Arnold Beichman
Encyclopedia
Arnold Beichman
Arnold Beichman (May 17, 1913, New York City
– February 17, 2010, Pasadena, California
was an author
, scholar, and anti-communist polemicist. At the time of his death, he was a Hoover Institution
research fellow and a columnist
for The Washington Times
. He spent much of his life as a crusader against communism
.
Beichman was born on New York City’s Lower East Side
, in Manhattan
, in a family of immigrants from Ukraine
. He received a BA
from Columbia University
in 1934, after which he succeeded his friend, Arthur Lelyveld
, as editor-in-chief of the Columbia Daily Spectator
. Beichman spent many years in journalism, working for the New York Herald Tribune
, PM
, Newsweek
, and others. He returned to Columbia in his 50s to receive his M.A.
and Ph.D.
in political science
, in 1967 and 1973, respectively.
He gave his name to "Beichman's Law", which states: "With the single exception of the American Revolution
, the aftermath of all revolutions from 1789 on only worsened the human condition."
Beichman is the author of a book on Herman Wouk
entitled Herman Wouk: the Novelist as Social Historian. Additional works include The Other State Department, Yuri Andropov: New Challenge to the West (coauthored), Nine Lies about America, Anti-American Myths: Their Causes and Consequences, and CNN's Cold War Documentary: Issues and Controversy.
Arnold Beichman (May 17, 1913, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
– February 17, 2010, Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
was an author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, scholar, and anti-communist polemicist. At the time of his death, he was a Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
research fellow and a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
. He spent much of his life as a crusader against communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
Beichman was born on New York City’s Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, in a family of immigrants from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. He received a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Columbia University
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
in 1934, after which he succeeded his friend, Arthur Lelyveld
Arthur Lelyveld
Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld was a rabbi within the movement of Reform Judaism. As well as being a prominent rabbi he also embraced social activism in many forms....
, as editor-in-chief of the Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator is the daily student newspaper of Columbia University. It is published at 112th and Broadway in New York, New York. Founded in 1877, it is the oldest continuously operating college news daily in the nation after The Harvard Crimson, and has been legally independent of the...
. Beichman spent many years in journalism, working for the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
, PM
PM (newspaper)
PM was a leftist New York City daily newspaper published by Ralph Ingersoll from June 1940 to June 1948 and bankrolled by the eccentric Chicago millionaire Marshall Field III....
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, and others. He returned to Columbia in his 50s to receive his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, in 1967 and 1973, respectively.
He gave his name to "Beichman's Law", which states: "With the single exception of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the aftermath of all revolutions from 1789 on only worsened the human condition."
Beichman is the author of a book on Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author of novels including The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, and War and Remembrance.-Biography:...
entitled Herman Wouk: the Novelist as Social Historian. Additional works include The Other State Department, Yuri Andropov: New Challenge to the West (coauthored), Nine Lies about America, Anti-American Myths: Their Causes and Consequences, and CNN's Cold War Documentary: Issues and Controversy.
External links
- His official bio at Hoover Institution
- Beichman archives
- Arnold Beichman, Political Analyst, Dies at 96, obituary in The New York Times