The politics of unreason Book

The Politics of Unreason is the first comprehensive analysis of right-wing extremism throughout American history. It traces the story of various efforts from 1790 on to preserve the values, interests, or status of various political, religious, ethnic, class, and status groups through appeals to conspiratorial and other beliefs which deny legitimacy, the right to partake in American life, to those they have perceived as un-American. Among the movements discussed in detail are the Anti-Masonic Party of the 1820's and 1830's, the Know-Nothings and their nativist predecessors of the pre-Civil War decades, the anti-Catholic American Protective Association of the 1890's, the emergence of anti-Semitism in the same period, the comprehensive history of the mass-based Ku Klux Klan and the nature of Henry Ford's vitriolic anti-Semitic campaign of the 1920's, the hate-movements of the thirties including the followers of Coughlin, Winrod, Pelley, the Black Legion and others, the McCarthyite syndrome of the 1950's, the activities of the John Birch Society in more recent years, and the George Wallace campaign and movement. The work also analyzes the bases of support of the various right-wing groups. It presents evidence concerning the characteristics of electoral supporters or members of the groups ranging from the Anti-Masons to those who voted for George Wallace in 1968. Although almost all these organizations except the John Birch Society have drawn the bulk of their backing from the underprivileged, less-educated strata, they have recurrently provided the basis for a "coalition" with conservative elitist groups, which, though disliking extremist tactics and rejecting conspiratorial beliefs, have seen in these movements an opportunity to find the lower-class electoral base, which conventional conservative policies could not attract. Hence although none of these movements have come close to power, they have been able to affect American politics and government policies, by pressing one of the major parties to partially adopt and even at times enact some of the bigoted policies they have favored. This book, therefore, is not of interest only to those concerned with extremism and bigotry; it sheds considerable light on the factors which have affected American two-party mainstream politics. About half the work deals with the situation since World War II, showing in particular the interaction among the rise of Communism, changes in race relations, and the policies of the leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties.