Newsletter

Print

POLITICS

Agent of Influence: Reassessing Wilfred Burchett

The Monthly | The Monthly Essays | June 2008 | Add a Comment

Following the collapse of communism in Europe and the conversion of China from Marxism-Leninism to an unpleasantly authoritarian version of Market-Leninism, the reputation of Wilfred Burchett, the most controversial and influential communist in Australian history, seemed destined gradually to sink. Oddly enough, this has by no means been the case. At present two Australians, Ross Fitzgerald and Simon Nasht, are reported to be making films on Burchett. In the past three or so years, Melbourne University Press has published a long pro-Burchett biography, Tom Heenan's From Traveller to Traitor; the University of New South Wales Press, an enormous unabridged autobiography, Memoirs of a Rebel Journalist; and Cambridge University Press, an anthology of Burchett's work, Rebel Journalism: The Writings of Wilfred Burchett. The reception to these publications revealed that Burchett is, in general, still supported by leading Australian left-wing academics, like Stuart Macintyre, Gavan McCormack and Ben Kiernan; by some of its most prominent expatriate left-wing journalists, like John Pilger and Phillip Knightley; and by some talented student Leftists as well (last year a stridently pro-Burchett thesis won a University of Sydney undergraduate prize).

To continue reading, subscribe now.

 
Print
Read the latest MONTHLY with a subscription — SUBSCRIBE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Twitter
@THEMONTHLY @SLOWTV

"Scruton is sceptical of international treaties to reduce emissions." Peter Singer reviews 'Green Philosophy': http://t.co/7ePvu9A8
Thursday, 9 February 2012 - 1:41pm
"America is broke and angry, and thinks the government is to blame." – Julia Baird on #Romney and the #Republicans: http://t.co/FVCV4aHt
Thursday, 9 February 2012 - 11:36am
"Fox News offers to its audience an alternative version of reality" – Robert Manne on #Monckton & #Rinehart: http://t.co/IiP0Tujd #climate
Thursday, 9 February 2012 - 10:18am
Yep, that'll work.RT @nytjim: A day after Sky News clampdown, BBC tells journalists not to break news first on Twitter. http://t.co/1Qkhyo7E
Thursday, 9 February 2012 - 9:47am
twitter
 

Site Highlights



POLITICS
Human Rights (186)
Racism (92)
Australian Politics (88)
Feminism (88)
Robert Manne (67)
Obama (56)
Islam (52)
American Politics (47)
Censorship (44)
Multiculturalism (39)
Consumerism (36)
Pokies (30)
Stolen Generations (28)
Childcare (26)
Freedom of Speech (26)
Prime Ministers (20)
Political Parties (19)
Liberalism (18)
Social Justice (18)
History of Australia (18)
Germaine Greer (17)
Waleed Aly (17)
Gay Marriage (16)
SOCIETY
Australian History (108)
Travel (98)
Ethics (68)
Asylum Seekers (56)
Lawyers (52)
Gender (51)
Neuroscience (50)
Anthropology (45)
Capitalism (45)
Sexuality (45)
Aboriginal People (41)
Facebook (30)
Australian Society (30)
Scholars (29)
Homosexuality (24)
Muslim (23)
Clive Hamilton (23)
Decision-making (22)
Sociology (22)
Alice Springs (21)
Gambling (20)
Historians (20)
State Library of Victoria (18)
Neuropsychology (16)
CULTURE
Theatre (160)
Literature (145)
Fiction (138)
Hollywood (108)
Memoir (106)
Arts (87)
Biography (86)
Photography (80)
Painting (79)
Humour (77)
Library (64)
Comedy (58)
Musicians (56)
Opera (53)
Football (50)
Dance (47)
Architecture (38)
Short Stories (30)
Philosophy (25)
Autobiography (24)
20 Australian Masterpieces (22)
Cooking (21)
Modern Masterpieces (20)
Aussie Masterpieces (20)
Top 20 Arts Masterpieces (20)
Arts Masterpieces (20)
Art (19)
Australian Film (19)
Jazz (18)
Directors (16)
WORLD
China (199)
Iraq (114)
India (64)
Ireland (62)
Afghanistan (60)
World economy (60)
England (58)
Britain (54)
Middle East (54)
France (53)
Asia (51)
New York City (50)
Africa (46)
Barack Obama (46)
New Zealand (42)
Egypt (41)
Foreign Policy (41)
Pakistan (39)
World War II (38)
Germany (37)
New York Times (36)
George W Bush (34)
Indonesia (34)
Italy (34)
Russia (33)
Eurozone (31)
Iran (29)
Terrorism (29)
European Union (28)
California (27)
Aid (26)
United Nations (26)
East Timor (24)
Taliban (23)
Israel (22)
Communism (22)
Libya (22)
Egyptian revolution (21)
Beijing (19)
American Military (16)
Thailand (16)
Nuclear power (16)
Greece (16)
Libyan uprising (16)
ENVIRONMENT
Climate Change (265)
Nuclear (142)
Energy (116)
Drought (76)
Global Warming (57)
Sustainability (46)
Tasmania (43)
Dogs (42)
ETS (26)
Amazon (24)
Carbon dioxide (24)
Conservation (22)
Rainforest (20)
Emissions trading (20)
Carbon tax (17)
Water crisis (16)
Carbon emissions (16)
Nuclear Energy (16)
Ecology (16)
Horses (16)
ECONOMICS
Business (152)
Australian Economy (77)
The Global Financial Crisis (66)
European debt (41)
Wall Street (39)
Finance (38)
Globalisation (37)
Global Financial Crisis (34)
Global finance (32)
Recession (26)
Unemployment (20)
Food Production (18)
Stock Market (16)
Population growth (16)
MEDIA
ABC (102)
Journalism (87)
Australian Media (54)
Rupert Murdoch (46)
Radio National (40)
Quarterly Essay (37)
Fairfax (33)
News Corporation (31)
Google (29)
Wikileaks (27)
Social Media (25)
News Limited (24)
Communications (23)
Twitter (23)
Assange (22)
Guardian (21)
Phone-hacking scandal (21)
Julian Assange (18)
Crikey (16)
The Australian newspaper (16)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Brain (71)
Drugs (56)
Psychology (41)
Evolution (32)
Biology (27)
Genetics (21)
Disease (19)
Flu (17)