Since
I and a few others have sought to expand discussion about the history
of the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party in order that people
learn from this experience, a number of people on the "left" have begun
an attack--- claiming the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party was a "flop."
I would like to take the opportunity to dispute this view.
The socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party was not a "flop." In fact, it was so successful that big-business ganged up on it and the government orchestrated the most massive campaign of repression against it as the fascist Dies Committee (a forerunner to Joe McCarthy's the House Un-American Activities Committee) set out to destroy it beginning in 1938 and it was the target of a massive anti-Communist, racist and anti-Semitic campaign launched by Harold Stassen.
I would encourage everyone to take the time to read these two articles.
One by Elmer Benson and one his obituary.
I find it interesting so many people will comment about things without doing any research or reading.
The merger was the final method used to destroy the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party after massive government repression, slander, etc; the final method used to try to destroy the ideas embodied by the Farmer-Labor Party and to rid the merged Democrat and Farmer-Labor parties was the Communist Control Act authored by Hubert H. Humphrey who worked in league with Joe McCarthy.
http://collections.mnhs.org/.../art.../47/v47i04p154-161.pdf
And this:
http://articles.latimes.com/.../fi-27186_1_minnesota...
"Benson also said he never forgave himself for agreeing to the 1944 merger of the Farmer-Labor and Democratic parties into the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, the dominant force in Minnesota politics since then.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked for the merger and Humphrey helped bring it about.
"I think it was a mistake because the party became part of a larger party that's been taken over by political hacks," Benson said.
Benson split with Humphrey by backing Henry A. Wallace as the Progressive candidate for President in 1948. However, it was Humphrey's support of the Vietnam War that most upset Benson.
"Humphrey was a war criminal," he said. "He was the chief ballyhoo artist for the war. I remember him saying, 'This is America's greatest moment and I'm sure glad to be part of it.' "
For over two-decades the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party played a very important role, not only in Minnesota but nationally. Electing two socialist governors, members of Congress, the majority in the State House and a near majority in the State Senate along with thousands of members elected to township boards, county commissions, park boards and school boards.
Hardly what anyone could call a "flop."
Anyone who makes such an absurd claim has obviously not been targeted themselves by government political repression.
The Farmer-Labor Party was led by Socialists and Communists working together for the common good of workers and all who toiled for a living.
The present Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party working together with the local, state and FBI "Red Squads" still does all it can do to keep those like myself with Farmer-Labor ideas from being heard in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.
Sometimes I think those who continually bad-mouth the history and efforts of the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party are themselves fearful of becoming victims of right-wing and government repression.
The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party is probably the best kept secret in this country--- and not because it was a "flop" but because it was so successful... Wall Street hated it and it still does.
That such a successful challenge to big-business was mounted and it doesn't even merit mention in most history books should be enough to peek everyone's interest in finding out more.
There is much to learn from its mistakes, of which the merger with the corrupt Democratic Party was its major mistake; but those who refuse to learn from its successes will most likely be unable to be part of a movement challenging Wall Street for political and economic power.
That anyone would buy into this "flop" crap peddled by anyone and everyone who wants to maintain capitalism is disgraceful. At least take the time to read the real history of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.
By the way; I bring forward Elmer Benson because he was probably the most honest politician of the 20th Century here in the United States and he is honestly self-critical of his role in the demise of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.To find such an honest politician as Elmer Benson in our present times one would have to look at the political career of Howard Pawley who led the socialist New Democratic Party in Manitoba, Canada. Pawley's book, "Keep True," about his life in politics is a real precious jewel for left political activists and working people... get it, read it, pass it along to family and friends.
i understand there are those on the "left" who don't like or support the concept of building an anti-monopoly people's front which includes a mass organization that is anti-imperialist with a complimentary political party capable of challenging Wall Street for political and economic power; but, because one disagrees with this political point of view is no reason to peddle these lies about the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party being a "flop."
If we had local, statewide and national efforts today just a fraction as successful as was the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party in defending the interests of working class families with the stated goal and objective of challenging Wall Street for political AND economic power we would be in very good shape and well on our way to a better future free from these dirty imperialist wars, free from the scourges of racism and poverty where workers are the determining part of the decision-making process in a real democracy.Let us set the record straight: The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party not only got its people's politicians elected--- those politicians used the levers of government at every level to work for better lives and working conditions for working people and all who toiled for a living; from the north woods to the farms and the industrial centers.
