During the Great Depression, the Los Angeles area was rife with radical movements. Although many observers thought their ideas unworkable, even dangerous, Southern Californians voted for them by the tens of thousands. This book asks why. To find answers, author Errol Wayne Stevens takes readers through the history of such movements as the Utopian Society, Dr. Francis Townsend’s old-age revolving pension plan, Upton Sinclair’s End Poverty in California gubernatorial campaign, and Retirement Life Payments, known as Ham and Eggs. The book also examines the Los Angeles Communists and the free-market capitalists, both quasi-religious movements with large followings, as well as the self-help cooperatives, a spontaneous upsurge of neighbors who came together to help one another in a time of desperate need. As to these movements’ extraordinary popularity, Stevens finds the standard explanations unpersuasive. He debunks the idea that naïve, unsophisticated Southern Californians, living aimless, empty lives, suffering from ennui, and longing for community, readily supported charismatic leaders who promised a way out of the Great Depression. In Stevens’s telling, Southern Californians supported these movements because they spoke to their needs. Fearful or desperate, some elderly and hopeless, Angelenos cared less about the programs’ feasibility than about their promise of relief. As one Ham and Eggs supporter succinctly explained: “It may be a racket and maybe it won’t work more than a couple of weeks, but that will be $60 more than I ever got before for one vote.” Finding parallels between past and present, readers might wonder why people remain loyal to programs that prove unrealistic, or why voters continue to support leaders who reveal, time and again, their ignorance or dishonesty. In its illumination of a troubled time in American history not so long ago, this book offers insight into our own.

The 500th anniversary of Thomas More’s Utopia has directed attention toward the importance of utopianism. This book investigates the possibilities of cooperation between the humanities and the social sciences in the analysis of 20th century and contemporary utopian phenomena. The papers deal with major problems of interpreting utopias, the relationship of utopia and ideology, and the highly problematic issue as to whether utopia necessarily leads to dystopia. Besides reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary utopian investigations, the eleven essays effectively represent the constructive attitudes of utopian thought, a feature that not only defines late 20th- and 21st-century utopianism, but is one of the primary reasons behind the rising importance of the topic. The volume’s originality and value lies not only in the innovative theoretical approaches proposed, but also in the practical application of the concept of utopia to a variety of phenomena which have been neglected in the utopian studies paradigm, especially to the rarely discussed Central European texts and ideologies.

Probes the contested concept of utopia, examining the different ways in which it has been used by commentators and theorists in both liberal and Marxist radiations. The works of Karl Mannheim, Georges Sorel, Ernst Bloch, William Morris, and Herbert Marcuse are studied. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Why did so many distinguished Western Intellectuals?from G.B. Shaw to J.P. Sartre, and. closer to home, from Edmund Wilson to Susan Sontag? admire various communist systems, often in their most repressive historical phases? How could Stalin's Soviet Union, Mao's China, or Castro's Cuba appear at one time as both successful modernizing societies and the fulfillments of the boldest dreams of social justice? Why, at the same time, had these intellectuals so mercilessly judged and rejected their own Western, liberal cultures? What Impulses and beliefs prompted them to seek the realization of their ideals in distant, poorly known lands? How do their journeys fit into long-standing Western traditions of looking for new meaning In the non-Western world?These are some of the questions Paul Hollander sought to answer In his massive study that covers much of our century. His success is attested by the fact that the phrase "political pilgrim" has become a part of intellectual discourse. Even in the post-communist era the questions raised by this book remain relevant as many Western, and especially American intellectuals seek to come to terms with a world which offers few models of secular fulfillment and has tarnished the reputation of political Utopias. His new and lengthy introduction updates the pilgrimages and examines current attempts to find substitutes for the emotional and political energy that used to be invested in them.

Discover the timeless echoes of ancient myths that reverberate through our modern world with the ground-breaking eBook "Unraveling the Tapestry of Time." This thought-provoking tome meticulously weaves together the enduring threads of myth and legend that continue to shape and influence contemporary governance, political ideologies, and societal structures. Embark on a profound exploration of the ancient narratives that define the bedrock of our political landscape in Chapter 1, where you'll delve into the transformative role of myths and their evolution from past to present. Step into the world of political heroes in Chapter 2 and unveil the power of the Hero's Journey that from myth has traversed to become the archetype of political leadership. Witness the rise of modern Titans of Industry in Chapter 3 and peer into the deification of entrepreneurs within the mythology of wealth and success. Chapter 4 challenges you to dissect political ideologies as mythic tales, from Communism and Capitalism to the myth of the Nation-State. Traverse democracy’s historical roots and its Hellenic connections in Chapter 5, and rediscover the Roman influence on modern governance in Chapter 6. Enter the shadow realms of the Chthonic Power in Chapter 7 as secret societies and surveillance become a haunting reality. Grapple with the Myth of the Just War as Chapter 8 confronts the glorification and politicized use of militaristic force. Connect with the land in Chapter 9 through the lens of agricultural myths and understand environmental policies and land rights like never before. Witness the cunning of The Trickster in political strategy in Chapter 10, revealing the impact of populism and the political outsider. Chapter 11 presents a Tower of Babel, symbolizing the intersection of cultural diversity and political tension, before Chapter 12 invites you to decode political ceremonies as the new myth-making practices. Contemplate utopian and dystopian narratives in Chapter 13, and uncover the resurgence of the Feminine in Power with Chapter 14. Chapter 15 heralds a cyclic view of history, while Chapter 16 unwraps the immortal narratives that compose national identity. Chapter 17 evokes the submerged city of Atlantis as a metaphor for environmental politics, before digital realms offer new myths of power in Chapter 18. Chapter 19 dramatizes political scandals as contemporary tragedies, and finally, Chapter 20 concludes the odyssey by examining the myths driving expansionist politics and territorial conquests. "Unraveling the Tapestry of Time" offers a staggering panorama of how ancient paradigms persist and influence the modern arena of power and ideology. This book is a must-read for those enchanted by the union of past and present, the intellectual thrill-seekers looking to uncover the hidden powers of myth within the realities of our world. Embrace this journey through time and let the pages guide you through an enriching odyssey – a testament to humanity's unbreakable bond with its most primal stories.

