In fact, the biggest accusation that the United
States levels against communism is that it is
anti-people and does not acknowledge the need
for freedom and liberty of the masses. On the
other hand, the communists cite Vietnam, globalization
issues, unethical transnational business ventures
and more recently, Iraq, as examples of the illegal
intervention of the US in the affairs of other
nations that are not able to defend themselves
against the might of the US military. In fact,
it may be seen that communism and capitalism are
at loggerheads with regard to many issues like
business, indigenization, exports, finance and
human rights. Both these ideologies have enough
propaganda material against the other, which helps
them to maintain the loyalty of their respective
supporters. It must be said that both the communists
and the capitalists have strengthened each other
from time to time. For example the scope for a
communist upsurge in the United States and countries
that have similar ideologies are very less. Similarly,
the communist propaganda in countries like China,
Cuba and some European nations has ensured that
the tempo of the hate campaign against the capitalists
is maintained at a steady rate. Both these ideologies
are fuel for each other and so each one needs
the other to maintain their sway over the masses.
Analysis
History
It would be a good idea to enquire the growth
of the communist party within the United States
before trying to understand how the party has
affected the United States by way of outside influences.
Ever since the party originated in the United
States since somewhere around 1919, the party
loyalists have been hunted down by the government
under the pretext of various criminal charges,
or on the basis of actual violation of the law.
It must be said that the Russian revolution and
the wavering economic conditions in those years
could have been a major factor that prompted the
authorities to prevent the growth of communism
in the country. As a result, USA witnessed many
political reprisals against the communists in
the early 1900s. For example encouraged by the
Sedition act of 1918, many communist loyalists
were arrested in the United States [Nationmaster.com,
2004]
The effect of the communist movement in the United
States
The origin of the influence of the communist
ideology on the United States
The theories of Marx and his followers strengthened
the working class movement and added fuel to the
social struggles in various countries. The popularity
of communism in Russia and China, though both
were not fully industrialized nations, was contrary
to some of the arguments of Marx. However the
capture of power by Marxian followers in these
two countries greatly influenced the working class
movement and gave both moral and material support
to Marxists all over the world. The formation
of Soviet Republics was hailed as communist victory
and the country was cited as a model of the socialist
state.
Communist governments were also established
in many east European countries. Marxist Governments
controlled about one sixth of the whole world.
The Soviet Union achieved progress in all areas
and became a super power posing considerable threat
to the United States. Though China had differences
with Soviet policies, this agrarian economy also
achieved commendable progress in various fields.
It was but natural that the effect of the communist
ideologies would soon influence the masses in
the United States, particularly because the parity
between the rich and the poor was high in the
United States.
Social effects
History would show that the communist movement
in the United States has given many advantages
to the society than what the capitalistic propaganda
in the country would want people to believe. Many
of the good work of the communist were deliberately
obliterated in order to prevent them from having
a hold on the masses of the United States. Like
in any other country, the communist movement in
the United States also started off by organizing
party meets and unions for the benefit of the
lower rung of the society, namely the working
classes. Even though detractors of the communist
party would like to believe that the communist
operate by spreading propaganda within the ranks
of the low-paid workers, the party works for uplifting
the common man who was not protected under the
capitalist reign.
The communist party was involved in organizing
unions for workers in different industries. For
example, the communist party was instrumental
in creating and administering unions in the garment
industry, rubber factories and offshore facilities
where the involvement of the workers was considerable.
Many worker oriented schemes that sought to enhance
the economic condition of the workers were devised
by the communists that were later accepted by
the government with modifications. For example,
the communists actively campaigned for unemployment
benefits and the rights for those employed in
the farm sector. The laborers in the farm sector
were a very unorganized lot in those days and
the rudiments of black slavery was most evident
in the farm sector.
The exploitation that the blacks had to suffer
caught the attention of the communist organization
who promptly organized counter pressure tactics
to get their demands fulfilled from the government.
They were successful in making the government
concede to their demands. The unemployment insurance
that the communist fought for and got implemented
by the government, was later modified to become
the social security provision in the United States
[Nationmaster.com, 2004]
One of the most well known communist leaders of
the communist party of the United States is Angela
Davis who brought much vigor and ingenuity to
the struggle of the oppressed in the American
society. She was in particular drawn to the problems
of the black community in the USA. Many issues
relating to the blacks were brought into public
attention by the communist party. The influence
of her party on her ensured that Angela became
the third most wanted woman in the FBI's most
wanted list. The unpopularity with police agencies
was also a major disadvantage for her. After she
was involved indirectly in a shootout incident,
she was compelled to go underground evading the
police. It was during this time that she was welcomed
by many households that publicly requested her
to stay with them through signs hung on their
windows.
