On the phrase "cultural Marxism"

@antisempolicy has a published pamphlet: "Cultural Marxism: An Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory?"

It is an interesting pamphlet, because it somewhat equivocal on the issue - hence the question mark at the end of the title.

https://antisemitism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Cultural-Marxism-October-2020.pdf

This is its conclusion:

"‘Cultural Marxism’ can be used in various ways but
more often than not, is now a code for Jewish plot."

The argument of the paper is that although the phrase originates in a thesis of the Frankfurt School and Marcuse, the focus of paleocons, LaRouchies et al on their work has transformed the phrase into a signal for a conspiracy theory about Marxists trying to transform society.

There is a further suggestion that some of these theorists have focused on the Jewish academics who were part of the Frankfurt School, in a manner which renders that conspiracy theory antisemitic.

It isn't said exactly where this link is made: but that seems plausible.

I have a few of observations here.

First, most conspiracy theories have an antisemitic iteration. Antisemites naturally put Jews at the centre of their conspiracism. This does not mean that every conspiracy theory is intrinsically antisemitic.

Secondly, when a theory or a symbol is repurposed for antisemitism, confusion ensues. I think that before a judgement of antisemitism is made, it is necessary to consider whether it is slyly or openly being deployed to communicate an antisemitic message.

A comparison can be drawn with the "OK" hand gesture, which became a far Right symbol thanks to a hoax on 4Chan.

You'll remember that a man was sacked for using this sign. He said he had no intention to signal far Right sympathies. https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/502975-california-man-fired-over-alleged-white-power-sign-says-he-was

In my experience, the term "cultural Marxism" is generally used, not to suggest a Jewish conspiracy, or necessarily even a conspiracy at all. What most people mean by "cultural Marxism" is the prevalence in academia of those who are persuaded, not simply by Marxism...

... but "successor ideology" thinking, owing more to Sartre than Marx, in academia.

It is an inexact phrase meaning "people who go on about privilege, intersectionality, racial justice, imperialism and privilege and TERFs and all that stuff, and want to transform society".

This being so, I think that the phrase "cultural Marxism" doesn't properly describes that phenomenon.

I prefer "cranks" to describe these theories. Marxism has greater coherence than much "successor ideology" thinking.

But it is also improper to suggest that, merely because some antisemites may use a phrase in an antisemitic manner, that its use is a signal of antisemitism.