rob1927

Hello this is my first post on the Historum forum, firstly i would like to introduce myself, i'm Rob a musician from the UK currently living in Finland.

Hello all

I was wondering if any of you guys could throw some light on something, i recently saw an interview with a musician who was talking a little bit about music in the USA in the 1930's, he mentioned something about suspected communists at that time in the states got a very rough deal.

Could anyone offer any information on this? Why was it bad to be a communist in the states at that time?

I'll be honest with you guys i haven't read much history but definatly intend to rectify this, i've read a little about the slave trade and a little about American history.

This forum looks like a great place to learn.

THanks,

Rob.

Unrevised

Welcome to the forum! I'm pretty new here too. It seems like a great place to learn. Sorry I can't help you with your question but there is no doubt someone can. My knowledge of U.S. history stops at about 1865.

Rongo

Welcome to the forum, Rob. Actually, the Communist Party in the US increased in popularity through the 30s and hit its peak going into WWII. But it never was widely popular. For one thing, Communism goes against the grain of the American psyche in general. For another thing, most Americans saw the atrocities of Lenin and Stalin and didn't want any part of it. But I'm not aware of American Communists facing a lot of abuse during this period, certainly not like the Communist witch-hunts that would be a part of the McCarthy era in the 50s.

Putzi

If Americans didn't want any part of any atrocities as you say, then why they intervened in Russia and commited so many crimes here?

Pacific_Victory

Welcome to the Forum, Rob. How's Finland treating you? Must be freezing this time of year.

Anyhow, Communists have never been particularly well liked in the US, with its strong tradition of individuality and freedom from the government. While there was no serious persecution of Communists during the '30s (that I'm aware of), they would still have likely been looked at a little strangely by society at large.

Iolo

Get a history of folksong up to Pete and Peggy Seeger, check on 'This land is your land, this land is my land' and remember that the greatest historical American so far, Paul Robeson, was in effect a political prisoner during the Cold War, being prevented from having any free movement to speak of. He sang by telephone, if you will believe me, to the Miners' Eisteddfod at Porthcawl during the McCarthy terror. He was deeply loved in our Valley, and my father's best friend was a friend of Robeson's.

It is always bad to be any kind of socialist in a capitalist country, and the US has a bullying, lynching element to its culture, plus a history of 'robber baron' capitalists who use goons and gunmen.

It's a tradition that dates back at least to the Haymarket martyrs - 'In Moscow's vaults the song is heard/Chicago tells the echoing word', to quote The Red Flag. Worth looking up the framing of Joe Hill while you're at it.

Panthera tigris altaica

Start a thread on the allied intervention in the Russian civil war if you want questions discussed and answered.

unclefred

It was not considered good to be a Stalinist in America during Stalin's 'Great Terror', as Robeson was. It was even worse for the Americans and Brits trapped in Russia during the Terror. Thousands were killed or sent to the gulags.

Iolo

Yes - State Capitalism is almost as bad as the monopoly version. If you can name two hundred British or Americans sent to labour camps, however, you will surprise me.

Putzi

I don't want "answers" or specific discussion on that part of history at all. I put that example only as counter-argument against Rongo explanation, that's all.

It's rather interesting though how you react to such arguments of mine, in this thread and in the other one.