In the Service of Man: Radical Movements in the Professions

The decade of the 1960'S witnessed major upheavals in every American institution. Following closely on the heels of the antiwar movement came a revolt against the symbols of authority in the universities, the courts, the schools, the churches, and the professions. While the noisier and more public attacks on institutions were being made by those outside of them, there were also small pockets of organized criticism and discontent being mobilized within major institutions for the purpose of seeking radical change. This paper is about the 'radical caucuses' or separatist movements within the major professions. We shall try to describe the conditions under which they emerge, the composition of their membership, and the specific nature of their goals and strategies. We shall also attempt to analyze the special dilemmas facing radical movements, and the specific conditions necessary for their continuity and effectiveness.