Isaacs graduated from Columbia University in 1929,[1] then briefly worked as a reporter for the New York Times. He went to China in 1930 with no strong political views, but became involved with left-wing politics in Shanghai, especially through a friendship with Frank Glass, a Trotskyist from South Africa, and with Agnes Smedley, an American journalist with Communist sympathies.[2]
He wrote The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution (1938), about the early 1925-27 phases of the Chinese Communist Revolution, which featured a preface by Leon Trotsky. The book includes dramatic descriptions of the Shanghai Massacre of 1927, in which nationalist forces killed thousands of known or suspected communists. Isaacs condemned the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party for following the instructions of Joseph Stalin to ally with the Nationalist Party rather than arming the workers and pursuing a genuinely revolutionary program.[3]
He covered World War II in Southeast Asia and China for Newsweek Magazine. In 1953 he joined the department of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the following years he published Scratches on our Minds: American Images of China and India, American Jews in Israel, and The New World of Negro Americans, among others. Scratches on our Minds was highly influential. By reviewing the popular and scholarly literature on Asia that appeared in the United States, and by interviewing many American experts, Isaacs identified four stages of American attitudes toward China: "benevolence", dominant 1905 to 1937; "admiration" (1937–1944); "disenchantment" (1944–1949); and "hostility" (after 1949).[4]
In 1980, he returned to China with his wife, Viola, and wrote an account of the visit, Re-Encounters in China.[5]
He and his wife had two children, the journalist Arnold R. Isaacs and Deborah Shipler.[5]
Selected articles and worksedit
(editor): Five years of Kuomintang reaction (1932)
——— (1938). The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution. Introduction by Leon Trotsky. London: Secker & Warburg; Reprinted, with a Preface by Arnold Isaacs, Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2009. ISBN978-1-60846-109-7.; Revised Edition, Stanford University Press, 1951; Second Revised Edition, Stanford University Press, 1961.
(editor): New cycle in Asia: selected documents in major international development in the Far East, 1943–1947 (1947)
Two-thirds of the world: problems of a new approach to the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (1950)
Africa: new crisis in the making (1952)
Scratches on our minds: American images of China and India (John Day, 1958); reprinted as Images of Asia : American views of China and India (M.E. Sharpe, 1972)
Emergent Americans: a report on "Crossroads Africa" (1961)
The new world of Negro Americans (1964)
India's ex-Untouchables (1965)
American Jews in Israel (1967)
No peace for Asia (1947)
Straw sandals: Chinese short stories, 1918–1933 (editor)(1974)
Idols of the tribe: group identity and political change (1975)
Power and identity: tribalism in world politics (1979)
——— (1985). Re-Encounters in China: Notes of a Journey in a Time Capsule. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. ISBN1-315-49564-3. (Archive.org)
Notesedit
^Columbia College (Columbia University). Office of Alumni Affairs and Development; Columbia College (Columbia University) (1987). Columbia College today. Columbia University Libraries. New York, N.Y. : Columbia College, Office of Alumni Affairs and Development.
^Paul S. Ropp, ed. (1990). Heritage of China: Contemporary Perspectives on Chinese Civilization. University of California Press. p. 10. ISBN978-0-520-06440-9.
Rand, Peter (1995). "Prophet in a Foreign Land". China Hands: The Adventures and Ordeals of the American Journalists Who Joined Forces with the Great Chinese Revolution. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 81–131.
Rotter, Andrew Jon (1996). "In Retrospect: Harold R. Isaacs's Scratches on Our Minds". Reviews in American History. 24 (1): 177–188. doi:10.1353/rah.1996.0027. S2CID 144015421.
Kosuth, Dennis (2010). "The Chinese revolution of 1925–27: Review of The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution". International Socialist Review (74).
Clarke, George (January–February 1952). "The Tragedy of Harold Isaacs: Vandal at Work". Fourth International. 13 (1): 26–31.
Harold Isaacs Internet Archive Encyclopedia of Trotskeyism Online Writings on China, 1933–1941.