Although she was in hiding for a short duration,
she was captured and produced in court and was
finally freed from jail after a long legal battle.
Angela describes the life that she had in Jail
and the support and love that she received from
many people during the days she was in jail, in
her books. Most of Angela's friends and co-convicts
remember that she was a jolly person who was so
passionate about her ideals and was very interested
to see her ideals become a reality some day...
She was particularly critical of the state machinery
and the extent to which it could go in order to
quell the voice of the minorities.
She also advised that the nation's patriots, irrespective
of color and creed, must be vigilant against the
repression against the blacks. She always believed
that the capitalistic governments had a tendency
to indulge in state-sponsored oppression. It may
be seen that her views helped a new school of
thought that was radically opposite to the profit
centered mentality of the capitalists and their
materialistic dreams [Davis, 1974]. Radical political
ideas of people like Angela Davis, enthused a
lot of youngsters who took to communism and became
its active members. This was a definite shift
in the preferences of the American society.
The communist party also made a great deal of
influence on the social life in the United States.
It was perhaps the only political party that denounced
racism and racist rules that put the black population
of the United States to a great disadvantage.
Similarly, it was very influential among the workers.
The communist party was instrumental in creating
many important worker’s unions like the
United Mine Workers Union, and organizations like
the Committee Of The Industrial Organizations
that specifically looked into the affairs of the
exploited worker.
Political effects
Perhaps the communists were the first to explore
the possibility of coalition politics in the United
States. Even though the hardliners in the party
were averse to the moderate socialists in the
beginning of the formation of the party, they
soon reconciled to the fact that the moderates
also were required for any hope of electoral victories.
Soon the communist party tried to form alliances
with the Democratic Party and formed many electoral
alliances with them. The communist party of America
was also involved in many international issues
like the Spanish Civil war for which it provided
humanitarian assistance. The communists also joined
the Lincoln Brigade, a military force that saw
the inclusion of blacks and whites in almost equal
proportions and status in the army. However, the
weakness of the communist party was that the ideology
of the party was controlled to a great extent
by the communist headquarters in Russia and China.
This was a very important factor that limited
the influence of the communist party within the
country. In the later years of the cold war, the
communist in America could not defend themselves
from criticism by the nationalists because their
ideology was a reflection of communist propaganda
manipulated by the Russian high command [Beichman,
1999; Allen 1949]
Even though the communist movement was very
useful as far as the workers and exploited sections
of the society were concerned, communist strategies
in other fields like education and social awareness
was faulty and they committed the same mistakes
that their comrades in other countries committed.
The communists in the USA engaged themselves in
a lot of misinformation campaigns and propaganda
that was effectively countered by the academicians
and political leadership in the country.
As a result, unlike in other countries, the communist
could not penetrate the minds of the masses in
the USA, and prove the perceived worth of the
communist ideology. For example, there was a tremendous
uproar over academic institutions getting influenced
by communist ideologies. Many academicians were
dismissed for their alleged links with communist
organizations. The after-effect of all this was
that the American society became very sensitive
to issues concerning freedom in any field. Academicians,
administrators, and politicians stressed on the
need for freedom in all spheres of life and freedom
became one of the strongest national characters
of the United States.
"This kind of freedom, I submit, is not
allowed the membership the Communist Party. I
have come to this conclusion painfully and reluctantly
through a long series of hearings and deliberations.
In my opinion these careful studies by faculty
and administrative agencies of the University
of Washington have proved beyond any shadow of
a doubt that a member of the Communist Party is
not a free man, that he is instead a slave to
immutable dogma and to a clandestine organization
masquerading as a political party. They have shown
that a number of the Communist Party has abdicated
control over his intellectual life" [Allen
1949]
Economic effects
One of the most telling influences that communists
had on the United States was the external threat
from the erstwhile Soviet Union. The cold war
was in fact a product of the severe rivalries
between communist Russia and capitalist USA. The
cold war has no precedents in the extent to which
it could affect the balance of power in world
politics. Perhaps no other event has ever happened
in world history where the whole world was contemplating
about the imminent extermination of the human
race, just because two powerful nations were at
loggerheads with each other. Past lessons learnt
from two world wars, and the knowledge that a
third one would leave no survivors was perhaps
the only fact that prevented an outbreak of war.
