American Gandhi: A. J. Muste and the History of Radicalism in the Twentieth Century (Politics and Culture in Modern America)

Winner of the 2017 Peace History Society Scott Bills Memorial Prize When Abraham Johannes Muste died in 1967, newspapers throughout the world referred to him as the "American Gandhi." Best known for his role in the labor movement of the 1930s and his leadership of the peace movement in the postwar era, Muste was one of the most charismatic figures of the American left in his time. Had he written the story of his life, it would also have been the story of social and political struggles in the United States during the twentieth century. In American Gandhi , Leilah Danielson establishes Muste's distinctive activism as the work of a prophet and a pragmatist. Muste warned that the revolutionary dogmatism of the Communist Party would prove a dead end, understood the moral significance of racial equality, argued early in the Cold War that American pacifists should not pick a side, and presaged the spiritual alienation of the New Left from the liberal establishment. At the same time, Muste was committed to grounding theory in practice and the individual in community. His open, pragmatic approach fostered some of the most creative and remarkable innovations in progressive thought and practice in the twentieth century, including the adaptation of Gandhian nonviolence for American concerns and conditions. A biography of Muste's evolving political and religious views, American Gandhi also charts the rise and fall of American progressivism over the course of the twentieth century and offers the possibility of its renewal in the twenty-first.

When Abraham Johannes Muste died in 1967, newspapers throughout the world referred to him as the "American Gandhi." Best known for his role in the labor movement of the 1930s and his leadership of the peace movement in the postwar era, Muste was one of the most charismatic figures of the American left in his time. Had he written the story of his life, it would also have been the story of social and political struggles in the United States during the twentieth century.

In American Gandhi, Leilah Danielson establishes Muste's distinctive activism as the work of a prophet and a pragmatist. Muste warned that the revolutionary dogmatism of the Communist Party would prove a dead end, understood the moral significance of racial equality, argued early in the Cold War that American pacifists should not pick a side, and presaged the spiritual alienation of the New Left from the liberal establishment. At the same time, Muste was committed to grounding theory in practice and the individual in community. His open, pragmatic approach fostered some of the most creative and remarkable innovations in progressive thought and practice in the twentieth century, including the adaptation of Gandhian nonviolence for American concerns and conditions.

A biography of Muste's evolving political and religious views, American Gandhi also charts the rise and fall of American progressivism over the course of the twentieth century and offers the possibility of its renewal in the twenty-first.

When Abraham Johannes Muste died in 1967, newspapers throughoutthe world referred to him as the "American Gandhi." Best known forhis role in the labor movement of the 1930s and his leadership ofthe peace movement in the postwar era, Muste was one of the mostcharismatic figures of the American left in his time. Had hewritten the story of his life, it would also have been the story ofsocial and political struggles in the United States during thetwentieth century.

In American Gandhi, Leilah Danielson establishesMuste's distinctive activism as the work of a prophet and apragmatist. Muste warned that the revolutionary dogmatism of theCommunist Party would prove a dead end, understood the moralsignificance of racial equality, argued early in the Cold War thatAmerican pacifists should not pick a side, and presaged thespiritual alienation of the New Left from the liberalestablishment. At the same time, Muste was committed to groundingtheory in practice and the individual in community. His open,pragmatic approach fostered some of the most creative andremarkable innovations in progressive thought and practice in thetwentieth century, including the adaptation of Gandhian nonviolencefor American concerns and conditions.

A biography of Muste's evolving political and religious views,American Gandhi also charts the rise and fall of Americanprogressivism over the course of the twentieth century and offersthe possibility of its renewal in the twenty-first.

Contents List of Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1. Calvinism, Class, and the Making of a Modern Radical Chapter 2. Spirituality and Modernity Chapter 3. Pragmatism and ‘‘Transcendent Vision’’ Chapter 4. Muste, Workers’ Education, and Labor’s Culture War in the 1920s Chapter 5. Labor Action Chapter 6. Americanizing Marx and Lenin Chapter 7. To the Left Chapter 8. Muste and the Origins of Nonviolence in the United States Chapter 9. Conscience Against the Wartime State and the Bomb Chapter 10. Speaking Truth to Power Chapter 11. Muste and the Search for a ‘‘Third Way’’ Chapter 12. The ‘‘American Gandhi’’ and Vietnam Epilogue Notes Index Acknowledgments

American Gandhi traces the evolving political and religious views of one of the most beloved figures of the American left. Through A. J. Muste's exemplary career as a peace activist and radical, Leilah Danielson charts the rise and fall of American liberalism and the left over the course of the twentieth century.