Reviews of New Age Politics

“Some surprisingly ordered thinking has been going on in the counter-culture. The evidence at hand is a book called New Age Politics by Mark Satin. . . . In 60,000 words Satin has made a comprehensive critique of North American society and outlined a utopian society to replace it. . . . At 30 he’s already miles ahead of the academics and intellectuals who cling to the Marxist vision.”
-- Robert Nielsen, Toronto Star (Jan. 26, 1977)

“[S]timulating and inspirational."
-- Green Revolution, decentralist magazine (March, 1977)

“[S]urprisingly practical . . . not at all the usual dogmatic sophistry of the pamphleteer.”
-- James Barber, Vancouver Province (March 12, 1977)

“[A]n excellent book of the new spiritual consciousness that has created a new coherent worldview.”
-- Many Smokes, Native American magazine (Spring, 1977)

“[T]he cogent political analysis we’d been seeking. . . . [T]he most intelligent effort we’ve seen to date that describes the politics emerging out of the union of power and innocence.”
-- New Age Journal (April, 1977)

“[I]nteresting and useful.”
-- Chutzpah, left-wing Jewish newspaper (Summer, 1977)

“Starting in an easy and pungent conversational style, dealing with the confusions and stances of outlooks which characterize our times, and doing it with a telling clarity that moves toward the rosewood centre of things, Mark Satin develops not only a mental but also an emotional analysis of the present situation in its fullness. . . . Altogether the book is an event that purely and simply draws out my gratitude.”
-- Ronald Jorgensen, World Union, magazine from India (June, 1977)

“Satin’s may be the most important book yet of this genre; he has gathered many complicated, widespread thoughts into a concise, very approachable treatise. . . . [A] landmark publication. . . . Satin has done those who are interested in a new way a great service. This book marks him as one of this era’s most important new philosophers.”
-- Gordon Flagler, Ottawa Citizen (June 4, 1977)

"[A] significant breakthrough in New Age social thought . . . Anarcho-Pacifism taken to an altogether new level."
-- Art Rosenblum, Aquarian Research Foundation Newsletter, Philadelphia (July, 1977)

“The author . . . writes in an engaging, personal vein and raises stimulating questions.”
-- East West Journal (July, 1977)

“A thoughtful analysis from an aware, well-read person.”
-- Plexus, Berkeley feminist newspaper (Aug., 1977)

"[A]rgues [that] feminism, men's liberation, ruralism, ecology, humanism, non-traditional education, A.T., and neo-pacifism are melding into a new alternative to both Marxism and Liberalism."
-- Bill Ellis, TRANET, newsletter of the Transnational Network for Appropriate Technologies (Fall, 1977)

“[T]ries to wrench . . . readers out of their ideological security.”
-- Communities: Journal of Cooperative Living (Sept.-Oct., 1977)

“[E]xtraordinary value and significance. . . . Many young people have gone the route Mark Satin describes: liberal to SDS activist to . . . an inner search, to renewed activism with a different perspective and set of values. But none ha[s] articulated the philosophic basis for their post-ideological politics in a way which bridges the student revolt of the 60’s with the self-development, transformational politics now emerging.”
-- Donald Keys, One Family, newsletter of Planetary Citizens (Nov., 1977)

“[A] fresh viewpoint to help us see out of the present impasse.”
-- Cascade, magazine from Oregon about co-ops and appropriate technology (Dec., 1977)

“[I]mportant. . . . [Suggests] an evolutionary political process which just might work.”
-- Arnold Klassen, Gay Community News, Boston newspaper (Dec. 10, 1977)

“[I]ntelligent attempt -- in the tradition of such writers as Theodore Roszak -- to synthesize a number of current trends.”
-- Books in Canada (c. 1977)

“A very positive and workable approach to politics!”
-- Will Noffke, KQED-FM, San Francisco (c. 1977)

“It is clear that feminism has made a deep impact on the thinking which went into New Age Politics.”
-- Makara, feminist magazine (c. 1977)

“[An] intelligent political analysis of an extremely meaningful alternative.”
-- Natural Life, magazine of simple living (c. 1977)

[Argh! Clipping is missing - ed.]
-- Allison Platt, Sojourner, Boston feminist newspaper (c. 1977)

2. Whitecap Books (1978) edition

“Satin is one of the few profound political thinkers of our day who has grasped the significance of both spiritual practice and psycho-spiritual growth. . . . New Age Politics is one of the few books I consider essential reading for those on a genuine spiritual path.”
-- John Amodeo, Yoga Journal (Nov.-Dec. 1978)

