Introduction
to The War Conspiracy (Peter Dale Scott)
Summarizes some of UC Berkeley Professor Emeritus Peter Dale
Scott's theoretical groundwork of "Parapolitics" and
"Deep Politics." An intelligent and thoughtful approach
to analyzing corruption and clandestine policymaking in high places
which avoids the simplistic and naieve views at either extreme
— on one side, the classic pathological conspiracy theorist
who sees cabals and control everywhere; on the other side, the
dogmatic structuralist / institutional theorist who makes every
possible effort to deny that conspiracies play a meaningful role
at all.
Conspiracy
Theories and Clandestine Politics (Jeffrey M. Bale)
A useful analysis of distinctions which should be maintained between
"conspiracy theory" (a pathological orientation) and "clandestine
[or 'deep'] politics". From Lobster #29, June 1995.
Food for thought from the archives...
This 1995 article makes a strong case that anticonspiratorial
dogmatism has little to do with enlightened, progressive thinking,
and instead bears its lineage from centrist liberal elitism and
McCarthyism. Also, there is interesting historical background
on the scapegoating of the grassroots right in the wake of the
1995 Oklahoma City bombing (in which Left anti-conspiracist John
Foster "Chip" Berlet played a leading role).
America's
Extremist Center (Sam Smith, Progressive Review)
On
Being a "Conspiracy Theorist" (Butler
Crittenden, Ph.D. 1999)
This essay is very strong and thoughtfully assembled, completely
exposing and disassembling the arguments that have been raised
by institutional progressives such as Michael Albert who try to
claim that conspiracy analysis is incompatible with the tradition
of progressive / left politics (as well as the norms of historical
inquiry in general). This is one of the most compelling and conclusive
treatments of the subject here, although in light of recent developments
one may want to think critically about some of the recommendations
he makes vis a vis the "progressive" media.
Left
Media and "Conspiracies"—CIA and cocaine vs. 9/11
(Portland Indymedia contributor)
The 9/11 anti-conspiracist campaign was similar to and involved
some of the same media figures as the response to revelations
of CIA drug smuggling several years ago, when the groundbreaking
investigative reporting of Gary Webb was dismissed and attacked.
It was later vindicated.There is a clear pattern of the same general
group of "progressives" going on the attack on behalf
of the government whenever critically damaging information about
official high crimes makes it out of the woodwork.
Incidentally, Gary Webb's 1996 exposé on CIA complicity
in the crack cocaine epidemic recently was put back
online.
Multiculturalism
and the Ruling Elite (Daniel Brandt, 1993)
How the CIA-linked establishment foundations encouraged the formation
of a Left establishment that has focused on racism, sexism, and
diversity to the exclusion of all else – a very convenient
situation for the ruling elites who don't want anyone doing power
structure research. Thus this is another mechanism which works
in conjunction with anticonspiracist dogma to create a controlled
opposition which covers up the elite agenda.
media double standards:
When's
a conspiracy theory not a conspiracy theory? It all depends on
who's said to be doing the conspiring (Steven
Gowans, July 2002)
Primer
on Understanding Conspiracies
(James Higdon, Online Journal)
An article written shortly after 9/11 which logically counters
some of the negative emotional presumptions and fallacies often
brought to the table when considering claims of conspiracy.