In Portland’s harbor, environmental justice groups challenge the EPA for a more thorough cleanup of the Willamette River. Near Olympia, the Puyallup assert their tribal sovereignty and treaty rights to fish. Seattle housing activists demand that Amazon pay to address the affordability crisis it helped create. Urban Cascadia, the infrastructure, social networks, built environments, and non-human animals and plants that are interconnected in the increasingly urbanized bioregion that surrounds Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, enjoys a reputation for progressive ambitions and forward-thinking green urbanism. Yet legacies of settler colonialism and environmental inequalities contradict these ambitions, even as people strive to achieve those progressive ideals. In this edited volume, historians, geographers, urbanists, and other scholars critically examine these contradictions to better understand the capitalist urbanization of nature, the creation of social and environmental inequalities, and the movements to fight for social and environmental justice. Neither a story of green disillusion nor one of green boosterism, Urban Cascadia and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice reveals how the region can address broader issues of environmental justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and the politics of environmental change.

In writing this book, My Passion in Pursuit of God, my focus was to bring together the importance of having God's love well ingrained in every aspect of our lives as we grow. My intent was not just to write about my life but also to provide a presentation that would simplify our understanding of our relationship with God. My goal and intent were to use my life as an example and to intertwine my life journey from childhood to becoming an adult. I wanted to show how my relationship with God had such a profound impact on my life. My great asset was having a conscious belief in the presence of a supernatural force outside myself. I could sense he wanted to become a part of my life journey, and I had the faith to let him. This book contains biblical references and verses to help in our life to follow and for consultation. In this book, there is an understanding that God does not reveal every step we make or keep us from stepping outside his will and desires for our lives. There is such a thing as free will, and God will not override our choices in our journey. However, in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit, and he will guide us into all truth. My Passion in Pursuit of God is a captivating book that offers a comprehensive guide on how to deliver a life journey with a spiritual connection to God. It is also a testament to the transformative power of personal stories and a deeper connection to the divine. Writing this book allows me to take an introspective look at self-discovery and the way God sees us through his grace and mercy.

Against the backdrop of an alienating, technologizing and ever-accelerating world of material production, this book tells an intimate story: one about a community of woodworkers training at an historic institution in London’s East End during the present ‘renaissance of craftsmanship’. The animated and scholarly accounts of learning, achievement and challenges reveal the deep human desire to create with our hands, the persistent longing to find meaningful work, and the struggle to realise dreams. In its penetrating explorations of the nature of embodied skill, the book champions greater appreciation for the dexterity, ingenuity and intelligence that lie at the heart of craftwork.

A history that extends from the 1750s to the present, In Pursuit of Privilege recounts upper-class New Yorkers' struggle to create a distinct world guarded against outsiders, even as economic growth and democratic opportunity enabled aspirants to gain entrance. Despite their efforts, New York City's upper class has been drawn into the larger story of the city both through class conflict and through their role in building New York's cultural and economic foundations. In Pursuit of Privilege describes the famous and infamous characters and events at the center of this extraordinary history, from the elite families and wealthy tycoons of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to the Wall Street executives of today. From the start, upper-class New Yorkers have been open and aggressive in their behavior, keen on attaining prestige, power, and wealth. Clifton Hood sharpens this characterization by merging a history of the New York economy in the eighteenth century with the story of Wall Street's emergence as an international financial center in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as the dominance of New York's financial and service sectors in the 1980s. Bringing together several decades of upheaval and change, he shows that New York's upper class did not rise exclusively from the Gilded Age but rather from a relentless pursuit of privilege, affecting not just the urban elite but the city's entire cultural, economic, and political fabric.

Focusing on the work of two of the 20th-century's most politically engaged poets - W. B. Yeats and W. H. Auden - this book unpacks how they directly confront the concept of “utopia,” how they engage with utopia as a literary genre, and how their work conceives of poetry as a utopian artform capable of uniquely embodying our social aspirations. Despite consistently projecting visions of more ideal futures through both its subject matter and its form, poetry is not often counted among the annals of utopian literature. Through an examination of these two great writers' poems, essays, reviews, and other writings, with a focus on many of their best-known poems, this book highlights both the pervasive presence of a utopian impulse in their work and the importance of their contributions to discussions of utopia's meaning and relevance in both their own politically fraught era and ours.