I am a relatively new entrant to the left, having flitted about between ideologies for a number of years, and Brooks was key to my conversion, his sharp style and unashamedly humane political philosophy only becoming more influential over time. On a personal level, I can’t think of a more suitable subject for my first article on this Substack. Passing away just over a year ago, the American left was robbed of unquestionably one of its brightest, most perceptive commentators. This includes historical figures such as Walter Benjamin and Eugene Debs to more contemporary figures like Mark Fisher and, the subject of this article, Michael Brooks. There are a huge number of people robbed of the opportunity to develop their analysis, witness future victories and age gracefully. Indeed, the British and Irish Left is feeling just this as we speak, with the Jacobin writer and former Guardian columnist Dawn Foster having passed away recently at the age of 34, leaving behind a short but impressive record of principled and intelligent socialist journalism. So many lives ending far earlier than they should have. Tragedy and premature death are an almost constant part of leftist politics.
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