Carrol Cox
a) There was no fascist threat in the U.S., and hence no pressing need for a "united front" or "popular front" to prevent fascist usurpation of power. The CPUSA has gone on fantasizing a fascist threat ever since.
^^^^^ CB; This commits the error of not accounting for the advantage of hindsight. The conclusion that there was no fascist threat in that period is nonsense.
Henry Ford , who was one of the top three or four ruling class members in the US at the time, had been the main bankroller of Hitler's grouplet in the early twenties. In the twenties there had been major public marches on Washington by the KKK in full regalia, not to mention, Jim Crow _was_ fascism in the US for 50 years prior to FDR era. During FDR's time in office, there was rightwing , i.e. fascist coup plot against him. It was foiled in part by the great Smedley Butler ( HIghly deocorated Marine who ended up a pacifist; "war is a racket" ; ) whom the plotters mistakenly included as on their side.
Smedley Darlington Butler (1881-1940) blew the whistle on the little- known plot of the title.
http://www.eclectica.org/v1n1/reviews/wharton_plot.html
The Plot to Sieze the White House by Jules Archer
The instigators wanted a putsch commander who could mobilize 500,000 soldiers overnight. These would make up a paramilitary force, to take form as the American Liberty League. Its pattern was a French veterans' group, the Croix de Feu. (The backers studied then rejected two other models of veterans' organization that fascists had used in taking power: Mussolini's blackshirts and Hitler's brownshirts.)
"The reason for the plot was the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), a member of the same ruling circles as the cabal itself. March 5, 1933--the day after his inauguration--FDR embargoed the export of gold and declared a national bank holiday. He told the "Hundred Days Congress" to enact a New Deal into law. In striving against the Depression, FDR awakened hope in the American people, but he appalled bankers and industrialists. Who would pay for this New Deal? The rich feared changes to the US system of finance, a rise in taxes, possibly even (Heaven forbid!) socialism."
There was Father Coughlin and the Black Knights , or whatever , in the Detroit area.
It is very ignorant and damaging to the Left to say the CPUSA has been "fantasizing" a fascist threat ever since. This is one of the stupid foundations the whole obessive , utlra-left anti-DP nonsense line.
^^^^^^^
b) FDR did not _need_ CP support, and hence that support did not contribute to achieving "reforms" of any kind. In fact, probably CP support of FDR sabotaged the "reform," since that cooperation reduced substantially the threat from the left, and it was that threat, so far as it existed, which drove the New Dal Reforms.
^^^^ CB:Wrong. Even Lou Proyect has adduced evidence of FDR seeking support from CP leaders. The CP was a mass party at the time. ^^^^
Perhaps this tailing of the DP contributed to CP recruitment of members, but such recruitment would further dilute its left activity.
So nothing was gained for workers through the CP tailing of the DP, and probably a good deal, even in "reforms," was lost.
Carrol
^^^^ CB: The working class in the US gained historically by the CP working with the DP and Roosevelt. No doubt CPers in FDR administration formulated much of the New Deal. Also, demands raised by CP independently of the DP. The CP's activity was _leading_ not talling the DP. DP and FDR followed CP on many critical issues and program proposals like unemployment insurance. That had long been part of CP propaganda, and _not_ in DP program. Anybody at the time would have seen clearly that DP in New Deal go much from CP of years prior.
You have it absolutely backwards. Terrible anti-Communist, anti-working class history.