Historical Roots of American Fascism and Political Strategy Today

The Political Strategy reading group will take a sweeping look at the history and political significance of six major waves of struggle and counter-revolution in the United States, from the early decades of the republic to the present.  With each new era, we will use readings and discussion to address three major points of analysis: 

1. Sources, strengths, and strategies of the waves of popular struggle of the era;
2. Changing forms of repression and the antecedents or emergence of an extreme and fascist right; 
3. Strategic reflections on the era from vantage point of the present moment. 

In order to give our major book selections the time they need, and also make room for supplementary readings suggested by the group, we expect this reading group to continue into early 2025. We will read and discuss against the backdrop of emerging political changes after this year’s US elections. 

We will organize around these six eras and roots of American fascism:

1. Settler-colonial expansion – freedom struggles and response
2. Civil War and Reconstruction
3. The Repression of Radical Labor
4. Post World War I to the Rise of the Modern Political Right 
5. Black Freedom struggles and the Carceral State
6. Neoliberalism, post neoliberalism, and Late Fascism

And then a final section to reflect directly on the whole and the present day.

Here is our draft syllabus for the class and in the meantime, check out this initial list of supplementary readings.

Convened by Steve Backman and Rebecca Minnich