Brad Alles

The United States is in the midst of a cultural war that has been building for decades. It is a war of worldviews: a Judeo-Christian one on which Western civilization is built versus a Marxist worldview that seeks to transform America. Why is this happening?

In the early 1930’s The Frankfort School’s Marxist professors moved to Columbia University in New York. There they spread the Neo-Marxist interpretation of West called “Critical Theory.” This theory spread to other universities across America.

Critical Theory is not a synonym for critical thinking. It has one goal: to criticize Western culture and eventually take control of it. The criticism of all societal norms will lead to the dismantling of them and subsequently replacing them with another worldview–a Marxist one.

Critical Theory is an unrelenting attack on the West alone. It does not criticize Eastern culture or Muslim countries. All Western institutions (Christianity, capitalism, the nuclear family, etc.) must be torn down according to Critical Theory. There is nothing redeemable about any of them. 

Simply stated, Critical Theory states the dominant culture or those in power oppress marginal groups. The dominant culture/powerful would be whites, the wealthy, males, Christians, English-speakers, and so on. (See the “Circle of Oppression” image included in this blog as an example of oppressors and oppressed.) There is no objective truth in this Marxist worldview, just the truth claims of the powerful. Sometimes this is called cultural hegemony.

By advocating for the oppressed (non-whites, poor, females, non-Christians, non-English speakers, etc.), people can gain power and find meaning in life. In Marxism, there is no afterlife, so improving life here and now is the only goal.

How do we respond to Critical Theory? Here are five points to consider. First, there is no ultimate basis for judging morality. Remember that Marxism is atheistic and morally relativistic. Individuals decide right and wrong because there is no God according to Marxism. If this is true, by what standard are Critical Theorists judging Western culture? Because there is no absolute truth and morality, this is simply one group judging another.

Second, Critical Theory is a one-way street of criticism on the West. It does not judge other non-Western cultures. This explains why Cultural Marxists will vilify America while turning a blind eye to atrocities elsewhere, such as imprisonment and forced labor of Uigher Muslims in China. Furthermore, Critical Theory will not showing expound on advancements and improvements the West has made in its own culture, such as the abolition of slavery.

Third, Critical Legal Theory attacks freedoms enshrined in our founding documents. Fundamentally transforming America from its original intent would mean the end of individual rights. Specifically this means the end of equality under the law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and ownership of private property. All of these would be changed because they are viewed as serving only whites.

Fourth, why would immigrants come here if this country is so oppressive? According to the United Nations, there are more legal immigrants desiring to live in America than any other country. The United States has four times the amount of legal immigrants than Germany, which is in second in popularity for migration. People flee oppressive and bad countries rather than flock to them.

This leads to the fifth point. There is more opportunity and a higher standard of living here than any other country on Earth. MIT professor and Neo-Marxist Noam Chomsky told CNN that America is “the greatest” and “the freest country in the world,” coming “closest to classlessness in terms of interpersonal relations than any society.” If Critical Theorists/Cultural Marxists desire to transform America, into what specifically do they want to change it?