JONATHAN CHAIT: A progressive listserv meltdown is a ‘case study’ of what is happening in the progressive universe. “Clearly, there is a hard core element at Progressphiles, just as there is on college campuses, that cares less about data and more about the ideology of identity politics. And just like we saw at Evergreen State College, the extremists can’t rely on superior numbers so they use intimidation and threats against people’s careers and professional lives. It really is a short walk from the student’s demand that biology professor Bret Weinstein be fired to the firing of David Shor. Meanwhile most of the left sits quietly watching it happen but saying nothing because they know they could become the next target of the cultural revolutionaries.”

The Girondists never realize that if you hang a few Montagnards the rest will leave you alone. It’s just not in their nature to understand such things.

But as we saw the first time around, the people who do understand that are the ones who wind up in power after the shouting and struggle sessions are over.