Michael Parenti, Marxist Political Scientist and Author, Dies at 92

Washingon DC: Michael Parenti, the American Marxist political scientist, author, and lecturer renowned for his sharp critiques of imperialism, capitalism, and corporate power, has passed away at the age of 92.

Over several decades, Parenti wrote influential works including Democracy for the Few, Inventing Reality, and Blackshirts and Reds, blending rigorous academic research with a polemical style aimed at reaching audiences beyond academia. His analyses challenged prevailing narratives on U.S. foreign policy, the role of the media, and liberal democracy, always emphasising the importance of class interests and material conditions in understanding politics.

A gifted speaker, Parenti was admired for making complex political and historical arguments accessible without diluting their substance. Though his uncompromising positions often placed him at odds with mainstream academia and media, he remained a consistent and independent voice on the left, refusing to temper his analysis for acceptance or career advancement.

Following the collapse of the USSR, Parenti played a significant role in what he called the “Battle of Ideas,” confronting reactionary Western media and the intellectual timidity of his peers. His 1997 work Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism remains a key text countering anti-communist historiography and defending the achievements of workers’ movements.

In his later years, Parenti lived a more private life, and his passing is being mourned as the loss of a steadfast intellectual anchor for many on the left.