Leftist political thought has been much more than Karl Marx, but Marxism is largely prevailing, and other philosophical forms of progressivism are almost forgotten, or rather marginal. The only exception to the praxis of oblivion is George Orwell, although he is considered as a novelist, and not as a philosopher. Among the progressivism buried under dust, there’s an interesting experience of the 17th century, more ancient than Marxism. As usual, I briefly introduce the chosen topic, I invite my interested readers to search for more information by surfing specialized sites, and I offer some personal observations. The Diggers were a group of English radical protesters, led by Gerrard Winstanley and William Everard. Their ideas are defined an “agrarian communist movement”, and consisted of proposing the creation of small, egalitarian communities made of poor people, for living an agrarian lifestyle, by cultivating common land. Naturally, the described project required a reform of the existing social order, to support and to consolidate a redistribution of the land. Of course, Karl Marx criticized similar expressions of proto-communism, and talked about “utopian socialism”. However, the Diggers have had a certain cultural impact, even if not large, for instance in Anglo-Saxon pop music, where the expression “the world turned upside down” has been relevantly inspiring. Honestly, in Italy, my homeland, the Diggers are totally ignored at schools, and practically unknown.
The Diggers, and other similar experiences, have been neglected for some reasons, that I would like to summarize, as follows: professional bureaucracies, including the political one, are rather esoteric, and highly allergic to the aspirations of common persons; small, egalitarian communities are extraneous to globalism, and to other kinds of internationalism, or, with other words, to the development of communism; the historic function of communism has been the sustain to totalitarian regimes, where individualism should be as minor as possible, and the decisions of the authorities are always unilateral; the aspirations of the Diggers are subject to interclass agreements, and not contradictory with the existence of a social contract on a national basis. Despite, as you can easily verify, the progresses of progressivism have only provoked the consolidation of elites, political, professional, and intellectual, especially transnational. Coming to the reasons why the experience of the Diggers can still be useful, I think that, by digging deep into the ground of social relationship, you might discover that social conflicts are not static and inevitable, and that the dogmas of political faith don’t have any universal value.
Coming to music, in my opinion, a large part of the DJs, professional or not, are digging deep into various collections of vinyl records, and other musical supports, so that they can be defined the “New Diggers”. Well, you can dig into record collections for sale, and that’s the most common praxis, for finding rarities, but you can also dig into your personal record collection. For instance, in not rare LPs you might rediscover beautiful tracks, not valorized before. This is what I’ve attempted to do with the new mix.
File name is “digging deep into album cuts of 1979 and 1980, by Max Look DJ (Sept 2025)”, 1 hour 21’ and 21” of almost unknown songs, taken from well-known LPs of the years 1979 and 1980.
Digging deep, the playlist:
Isaac Hayes – what does it take
Jacksons – give it up
Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio – can’t keep from cryin’
Mandrill – coming home
Brand X – Noddy goes to Sweden
Deodato – skatin’
Johnny Guitar Watson – lone ranger
Don Armando’s 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band – goin’ to a showdown
Instant Funk – can’t you see where I’m coming from
Vernon Burch – baby love
Sun – quest
Larry Graham – there’s something about you
Brothers Johnson – smilin’ on ya
Locksmith – cinnamon
One Way featuring Al Houdson – pop it
Midnight Star – two in love
Mass Production – your love
Rodney Franklin – Parkay man
Sparks – young girls
Spinners – don’t let the man get you
Bunny Sigler – dis away and dat away
Chaka Khan – too much love