Just setting the record straight.
I challenge anyone to refute the views I have brought forward.
I would like to take the opportunity to dispute this view.
The socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party was not a "flop." In fact, it was so successful that big-business ganged up on it and the government orchestrated the most massive campaign of repression against it as the fascist Dies Committee (a forerunner to Joe McCarthy's the House Un-American Activities Committee) set out to destroy it beginning in 1938 and it was the target of a massive anti-Communist, racist and anti-Semitic campaign launched by Harold Stassen.
I would encourage everyone to take the time to read these two articles.
One by Elmer Benson and one his obituary.
I find it interesting so many people will comment about things without doing any research or reading.
The merger was the final method used to destroy the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party after massive government repression, slander, etc; the final method used to try to destroy the ideas embodied by the Farmer-Labor Party and to rid the merged Democrat and Farmer-Labor parties was the Communist Control Act authored by Hubert H. Humphrey who worked in league with Joe McCarthy.
http://collections.mnhs.org/.../art.../47/v47i04p154-161.pdf
And this:
http://articles.latimes.com/.../fi-27186_1_minnesota...
"Benson also said he never forgave himself for agreeing to the 1944 merger of the Farmer-Labor and Democratic parties into the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, the dominant force in Minnesota politics since then.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked for the merger and Humphrey helped bring it about.
"I think it was a mistake because the party became part of a larger party that's been taken over by political hacks," Benson said.
Benson split with Humphrey by backing Henry A. Wallace as the Progressive candidate for President in 1948. However, it was Humphrey's support of the Vietnam War that most upset Benson.
"Humphrey was a war criminal," he said. "He was the chief ballyhoo artist for the war. I remember him saying, 'This is America's greatest moment and I'm sure glad to be part of it.' "
For over two-decades the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party played a very important role, not only in Minnesota but nationally. Electing two socialist governors, members of Congress, the majority in the State House and a near majority in the State Senate along with thousands of members elected to township boards, county commissions, park boards and school boards.
Hardly what anyone could call a "flop."
Anyone who makes such an absurd claim has obviously not been targeted themselves by government political repression.
The Farmer-Labor Party was led by Socialists and Communists working together for the common good of workers and all who toiled for a living.
The present Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party working together with the local, state and FBI "Red Squads" still does all it can do to keep those like myself with Farmer-Labor ideas from being heard in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party.
Sometimes I think those who continually bad-mouth the history and efforts of the socialist Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party are themselves fearful of becoming victims of right-wing and government repression.
The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party is probably the best kept secret in this country--- and not because it was a "flop" but because it was so successful... Wall Street hated it and it still does.
That such a successful challenge to big-business was mounted and it doesn't even merit mention in most history books should be enough to peek everyone's interest in finding out more.
There is much to learn from its mistakes, of which the merger with the corrupt Democratic Party was its major mistake; but those who refuse to learn from its successes will most likely be unable to be part of a movement challenging Wall Street for political and economic power.
That anyone would buy into this "flop" crap peddled by anyone and everyone who wants to maintain capitalism is disgraceful. At least take the time to read the real history of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.
By the way; I bring forward Elmer Benson because he was probably the most honest politician of the 20th Century here in the United States and he is honestly self-critical of his role in the demise of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.To find such an honest politician as Elmer Benson in our present times one would have to look at the political career of Howard Pawley who led the socialist New Democratic Party in Manitoba, Canada. Pawley's book, "Keep True," about his life in politics is a real precious jewel for left political activists and working people... get it, read it, pass it along to family and friends.
i understand there are those on the "left" who don't like or support the concept of building an anti-monopoly people's front which includes a mass organization that is anti-imperialist with a complimentary political party capable of challenging Wall Street for political and economic power; but, because one disagrees with this political point of view is no reason to peddle these lies about the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party being a "flop."
If we had local, statewide and national efforts today just a fraction as successful as was the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party in defending the interests of working class families with the stated goal and objective of challenging Wall Street for political AND economic power we would be in very good shape and well on our way to a better future free from these dirty imperialist wars, free from the scourges of racism and poverty where workers are the determining part of the decision-making process in a real democracy.Let us set the record straight: The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party not only got its people's politicians elected--- those politicians used the levers of government at every level to work for better lives and working conditions for working people and all who toiled for a living; from the north woods to the farms and the industrial centers.
Just setting the record straight.
I challenge anyone to refute the views I have brought forward.