“I wasn’t sure there was a connection between what I was doing with my life and my love of feminism. This book gave me that connection.”
-- Bonnie Kreps, Emergency Librarian (c. 1978)

"New Age Politics . . . combines the experiences of [Satin's Sixties] life with everything he has learned in the Seventies. . . . [T]he reader gets a wealth of ideas on each page."
-- Doug Kellogg, Food Co-op Newsletter, Ashland, OR (c. 1978)

“Satin has brought together a million threads and woven a coherent message -- and he’s no utopian. . . . [P]owerful insights into the current transformations of self and society.”
-- Gerry Dixon, Odyssey, magazine from South Africa (Jan.-Feb., 1979)

“[A] good book to know about . . . a gathering, a centering, a vast summary, gentle, conscious, confident, loving, high . . . a creative digestion of many people’s thoughts, works and struggle.”
-- Mitch Walker, Gay Sunshine, San Francisco newspaper (Summer, 1979)

"Clearly, what Satin espouses in both his talks and his book -- a politics of personal responsibility and reconciliation -- is striking a responsive chord with a rapidly expanding audience."
-- Alison Wells & Stanley Commons, New Realities (June-July, 1979)

“In this brilliant, cogently organized review of . . . what has slowly been brewing in the seemingly 'quiet' times of the latter '70s . . . Satin captures the flavor of a changing political paradigm as no other author has. [The book] immediately bypasses the twin rocks of liberalism and Marxism . . . though it might be properly called their joint descendant. It has the further infusion, however, of a distinctly spiritual element.”
-- Irv Thomas, Black Bart (Aug., 1979)

3. Dell Publishing Co. edition (Nov., 1979)

“[A] useful formulation of a number of related and converging ideas that have been around for a long time, but have gained increasing currency. . . . [A] compelling work, drawing on an impressive number of sources. . . . [O]utstanding work of synthesis.”
-- Publishers Weekly (c. 1979)

“[A]n attractive work of synthesis and summary. . . . Satin pulls together the many strands of thought, feeling, consciousness, and political-culture definition that create a New Age Politics. . . . [Includes a] first-rate resource guide.”
-- Henry Steck, Library Journal (March 11, 1980)

“[A]n important achievement, important enough that one can fairly recommend [it] as the indispensible introduction to what is now being called ‘new age thought.’ . . . [M]akes an extremely valuable contribution to contemporary political dialogue.”
-- John McClaughry, Reason Magazine (Aug., 1980)

“Satin is steadfastly upbeat, open-armed, self-effacing, and earnest toward friend and foe alike . . . and may move many readers to new or greater efforts to build the better place we all long for.”
-- Michael S. Cummings, Alternative Futures Quarterly (Winter, 1981)

“One can assume from [New Age Politics] that the ‘Americans who dissent’ . . . have become somewhat more numerous and articulate. . . . The wealth of the material . . . is likely to make the reader dizzy!”
-- Henry Geiger, Manas (April 8, 1981)

“[A] plain-spoken, pragmatic vision of a new politics that transcends the old political ‘isms.’”
-- Sy Safransky, The Sun (April, 1981)

“[A] major achievement. . . . Libertarians would do well to listen to New Agers about ecology and people’s spiritual aspects. What both have in common is the desire to see people set free from impersonal, institutional forces that inhibit their aspirations.”
-- Bob Berkel, Liberty, magazine of Students for a Libertarian Society (Sept., 1981)

"The themes of New Age politics were first articulated in the late 1970s by Mark Satin. . . . Drawing on decentralist and feminist theories of the early 1970s, Satin's New Age Politics called for an escape from the 'six-sided prison': patriarchism, egocentricity, scientism, bureaucracy, nationalism and urbanism. In its place Satin advocated a 'third force' which would transcend the traditional divisions between Marxism and capitalism, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans."
-- Harvey Wasserman, The Nation (Aug. 31, 1985)

THE RADICAL MIDDLE CONCEPT:

Why "Radical Middle"?

Over 40 Good People (Try to) Describe the Radical Middle

50 Best Radical Middle Books of the '00s (so far)

Five Best Radical Middle Magazines, annotated

Over 20 Arguably Radical Middle National POLITICIANS

GREAT RADICAL MIDDLE GROUPS AND BLOGS:

NEW:
Over 250 Great Radical Centrist Groups and Organizations - all linked to their home pages AND to our articles!

Over 50 Great Radical Centrist Blogs - all with their bloggers named and described!

NOT JUST RADICAL MIDDLE:

Ten Best U.S. Political Novels, annotated

25 RED- HOT RADICAL MIDDLE INITIATIVES: