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Communist Party of the United States of America | |
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| Founder | C. E. Ruthenberg |
| Founded | September 1, 1919 |
| Newspaper | People's World |
| Youth wing | Youth Communist League USA |
| Part of a series on |
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The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) is a communist party in the United States currently under a reformist and opportunist leadership.[1][2] It was established in 1919 after a split from the Socialist Party of America.
Joe Sims, who is the current national chairman, published a visibly opportunist distortion of Marxism's core tenets in 2008.[3]
History
Formation
In 1919, the Comintern urged the formation of a Statesian communist party composed of left elements of socialist groups that supported the dictatorship of the proletariat. On July 28, many members of the Socialist Party of America, including C. E. Ruthenberg, Louis Fraina, and Bertram D. Wolfe, decided to split and form a new party.[4]
After being expelled from the Socialist Party of America's convention, the Michigan group of the Socialist Party formed the Communist Party of America on September 1, 1919. The Communist Party soon had a membership of 58,000. Another smaller party was formed from this split, the Communist Labor Party. The CPA decided not to cooperate with non-revolutionary parties.[5]
Palmer Raids
On October 16, 1919, the police raided the headquarters of the CLP in Cleveland and arrested its leadership. In New York City, 700 police raided meetings celebrating the anniversary of the October Revolution. During the night of January 6, 1902, President Woodrow Wilson authorized Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer to carry out raids in 70 cities that led to approximately 10,000 arrests. Much of the leadership of the communist parties was arrested and over 500 people were deported. As a result of the Palmer Raids, the membership of the CPA dropped from 60,000 to 10,000. In May 1920, the CPA and CLP combined to form the United Communist Party of America.[5]
Seventh Congress
The Seventh National Convention of the CPUSA was held in New York City in 1930 with 306 delegates. Party leaders, including William Z. Foster, did not participate because they were in jail after attempting to present the demands of the unemployed to Mayor Jimmy Walker. In 1936, the CPUSA advocated for cooperation with the Socialist Party of America.[6]
References
- ↑ “The CPUSA has long said the transition to US socialism will be much more prolonged and complex. [...] Just like the socialist society we envision - peaceful, humane and democratic – so too must be the path as it will shape every aspect of the new society.
[...]
Marx and Engels foresaw the possibility of peaceful transition particularly under conditions of the democratic or bourgeois republic. [...] Even Lenin initially thought a peaceful transition to workers' and peasants' power in Russia would be possible as a result of the crisis brought on by WWI, but the armed intervention of western imperialist powers changed the course of history.”
John Bachtell, chairman of PCUSA until 2019 (2014-06-23). "Elections, the state, reform and revolution" Political Affairs. - ↑ “Non-violent peaceful resistance is a very important form of struggle.
[...]
It will be what we call a democratic path. One that utilizes the electoral arena but also other democratic venues where we’re constantly trying to expand our right”
John Bachtell, chairman of CPUSA until 2019 (2018-04-25). "Marxism a vibrant philosophical outlook, says CPUSA leader" CPUSA Blog. - ↑ “[Dictatorship of the proletariat is] probably the worst phrase uttered by a political theorist ever. Who wants to live in a dictatorship? Even if I agreed with it conceptually, (which I don't), the Machiavellian in me has enough sense not to repeat it. Indefensible. And by the way, working-class “hegemony” (whatever the hell that means, sorry Gramsicans), aint much better.”
Joe Sims (2008-08-05). "Ten worst and best ideas of Marxism" Political Affairs. - ↑ Jacob A. Zumoff (2014). The Communist International and US Communism, 1919–1929: 'The Formation of the Communist Party, 1912–21' (pp. 40–44). [PDF] Boston: Global Oriental and Hotei Publishing.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 William Z. Foster (1952). History of the Communist Party of the United States: 'The Formation of the Communist Party (1919-1921)'.
- ↑ Marxists Internet Archive (2009). Communist Party of the United States of America (1919–1946): 'The Communist Party, USA'. [MIA]