Perhaps more accurately, the extent that the latter occurred was dependent on the former. (There's a larger argument here that would read the New Deal as a neutralization of the Popular Front.)
^^^^^ CB: I'm glad you speak in a longer historical sweep concerning the DP than is usually the case here on that theme. However, the 1930's-40's experience supports the proposition that trying to change the DP is not futile. The New Deal included major left reforms of the US system, including collective bargaining ( unions had been criminal conspiracies in many jurisdictions before that), Fair Labor Standards Act, Social Security Act ,Glass–Steagall Act, FDIC, et al.( The most far reaching influence of the left and CP on FDR can be found in his last inaugural address which included a "bill of rights" of economic freedoms). This is a major chunk of what anti-DP leftists discuss protecting today. The other major chunk was made law by the DP in the Great Society/War on Poverty. So, today's anti-DP left's "platform" is an old DP platform. That's not a point on irony, but that history teaches that the DP can be changed significantly left - with a mass movement of the working class.
The DP was changed in that period by the mass movement headed by industrial workers. The CP played a leading role , but , of course, didn't do it alone. So, ( not to sign on to the claim that some one is naive; smiles) individual lefties won't change the DP , but an activated labor movement can. We are seeing a major upsurge of labor in response to the tea-Rep attacks on labor , emblematically in Wisconsin, but in many other places. The thing for lefties to do is to find ways to help the labor surge, and definitely not carp or patronizingly "warn" against shortcomings of the DP. Oh the holier than thou , ultra-left.
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On the other hand, the previous argument doesn't take away the possibility of working with the various activists who remain committed to the democratic party. This was certainly true of our recently formed caucus, focused on reforming our local, UAW 2865, and I could see it working with any number of concrete projects, such as opposing the various occupations or other practical reform issues. However, these projects all operate outside of the democratic party, aka 'the roach motel of the left.'
robert wood