Marxism
mailing list archive

Other Periods  | Other mailing lists  | Search  ]

Date:  [ Previous  | Next  ]      Thread:  [ Previous  | Next  ]      Index:  [ Author  | Date  | Thread  ]

[Marxism] Interesting Quote



From "It Didn't Happen Here" by Seymour Martin Lipset and Gary Marks:

"The Socialists [in America] never came to grips with the unique character of
American electoral politics. Their focus was on the ultimate justice of their
cause, and they ignored the strategic context of the American political system.
Certainly they never systematically exploited opportunities for influence given
by the American political system, particularly within the major political
parties. Socialists tended to see politics in terms of absolute right and
wrong, and it was difficult for them to envisage a strategy that involved
institutionalized coalitions with non-Socialists. By participating in major
party primaries, in the fashion of the Nonpartisan League, the Socialists could
have enlarged their potential electoral support by cooperating with unionists
in the AFL's Labor Representation Committee and with sympathizers in the
Nonpartisan League. They refused to do so." page 183

Does anybody know of a good website about the Nonpartisan League?




Other Periods  | Other mailing lists  | Search  ]