Berkeley: The Student Revolt

by Hal Draper, Mario Savio (Introduction)

"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part! You can't even passively take part! And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels ... upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop!" These fiery words of protest, spoken by Mario Savio during the Berkeley Free Speech Movement, became a call to action that helped galvanize an entire generation of radicals during the 1960s. Led by student politicized through the fight for Civil Rights, the movement would reshape the American left and influence a generation of protesters across the globe. In this rousing and insightful participant's account, Hal Draper recounts the now iconic events of the FSM. From the impromptu speak out atop a police car after the administration decided to clamp down on students "distributing communist literature," to the inspiring Student Strike that shut down the entire campus, Draper's narrative captures the energy and dynamism of each twist and turn in the struggle, and offers invaluable analysis along the way. Brimming with lessons still relevant for today's activists, The New Student Rebellion is a classic of on-the-ground historical reportage.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Hal Draper (born Harold Dubinsky) was an American socialist activist and author who played a significant role in the Berkeley, California Free Speech Movement. He is known for his extensive scholarship on the history and meaning of the thought of Karl Marx.

Draper was a lifelong advocate of what he called "socialism from below", self-emancipation by the working class, in opposition to capitalism and Stalinist bureaucracy, both of which, he held, practiced domination from above. He was one of the creators of the Third Camp tradition, a form ("the form", according to its adherents) of Marxist socialism.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a highly detailed account of the tumultuous battle between students and administration at UC-Berkeley in order for the students to gain their right to freedom of speech on campus, especially in regard to the significant political conflicts of 1960s America. Unfortunately, its strong messages about the importance of and history of students' right to protest was muddled by the sheer detail Draper included. I am glad I finished it and learned from it, but I would only recommend this book to those who are fully committed to it and interested in understanding the imbalance of power between the authority of colleges and the state and its students.

[Jordan Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource not only on the biographical details of the student revolt but importantly the underlying dynamics that were at play which unleashed it. The revolt that took place at Berkeley can't be removed from the context of the society that it was taking place in. The ongoing economic segregation in the north that was being pushed back against by the civil rights movement quickly came up against the existing establishment. Draper's analysis of how the university fits into society at large was insightful in understanding the plays by the administration against the FSM. As he puts it:

"But Kerr is sensitive to the real relations between ideals and power in our society. Ideals are what you are for, inside your skull, while your knees are bowing to power".

An important piece of radical history which has so many lessons to be imparted for today. Draper's theoretical contributions to the movement (like in pamphlets such as the Mind of Clark Kerr) and his work in the Independent Socialist Club are a testament not only him as an activist, but the tenants of revolutionary socialism that he represented.

[Craig Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written immediately after the Free Speech Movement at the University of California in 1964, this is an invaluable source of information written with a nuanced sense of the relationships between students--grad and undergrad--administration, faculty, and the political forces in the state. Most contemporary accounts age badly; this one holds up.

[Tim Briedis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving and fluently written account of the 1964 student revolt at Berkeley. The iconic police car stand off, the sit ins, the student strike, Mario Savio’s speech: it has it all. In a context where we’ve seen similar dynamics in student solidarity for Palestine across the world, it remains a timely and compelling read.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book at a Doe Library book sale back in 2013-ish and finally got around to reading it. Published in 1965, provides an excellent play-by-play of the Free Speech Movement, including student activities, administrative decisions, cultural context, and media fallout.

[Brendan Hays]

So hyped for book club