Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
DEMOCRACY<br />
Popular Front strategies urged communists to reinvigorate this campaign, arguing that<br />
there existed a "tendency towards mass breakaways from the two traditional parties of<br />
American capitalism." 139 Dimitrov supported this move, insisting that American workers<br />
needed to "dissociate themselves from the capitalist parties without delay." 140 Eventually<br />
during the Popular Front era, the YCL shifted its electoral support to the Democratic<br />
Party.<br />
The 1936 presidential election was the pivotal moment in transforming communist<br />
election strategies. Quite shockingly, communists shifted their strategy from third party<br />
tactics into supporting the Democratic Party after November. During the 1936 election,<br />
Earl Browder asserted the "reactionary block" could not be "defeated by the Democratic<br />
Party and Roosevelt" because they had "surrendered all strategic points to reaction." 141<br />
Though critical of Roosevelt, American communists openly stated that the Republican<br />
Party's "Landon-Hearst-Wall Street ticket is the chief enemy of the liberties, peace, and<br />
prosperity of the American people," representing the American "road to fascism and<br />
war." 142 After the 1936 election, the communists conceded "the campaign and the reelection<br />
of Roosevelt serve also to prepare and strengthen the forces of… the People's<br />
Front." 143<br />
Reflecting on the dynamics of 1936, Earl Browder forged a new strategy for American<br />
communists termed the "Democratic Front," making the New Deal an integral element of<br />
their democratic rhetoric. 144 Although critical of its limited nature, the YCL argued that<br />
"we support the progressive features of the New Deal and work to extend them, because<br />
there is a vast difference between a Roosevelt New Deal and a Hoover program." 145 The<br />
YCL asserted that the defense of the New Deal was vital to defending democracy. An<br />
YCL editorial stated, "If the reactionaries in American life get their chance to smash the<br />
social legislation and the progressive achievements of the Roosevelt administration, then<br />
the road to native American fascism… will have been made that much easier." 146 American<br />
fascism would not portray itself as a foreign-born movement. <strong>Fascism</strong> would cloak<br />
itself under the "guise of a defense of the traditional rights of the American citizens"<br />
while in practice working "to undermine American liberty and destroy the American<br />
ideal." 147<br />
YCL activism and rhetoric reveals how communist youth became interested in actively<br />
participating in American politics. The YCL began supporting the New Deal and<br />
the Democratic Party in their electoral campaign literature. The YCL contended that<br />
their electoral work was vital to preserving American democracy:<br />
The elections are over. But the issue facing the American people during the last election<br />
campaign, is still before the nation. <strong>Fascism</strong> or democracy – progress or reaction – that<br />
was the alternative we faced before and on November 3.... All the discredited forces who<br />
were defeated in the last election have gained a new lease on life. They hope to nullify<br />
the results of the election.... Even though Roosevelt's proposal does not go far enough, it<br />
must be supported. The enemies of the proposal are the same gentlemen who received<br />
115