The Beatles' Politics. (18th September 2012)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- The Beatles' Politics. (18th September 2012)
- Main Title:
- The Beatles' Politics
- Authors:
- Collins, Marcus
- Abstract:
- <abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <list id="bjpi545-list-0001" list-type="bullet"> <title>Research Highlights and Abstract</title> <list-item> <p>This article argues that the Beatles did much to legitimise pop as a means of political expression, to devise organisational structures to support such political activity and to politicise those who produced and consumed pop music.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>critiques the Beatles' political motives, attitudes, techniques and accomplishments.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>explains why the Beatles' political development was a process of trial and error in which they sought out strategies and ideologies to their liking.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>explores how the Beatles' politicisation altered existing conceptions of politics and pop.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> <p>This article argues that the Beatles were instrumental in bringing together the hitherto divergent and mutually uncomprehending realms of politics and pop. Though not innovative political theorists, the Beatles were inventive political strategists who rehearsed virtually every technique subsequently used by politicised musicians. They practised consciousness‐raising, lobbying, patronage, abstentionism and civil disobedience. They founded utopian institutions and considered the relative merits of anarchy, democracy and revolutionary socialism. The multitude of political strategies adopted by the Beatles<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <list id="bjpi545-list-0001" list-type="bullet"> <title>Research Highlights and Abstract</title> <list-item> <p>This article argues that the Beatles did much to legitimise pop as a means of political expression, to devise organisational structures to support such political activity and to politicise those who produced and consumed pop music.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>critiques the Beatles' political motives, attitudes, techniques and accomplishments.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>explains why the Beatles' political development was a process of trial and error in which they sought out strategies and ideologies to their liking.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>explores how the Beatles' politicisation altered existing conceptions of politics and pop.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> <p>This article argues that the Beatles were instrumental in bringing together the hitherto divergent and mutually uncomprehending realms of politics and pop. Though not innovative political theorists, the Beatles were inventive political strategists who rehearsed virtually every technique subsequently used by politicised musicians. They practised consciousness‐raising, lobbying, patronage, abstentionism and civil disobedience. They founded utopian institutions and considered the relative merits of anarchy, democracy and revolutionary socialism. The multitude of political strategies adopted by the Beatles testified to their difficulties in finding one congruent with their outlook and temperament. Furthermore, the anti‐authoritarianism which formed the one consistent aspect of their political worldview was simplistic and their solutions were correspondingly unrealistic. They nevertheless did much to legitimise pop music as a means of political expression, to devise organisational structures to support such political activity and to politicise those who produced and consumed pop.</p> </abstract> … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- British journal of politics and international relations. Volume 16:Number 2(2014:May)
- Journal:
- British journal of politics and international relations
- Issue:
- Volume 16:Number 2(2014:May)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 16, Issue 2 (2014)
- Year:
- 2014
- Volume:
- 16
- Issue:
- 2
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2014-0016-0002-0000
- Page Start:
- 291
- Page End:
- 309
- Publication Date:
- 2012-09-18
- Subjects:
- Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1997-2007 -- Periodicals
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- Periodicals
Great Britain -- Foreign relations -- 1945- -- Periodicals
320.094105 - Journal URLs:
- https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-british-journal-of-politics-and-international-relations/journal202482 ↗
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1467-856X.2012.00545.x ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1369-1481
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 2319.800000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 4198.xml