What is the origin of the New Left movement ? What are their claims ?

1) What is the origin of the New Left movement ? What are their claims ?

The Left and Leftist Movement is fighting for social justice, that's why they revolted against modern universities.

This ideology is inspired by Marxism that can pass through Maoism.

All these ideologies are against all injustices.

The student movement emerged at the University of Michigan (SDS : Student for a Democratic Society) and at the University of California at Berkeley.

Tom Hayden was an important figure because at the 1962 SDS (Student for a Democratic Society) conference, he published the founding document and constitution of the New Left movement, the Port Huron Declaration.

During this movement, there is a huge part of Jew members.

2) How did they protest during the 60’s ?

From 1960 to 1965 they protested peacefully. Their goal was to create an ideal society:

The New Left was decimated into several organizations like Students for a Democratic Society (sds), the Congress of Racial Equality, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and other movements for free speech and the Vietnam War

They joined the emerging civil right movement engaging in direct-action protests

From 1965 they began to use violence and become radicalized, particularly because of the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. There are two main revolutionary actions:

The Columbia University Uprising in April 1968 : Opponents fought against the Vietnam War and segregation. In fact, the university wanted to expel a black population from Harlem in order to build a gymnasium. Students occupy campus buildings and destroy the fence around the construction site. 148 people were injured and 700 were arrested.

The Chicago riots in August : Chicago was the scene of new riots during the 1968 Democratic convention which sidelined the anti-war candidate Eugene McCarthy in favor of Hubert Humphrey. Clashes between police and young Hippies occurred and resulted in 192 injuries and 668 arrests.

3) Did they manage to change the American society ?

By engaging themselves in all those movements the New Left members gave support and credit to all the ideas that were put on the front of the American political scene. They pushed Americans to feel more concerned about the loss of minorities and their government decisions by fighting for the segregation’s abolition or the end of the Vietnam War. And it succeeded. In 1864, the Jim Crow law was revoked and negotiations had opened from 1969 to 1973 between Vietnamese and American diplomats to build peace in Vietnam.

4) What was the cultural impact of this movement ? Is it still relevant today ?

The New Left had a significant cultural impact by challenging traditional norms. It influenced social movements, art, music, and literature, promoting ideas of civil rights, anti-war sentiment, and countercultural expression. The impact can still be seen in ongoing discussions on social justice

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