SOURCE: "Laski Redivivus," in Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1966, pp. 87-101.

In the following essay, Peretz evaluates Laski's relevance to America in the 1960s.

It is now more than fifteen years since Harold J. Laski died, and it is almost as if whatever favourable words have been entered for him since have been in the defensive mood, slightly apologetic and with just the faintest traces of embarrassment. Such, in fact, was the case, one should add, even before his death, especially after his unsuccessful libel action. Moreover, 'there is no element of his work', as he himself rather sardonically wrote of Marx's, 'which has not been declared obsolete'.¹ And while one would not seek for Laski the voluminous attentions one naturally claims for Marx, it is surely reasonable to withdraw glib charges of obsolescence pending the kind of serious scholarly consideration which Laski has been denied and...