Radical Movements in America

The American society has been a mirror to the many changes the nation underwent in the late 20^th century. Throughout each of the many movements I will be reviewing four, the labor/communist movement, the civil rights/black liberation movement, the women’s rights/women’s liberation movement, and the peace movements of the mid-late 20^th century. Each movement has had many organizations and committees that fought for their beliefs and while many where significant I will be analyzing certain groups over others to remain concise and to highlight the overall change in American politics and society thanks to them. To understand each group’s lasting effects on American politics and society we will look at the goals that where set for each group, the tactics employed to achieve their goals, the achievements they made and also their failures too. Through this pattern of analysis I hope to provide proof of each lasting change I have seen in American society as a result of a radical movement.

The first movement I would like to look at is the labor/communist movement. Now this movement has had many organizations under it. From the Communist party, the Chopin Cultural Center, the League of American Writers, the People’s Drama, to the Committee for the Protection of the Bill of Rights and the Yugoslav Seaman’s Club each organization had a unique set of goals and failures (Zinn 432). The group/party that I feel exemplifies this movement is the “Socialist Party of America”. Started in 1901 it was comprised at first by mainly progressive reformers and immigrant community’s. During its birth, the party had held to its ideals of socialism and an even compromise between communism and American politics. It fought for civil liberties just as the ACLU, yet was slandered by corporate America and the federal government as a communist outlet. Indeed one of the first goals that it set for itself was to become the third independent party of American political system. With the emergence of the “New Left” the Socialist Party of America quickly embraced itself as a opponent of mainstream American politics, it achieved the goals of advocating for the rights of laborers (and would later help the ACL -CIO fight for the rights of workers across America). It also had to fight against American politicians as it was constantly recognized as a Stalinist group. A so called Ruskie attempt to plunge America into disarray with red ideology. Most of their tactics where political post WW2. Often fighting in political forums. However as they expanded so did their enemies. Within the years of the Cold War and high tensions of anti-communist behavior many politicians setup legislation ( such as the Internal Security Act, Zinn 453) that brought about its demise as a strong willed group and eventually broke it up into small organizations that where at conflict with each other. In the movie “Dr. Strangelove” I like to see the actual emotions towards Socialist/Communist movements in America as the relations of the American general (George C. Scott)to the Russian envoy during the president’s meeting in the situation room. So what concrete achievements did come from this group, well the structure of American protection towards the middle class is one of them. Sure there where many other groups that held this goal, but I think the “Socialist Party of America” where able to defy a two minded political system ( democrat or republican) and instead compromise the actual situation with America’s hatred of Communism in the 1960’s. I believe this to be a concrete achievement because in American politics today, we are no longer persecuted for the advancement of other parties in our political system. However when talking of political ideology and socialist movements you cannot go far without touching on the foundations of civil rights.

The civil rights/Black Liberation movement in America in my opinion should also be closely associated with the women’s rights liberation. Of course there are huge differences in these movements , as my favorite black comedian Chris Rock says ” sure women and blacks had a hard time in America, but remember women burned their bra’s, black men where burned alive. Lets begin with the Civil rights/black liberation movement. To encompass the goals of this movement we can look at many prominent figures, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and W.E.B Du Bois. But the group that I will analyze is the SNCC or more formally known as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The SNCC where fighting for the liberation of blacks throughout America but not as a fight for white governing men to enact change but as they say ” negroes to show the world that they where not incapable of liberating themselves” (Bloom 116). There goals where simple, to fight for the freedoms of all men throughout the nation and to be treated equally. Their tactics like many other civil rights organizations included sit ins, freedom rides, organized speeches, and organized voting events. Like other groups they also were faced with brutal police incursions on their first amendment rights. They were treated as un-equals, ridiculed as failures for their attempts at non violent cooperation. But steadily as more and more Americans valued the desegregation of communities and the equal opportunities for all individuals they became heralded as advocators of unity and peace (Bloom 117). How did they change the mainstream of American politics, well they where able to bring able about the legislation of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and in modern society America can truly boast now of liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all its citizens. The SNCC is also an ideal group to analyze because it also had ties to feminist views and more importantly had ties with the Women’s rights movement. The Women’s Rights movement also had its own share of triumphs and failures. Through the SNCC, there was an increase in its female members and notable women’s rights leaders like Ruby Sales,

The “Peace Movements” in this paper are closely viewed through the peace movements that sprung up in America in response to the Vietnam war. Peace movements employed tactics of non violence non cooperation but not to the degree of the civil rights movement. Instead the main line of tactics employed were public demonstration. The opponent to the peace demonstrations during this time frame was the government. Anti-Draft groups were formed at first but after the war became a media headline for more than a few weeks, I believe the peace movements really started. What became surprise demonstrations in Washington D.C or anti war drives was the heart of attention for the peace movements, even a form of life style emerged from over involvement to such peace movements and its members later became known as hippies. The will of young people to take charge of their lives and oppose what old men had told them to do (Bloom 211), (I believe a reference to old men in congress sending young men to war), was seen throughout the world. My only analysis that brings me close to the shape of events that where taking place, the mood of the demonstrations was the video Berkely in the 1960’s. This comparison is a bit of a stretch but it sure did symbolize a movement of young adults taking on the institutions of the time period. How did such a movement change society, it showed America and the world the commitment of the public when faced with decisions of a government that did not agree with them. In such a way such movements are deemed radical, because they fight institutions and organizations that are deemed formal in some sort of way.

In a sense all these movements have had a radical step towards America, whether from a political or social dimension. Each movement was also setup to achieve certain goals. Whether to demand the equality of races or gender, or to defy the political machines in light of a movement of peace each of the four movements have had lasting effects on the American system. Politically we now have equality for all citizens, we can also agree or not choose to follow along with one political party or embodiment. We as Americans have this freedom. On a social dimension as Americans we can boast to the world of our social equality given to all citizens. We also can take pride in our protections from corporate machines, our rights to fair and just working conditions (unions, ect..). All these freedoms where not given, they were fought for by radicals, men and women who did not conform “to being told what to do” they challenged the system and their results are what America has become today.

Works Cited

Books:

Bloom, Alexander. 2003, “Takin’ it to the Streets”

New York. Oxford University Press .

Zinn, Howard. 2003, A People’s History of the United States, 1492- Present

New York. HarperPerennial .Ruby Doris Smith Robinson, and Joyce Ladner. The tactics were similar to the civil rights movements although there were secular acts committed during there presentations across the country ( burning bra’s, a symbol as an end to old world perceptions of women) (Bloom 40). Many of the goals the Women’s movement had set to achieve and did were, the equal opportunities for employment. The equal relations with men in society (casual and formal) and equal acceptance into institutions once held for a majority of men ( such as schools, government offices, ect). Again the change to American mainstream politics and society where almost equivalent to the civil rights movement. The equality of women was a much more accepted idea than the acceptance of all races as the civil rights movement had fought for mainly because, ” the negro was alone, he had few friends and what allies he had… he had to use them”(Zinn 448). While the civil rights movement and the women’s liberation movement all placed their arguments on ethical foundations (the equality of all men and women), the last movement that I will analyze did so too but had different results.