Thanks Roger. Well worth reading.
Carl Jarvis
On 11/16/19, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
https://themilitant.com/2019/11/16/big-capital-rules-through-its-two-parties-it-supports-both/
Books of the Month
‘Big capital rules through its two parties. It supports both.’
Vol. 83/No. 43
November 25, 2019
Militant/Dan Fein
Socialist Workers Party fights for working-class independence from
bosses’ two-party system. Above, Alyson Kennedy campaigns in Illinois as
Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate in 2016. Right, James P.
Cannon. He ran for mayor of New York in 1941 at same time facing charges
for opposing Washington’s moves to enter World War II. Above,
headquarter’s banners, “Socialist Workers Party” and “Cannon Campaign
Committee.”
Letters from Prison by James P. Cannon, the founding leader of the
Socialist Workers Party, is one of Pathfinder’s Books of the Month for
November. In 1944, Cannon and 17 other leaders of the SWP and the
Minneapolis Teamsters union were imprisoned for opposing Washington’s
entry into the second imperialist world war. They were the first to be
framed up under the thought-control Smith Act. Cannon’s letters take up
questions of program and perspectives key to preparing a communist party
for the explosive labor battles that would erupt after the war. The
excerpt is from Letter 82, written from the federal prison in Sandstone,
Minnesota, on Aug. 9, 1944. Copyright © 1968 by Pathfinder Press.
Reprinted by permission.
BY JAMES P. CANNON
Who is the “J.M.” who writes from Chicago about the two-party system?
Just judging by his lack of manners alone I would take him to be an
over-educated college boy who “majored” in “iconoclasm.”
There are differences in the Republican and Democratic parties, in my
opinion, though not in the sense that J.M. takes as his point of
departure — that the Republicans are more “reactionary” than the
Democrats. This is an illusion entertained by many workers and fostered
by the bulk of the labor bureaucracy, the Social Democrats, and the
Stalinists. The Militant does well to center its fire on this illusion;
this is the main point, and should be the burden of our agitation. Big
capital rules through the mechanism of the two parties as far as
fundamental issues are concerned, but not always directly in response to
their unanimous commands.
There are deep conflicts of interest as well as differences of opinion
in the ranks of the capitalists. The two parties, which are in reality
two big factions of a unique two-party system united on fundamentals,
and the numerous factions and cross-currents within them, reflect these
conflicts and differences. The big capitalists on the whole are more
class conscious than the workers, but they are by no means omniscient in
judging their own political interests. They don’t always know what is
best for them; and as The Militant correctly observes, they are not
notably grateful to politicians who have served them best in a given
situation.
These Oliver Twists always cry for more with an animal instinct. And
they are not a bit squeamist about their methods of getting it. Their
ruthless criticism, obstruction and sabotage of the Roosevelt
administration — undeterred by the plaintive bleats of the “liberals”
and labor fakers that they were hurting the “war effort” — have to be
understood as methods of pressure to compel Roosevelt & Co. to do things
their way.
Cartoon from July 29, 1944, Militant depicts big capital cracking whip
astride an elephant and donkey, symbols of Republicans and Democrats.
Cartoon from July 29, 1944, Militant depicts big capital cracking whip
astride an elephant and donkey, symbols of Republicans and Democrats.
It is not an unreasoning “opposition,” as the labor fakers represent it.
Results have shown that their brutal “opposition,” which put Roosevelt
in his place as their servant, has been far more effective than the
lackey-like support of the labor leaders offered to Roosevelt as the
master. Why should he pay for support that he can get for nothing?
The classes are not homogeneous, and neither are the two big class
parties. There are differences of origin — this ought to be the starting
point in the analysis of every organism — differences of tradition,
composition, sectional interests, political machines with their own
special interests to serve, different techniques and methods of demagogy
to hold various strata of the population in line. These are important
factors worthy of notice by the political analyst. But one can lose his
bearing entirely if he does not recognize their secondary character.
They complicate the political situation in which the big capitalists
have to manipulate the masses in order to assure their firm rule. But in
the absence of an independent class opposition on the political field
they will continue, as in the past, to solve the problem without too
much difficulty.
What is their fundamental method? It is the two-party system. Which
party do they support? They support both.
And what is even more important, both parties support them in all
fundamental questions. It could not be otherwise under the present
political scheme.
The petty bourgeoisie (including the farmers) cannot play an independent
role in politics; and the workers — under the Murray-Green policy — have
renounced it. In this situation the presidential election becomes a
diversion and a safety valve, not a class fight. I would like to see
this question treated in an FI [Fourth International magazine] article.
In This Issue
Front Page Articles •Back strikers fighting Asarco union busting!
•UN vote: End Washington’s economic war against Cuba
•Sales of ‘Turn to Industry’ book boosts fall campaign
•Stop the execution of Rodney Reed! Family insists: ‘Do the right thing’
•Only the working class can stop capitalism’s plunder of land, labor
•Tens of thousands in Iraq protest interference by Tehran, US rulers
Feature Articles •Nigeria conference: ‘Cuba has always stood by Africa’
Also In This Issue •Canadian election reflects crisis of capitalist rulers
•Stakes in Gibsons’ fight against Oberlin College smear campaign
•Georgia cop imprisoned for killing Anthony Hill
•Fall Campaign to sell Militant subscriptions and books Oct. 5 - Dec. 10
(Week 5)
•Socialist Workers Party Fund Drive Oct. 5 - Dec. 10 (Week 5)
Editorials •All out for Asarco strike rally Nov. 18!
On the Picket Line •Striking Minnesota steelworkers rally against 2-tier
wages system
•Virginia bus drivers strike contractor for equal pay
•British Columbia hotel workers gain solidarity in contract fight
Books of the Month •‘Big capital rules through its two parties. It
supports both.’
25, 50 and 75 years ago
Letters
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David Hume
“ In our reasonings concerning matter of fact, there are all imaginable
degrees of assurance, from the highest certainty to the lowest species of
moral evidence. A wise man, therefore, proportions his belief to the
evidence. ”
― David Hume,