January 01, 1970
harold, isaacs, harold, robert, isaacs, 1910, 1986, american, journalist, political, scientist, isaacs, middle, visiting, home, soong, ching, lingbornharold, robert, isaacs1910died1986, aged, namelo, luosheng, harold, robertsoccupationjournalist, political, sc. Harold Robert Isaacs 1910 1986 was an American journalist and political scientist Harold IsaacsIsaacs top middle visiting the home of Soong Ching lingBornHarold Robert Isaacs1910Died1986 aged 75 76 Pen nameLo Sen Yi Luosheng Harold RobertsOccupationJournalist political scientistNationalityAmericanEducationColumbia University BA Notable worksThe Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution Scratches on Our MindsSpouseViola Robinson Isaacs Contents 1 Career 2 Selected articles and works 3 Notes 4 References and further reading 5 External linksCareer editIsaacs graduated from Columbia University in 1929 1 then briefly worked as a reporter for the New York Times He went to China in 1930 with no strong political views but became involved with left wing politics in Shanghai especially through a friendship with Frank Glass a Trotskyist from South Africa and with Agnes Smedley an American journalist with Communist sympathies 2 He wrote The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution 1938 about the early 1925 27 phases of the Chinese Communist Revolution which featured a preface by Leon Trotsky The book includes dramatic descriptions of the Shanghai Massacre of 1927 in which nationalist forces killed thousands of known or suspected communists Isaacs condemned the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party for following the instructions of Joseph Stalin to ally with the Nationalist Party rather than arming the workers and pursuing a genuinely revolutionary program 3 He covered World War II in Southeast Asia and China for Newsweek Magazine In 1953 he joined the department of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology In the following years he published Scratches on our Minds American Images of China and India American Jews in Israel and The New World of Negro Americans among others Scratches on our Minds was highly influential By reviewing the popular and scholarly literature on Asia that appeared in the United States and by interviewing many American experts Isaacs identified four stages of American attitudes toward China benevolence dominant 1905 to 1937 admiration 1937 1944 disenchantment 1944 1949 and hostility after 1949 4 In 1980 he returned to China with his wife Viola and wrote an account of the visit Re Encounters in China 5 In 1950 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship He and his wife had two children the journalist Arnold R Isaacs and Deborah Shipler 5 Selected articles and works edit editor Five years of Kuomintang reaction 1932 1938 The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution Introduction by Leon Trotsky London Secker amp Warburg Reprinted with a Preface by Arnold Isaacs Chicago Haymarket Books 2009 ISBN 978 1 60846 109 7 Revised Edition Stanford University Press 1951 Second Revised Edition Stanford University Press 1961 editor New cycle in Asia selected documents in major international development in the Far East 1943 1947 1947 Two thirds of the world problems of a new approach to the peoples of Asia Africa and Latin America 1950 Africa new crisis in the making 1952 Scratches on our minds American images of China and India John Day 1958 reprinted as Images of Asia American views of China and India M E Sharpe 1972 Emergent Americans a report on Crossroads Africa 1961 The new world of Negro Americans 1964 India s ex Untouchables 1965 American Jews in Israel 1967 No peace for Asia 1947 Straw sandals Chinese short stories 1918 1933 editor 1974 Idols of the tribe group identity and political change 1975 Power and identity tribalism in world politics 1979 1985 Re Encounters in China Notes of a Journey in a Time Capsule Armonk NY M E Sharpe ISBN 1 315 49564 3 Archive org Notes edit Columbia College Columbia University Office of Alumni Affairs and Development Columbia College Columbia University 1987 Columbia College today Columbia University Libraries New York N Y Columbia College Office of Alumni Affairs and Development Rand 1995 p 81 Rand 1995 p 130 131 Paul S Ropp ed 1990 Heritage of China Contemporary Perspectives on Chinese Civilization University of California Press p 10 ISBN 978 0 520 06440 9 a b Obituary New York Times July 10 1986References and further reading editRand Peter 1995 Prophet in a Foreign Land China Hands The Adventures and Ordeals of the American Journalists Who Joined Forces with the Great Chinese Revolution New York Simon amp Schuster pp 81 131 Rotter Andrew Jon 1996 In Retrospect Harold R Isaacs s Scratches on Our Minds Reviews in American History 24 1 177 188 doi 10 1353 rah 1996 0027 S2CID 144015421 Kosuth Dennis 2010 The Chinese revolution of 1925 27 Review of The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution International Socialist Review 74 Clarke George January February 1952 The Tragedy of Harold Isaacs Vandal at Work Fourth International 13 1 26 31 External links editArticles 1933 1941 in the Marxists Internet Archive Harold Isaacs Internet Archive Encyclopedia of Trotskeyism Online Writings on China 1933 1941 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harold Isaacs amp oldid 1208560986, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
