A conference in Croatia on the intellectual revolution

Posted by Guessedworker on Friday, 30 October 2009 19:55.

Today, Tom Sunic circulated the following article about a conference that took place on Tuesday in Zagreb. The article appeared at Javno.com, which describes itself as a multi-media news portal. The day on-line news media in the English-speaking world print material like this the revolution will have been won, and the former media-owners will be kicking their heels in a condo in Eilat.

The conference nods toward the same neo-Gramscian path that de Benoist’s GRECE promulgated during its vigorous, early phase. It is taken for granted by all three speakers that the problem of intellectual radicalism on the European revolutionary right remains one of numbers rather than talent, and organisation rather than output. That’s not at all how it is in the Anglo-American world, though.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

“POLITICAL HEGEMONY OR CULTURAL HEGEMONY?”
The Center of Cultural Information

Speakers:
Zlatko Hasanbegovic (author, publisher)
Jure Vujic (author, expert on geopolitics)
Tom Sunic (author, political theorist)

On Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at 7pm, in the packed hall of the Center of Cultural Information (KIC), Zagreb, Croatia, a conference was held with the title “Cultural Hegemony or Political Hegemony.”?

The three speakers were a writer and publisher Zlatko Hasanbegovic, a writer and expert on geopolitics Jure Vujic, and Dr. Tomislav Sunic, author of the book “The European New Right” (Europska Nova Desnica), which has recently been published in the Croatian translation by the publishing house Hasanbegovic. The three speakers presented a synopsis of the phenomenon known as “cultural hegemony,” which originated and was developed by the former Italian Marxist thinker Antonio Gramsci.

Every political system, including the democratic one, is based on a given cultural hegemony, which presupposes the dominance of political ideas of some social elite, or elites, but also implying the consent of social groups at lower strata of the society. In order to win or maintain cultural hegemony, control of the media, education, and public communications, as well as use and abuse of various mechanisms of “soft power”- as is the case today with “fun-making society”- must be constantly upheld and updated. All of these conditions shape public opinion.

From the Titoistic “Kumrovec” School to Free-Market Fundamentalism

In his introductory words, Zlatko Hasanbegovic depicted strange, yet expected “transformations” of the former left-leaning Titoistic intellectual class in the former Yugoslavia, which was once groomed and educated in an atmosphere of “the Kumrovec Party school,” only to be recycled today into the dominant neo-liberal “mainstream public opinion,” which manifests itself in the “religion,” or rather a “monotheism of the free market.” Hasanbegovic also pointed to conformity–prone, the so-called right-wingers in Croatia, whose mindset is entirely grounded in an ethno-provincial-confessional-religious rhetoric.

The Break with the Neoliberal Mainstream, Rightwing Conservatism

Depicting the “New Right” as an ideological-cultural movement, which appeared in the sixties of the last century as a kind of new “counter-culture” poised against the dominant liberal-leftist option, Vujic emphasized that The New Right in Europe has failed to implement its “cultural revolution,” primarily due to its ideological rifts, excessive and sterile intellectualism, as well as its lack of realistic geopolitical prognoses. According to Vujic, “cultural hegemony can only subsist when a dominant power in society manages to embody real material interests of subordinate groups in their social interaction. Without a conscious choice no cultural hegemony survives. Social order can be dismantled by various forms of domination, coercion, and cooptation. ”

Vujic also stressed that the today’s breakdown of cultural hegemony in the West, must be preceded first by the collapse of the financial oligarchy worldwide. The question remains only when and how a given social and intellectual elite will recognize and embody its own interests and turn those interests into a new alternative cultural discourse (public language).

Vujic appealed to “the dismantlement of the dominant neoliberal cultural “mainstream” discourse and stressed the need for the rejection of the “exhausted and outdated right-wing conservative rhetoric.”

Vujic holds that the West faces a choice between two alternatives. The first one means the imposition of the so-called Western cultural values, which aim at standardizing elements of all cultures via mass media and cultural imperialism, “and whose goal is the creation of the world empire.” Another alternative implies criticism of the “single-minded (pensée unique, jednoumlje) politically correct, one-way of thinking.”

Therefore, there is a need to prevent the entropy of true cultural diversity, as well as the need to preserve true human diversity through alternative routes and communities of different and distinct ethnicities and nations. It is necessary to influence the awareness of the masses of possible alternatives and thus enable a “third” political- cultural option.

