For those puzzled about the sudden and surprising revival of radical left-wing political activism in the middle of the present decade, Ron Arnold’s Freezing in the Dark sheds extensive light on what made it possible. Arnold demonstrates in painstaking detail the existence of a “Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy” and the colossal networks of donors, ideologues, activists, and politicians who are working in an unprecedentedly coordinated fashion to remake the world’s fundamental political, economic, and social institutions.

            Unfortunately, the Left is far from dead; Arnold’s work shows that it is on the rise once again and working to put a new face on the same ideas that have led to pervasive misery, poverty, and oppression during the past century. The new socialism advocated by self-styled “progressives” will be primarily pushed by NGOs – non-governmental organizations whose political clout has increased dramatically as an unintended consequence of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act. Often working outside the formal structures of government, these NGOs seek to achieve global governance and to compel individuals, businesses, and even nation-states to restrict economic and technological development and to halt the unfolding of globalization.

             To those who wish to combat the resurgent Left, Arnold’s book provides an invaluable resource. Instead of merely describing a vague, nebulous opposing group, Arnold goes into tremendous detail documenting all the connections and interrelations within the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. As a result, the concerned supporters of individual liberty, free markets, and economic and technological progress will know precisely which individuals and organizations pose the chief threats to the improvement of human lives worldwide. If realized, the vision of the misnamed “progressives” will indeed leave many of us freezing in the dark, but the battle is not yet lost.

            Are we about to see the end of liberty and progress as we know them, or is there still time to turn the tide – especially against the transnationalist and environmentalist elements of the Left? Freezing in the Dark does not offer a neat or tidy conclusion to its analysis – as this pivotal confrontation is still unfolding. What it does offer is an indispensable aid for identifying the key players, the evolving strategies in this war of ideas, and precisely what is at stake. The victory of the Left would mean a reduction or elimination of many of the energy sources which power our advanced modern civilization and make possible our comfortable, healthy lifestyles. Unless the leftists can replace all of our current energy supplies with their preferred sources, a disaster of cataclysmic proportions is sure to follow the implementation of their restrictions, regulations, and penalties against businesses that supply fossil fuels. 

            Freezing in the Dark helps illuminate the vital alternative that we face today. Do we encourage the continuation of the beneficent technological and economic trends that have brought higher standards of living to millions of people worldwide – or do we shrink back from freedom and from true progress due to an ideology that has wreaked horrendous destruction wherever it has been implemented? Mr. Arnold’s work thoroughly explores the issues which will impact the future well-being of every individual. Will our lives be prosperous, healthy, and ever-increasing in length and quality, or will the leftist-environmentalist-transnationalist axis succeed in rendering them nasty, brutish, and short?

G. Stolyarov II is a science fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, contributor to Enter Stage Right, Le Quebecois Libre,  Rebirth of Reason, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Senior Writer for The Liberal Institute, weekly columnist for GrasstopsUSA.com, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, a magazine championing the principles of reason, rights, and progress. Mr. Stolyarov also publishes his articles on Helium.com and Associated Content to assist the spread of rational ideas. His newest science fiction novel is Eden against the Colossus. His latest non-fiction treatise is A Rational Cosmology. His most recent play is Implied Consent. Mr. Stolyarov can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@yahoo.com.

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