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9/21/2020

Socialism with American Characteristics. By: Carlos L. Garrido

8 Comments

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Socialism with American characteristics almost sounds like an oxymoron. After a century of red scares and anti-socialist propaganda we have come to equate everything American with capitalism and the cheap sense of liberty, freedom, and democracy it provides. How can we talk about “American characteristics” and socialism in the same sentence? How can one talk about socialism in a country founded on the genocide of the native and the enslavement of the African? How can one talk about socialism in a country with close to 1000 military bases around the world? How can we talk about socialism in a country in which the last 100 years of its existence has dedicated itself to the imperial exploitation of the global south and middle east, of brown and black folks around the world? Finally, how can we talk about socialism in a country who has dedicated the last century to ensuring all struggles for socialism fail?

Although all of these questions are fair, I will attempt to formulate how it is that we can talk about socialism in the US. The first thing to realize is the distinction between promoting socialism in the US and promoting American Socialism. The first route is fruitless. This route consists of attempting to use socialist icons from abroad in our struggles. This will do nothing but alienate the revolutionary agent in America. Of course, we should read the theory of these folks and see how they correspond to our reality. We should read our Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao, Lukacs, etc. Their writings are extremely relevant in our world today. The point is, you are not going to get an American worker to join the struggle if your party meeting is filled with portraits of Mao, Che, or Lenin; given that socialism has been propagandized for a century as the antithesis of American values, as something strange and foreign. The usage of these aesthetic symbols will only reinforce that and be tactically detrimental to our cause.
​
The second option, which I call American socialism or socialism with American characteristics, is the route I believe will best guarantee success in our revolutionary recruitment. This route, in order to be traveled, requires a philosophical lens. A philosophical lens analyzes the structures of concepts, questions, and problem formulations in a given totality, and then with a holistic understanding deconstructs the present arena of discourse. This means it re-defines concepts and creates new ones.  Philosophy deconstructs and then reconstructs how we speak about what is. To say we must analyze the question of socialism with American characteristics philosophically means that we must deconstruct the structure of the current discourse to then reconstruct it according to the truth we have uncovered.

Regarding the question of American socialism, the truth which has been hidden is that America has two different histories. The first is the history of America as the exploitative, imperial, corrupt, racist, elitist country we are all familiar with. The other history of America is the one we must base ourselves on. This other history is the one that has had a tradition of consistent struggle against the actions of its other history. In this sense, America presents itself as an exemplar of a dialectical unity; the history of its unity has been nothing more than the history of the struggle of the two Americas. The one which fights for the oppressed, and the one which is the oppressor.

To fight for socialism with American characteristics is to have fidelity to the America that has spent the last 300 years fighting against oppression. It is to have fidelity to the project that envisioned the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all. It is to be faithful to the tradition of men and women, black and white, who from the very early days of the founding of the American project where aware that the revolution was not finished! That a democratic republic was nothing if we did not expand its benefits to everyone in all spheres of society. This is the tradition of Americans who not only saw something inherently wrong with chattel slavery, but who also realized its wage successor also presented an enslavement to the will of the capitalist. This is the tradition of Americans who fought against any ideologically imperialistic conception of American exceptionalism, who argued that we are all equal in God’s eyes, at a moment when the Indian was still seen as a savage. This tradition of American radicalism has been hidden from us. Our history books talk a lot about the Rockefellers, the Morgan-s, and the Carnegie-s, but not about the Roger Williams, the Thomas Paine-s, the Orestes Brownson-s and the many more who fought for the ideals of the revolution to be materialized in their most inclusive and expansive formulations. To talk about socialism with American characteristics means the embracement of the long and militant tradition of Americans fighting for the empowerment of labor against capital, of people over profit.

Tactically there have been countless different approaches. We have had a rich tradition of anarchist syndicalism, republican radicalism, utopian socialism, Christian socialism, and in the 20th century Marxism-Leninism and Maoism. Our history of fighting against injustice is rich and eclectic. This is the history we must base ourselves in. The figures who participated in these movements are the ones we must use in our struggles because they are the ones that Americans can identify with. The embracement of this radical history will break the propagandized stupidity of socialism being anti-American and demonstrate that socialism is as American as apple pie!

This is the socialism Midwestern Marx seeks to promote to the American public. It is not a socialism that we created or imported, rather one we seek to dig out of the obscurantism of the American memory and bring back to light. 

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8 Comments
Gaetano
9/22/2020 10:02:08 am

What are some of these American socialist icons? I know of Hellen Keller. MLK did call for economic justice and unity among classes but his life was tragically ended before he could fully formalize this world view.