Architects of public opinion

Following up on Vujic’s and Hasanbegovic’s exposés, Dr Tomislav Sunic (http://www.tomsunic.info), the last lecturer, made a synthesis of the entire conference. He stressed the importance of clear definition of political terms. For example, the word “cultural hegemony” can be supplanted in Croatia and in Europe, by the word “zeitgeist” or “the spirit of the times.” When using the word “culture” today, we refer not only the museum culture, but also to different types of behavior, to different ways of communications - and above to the role and the importance of “architects of public opinion,” - that is, to the role of media in the creation of cultural hegemony.”

Architects of public opinion play a key role in the seizure of political power. In this sense, possible political changes and possible political wannabees in Croatia will not be able to take place or seize power; nor to obtain permanent political legitimacy, if prior to that they are not well equipped with appropriate intellectual arsenal.

This was the largest mistake of the former Croatian President Franjo Tudjman who, although enjoying mass political popularity, did not have the intellectual elite capable of legitimizing his policies. In this sense, the cultural and intellectual elite has a crucial role in taking over the government and legitimizing political power - as has been the case with the European leftist-liberal intellectuals ever since 1945.

Tags: European Nationalism

Comments:

Posted by Fred Scrooby on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:27 | #

Krefeld, Germany: this year the Christmas market will have to do without Christmas decorations.

Anyone who’s been to Krefeld knows the entire city center is firmly in Turkish hands. Those Germans who could afford it have moved to the outskirts. Even the Catholic St. Joseph’s school locks its doors now while school is in session, in order to protect its pupils from the Turks all around. Whoever leaves the Krefeld train station to go shopping in town will be greeted by Turkish shops and Turkish music: one is in Little Istanbul. Not till one has walked about ten minutes will he be in the “German” part of the shopping street — where he may notice the Greve Fashion Boutique. Franz-Josef Greve is president of the Krefeld Advertising Association which traditionally sees to the street’s adornment with Christmas decorations. However, this year that won’t take place because, according to Greve, “Religious displays belong in one’s own home or in church — not in shops.” Naturally this applies only to Christian displays — for Greve’s declaration is none other than a euphemistic apology lest one offend the Moslem conquerors with Christian displays.

[ http://www.nonkonformist.net/2917/krefeld-dieses-jahr-mus-der-weihnachtsmarkt-ohne-weihnachtsdekoration-auskommen/ ]

As Vdare.com has pointed out, part of our dispossession is the other side’s War on Christmas. This war was begun <strike>by the Jews</strike> by the (fill in the blank) _______ many decades ago and is now waged by <strike>an alliance of Jews</strike> an alliance of (fill in the blank) _______ , Moslems, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and other non-Christians (all of whom are here thanks to <strike>the Jews</strike> thanks to the (fill in the blank) _______ ) — with <strike>Jews</strike> with (fill in the blank) _______ still in the forefront as they’ve always been, leading the attack as they’ve always done.

It behooves all Euro-race peoples, including “atheists,” to resist <strike>the Jews’ War on Christmas</strike> the other side’s War on Christmas: Christmas and the open, public, communitywide celebration thereof are extremely beautiful, are profoundly European, and, believe it or not, are one of our society’s, indeed one of our civilization’s, many support pillars.

The War on Christmas should be resisted and beaten back wherever it rears its ugly head!

What needs to happen now to Herr Greve is for not one single German or other person of European race ever again to set foot in the Greve Fashion Boutique. Teach this son of a bitch a richly deserved lesson. He wants to destroy the German people and the German culture, the European people and the European culture? He needs to learn that it will rather be he and his shop that will be destroyed. People of Krefeld: make it so! Put the bastard out of business!

Posted by Fred Scrooby on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:37 | #

Herr Greve’s reply:

In a conversation with the appropriate editor of the Rheinische Post I, in my capacity as president of the Krefeld Advertising Association, have answered the questions that crop up every year regarding the scale, financing, and arrangement of Christmas lights in our city center. Much to my regret, this conversation, in some of its details, has been reported in a very misleading way.

I assure you, I personally am expressly committed to basic Christian values and constantly advocate for their acknowledgement by an increasingly secular society. All who know me know that for me, this conviction is non-negotiable. This is demonstrated by the spirit in which I serve pro bono on committees of our church, and my dedication to helping in the reconstruction of the towers of the Krefeld city church, St. Dionysius.

However, I reject any link between religious or ideological convictions and commercial affairs.

