage for how previous conflicts have had lasting impacts on the structure of American governance.
Critiques of the Constitutional Order
In the lead-up to World War I, various radical and progressive critiques of the U.S. Constitution are explored. Groups like the Socialist Party and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) challenge the constitutional system, viewing it as a mechanism that preserves class hierarchies rather than promoting democracy. They argue for reforms rooted in greater political agency and more democratic institutional arrangements. Meanwhile, mainstream progressive movements raise concerns over the limitations of the existing system, paving the way for discussions around comprehensive constitutional change.
Contextualizing Constitutional Reform
The podcast delves into the ways in which groups from both the Socialist Party and mainstream progressives sought to address the perceived flaws in the constitutional order. The emerging consensus posited that changes to institutional design were necessary to prevent the erosion of mass democracy. Additionally, there was a push towards incorporating more expansive social rights into the Constitution, moving away from a focus on individual property rights. This illustrates a significant ideological split, showing the Socialists' desire for a more transformational approach as opposed to the reformist viewpoint of mainstream progressives.
The Rise of Nationalism and Its Consequences
World War I catalyzed a shift towards hyper-nationalism in the U.S. during the First Red Scare, leading to repression against radical left movements. This climate ultimately resulted in the suppression of organized labor and socialist discourse, constraining alternative political narratives. The anti-communist sentiment that surged during this time not only affected domestic politics but also influenced how American power projected itself overseas, often drawing on themes of national security against perceived threats. The podcast emphasizes the consequences of these nationalistic tendencies on the evolution of constitutional democracy.
The New Deal and Constitutional Transformation
The New Deal period marks a significant transformation in American constitutionalism, as FDR faces challenges from a conservative Supreme Court that seeks to obstruct his reforms. The podcast details how labor movements, civil rights advocates, and progressive factions united to challenge this obstruction. The proposal for court packing emerges as a controversial yet critical response to the court's stances against New Deal legislation. In the end, the court's eventual adaptiveness to New Deal principles reshapes constitutional discourse in the U.S., placing it within a broader context of class struggles and economic justice.
Creating a Liberal Consensus
As the Cold War solidified, the Supreme Court transitioned into a bastion of liberalism, often framing its role in terms of protecting civil rights against majoritarian tyranny. This period witnesses the emergence of a constitutional ideology that ties individual liberties with the preservation of the liberal capitalist order. The podcast highlights how Supreme Court decisions, emblematic of this liberal consensus, have become central to American identity and governance. However, it also cautions against the notion that this consensus is historically stable, emphasizing the potential for radical dissent and opposition.
The Dangers of Constitutional Veneration
The podcast critically examines how a growing veneration for the Constitution and the Supreme Court has shaped contemporary views of American democracy. It suggests that this reverence may obscure ongoing critiques of systemic injustice and inequality within the American political framework. The tendency to equate constitutional adherence with democratic virtue risks sidelining the voices advocating for substantive reform and deeper systemic change. This highlights the importance of engaging with the constitutional order while remaining vigilant against its limitations and failures.
The Clash of Liberalism and Radicalism
In the podcast, the dynamic tension between liberal ideals and radical critiques is explored through historical examples, such as the suppression of leftist movements and civil rights activism. The conversation illustrates how, while significant achievements were made during the civil rights era, these victories often came at the cost of sidelining more radical voices. The historical legacy of labor movements and socialist thought is examined, revealing how these perspectives have been marginalized in favor of a dominant liberal narrative. Ultimately, this tension underscores the need to grapple with historical complexities to understand the current political landscape.
Featuring Aziz Rana on the making of the American project and its legitimation through popular worship of the US Constitution. This episode, the second in a three-part series, takes the story from World War I’s hyper-nationalist, xenophobic First Red Scare, through the convulsions of the middle decades of the 20th century: the Communist Party USA, the New Deal, World War II, the civil rights movement, the Warren Court, and ultimately the Cold War, when American liberalism, anti-communism, and empire triumphed.