Thousands of millions of dollars were spent
in upgrading the war machinery worldwide while
that money should have been ideally used for development.
Additionally, the relations between countries
were evaluated based on suspicion and mistrust.
Huge amounts of resources in terms of money and
talent was spent not to deter a war, but to ensure
that sufficient strike capacities were available
for reciprocal actions. Indeed the cold war has
demonstrated another side of hostility between
nations: the toll that suspicion and covert hostility
can inflict on nations who were powerful externally
but did not have a leadership that understood
the value of humanity and refined feelings.
Perhaps the world war is one of the best examples
that demonstrate the fear that is inherent in
every administration against external threats.
Perhaps the first gesture that gave rise to the
cold war was the expansion of the Russian influence
throughout Europe. It is ironic that the USA and
the USSR had fought together against Hitler during
the Second World War. However, Russia under the
leadership of Stalin expanded her influence throughout
Europe and this was considered as a calculated
move of the Russians to spread communism throughout
Europe. This strong factor helped to generate
suspicions in USA about the intentions of its
previous ally. [Dukes, 2001]
The cold war was also initiated due to political
games that were played by the top leadership of
USA as well as USSR. President Roosevelt and Stalin
enjoyed good relationship with each other while
President Truman who succeeded Roosevelt was never
forthcoming with the Russian premier. In fact,
Truman hid the American plans to build the atomic
bomb and Russia came to know about the bomb only
when it was about to be used against Japan.
The Russians considered this as a serious breach
of intelligence and trust from the US, and therefore
placed America under scrutiny. The fact that America
dropped the bomb in Japan was a major factor that
automatically made the Russian government apprehensive
about future American intentions and potential
threats. [GCSE History, 2003]
Stalin also had bitter experiences with the American
government. Stalin believed that the combined
western forces had delayed the invasion and subsequent
defeat of Germany, which according to him was
a calculated move to reduce the strength of the
Russian forces, which were engaged in direct war
with Hitler's forces. Similarly, America prevented
the expansion of Russia into Japan. That Japan
and Russia did not enjoy good relations between
themselves was another factor that fuelled the
anger of Russian leaders who had other plans in
Japan after her defeat. By 1946, the relations
between the USA and the Russia had considerably
worsened and there was a palpable tension between
the two nations [Gaddis, 1990]
The initiation of the cold war also happened due
to economic reasons. America had plans to sell
its products throughout the European region after
the world war, and hoped that the rise of capitalism
would ensure good business relations with many
countries particularly after the resumption of
peace. However, it soon found out that, its good
relations with Russia could not transcend the
war field and that the differences in business
ideology between the two countries would not help
the plans of America to expand its businesses
on a global basis. The increasing number of countries
that had come under the influence of the success
of communism in Russia was a further threat to
the expansion plans of the United States. America
also believed that the protected markets of Russia
and the various communist countries could ensure
the return of a situation similar to the 1930
depression [Spring, 1999]
Whatever be the obvious reasons that took the
world dangerously close to extinction, the underlying
factors that encouraged the cold war were the
spiraling mistrust between two political ideologies
that have always been antagonistic to each other.
The effect of communism on USA’s international
relations
It is no secret that the United States considers
communist countries as a threat to its hegemony
over other nations. Rebels influenced by communist
ideologies have waged covert and overt operations
against the United States. As far as America is
concerned, the countries that remain under the
influence of communism are potential destinations
for the expansion of their business. The only
factor that prevents it from doing business with
these countries is communism Hence, the external
threats is not restricted to violence but also
to lost chances in terns of financial and economic
gains. America has strict controls on goods that
are imported from communist nations, which has
further alienated the country from these nations.
Communism has also affected the relations that
the country enjoys with other nations. The Cuban
crisis is a good example. The Cuban crisis catapulted
to such a level that the US and the USSR came
close to war. The ultimate reason behind the flare-up
was of course, the age-old clash between communists
and capitalist ideologies [Author not known, 2004]