On Feb 6, 2007, at 10:34 PM, wrobert at uci.edu wrote:
> And here I thought that these reforms were due to the large popular
> countersystemic movements within the United States. If anything, the
> subservience of the CPUSA to the USSR was more of a hindrance to
> popular
> movements, rather than a benefit, leading the organization to make
> decisions that were not in the interests of pushing forwards a radical
> agenda within the U.S.
Oh no. What inclined the U.S. bourgeoisie to give an inch was fear of the USSR - both fear of its domestic implications during the depression, and fear of it as an alternative model for much of the outside world after WW2.
And some of those countersystemic movements were given confidence by, if not inspired by, the USSR. No USSR, and the U.S. bourgeoisie feels like it can take and take and take.
Doug