This podcast explores the origins of anti-communism in the US, the rise of the Communist Party, McCarthyism, and the parallels between past and present anti-communist hysteria. It also delves into Russia's recovery under Putin and its alliances with Syria and Venezuela.
Historically, the ruling class in the US has consistently suppressed popular resistance from communist socialists and anarchists, going as far back as World War I, with activists being attacked, imprisoned, and deported.
McCarthyism and the House Committee on Un-American Activities were used in the post-World War II era to suppress dissent, leading to the persecution of communist and progressive organizations and driving many into silence and self-censorship.
Deep dives
The History of Anti-Communism in the United States
Throughout the history of the United States, there has been a consistent effort by the ruling class to suppress popular resistance, particularly from communist socialists and anarchists. This resistance can be traced back to opposition against the US entry into World War I, where activists were attacked, imprisoned, and even killed. The ruling class, consisting of billionaires and bankers, has always opposed a society based on the needs of the many. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) was tasked with rooting out radicals, and in 1919, one third of the FBI was assigned to anti-radical work under J. Edgar Hoover. The Espionage and Sedition Acts were passed during World War I, effectively outlawing any dissent, and leading to the deportation of thousands of immigrant activists.
The Palmer Raids and the Rise of the Communist Party
In 1920, the Palmer raids took place where hundreds of communist offices were raided across 70 cities, resulting in the arrest of over 10,000 people and the deportation of 3,500. The Communist Party, born out of this oppressive environment, grew significantly during the labor upsurge of the 1930s. By 1932, communist and socialist candidates received almost one million votes, a significant number considering the limitations faced by women and black people who could not vote. The Communist Party was involved in the leadership of several national industrial unions, which had millions of members. Despite the ongoing oppression, the Communist Party continued to grow and gain support.
The Cold War Era and McCarthyism
The post-World War II era marked a shift in the offensive by US imperialism to counter and eventually overthrow socialist countries and revolutionary movements worldwide. McCarthyism and the House Committee on Un-American Activities became tools used to suppress dissent and attack communist and progressive organizations. The US embarked on a cultural war, blacklisting filmmakers and writers, while the CIA promoted non-communist leftists. The US saw the rising tide of world revolution, including the Chinese revolution and the struggle against colonialism in Vietnam, as threats to its global dominance. The anti-communist hysteria had a devastating effect on the left in the United States, bankrupting the Communist Party and driving many into silence and self-censorship. Today's anti-Russia campaign aims to divert attention from domestic issues and preserve US global domination.
This PSL public forum from 2019 reviews the now-debunked Russiagate hysteria and how it connects to the tradition of anti-communism in the US to propagate US imperialism. This topic is still relevant today as not only do the establishment liberals still use Russia scapegoating, but now scapegoat other countries as well, namely China.
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