Reply
Carlos Garrido
9/22/2020 12:22:49 pm

Hello Gaetano,

In the 18th century we begin to see quite a few figures challenge the rising inequalities that come along with capitalism. Perhaps the best example of this is Thomas Paine, although never calling himself a socialist, it is undeniable that his views on land distribution and revolution would place him in the tradition of American radicals.
Roger Williams, is another radical of the 17th century who argued that all men, native, black or white, are equal under God. This now might seem obvious, but at his time this was very radical, enough to get him kicked out. Remember this project started with a city on a hill ideal, an ideal of a Godly community. Saying that all men are equal is an indignation to this developing conception of American exceptionalism, something still very potent and a seed of our ideological justification of imperialism.
In the 19th century we have thousands of utopian communities. Most based on either Christian, Owenite, Furrierian, or Simonian utopian socialism. The most famous is perhaps New Harmony.
Not only are there a bunch of utopian experiments taking place, but we begin to see a start of radical pro-labor movements, a lot of them taking place in New York. (Remember in the 50s Marx spent most of his time writing for the New York Daily Tribune, a pretty big and wide read paper).
In this time we also have the rise of radical republicanism which rejects the economic conditions of the times, considering wage labor another form of slavery. Some even said wage slavery was worst than chattel, they were still abolitionist, but saw wage slavery as the thing we must overcome in order to finish the revolution. They argued primarily for worker owned cooperatives, and some even the rational planning of the economy.
In this century we also have the rise of Jacksonian democrats, figures like Orestes Brownson, Francis Wright, and more who present similar critique to the ones previously mentioned, as well as begin to concern themselves with the condition of women, sowing the seeds to early feminism. These critiques of wage labor, and considering chattel preferable to wage slavery, influenced Fredrick Douglas very much, as he agreed with the sentiment and warned that wage slavery was not any better.
The civil war is itself something quite radical, not just because it abolishes slavery, but because of the pro labor republican ideas that dominated the time. There were also a few German Communist who led Union armies, and Marx himself was sort of pen pals with Lincoln.
After the civil war the previous republican radicalism tradition is perhaps best embodied in the Knights of Labor. In this time we also begin to see the rise of the IWW and the wobbles. Then the rise of the Socialist party, and finally the rise of CPUSA. The last truly radical organization/movement we see are the black panthers.
Within these movements there are countless figures who represent this American Socialism or American Radicalism tradition. We'll be going over these movements and folks more in depth in the text we are working on.
We also cannot forget the tradition of writers and musicians who provided the aesthetic element to this traditions.

Solidarity,
-Carlos

Reply
Diego
11/9/2021 05:22:54 pm

Great Article!

Reply
Charles Brown
1/6/2022 08:58:09 am

http://take10charles.blogspot.com/2021/03/all-american-socialism.html


All-American Socialism
CB : Yes US has substantial socialism still within overall capitalism. That’s a fantastic list demonstrating it in the article below We need socialized medicine and nationalization of the too-big-to-fail banks and corporations for full socialism. The American federal government invented the internet: Socialism with American characteristics https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/598700563604788/?vh=e /// “Many people fear socialism, but that’s because they misunderstand what it actually is. Democratic socialism already exists at all levels of our government, and not only do we love it, we can’t do without it and when it’s threatened, we even fight tooth and nail to keep it. In the U.S., we collectively tax ourselves to pay for programs and projects that benefit quality of life for society as a whole. That’s a form of socialism, and it’s how we live. Examples of socialism are: Local police, and state and federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI and CIA Public libraries Fire departments Public garbage collection and landfills Emergency medical response systems Construction and maintenance of roads, highways, streets, traffic control systems like stop signals, and safety amenities, like sidewalks and street lighting Free public schools Social Security Medicare Farmer subsidies Federally-funded student loans and grants All branches of the U.S. Military The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Public water systems that assure we have safe drinking water The 1936 Rural Electrification Act that brought electricity to farms and rural areas of America The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which enforces workplace safety Public parks like Lincoln Park, Canyon View Park and the Riverfront Trail system Bridges, dams and irrigation systems Sewer systems Drainage systems Jails and prisons Municipal, state and federal court systems The Veterans Administration and Veterans’ Medical Centers and hospitals Public beaches Medicaid Free school lunch programs Snow removal from streets, roads and highways Public immunization programs The U.S. Postal Service Typical right-wingers misunderstand how socialism benefits Americans every day. National Parks The U.S. Mint Federal Deposit Insurance that protects bank accounts of up to $250,000 from loss Inspection of meat, dairy and foods to protect against contamination of our food supply National parks and monuments Free job training programs like the Job Corps, that help turn youth into functioning, tax-paying citizens who benefit society Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that assists victims of hurricanes, floods and fires Embassies that help Americans when they are overseas Elimination of diseases like Typhoid, Polio, Smallpox and Yellow Fever The National Institutes of Health research leading to advances in treating diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimers No one individual or private company could ever do all this. None of these activities generate a profit, either, which is why government should never be run like a business, since businesses are dependent on making profits to survive. The reason we have government is because government can do what people cannot do for themselves individually, to improve our quality of life and assure our safety. That’s socialism, and there is clearly a large component of it in our society already. The taxpayer-funded, government-operated public programs listed above and many others are responsible for the extraordinarily high quality of life we enjoy as Americans. That is why paying taxes is a patriotic act, and it’s what really makes America great. http://annelandmanblog.com/2020/02/socialism-is-already-here-and-we-love-it/ .

