Ralph de Toledano
Encyclopedia
Ralph de Toledano was a major figure in the conservative
movement in the United States
throughout the second half of the 20th century.
to parents who were American citizens, he came to New York
as a teenager to attend the Juilliard School
. He had played the violin from the age of 5.
His interests quickly shifted from music to politics, however, as he became involved in the Socialist Party of America
and became youth leader of the avowedly anticommunist "Old Guard" faction
led by Louis Waldman
. The Old Guard left the Socialist Party in 1936. He graduated from Columbia University
in 1938. Toledano became editor of their magazine, The New Leader
, succeeding James Oneal
.
, Toledano was for almost 20 years on the editorial board of Newsweek
, and was among the founders of National Review
in 1955. His differences with his conservative colleagues became very pronounced before long, first in 1960 when Toledano dissented from the other National Review editors when they endorsed Richard Nixon
over Barry Goldwater
.
Years later when Nixon became president, Toledano was particularly close to the administration, in a rivalry with Daniel Patrick Moynihan
over the privilege of being named guru of Nixon's domestic policies, which conservatives both supporting and opposing them characterized as a kind of Tory socialism
. Moynihan's victory in this struggle was likely a key moment in the rise of neoconservatism.
Never straying far from his first passion of music, Toledano distinguished himself as an avid scholar of jazz
. During the latter half of his long career at National Review, he was relegated to writing a music review column, on account of his growing variance with the direction of American conservatism. He also wrote about music a good deal for The American Conservative
during his last years.
Toledano held forth until the end of his life at the National Press Club, where in 2005 he succeeded John Cosgrove as National Press Club American Legion Post No. 20 commander.
Toledano's last book, Cry Havoc: The Great American Bring-down and How It Happened was published in 2006, shortly before his 90th birthday. National Review founder William F. Buckley, Jr.
said about it: "Cry Havoc! is must reading ... writing at Ralph de Toledano's best" which "focuses on the historical and the contemporary, casting a sharp light on the players and the events of our deeply troubled times." Professor Paul Gottfried wrote that that "Toledano uncovers continuities between the Frankfurt School's conspiracy and the rampant cultural terrorism in America."
Toward the end of his life, he labeled himself a libertarian
, his son Paul Toledano said in a Feb. 10 memorial article in the New York Times.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
movement in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
throughout the second half of the 20th century.
Early years
A Sephardic Jew born in MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
to parents who were American citizens, he came to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as a teenager to attend the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. He had played the violin from the age of 5.
His interests quickly shifted from music to politics, however, as he became involved in the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
and became youth leader of the avowedly anticommunist "Old Guard" faction
Old Guard faction
The Old Guard faction was an organized grouping of Marxists in the Socialist Party of America who sought to retain the organization's traditional orientation towards electoral politics by fighting generally younger party members who factionally organized to promote greater efforts at direct action...
led by Louis Waldman
Louis Waldman
Louis Waldman was a leading figure in the Socialist Party of America from the late 1910s and through the middle 1930s, a founding member of the Social Democratic Federation, and a prominent New York labor lawyer.-Early years:...
. The Old Guard left the Socialist Party in 1936. He graduated from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1938. Toledano became editor of their magazine, The New Leader
The New Leader
The New Leader was a political and cultural magazine begun in 1924 by a group of figures associated with the Socialist Party of America, including Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas, and published in New York by the American Labor Conference on International Affairs. Its orientation is liberal and...
, succeeding James Oneal
James Oneal
James "Jim" Oneal , a founding member of the Socialist Party of America , was a prominent socialist journalist, historian, and party activist who played a decisive role in the bitter party splits of 1919-21 and 1934-36.-Early years:...
.
Journalistic career
Pursuing a career in journalismJournalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, Toledano was for almost 20 years on the editorial board of 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 was among the founders of National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
in 1955. His differences with his conservative colleagues became very pronounced before long, first in 1960 when Toledano dissented from the other National Review editors when they endorsed Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
over Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
.
Years later when Nixon became president, Toledano was particularly close to the administration, in a rivalry with Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick "Pat" Moynihan was an American politician and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the United States Senate for New York in 1976, and was re-elected three times . He declined to run for re-election in 2000...
over the privilege of being named guru of Nixon's domestic policies, which conservatives both supporting and opposing them characterized as a kind of Tory socialism
Tory Socialism
Tory socialism was a term devised by historians, particularly of the early Fabian Society, to describe the governing philosophy of the British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli...
. Moynihan's victory in this struggle was likely a key moment in the rise of neoconservatism.
Never straying far from his first passion of music, Toledano distinguished himself as an avid scholar of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. During the latter half of his long career at National Review, he was relegated to writing a music review column, on account of his growing variance with the direction of American conservatism. He also wrote about music a good deal for The American Conservative
The American Conservative
The American Conservative is a monthly U.S. opinion magazine published by Ron Unz. Its first editor was Scott McConnell, his successors being Kara Hopkins and the present incumbent, Daniel McCarthy....
during his last years.
Toledano held forth until the end of his life at the National Press Club, where in 2005 he succeeded John Cosgrove as National Press Club American Legion Post No. 20 commander.
Toledano's last book, Cry Havoc: The Great American Bring-down and How It Happened was published in 2006, shortly before his 90th birthday. National Review founder William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
said about it: "Cry Havoc! is must reading ... writing at Ralph de Toledano's best" which "focuses on the historical and the contemporary, casting a sharp light on the players and the events of our deeply troubled times." Professor Paul Gottfried wrote that that "Toledano uncovers continuities between the Frankfurt School's conspiracy and the rampant cultural terrorism in America."
Death and legacy
Ralph de Toledano died February 3, 2007, aged 90.Toward the end of his life, he labeled himself a libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
, his son Paul Toledano said in a Feb. 10 memorial article in the New York Times.
Obits
- Columbia University Columbia College Today
- New York Times
- Washington Times
- Washington Times: "For Ralph de Toledano"
- Washington Post
- Weekly Standard
- Renew America
- UPI
Non-Fiction
- Frontiers of Jazz (New York: O. Durrell, 1947)
- Seeds of Treason (with Victor Lasky) (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1950)
- Spies, Dupes, and Diplomats (New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1952)
- Nixon (New York: Holt, 1956)
- Lament for a Generation (New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1960)
- The Winning side, the Case for Goldwater Republicanism (New York: Putnam, 1963)
- The Greatest Plot in History (New York; Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1963)
- RFK, the Man Who Would Be President (New York: Putnam, 1967)
- One Man Alone (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1969)
- J. Edgar Hoover (New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1973)
- Let Our Cities Burn (New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1975)
- Hit and Run (New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1975)
- The Apocrypha of Limbo (Gretna, LA: Pelican, 1994)
- Notes from the Underground (Washington: Regnery, 1997)
- Cry Havoc: The Great American Bring-down and How It Happened (New York: Anthem, 2006)
External links
- Interview with Ralph de Toledano.
- American Music: Classical, Popular, & Jazz
- Online Archive of California Register of the Ralph De Toledano Papers, 1940–1971