The Cuban Revolution and the European New Left in the 1960s : a study of intellectual cross-fertilisation
Current studies on the intellectual exchanges between the West and the Third World have tended to focus either on the phenomenon of the birth of the Third World in the post-War period or have concentrated instead on a political reading of these exchanges. The first group of studies has seen the emergence of the Third World in a manner that is unconnected to its political significance. The second group has been characterised by arguments that tend towards a negative reading of the role played by (mainly) European intellectuals in their relationship with movements of national liberation. These intellectuals, it is argued, imposed their idealistic visions of the potential for radical democracy on the new societies while alienating themselves from the societies of which they were part. Such is the standpoint of much of the literature that resorts to the notion of the' fellow traveller' . This thesis emphasises instead the common ground and mutual influence between the Third World as a historical formation in the Twentieth Century - itself partly the product of Western intellectual discourses - and the reaction its 'birth' provoked within certain sections of the European intelligentsia. The thesis argues that the
Artaraz, Kepa
Exchanges; West; Third World
The Cuban Revolution and the European New Left in the 1960s : a study of intellectual cross-fertilisation. Current studies on the intellectual exchanges between the West and the Third World have tended to focus either on the phenomenon of the birth of the Third World in the post-War period or have concentrated instead on a political reading of these exchanges. The first group of studies has seen the emergence of the Third World in a manner that is unconnected to its political significance. The second group has been characterised by arguments that tend towards a negative reading of the role played by (mainly) European intellectuals in their relationship with movements of national liberation. These intellectuals, it is argued, imposed their idealistic visions of the potential for radical democracy on the new societies while alienating themselves from the societies of which they were part. Such is the standpoint of much of the literature that resorts to the notion of the' fellow traveller' . This thesis emphasises instead the common ground and mutual influence between the Third World as a historical formation in the Twentieth Century - itself partly the product of Western intellectual discourses - and the reaction its 'birth' provoked within certain sections of the European intelligentsia. The thesis argues that the
cuban revolution european new left study intellectual cross current_study intellectual exchange west third_world tend_focus either phenomenon birth third_world post_war_period concentrate instead political reading exchange first group study see emergence third_world manner unconnected political_significance second group characterise argument tend_towards negative read role_play mainly european_intellectual relationship movement national liberation intellectual argue impose idealistic vision potential radical democracy new society alienate society part standpoint much_literature resort notion fellow traveller emphasis instead common_ground mutual influence third_world historical formation partly product western intellectual_discourse reaction birth provoke within certain section european intelligentsia argues