This is an extraordinary documentary.
The documentary, just released, and free online, captures not only Hobsbawm's life, but also Hobsbawm's historiography. I am now compelled to find Perry Anderson's critique of what he sees as a contradiction in Hobsbawm's theory of the 20th Century, whereas I agree with Hobsbawm that 19th Century liberalism and 19th/20th Century socialism and communism are all children of the Enlightenment, and share a similar language at the base. Their reasoning and strategies differ, and their ultimate goals differ. But, they are each rooted in the language that extols reason in philosophy, a belief in the need for scientific progress, and a sense of transparency, whether or not that is honored in the breach.
This documentary does an outstanding job of showing why one is not required to be a Marxist or Communist or anything even radical to understand Hobsbawm's interpretation of European (and indirectly world) history since 1789. In fact, one can say Hobsbawm's history is ironically informed by, while still critical of Whiggish history. In other words, an enlightened business person should find much to enjoy and be comforted by in Hobsbawm's history, which I hope does not deter radical readers from investigating Hobsbawm. :)
