Just complaining about the USA

[The Douche]

I was talking earlier about Father Coughlin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Coughlin) and today I was looking at electoral results of third parties in the US during the 20s and 30s. Everytime there was a nativist/fascist third party running, they beat the similiarly sized/popular socialist party.

And look today at the popularity of the Tea Party/Glenn Beck types, even though communist/radical groups were leading the anti-war movement a few years ago, and hundreds of thousands were mobilized by the work of communist militants, nothing came of it. The tea party easily has more support than any left-wing equivalent, in fact, no such equivalent exists.

I do think, sometimes, that the US will be the last bastion of capitalism/reaction when the next revolutionary wave heats up...

[Os Cangaceiros]

The U.S. also had the longest sustained period of intense class conflict out of any industrialized nation, though, so it's not all bad.

[The Douche]

The U.S. also had the longest sustained period of intense class conflict out of any industrialized nation, though, so it's not all bad.

Yeah, but class conflict can occur under the leadership of reactionary populism as well. (Father Coughlin's paper was called "social justice" and it fought for minimum wage, a shorter work week, nationalization of industry, and trust breaking) There was also Huey Long, who could've been the American Mussolinni had he not been assassinated, and he was broadly supportted by the working class, more so than the socialists in his constiuency.

Americans, historically, seem to have been much more receptive to patriotism than class interests or internationalism. (with few exceptions, but those exceptions usually relating to immigrant/minority communities like the Germans, Italians, Irish, and African diasporas.)

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Noel Ignatieff, Loren Goldner, and people associated with Race Traitor journal put forth the theory that the US has developed as a "herrenvolk" society. That is, class struggle has been played out in the context of a deeply racist society. White workers have been taught that they have a community of interests with their fellow white exploiters.This has been one of the main things inhibiting the development of a large European style socialist or social democratic movement.Both US official political parties have effectively utilized racism in different ways.

The Democratic Party has also been very effective at marginalizing, diverting, subverting, and inhibiting class struggle.

When global struggle heats up the Us will be among the last to feel it. When things do heat up here, it will probably be led by the Hispanic immigrant population.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Yeah, but class conflict can occur under the leadership of reactionary populism as well. (Father Coughlin's paper was called "social justice" and it fought for minimum wage, a shorter work week, nationalization of industry, and trust breaking) There was also Huey Long, who could've been the American Mussolinni had he not been assassinated, and he was broadly supportted by the working class, more so than the socialists in his constiuency.

Americans, historically, seem to have been much more receptive to patriotism than class interests or internationalism. (with few exceptions, but those exceptions usually relating to immigrant/minority communities like the Germans, Italians, Irish, and African diasporas.)

You should read Strike! by Jeremy Brecher and/or Dynamite: The Story of Class Violence in America by Louis Adamic. Those will make you feel better about America's labor history.

I know that some of the stories brought a smile to my face, anyway (such as Midwestern workers in Ohio tearing up their union cards in anger after their union bosses plead for compromise, which helped usher in the sit-down strike movement of the 1930's.)

[The Douche]

You should read Strike! by Jeremy Brecher and/or Dynamite: The Story of Class Violence in America by Louis Adamic. Those will make you feel better about America's labor history.

I know that some of the stories brought a smile to my face, anyway (such as Midwestern workers in Ohio tearing up their union cards in anger after their union bosses plead for compromise, which helped usher in the sit-down strike movement of the 1930's.)

Yeah I've read Dynamite, and A people's history has some inspiring stories as well. I just felt like *****ing.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Oh, well in that case: Death to Amerikkka!