When I was reading Past Imperfect by Judt I was surprised at how critical this piece was about the United States. I found it interesting as I am reading it in 2022 and with an ethnocentric perspective. Many of the criticisms the French intellectuals had about the United States came from industrialization, especially post-war. However, these anti-American feelings were about the failings of imperialism and racism. Americans were becoming a world power by helping to rebuild Europe and then also industrializing within. Some of these feelings that the French intellectuals held about the United States also could have stemmed from the outcome of the war being more in favor of the United States rather than France. The United States ruling seemed similar to intellectuals ruling in which we had talked about in previous classes. However, Americans failed to recognize the internal racism happening within. This could be compared to intellectuals thinking too much, in a way that would flaw their ability to rule.
Judt stated that Americans became the heir to the Nazis. I think that sometimes the Japanese internment camps and the racist behavior that continued post-war, is sometimes brushed over in American history. The statement that Judt made was extreme and highlights his sentiments about Americans and their actions post-war. What Americans do is quite different from what the Communists do according to Aron. The Communists build upon each development in the course of history. Although, this applies to history as a philosophy of nature.
Furthermore, in the Aron piece, I found it interesting when the worker-priests came to assimilate. The priests changed their perspective on the situation when they became immersed in the working class conditions. They then came to the conclusion that “one’s way of thinking, they suggest, depends essentially on the class one belongs to.” I think that too often we fail to remember the perspective of what others are going through when criticizing how other classes want things or how they want to revolutionize. I think going through what others experience is the only way to truly understand the other party. Once the priests became the working class, they expressed similar feelings and now believed their angst.
As the Aron piece progressed, it got on the topic as to how Marxism could be considered a quasi-religion. The Christians and the Communist Party share the same struggles. However, the Communist Party has removed the religious aspect from their sacrifice to overcome the resistance. This is ironic that Marxism could be considered a quasi-religion as it is so often held as an economic system. Marxism and Communism is regarded as how to order workers and the economy. Religious values and sentiments are not mentioned when describing an economic system. I had never thought of the similarities between religion and Marxism before. I was always taught that it was about a class struggle and overthrowing the bourgeoisie class. I think that Marx would have a difficult time believing that Communism could potentially be a quasi-religion. Communism is more often considered a political and economic movement, rather than a type of religion that people follow.