In regard to “Christmas lighting” in Krefeld, I ascertain:

The Krefeld Advertising Association, responding to a clearly expressed popular wish, has decided to put up evening lighting in the Krefeld city center starting much earlier than heretofore, namely already in October. In view of this, we have made a carefully considered choice in favor of winter themes rather than Christmas themes, since for purely commercial reasons we reject a preference for genuine Christmastime. It is our strong belief that Nativity plays, angels, Advent music and Christmas trees do not belong in the month of October. In this regard, it was precisely respect for symbolism that motivated this decision. Moreover we can, without further exchange about motives, retain the lighting installation until January — an interesting aspect, given the times we live in. This line of reasoning also accords with my very personal convictions as a Catholic, shop owner, and Krefelder. I am unable to recognize any “caving in” to other religions or cultures in that. Accordingly, I emphatically reject accusations phrased partly in a race-hating, baiting manner.

In regard to financing, let it be added that for years our store has been among the fewer and fewer shops that have taken part in large, elaborate winter lighting displays. In particular, many big-name branch stores located right on the high street regularly refuse to contribute dues to that, as they do for all other campaigns of our city. I absolutely assure you, my family and our company are fully committed to Krefeld’s city center. But financially ambitious projects such as elaborate lighting displays must be borne on more than just a few shoulders.

I thank you for your reply, as well as for the consideration you have given this letter. I hope that you can better interpret my convictions in the present discussion. I sincerely and warmly wish you a soon-forthcoming thoughtful Advent and Merry Christmas season and, already today, a beautiful winter season [here he’s apparently referring to his Association’s decision to put up a generic “winter” lights display as of last month, October, and leave it up till January, instead of a “religious” Advent-and-Christmas lights display starting a little later in the season, as was previously the tradition till the Moslems moved in and took over the city of Krefeld].

[ http://www.nonkonformist.net/2917/krefeld-dieses-jahr-mus-der-weihnachtsmarkt-ohne-weihnachtsdekoration-auskommen/comment-page-1/#comment-42384 ]

I consider this reply a transparent (and very weak and unconvincing) rationalisation after the fact, and it is clear what the real reason is: transformations and steady retreat and erosion of our traditions and culture caused by the arrival en masse of Turks in this German city. And these sorts of transformations won’t stop, because the powers that be refuse to stop excessive incompatible immigration and refuse to implement humane programs for repatriation. The transformations won’t stop till we either stop them ourselves or are finally eradicated as a people, culture, and race.

Posted by Zlata on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:03 | #

In the age of globalization, we should be emphasizing the preservation of languages, dialects, not customs. Customs come and go….they change anyway. Of course, certain national traits and historical memory can`t be eraced. I doubt that a 100 years from now grandchildren of Turkish immigrants in Germany will be speaking fluent Turkish or identifying with the culture of their great-grandparents villages in Eastern Anatolia.

It`s pretty ignorant to expect a bunch of half-educated Turkish villagers who suddenly land in the middle of Europe, to transform themselves into black-haired Johans and Gretes overnight.

If you want to see what is really happening to the rural and urban population in Turkey, go hang out in downtown Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, Antalya.

Emigrants hold on to their ancient customs and habits much longer than the indigenous population. A while ago I read about decendants of Ukrainian settlers in southern Brazil and their community there. The Ukrainian ambassador who had visited them noticed how they had preserved some of the old customs and even the regional dialects, better than Ukrainians in Ukraine.

On the other hand, I doubt that Turks in Germany will be able to achieve that. After all, they`re living in urban environments and are not at all insulated from the German mainstream. Turkish isolation in Germany has as much to do with German intolerance as it has with the Turks needing and wanting to create their own community. These improvised ghettoes usually don`t last longer than a couple of generations. Look at the Little Italies and Chinatowns throughout the world.

A friend of mine (German married to a Turk) abandoned Germany and moved overseas because she couldn`t watch any longer…..her own husband being harassed on the bus….just because he was a dark foreigner. That was 30 years ago.

In Germany, he could never get a full time permanent job. In North America he has a great career.

Turks in North America are very well integrated exactly because there is no hostile reaction to their presence. There is no need for a refuge, ghetto or anything such.
The door is open either way…if they wish to join the mainstream culture….or stay on the edge.

In Europe, in order to be accepted, you usually have to completely surrender your historical identity, IMMEDIATELY. On the other hand, even if you surrender your cultural inheritance, you can`t really change your skin colour, or appearance. Yòu`re ``marked`` by birth. So it`s a no win situation.