Radicalism
‘Radical’ is a slippery political term. In Shorter Oxford English Dictionary the word means ‘going to the root, origin or foundation’. Politically in English ‘radical’ refers to ‘an advocate of “radical reform”; one who holds the most advanced views of political reform on democratic lines and thus belongs to the extreme section of the [English] liberal party (1802)’. In France, radicals are identified with republicanism and anti-clericalism. More generally radicalism is used to characterize a style of politics that returns to one set of theoretical principles to find solutions to all sorts of problems. This is contrasted with ‘pragmatism’, which emphasizes the practical consequences of a decision, not its theoretical roots. Radicals in politics were once extreme democrats; more recently the term has often been applied to far left socialists, but there are new dimensions of radicalism. Islamic fundamentalists, radical feminists, Greenpeace, even Thatcherite Conservatives in Britain could all be described as ‘radicals’. But the principles of these groups appeal are very different. The similarity that these theorists share is a tendency to solve all sorts of different problems from their own rather limited repertoire of concepts. Everything comes down to the Koran, patriarchal domination, ecological crisis or the market.
1 Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following words and expressions. Slippery, republicanism, anti-clericalism.
2 Complete the sentences. 1. Politically in English... 2. This is contrasted with... 3. More generally radicalism is... 4. But the principles... 5. Everything comes down... 3 Comprehension questions. 1. What does the term ‘radicalism’ mean? What is radicalism usually contrasted to? 2. What are the old and new dimensions of radicalism? 3. What are the similarities between different radical doctrines?
4 Say if the following statements are true according to the text. 1. ‘Radical’ is a simple political term. 2. In France, radicals are identified with communists. 3. Generally radicalism is used to characterize a style of politics that uses one set of principles to answer different questions. 4. For pragmatism the practical consequences of a decision are very important. 5. In the past radicals in politics were extreme democrats. 6. Modern radicals include Islamic fundamentalists and Greenpeace.
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