Prologue
Excerpt from Joseph Lee*, As American as Apple Pie: A History of American Socialism (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2014)
Few things have had as much of an impact on American politics than socialism. As an ideological force its influence is felt across the political spectrum, even if various elements on the political right are often loath to acknowledge their debt to it, as was explored in a recent study be Hillel Steiner (2011). Its struggles and causes have defined and shaped the American political landscape for over a century; its heroes and martyrs are engrained into the popular consciousness of those with even a cursory knowledge of American history. And that is not even beginning to account for its impact on global geopolitics.
Thus far at least six Presidents have come to power on explicitly socialist platform, and by some definitions of socialism the number is as high as ten. Within the next few years it is likely that another may be added to that number.
Looking back, the rise of socialism in America almost seems inevitable, and one could certainly not be blamed for thinking so. To any modern reader it would seem absurd to think of America without the influence of socialism, so ingrained is it in the political economy and culture. As the old campaign slogan goes “socialism is as American as apple pie and baseball”. Yet this was not always the case. At several points in time it seemed as if the cause of socialism was doomed to fail; torn apart by bitter sectarian divides, suppressed by violent state repression, or assimilated into bourgeois political programs.
*Fictional character and my author avatar
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Hi all, this is my first attempt at a full timeline wherein I have given myself the rather daunting task of establishing socialism as a major force in US politics, and the consequences thereof. All PoDs will be strictly after 1900. I've been planning this for a few months now, and I have a rough outline stretching from 1900 to 1992, although much is still up in the air and likely to change.
So is this going to be like Reds?
Yes and no. Reds was a major inspiration for the idea, and is one of my favourite time-lines, but my goal is to make socialism of a more reformist, though still quite radical, form of socialism a major force in American politics.
But socialism is so antithetical to American culture, surely any attempt to America go red would require a PoD in the 19th Century, or some dramatic change, like no New Deal or preventing the Russian Revolution?
Perhaps, but I tend to be a bit more optimistic about socialism's chances. Don't get me wrong American socialism was faced with a lot adversity: state repression, internal sectarianism, a ruling class that was able to offer programs that were able to ameliorate the worst excesses of capitalism and assimilate progressives and moderate socialists, a trade union movement that was oftentimes conservative, a political system that actively discourages new parties, etc. All of these are going to provide barriers to American socialism, and all of them will have to be surpassed. No one said this was going to be easy.
Hope you all enjoy it and wish me good luck.
Excerpt from Joseph Lee*, As American as Apple Pie: A History of American Socialism (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2014)
Few things have had as much of an impact on American politics than socialism. As an ideological force its influence is felt across the political spectrum, even if various elements on the political right are often loath to acknowledge their debt to it, as was explored in a recent study be Hillel Steiner (2011). Its struggles and causes have defined and shaped the American political landscape for over a century; its heroes and martyrs are engrained into the popular consciousness of those with even a cursory knowledge of American history. And that is not even beginning to account for its impact on global geopolitics.
Thus far at least six Presidents have come to power on explicitly socialist platform, and by some definitions of socialism the number is as high as ten. Within the next few years it is likely that another may be added to that number.
Looking back, the rise of socialism in America almost seems inevitable, and one could certainly not be blamed for thinking so. To any modern reader it would seem absurd to think of America without the influence of socialism, so ingrained is it in the political economy and culture. As the old campaign slogan goes “socialism is as American as apple pie and baseball”. Yet this was not always the case. At several points in time it seemed as if the cause of socialism was doomed to fail; torn apart by bitter sectarian divides, suppressed by violent state repression, or assimilated into bourgeois political programs.
*Fictional character and my author avatar
==================================================
Hi all, this is my first attempt at a full timeline wherein I have given myself the rather daunting task of establishing socialism as a major force in US politics, and the consequences thereof. All PoDs will be strictly after 1900. I've been planning this for a few months now, and I have a rough outline stretching from 1900 to 1992, although much is still up in the air and likely to change.
So is this going to be like Reds?
Yes and no. Reds was a major inspiration for the idea, and is one of my favourite time-lines, but my goal is to make socialism of a more reformist, though still quite radical, form of socialism a major force in American politics.
But socialism is so antithetical to American culture, surely any attempt to America go red would require a PoD in the 19th Century, or some dramatic change, like no New Deal or preventing the Russian Revolution?
Perhaps, but I tend to be a bit more optimistic about socialism's chances. Don't get me wrong American socialism was faced with a lot adversity: state repression, internal sectarianism, a ruling class that was able to offer programs that were able to ameliorate the worst excesses of capitalism and assimilate progressives and moderate socialists, a trade union movement that was oftentimes conservative, a political system that actively discourages new parties, etc. All of these are going to provide barriers to American socialism, and all of them will have to be surpassed. No one said this was going to be easy.
Hope you all enjoy it and wish me good luck.