Steve Brook
Encyclopedia
Steve Brook born in London
, England
and trained as a compositor in Sydney
, Australia
, is a Melbourne
based satirical writer with a history of involvement in progressive causes, following a period as a journalist with Polish Radio
in Warsaw
.
Owing to his literary and historical talents, his writing, journalism, and biographical reflection is a significant source of documentation of the Jewish left
in Australia and its international connections from outside academia
and from the point of view of a non-ideological, humanist
insider.
He has a Master of Arts
from Monash University
in Melbourne.
His account of time spent with the English language service of Polish Radio (1966-1974) is a sympathetic, but not uncritical look at Poland under Soviet hegemony where there were attempts to have 'socialism with a human face', as well as the Polish cultural scene in the 1960s and 1970s and the political use of anti-Semitism
in Poland. Additionally, he was a journalist at 3CR radio
in Melbourne in the 1970s when there were strong political differences between left factions, including the influence of local Maoists.
He has also been a key member of the Australian Jewish Democratic Society
(AJDS), a progressive Australian organisation with roots going back to the pre-World War 2 left. His published writing, journalism, and frequent letters to the editor are an important source of otherwise undocumented political and social history of the Melbourne Left. In addition, he writes frequent letters to the editor to the Australian Jewish News and the Newsletter of AJDS on Israel/Palestine issues.
In all his work he has expressed a deep mistrust of official propaganda
whether from the Left or the Right.
In "Strawberries with Everything" he says that this was why he went to live in Warsaw, "behind the Iron Curtain", to discover for himself the degree of truth in anticommunism and its accompanying propaganda, which painted life in those parts as a kind of hell on earth.
Communist propaganda was, of course, a mirror image of this. He says the reality was a bit of both—neither devils nor angels, but real people scarred and traumatised by the most horrific war in modern history which led to their political choices in the face of crisis, including communism in preference to the perception of continuing Fascism
and Nazism
during the Cold War
. This factor, says Brook, is almost deliberately ignored in studies of the Soviet bloc.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and trained as a compositor in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, is a Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
based satirical writer with a history of involvement in progressive causes, following a period as a journalist with Polish Radio
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
Owing to his literary and historical talents, his writing, journalism, and biographical reflection is a significant source of documentation of the Jewish left
Jewish left
The term "Jewish left" describes Jews who identify with or support left wing, occasionally liberal causes, consciously as Jews, either as individuals or through organizations. There is no one organization or movement which constitutes the "Jewish left," however...
in Australia and its international connections from outside academia
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
and from the point of view of a non-ideological, humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
insider.
He has a Master of Arts
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...
from Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
in Melbourne.
His account of time spent with the English language service of Polish Radio (1966-1974) is a sympathetic, but not uncritical look at Poland under Soviet hegemony where there were attempts to have 'socialism with a human face', as well as the Polish cultural scene in the 1960s and 1970s and the political use of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
in Poland. Additionally, he was a journalist at 3CR radio
3CR
3CR is a community radio station that broadcasts on the AM band in Melbourne, Australia. The Community Radio Federation had their broadcasting licence approved on 10 October 1975, by the Minister for the Media, Dr Moss Cass. Test broadcasting begun on 1 May 1976, full operation began 3 July 1976...
in Melbourne in the 1970s when there were strong political differences between left factions, including the influence of local Maoists.
He has also been a key member of the Australian Jewish Democratic Society
Australian Jewish Democratic Society
The Australian Jewish Democratic Society , a secular organisation, was formed in Melbourne Australia in 1984 to promote free discussion and action on Jewish and general social and political issues. It grew out of a profound concern at the continuing Israeli-Arab conflict, though some of its...
(AJDS), a progressive Australian organisation with roots going back to the pre-World War 2 left. His published writing, journalism, and frequent letters to the editor are an important source of otherwise undocumented political and social history of the Melbourne Left. In addition, he writes frequent letters to the editor to the Australian Jewish News and the Newsletter of AJDS on Israel/Palestine issues.
In all his work he has expressed a deep mistrust of official propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
whether from the Left or the Right.
In "Strawberries with Everything" he says that this was why he went to live in Warsaw, "behind the Iron Curtain", to discover for himself the degree of truth in anticommunism and its accompanying propaganda, which painted life in those parts as a kind of hell on earth.
Communist propaganda was, of course, a mirror image of this. He says the reality was a bit of both—neither devils nor angels, but real people scarred and traumatised by the most horrific war in modern history which led to their political choices in the face of crisis, including communism in preference to the perception of continuing Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. This factor, says Brook, is almost deliberately ignored in studies of the Soviet bloc.