Foster JB - The Optimism of the Heart

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1、TheOptimismoftheHeartJOHNBELLAMYFOSTERThefollowingintellectualbiographyofHarryMagdoffisaslightlyrevisedandexpandedversionofapiecethatwaspostedonMRzineafewdaysafterHarry’sdeathonJanuary1,2006.ItevolvedoutofanearlierbiographyIwrotefortheBiographicalDictionaryofDissentingEconomistsin2000

2、.SincetheaimofthisbiographywastopresentthebasicfactsofHarry’sintellectualcareer,personalfeelingsandobser-vationswerelargelyexcluded.AbriefwordonHarry’scharacterandthewarmemotionsheengenderedwithinthosewhoknewhimthere-foreseemsessentialhere.ImetHarryin1981whenIfirstvisitedtheMRofficein

3、NewYork.PaulandIhadmetandcorrespondedatlengthalready.ButIwascom-pletelyunpreparedforthecomradeshipwithwhichHarry(andBeadie)greetedme.Wewerefriendsfromthemomentwemet.InthatveryfirstencounterIwasoverwhelmed,asIwouldbeinalltheyearsthatfollowed,byHarry’skindnessandhumanityalongwithhisdeep

4、well-springsofwisdom.EvennowIlookbackonthatdayinwonder.FordecadesafterourfirstmeetingIwasluckytobeabletoworkwithbothHarryandPaulinvariouscapacities(usuallyatadistance,separatedasweweregeographically).In2000BobMcChesneyandIjoinedHarryandPaulascoeditorsofMR.IntheselastyearsIgottoknowHar

5、ryinsomewhatdifferentwaysaswetookonthechallengesofsocialisminthetwenty-firstcentury.NomerewordscandescribethedegreeofcourageandcommitmentthatHarryinspiredthroughsuchclosecollaboration.HarrywascompletelydevotedtoMRandwasimmenselypleasedthatattheendofhislife,asheputit,“theMRflagisstillf

6、lying.”Onceduringhislastyear,assignsappearedofhisfailing,ItriedtotellHarrythatIlovedhim.Hesimplypasseditoff,asifitwasapointthathadbeensettledlongagobetweenus—asithad.Iwillmisshimalways.—JBFHarryMagdoffwasbornonAugust21,1913,intheBronx,NewYork,thesonofworking-classRussianJewishimmigran

7、ts.Hisfatherworkedasahousepainter;hismotherworkedasahousewifeandforabrieftimehelpedrunahole-in-the-wallcandystore.HegrewupinaNewYorkimmigrantcommunityatatimewhenwarandrevolutionwerecommontopicsofconversation.Ononeoccasion,heoverheardadebateinalocal10OPTIMISMOFTHEHEART11parkinwhichitwa

8、spoin