When philosophy professors go rogue
My old chum Ségolène Royal is well placed to be the new head honchetta of the French Socialists, so doubtless electoral oblivion and toe-curling embarrassment awaits them. So far so hum drum.
A rather more interesting side effect is that Senator Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his faithful Sancho Panza, Marc Dolez have resigned from the PS in an epic fit of pique and are going to create a new movement 'that will not compromise with the right'. Which is nice. By my reckoning French political parties are essentially the ego projections of individuals rather than organisations based on much by way of principle, and furthermore they are woefully unimaginative when it comes to names.
Anyway, enough of the tiresome background details, and on with the far-fetched parallels:
Mélenchon is a philosopher, and the only other academic philosopher I can think of who ever decided to get a little more muscular with his political philosophy is Abimael Guzman - El Presidente Gonzago, El Sol Rojo de Perú - of the Sendero Luminoso or Shining Path.
Soo, perhaps Mélenchon will decide to raise a peasant insurrection - le chemin brillant? - in his Senatorial home of Essonne, although this being the Paris 'burbs etc, I do not think it is ideal territory.
A rather more interesting side effect is that Senator Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his faithful Sancho Panza, Marc Dolez have resigned from the PS in an epic fit of pique and are going to create a new movement 'that will not compromise with the right'. Which is nice. By my reckoning French political parties are essentially the ego projections of individuals rather than organisations based on much by way of principle, and furthermore they are woefully unimaginative when it comes to names.
Anyway, enough of the tiresome background details, and on with the far-fetched parallels:
Mélenchon is a philosopher, and the only other academic philosopher I can think of who ever decided to get a little more muscular with his political philosophy is Abimael Guzman - El Presidente Gonzago, El Sol Rojo de Perú - of the Sendero Luminoso or Shining Path.
Soo, perhaps Mélenchon will decide to raise a peasant insurrection - le chemin brillant? - in his Senatorial home of Essonne, although this being the Paris 'burbs etc, I do not think it is ideal territory.
Labels: facetiousness, France, South America, the Left
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on Friday, November 07, 2008 at 11:53 am.
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your normally elephantine memory has overlooked that great philosopher J.V.Stalin - the pre-eminent philosopher of his era, if I recall correctly -
who combined philosophy with politics in a muscular, yet always refined manner for many years
(is that all right, Mrs Blears ? have I added value ?)
ND - I caveated 'academic philosopher'. I don't think the moustachioed thug ever gained tenure.
I've spoken to La Blears, and she is giving you a gold star.
By my reckoning French political parties are essentially the ego projections of individuals rather than organisations based on much by way of principle,
Especially the Socialists. No doubt you read le Figaro on the first ballot - my goodness.
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