Reply
Charles Brown
1/6/2022 10:09:54 am

The US working class has struggled and won through the Democratic Party for the last 90 years .
In the New Deal , the Democratic Party fulfilled the May Day demand for a 40 hour work week ( speaking of American Radical tradition).

Is democracy just a total sham with popular vote that has no real power in decision making when true rulers are wealthy rich corporations with their corrupt political minions, religious organisations, monarchies and old money?


What is to be done ? Lenin would ask you . The only path to revolution in the US by electoral means .

All working class reforms in the last 90 years have been through the Democratic Party . There’s a genuine class struggle in the Democratic Party ; sometimes the working class wins ; sometimes the Bourgeoisie win. The Bourgeoisie totally dominate the Republicans.

So, campaign for Democratic votes everyday some kinda way; abolish the Republican Party as We, the Majority, know it.

The US path to revolution is accumulation of reforms, quantitative change transforming into qualitative change as with water boiling .

No progress without struggle; the struggle continues; more victories are certain; freedom is a constant struggle, especially _electoral_ class struggle, smart , effective, electoral, partisan struggle; campaign for Democratic votes everyday some kinda way like your life depends on it , because it really does ; abolish the Republican Party as We, the Majority, know it , as California and New York have at the polls.

Reply
Charles Brown
1/7/2022 08:45:06 am


Capitalism automatically tends toward socialism because socialism is rational resolution of capitalist contradictions, and even still within predominantly capitalist relations of production governments are forced by the working class to institute socialist reforms .

CB : Yes US has substantial socialism still within overall capitalism. That’s a fantastic list demonstrating it in the article below

We need socialized medicine and nationalization of the too-big-to-fail banks and corporations for full socialism.

///

“Many people fear socialism, but that’s because they misunderstand what it actually is.

Democratic socialism already exists at all levels of our government, and not only do we love it, we can’t do without it and when it’s threatened, we even fight tooth and nail to keep it.

In the U.S., we collectively tax ourselves to pay for programs and projects that benefit quality of life for society as a whole. That’s a form of socialism, and it’s how we live.

Examples of socialism are:

Local police, and state and federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI and CIA
Public libraries
Fire departments
Public garbage collection and landfills
Emergency medical response systems
Construction and maintenance of roads, highways, streets, traffic control systems like stop signals, and safety amenities, like sidewalks and street lighting
Free public schools
Social Security
Medicare
Farmer subsidies
Federally-funded student loans and grants
All branches of the U.S. Military
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Public water systems that assure we have safe drinking water
The 1936 Rural Electrification Act that brought electricity to farms and rural areas of America
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which enforces workplace safety
Public parks like Lincoln Park, Canyon View Park and the Riverfront Trail system
Bridges, dams and irrigation systems
Sewer systems
Drainage systems
Jails and prisons
Municipal, state and federal court systems
The Veterans Administration and Veterans’ Medical Centers and hospitals
Public beaches
Medicaid
Free school lunch programs
Snow removal from streets, roads and highways
Public immunization programs
The U.S. Postal Service

Typical right-wingers misunderstand how socialism benefits Americans every day.
National Parks

The U.S. Mint
Federal Deposit Insurance that protects bank accounts of up to $250,000 from loss
Inspection of meat, dairy and foods to protect against contamination of our food supply
National parks and monuments
Free job training programs like the Job Corps, that help turn youth into functioning, tax-paying citizens who benefit society
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that assists victims of hurricanes, floods and fires
Embassies that help Americans when they are overseas
Elimination of diseases like Typhoid, Polio, Smallpox and Yellow Fever
The National Institutes of Health research leading to advances in treating diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimers
No one individual or private company could ever do all this. None of these activities generate a profit, either, which is why government should never be run like a business, since businesses are dependent on making profits to survive. The reason we have government is because government can do what people cannot do for themselves individually, to improve our quality of life and assure our safety. That’s socialism, and there is clearly a large component of it in our society already.

The taxpayer-funded, government-operated public programs listed above and many others are responsible for the extraordinarily high quality of life we enjoy as Americans.

That is why paying taxes is a patriotic act, and it’s what really makes America great.



http://annelandmanblog.com/2020/02/socialism-is-already-here-and-we-love-it/
.

Reply
ConcernedHuman
11/11/2022 08:53:02 am

Taxes wouldn't even be a requirement if all private companies are handed over to the state and local governments. The federal gov's income should only come from the handouts from the state and local govs.

Reply
ConcernedHuman
11/11/2022 07:33:18 am

It’s quiet easy to pave the path towards socialism in the US or even anywhere in the world. Hand over all private companies to the state and local governments. You can even use all kinds of tactics to make the Democrats do it.

Reply



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