Jacobin Radio The Dig: Liberal Hegemon w/ Aziz Rana
14 snips
Apr 20, 2025 
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.
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Supreme Court Building's Authoritarian Design
- The Supreme Court building's design inspired by Mussolini's Italy aimed to evoke awe and authority.
- 1920s saw a reactionary culture promoting constitutional veneration alongside white Anglo nationalism.
Ethno-Nationalism Masquerading as Civic Nationalism
- The 1920s combined civic and ethno-nationalism to uphold Anglo-Saxon cultural supremacy.
- Laws suppressed multicultural education, echoing modern bans on teaching American history's racial realities.
CPUSA's Black Leadership to Americanism Shift
- The Communist Party mobilized black leadership and embraced self-determination strategies.
- Later, the party shifted toward American patriotism, limiting black grassroots power.
