1st Edition

The Communist Experience in America A Political and Social History

By Harvey Klehr Copyright 2010
    316 Pages
    by Routledge

    294 Pages
    by Routledge

    Arguments about whether distinctive features of American society, culture, political structure, economic system, or population account for the relative weakness of American radicalism have engaged historians, sociologists, and political scientists for decades. Influential concepts such as "frontier theory" have been linked with the absence of class conflict in America. Other analysts have attributed the failure of the American Left to fierce repression, giving red scares and the McCarthy era as illustrations. Some have linked the American Left's failure to American immigration, winner-take-all elections, and the cultural values of individualism. The Communist Party, one of America's largest and longest lasting radical groups, offers many lessons about how radical political groups can take advantage of-or squander-their opportunities.

    Klehr focuses on the theme of American exceptionalism and problems that America's capitalist society raised for Marxism and other radical groups. The Communist Experience in America deals with dissident communist formulations. Such groups included a number of talented men who went on to a variety of political and literary careers. Klehr also deals with fellow travelers, some of whom wrote fascinating essays on American exceptionalism and the decline of political extremism.

    In part, Klehr hopes to inspire the same moral outrage about Communism that fuels those dedicated to ensuring that Nazi crimes are never forgotten or obfuscated. Communism, in practice everywhere in the world, also came at enormous human cost. Regardless of their other virtues or qualities, those who supported or defended Communism from the safety of the United States must be called to account. This work does just that; in detail and depth.

    Preface Introduction Part 1: American Exceptionalism 1. Marxist Theory in Search of America 2. Leninist Theory in Search of America 3. Leninism and Lovestonism 4. Leninism, Lewis Corey, and the Failure of American Socialism Part 2: American Communism and Its Splinters 5. Immigrant Leadership in the Communist Party United States of America 6. American Communism and the UAW: New Evidence on an Old Controversy 7. Self-Determination in the Black Belt: Origins of a Communist Policy 8. Moscow Gold: Confirmed at Last? 9. Letter to the Editor: Follow-Up on Moscow Gold 10. Communists and the CIO – From the Soviet Archives 11. The End 12. The CPUSA and the Committees of Correspondence 13. Comrades in the Takeover Wars 14. The Case of the Legless Veteran Part 3: Revisionism/Traditionalism Debate 15. A Vigil against Totalitarianism 16. Seeing Red Seeing Red 17. Fellow Traveling is Alive and Well: The Rosenbergs' New Apologist 18. On the Waterfront without a Clue 19. Radical History 20. The Myth of Premature Antifascism 21. Historiography of American Communism: An Unsettled Field 22. Professors of Denial 23. Reflections of a Traditionalist Historian 24. Reflections on Anti-Anti-Communism Part 4: Espionage/Scholarship on Venona Documents 25. The Strange Case of Roosevelt's Secret Agent 26. Spy Stories 27. Reflections on Espionage Index

    Biography

    Harvey Klehr