US labour and political action, 1918-24 : a comparison of independent political action in New York, Chicago, and Seattle

Between 1918-24 major city centers of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), opposed by the leadership, launched labor parties; yet there is very little published about this most substantial attempt to date, by US labor, to build an independent party. This study of labor's political activity in New York, Chicago, and Seattle not only attempts to rectify this, it also challenges the "exceptionalist" view of the American class system. It accomplishes this by showing that the failure to build a labor party had more to do with opposition from the employers, the main parties, and the AFL leadership than any ideological commitment to the "American Dream." Today In The Usa Millions Are Discontented With The Two Main Parties, As A Recent Attempt By Union Activists To Launch A Labor Party Demonstrates. Yet Few Are Aware That 1918-24 Saw The Most Substantial Attempt, To Date, By Organized Labor To Build A Labor Party. Between These Years Major City Centres Of The American Federation Of Labor (afl) In The Face Of Opposition From The National Afl Leadership, Launched Labor Parties. In 1924, The Afl Supported An Independent Presidential Candidate For The First Time.--jacket. Yet For The Most Part Historians Have Paid Scant Attention To This Activity. This Comparative Study Of Organized Labor In New York, Chicago And Seattle, 1918-24, Not Only Attempts To Fill This Lamentable Gap In Us Historiography But Also Challenges The 'exceptionalist' View Of The American Class System. For The Failure To Build A Labor Party Had More To Do With Opposition From The Employers, The Main Parties And The Afl Leadership Than Any Ideological Commitment To The 'american Dream'.--jacket. From Reconstruction To Labour Parties: The Crucible Of War -- False Dawn: Labour Politics In New York 1919-20 -- One Step Forward: The Birth Of The Labor Party, Chicago 1919-20 -- A Long And Winding Road: Seattle 1918-20 -- Unity And Independent Political Action In New York 1921-24 -- Two Steps Back: Red Flag To White Flag- Chicago 1921-24 -- Duncan's Last Stand: Seattle 1921-24 -- Conclusion: The End Of A Dream -- Appendix: Labor's Fourteen Points. Andrew Strouthous. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 181-202) And Index. "Today in the USA millions are discontented with the two main parties, as a recent attempt by union activists to launch a labor party demonstrates. Yet few are aware that 1918-24 saw the most substantial attempt, to date, by organized labor to build a labor party. Between these years major city centres of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in the face of opposition from the national AFL leadership, launched labor parties. In 1924, the AFL supported an independent presidential candidate for the first time."--BOOK JACKET. "Yet for the most part historians have paid scant attention to this activity. This comparative study of organized labor in New York, Chicago and Seattle, 1918-24, not only attempts to fill this lamentable gap in US historiography but also challenges the 'exceptionalist' view of the American class system. For the failure to build a labor party had more to do with opposition from the employers, the main parties and the AFL leadership than any ideological commitment to the 'American Dream'."--BOOK JACKET. Between 1918-24, major city centres of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), opposed by the AFL leadership, launched labour parties. This study of labour's political activity in New York, Chicago and Seattle challenges the "exceptionalist" view of the American class system. Looks at the efforts to create labor unions in three cities--New York, Chicago, and Seattle--in the early part of the twentieth-century.