The Dark Side of the Left Illiberal Egalitarianism in America Richard J. Ellis New in Paperback: February 2000 xiv, 426 pages, 6-1/8 x 9-1/4 American Political Thought Paper ISBN 978-0-7006-1030-3, $17.95 Also available in cloth ISBN 978-0-7006-0875-1, $34.95 Why do people who identify themselves as liberal or egalitarian sometimes embrace intolerance or even preach violence? Illiberalism has come to be expected of the right in this country; its occurrence on the left is more paradoxical but no less real. Although equality lies at the heart of the liberal tradition, the earnest pursuit of egalitarian goals has often come at the expense of other liberal ideals. In this provocative book, Richard J. Ellis examines the illiberal tendencies that have characterized egalitarian movements throughout American history, from the radical abolitionists of the 1830s to the New Left activists of the 1960s. He also takes on contemporary radical feminists like Catherine MacKinnon and radical environmental groups like Earth First! to show that, even today, many of the American left's sacred cows have cloven hooves. Ellis identifies the organizational and ideological dilemmas that caused Students for a Democratic Society to transform itself from a democratic to an elitist organization, or that allow radicals to justify illegal acts as long as they are free of self-interest. He explains how orthodoxy arises within a group from the need to maintain distance from a society it views as hopelessly corrupt, and how individuals committed to egalitarian causes are particularly susceptible to illiberalism--even poets like Walt Whitman, who celebrated the common people but often expressed contempt for their mundane lives. Political correctness, idealizing the oppressed, and an affinity for authoritarian and charismatic leaders are all parts of what Ellis calls "the dark side of the left." Building on the groundwork laid by Richard Hofstadter in his pioneering book, The Age of Reform, Ellis exposes the shortcomings of today's left and provides a badly needed historical perspective on the contemporary debate over "political correctness." The Dark Side of the Left is a gutsy book that is essential reading for anyone who occasionally feels dark forebodings about seemingly noble causes. "Richard J. Ellis is a liberal who acknowledges a certain amount of discomfort writing a book that is critical of the left. He nonetheless does a good-often devastating-job of it."--Washington Times "Ellis's book, readable and scholarly and lovingly published, opens many doors."--Washington Post Book World "A courageous book that examines how some of the illusions and mystiques of the radical left have become axioms in the academic world today."--John Patrick Diggins, author of The Lost Soul of American Politics "I am impressed with the utter nerve of Ellis taking on so many sacred cows. He piles evidence upon evidence while telling a lively tale. I can't imagine how anyone could make a better case."--Robert Booth Fowler, author of The Dance with Community: The Contemporary Debate in American Political Thought "The writing is crisp, the illustration and documentation thorough, and the whole 'shape' of the argument impressive. A splendid book!"--John L. Thomas, author of Alternative America "The book is well written, energetic, quotable."--Lewis Perry, author of Boats against the Current: American Culture between Revolution and Modernity RICHARD J. ELLIS is the Mark O. Hatfield Professor of Politics and chair of the politics department at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. His previous books include Presidential Lightning Rods: The Politics of Blame Avoidance, also published by Kansas, and American Political Cultures.   Home | About the Press | Recent Awards | Contact Us | Order New Books: | By Author | By Subject | By Title | By Series Books in Print: | By Author | By Subject | By Title | By Series ©2007 University Press of Kansas 2502 Westbrooke Circle, Lawrence, KS 66045-4444 Phone (785) 864-4155; Fax (785) 864-4586