John Garretson Clark speaks about the evolution of the phrase “public interest” and describes how different political movements have co-opted the term to promote their own agendas. Elaborating on what makes a subject part of the “public interest,” he gives examples from the civil rights and labor movements, emphasizing the necessity for social activism to correct structural inequalities in American society. The public interest, Clark says, is part of a larger category of topics about the uses of government. He comments on American distaste for “big government” and historical changes in the way Americans have viewed “the national interest,” from America’s involvement in World War II to issues surrounding foreign policy in the 1970s and 80s.
At the time of this interview, Clark, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center (1981-82), was professor of history at the University of Kansas.
This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.
