Foster JB - The Commitment of an Intellectual - Paul M. Sweezy (1910-2004)

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1、Foster.qxd9/27/20043:18PMPage4Foster.qxd9/27/20043:18PMPage5TheCommitmentofanIntellectualPaulM.Sweezy(1910–2004)JOHNBELLAMYFOSTERThefollowingbriefintellectualbiographyofPaulSweezywasdraftedinSeptember2003shortlybeforeIsawPaulforthelasttime.Itcon-veysmanyofthebasicfactsofhislife.Butaswithallbiograph

2、iesofleadingintellectualsitfailstocapturethebrillianceofhiswork,whichmustbeexperienceddirectlythroughhisownwritings.NoristhewarmthofPaul’scharacteradequatelyconveyedhere.Ashortpersonalnoteisthereforeneeded.WhatwassosurprisingaboutPaulwashisseeminglyendlessgenerosityandhumanity.Paulgavefreelyofhimse

3、lftoallofthoseseekinghispoliticalandintellectualguidance.Butafew,suchasmyself,wereparticularlyblessedinthattheyexperiencedthisonadeeper,moreintenselevel.FordecadesPaulwasconcernedthatMonthlyReviewnotperishashadsomanysocialistinstitutionsandpublicationsinthepast.Herecognizedearlyonthatthecontinuance

4、ofthemagazineandthetraditionthatitrepresentedrequiredthedeliberatecultivationofnewgenerationsofsocialistintellectuals.Iwasfortunatetobesingledoutwhilestillquiteyoungasoneofthose.FordecadesPaulwrotemeletterafterletter—noletterthatIwrotetohimeverwentunanswered—sharinghisknowledge,intellectualbril-lia

5、nce,andpersonalwarmth.Itwasanimmense,indescribablegift.IfirstsawPaulwhenIwasstillateenager.HehadjustreturnedfromChinaandwasspeakingattheUniversityofWashingtoninSeattletoanenormouscrowdthatseemedtodwellonhiseveryword.InmytwentieswhenIwasagraduatestudentatYorkUniversityinTorontoPaultookmeunderhisinte

6、llectualwingafterIsenthimamanuscriptthatIhadwrittenentitled,“TheUnitedStatesandAnoteonthetext:AversionofthisbiographicalessaywasoriginallymadeavailableonMR’swebsiteafewdaysafterPauldiedandwaswidelyreferredtobywritersandjour-naliststhroughouttheworld.Itappearshereinprintinthemagazineforthefirsttime.

7、InadditiontoprovidinganaccountofPaulSweezy’slifeandworkitalsocontainsverybriefbiographiesofPaulBaran,HarryMagdoff,andHarryBraverman,sincetheircontributionswereinmanywaysinseparablefromhis.—Eds.5Foster.qxd9/