Ash Sarkar’s discussion of identity politics is coming out during a liberal post-Biden “reassessment”, which some would say is 10 years too late
~ Anonymous ~
Ash Sarkar, of Novara Media and “literally a communist” fame, has written her first book, Minority Rule, whose central thesis employs a double meaning of the book’s title, describing how the right have weaponised identity politics to mobilise the ‘white working class’ majority against minority ethnicities and ‘cultural elites’. By claiming these minority groups are seeking to take control of society, the real minority rule, that of the rich and powerful, is allowed to continue unfettered.
Could this finally mark the beginning of the end for liberal identity politics? Maybe. Hopefully.
The book is a bit of a mishmash of ideas and themes, but it is broadly successful in weaving a narrative under the ‘minority rule’ paradigm. While its overall analysis may have some value in influencing ‘public discourse’, there’s not much new for those of a radical persuasion. It has a fairly bland Marxist, materialist positioning to its politics, somewhat lacking in significant depth or insight. Ash spends too much time bemoaning the state of mainstream media and parliamentary politics, and includes far too many personal anecdotes and name drops. These shortcomings are likely driven by the unfortunate yet understandable imperative of producing a marketable book.
However, there is one area where the book provides genuine value, which will remain the focus for the rest of this review. It launches a scathing yet intelligent and nuanced assault on what it terms ‘liberal identity politics’. Mainly covered in the first chapter, the following quote paints a picture of Sarkar’s critique:
“It’s time to be brutally honest about something that’s been happening on the left: we have absorbed the tenets of liberal identity politics. We have nurtured a culture that’s deeply individualistic, where to be seen as a victim, to be able to claim a marginalised identity position, gives you social capital. That capital, unlike its monetary equivalent, isn’t transferable outside left- and liberal-leaning environments. It doesn’t prevent you from experiencing discrimination, injustice and even violence in the world outside. But within left and liberal-leaning spaces, victimhood – a close friend of lived experience – gives one a perch from which to speak with authority.”
‘Radlib, ‘ idol,’ and ‘identity politician’ are terms familiar to many involved in radical movements, but they are usually used in private conversation rather than public forums. As Ash points out, this is due to fear of social ostracism, leading to a culture of uncritical thinking that has allowed the curse of liberal identity politics to linger on for so long.
As Sarkar is at pains to point out, it’s not about rejecting identity as a political focus, it’s just about doing it right and removing the liberal framing. This is the crucial point so commonly ignored or dismissed. Critical discussions around identity are not a way of sidelining struggles against oppression, they are absolutely vital to them. However, the depth of penetration of liberal thinking will inevitably mean that some paint the book as doing just that.
Sarkar’s analysis of the key elements of liberal identity politics may be slightly off the mark, but it does highlight some of its major failings. It identifies how a common pattern is at work, where an important insight or concept is adopted but then uncritically applied, eventually becoming an unchallengeable dogma.
The concept of lived experience is an excellent example of this, which the book covers in some detail. Sarkar describes how personal firsthand knowledge of the world is a valuable source of information and has played a vital role in struggles against racism and sexism. Yet under the doctrines of liberal identity politics, it has become an “unassailable form of moral authority”, leading to absurd claims being left unchallenged. The situation is ripe for exploitation, not just from those seeking recognition and social capital, but also those willing to intentionally manipulate it towards reactionary ends.
The result of the highly individualised, competitive nature of liberal identity politics is divisions along lines of oppression that act as a barrier to solidarity and class consciousness. It is a diversion from necessary radical societal changes and, ironically, hinders struggles against identity based oppression.
Obviously, a short book review is not the place for detailed discussion on the politics of identity and its relationship to class. Nevertheless, one important point to note is how things often go from one extreme to another, particularly in discourses around identity and class. In dismantling liberal identity politics, it’s essential not to simply replace it with another overly reductive approach. When challenging the supremacy of individual experience for example, there can be a tendency to slip towards forms of materialist class reductionism, which the book is guilty of at least to some extent. Objective ‘material realities’ and subjective experiences of the world are fundamentally interrelated and should be treated as such.
There are some other praiseworthy aspects of the book that deserve a mention. There’s a pretty good discussion on the nature and complexities of gender, race and class. No mean feat when tackling such enormous subjects in a few pages of text. There are also some interesting reflections on how the right in the UK has shifted its predominant preoccupation with class from denigrating ‘chavs’ to championing the white working class. This is all described using an approachable and easy to read writing style, which includes some satisfyingly droll commentary and choice use of profanity.
Hopefully, the book will spark discussion and embolden critical thinking around the complexities of identity and how they play out in our movements and political strategies. There have been many attempts to critique and take down liberal identity politics over the years, but it has proven a resilient opponent. Given how committed some are to its philosophy, it likely won’t go down without a fight. However, with the global rise of the far-right and authoritarianism galvanising attention, things feel different. Maybe the time has at last come for us to get our house in order, banishing liberal dogmas and giving the issue of identity the thoughtful, nuanced examination it deserves.
Ash Sarkar, Minority Rule. Bloomsbury Publishing (Feb 2025) ISBN: 978-1526648334 £18.99
