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Know Your Enemy

Democratic Dilemmas after the New Deal Consensus (w/ Timothy Shenk) [TEASER]

Oct 11, 2024
Historian Timothy Shenk, author of 'Left Adrift', dives into the shifting tides of liberal politics from the New Deal era to the present. He analyzes the role of consultants Stan Greenberg and Doug Schoen in navigating class dealignment and the Democratic response to a rightward shift. The conversation also touches on Bill Clinton's complex legacy in the rise of neoliberalism and draws parallels with political dynamics in Israel. Shenk offers valuable insights on lessons for American progressives ahead of the 2024 elections.
02:41

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The podcast discusses how the Democratic Party's responses to class dealignment and the rise of neoliberalism illustrate the complexities faced by liberal politics over decades.
  • It highlights the evolution of class politics in Israel, emphasizing that working-class affiliations can be appropriated by right-wing factions, challenging leftist assumptions of solidarity.

Deep dives

Transformation of Israeli Political Landscape

Over the last 50 years, Israeli politics has undergone a significant transformation, where the far right has emerged as the reasonable faction, pushing traditional political alignments into disarray. The old right has shifted to the center, while the former center has evolved into the new left, leaving the traditional left in a state of total dissolution. This change is particularly striking given the Labour Party's dominance during the first three decades of Israel's existence, which was challenged for the first time in 1977 when the right won electoral power. The coalition that brought the right to power was heavily influenced by the Mizrahi community, highlighting how working-class dynamics have shifted within the political framework of Israel over time.

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