Labor Party (United States - 19th Century)
Encyclopedia
Labor Party was the name or partial name of a number of United States
political parties
which were organized during the 1870s and 1880s.
The Social Democratic Workingmen's Party of North America was formed in 1874. By 1877 the party changed its name to the Socialist Labor Party of North America
, and continues under that name.
In 1877, the racist Workingman's Party
was formed in California
, led by Denis Kearney; by 1879 it was powerful enough to help re-write the state constitution of California
, inserting provisions intended to curb the powers of capital
and to abolish Chinese contract labor.
In 1878, the Greenback Party, under the influence of leaders of organized labor, changed its name to the Greenback Labor Party, and continued to operate in some states, electing a congressman as late as 1886; but by 1888 had dissipated. In 1886, a United Labor Party was organized in Chicago
under the leadership of that city's Central Labor Union; It drew over 20,000 votes for its county
ticket in the fall of 1886, and in the following spring elections garnered 28,000 votes for its candidate for Mayor
; but by 1888 it had merged with the Democratic Party in that city.
In Wisconsin a Union Labor Party was organized by the Knights of Labor
in conjunction with the remnants of the Greenback Party. The movement was strongly supported by the local socialists
, and obtained considerable results in the city of Milwaukee, electing a member of Congress
(Henry Smith
). In other states there were groupings known variously as United Labor Party, Union Labor Party, Industrial Labor Party, Labor Reform Party, or simply Labor Party.
These parties were made up in varying proportions of members of the American Federation of Labor
and Knights of Labor, radical socialists, Greenbackers, and even anarchists, and challenged the Republicans
and Democrats)
primarily in local elections and state elections, but not at the presidential level. The most important of these local races of that period may have been that in New York City
in 1886, when the United Labor Party of that city nominated Henry George
for mayor of New York, and cast for him 68,000 votes. The Single Taxers and socialists united in this vote, the Socialists supporting the George candidacy as a popular movement against corporate capitalism
. But by 1887 the United Labor Party of New York State nominated Henry George for Secretary of State
, repudiating socialism. Socialist Labor members, combining with other radical labor organizations, formed a Progressive Labor Party, nominating John Swinton to run against Henry George. The Progressive Labor party vote of about 5000 was virtually confined to New York City.
In 1888 two "labor parties" appeared in the field of presidential politics, namely: (1) the Union Labor Party, which was formed by a coalition of the Greenback Labor Party, largely rural in its constituency, with the urban trade union movement, which had been demanding labor and industrial reforms: it nominated Alson Streeter
for president; and (2) the United Labor Party, a much smaller party, which under leadership of a Father Edward McGlynn, of New York, demanded the recognition single tax and the abolition of private property
in land. These parties both disappeared after the campaign of 1888.
For varying reasons, none of these organizations maintained their existence as separate parties. The constituents and activitists became involved either in one of the major parties (as in the Chicago example) or in such movements as the Populists
(which in urban areas drew heavily on former Labor Party advocates), or the Socialist Party of America
, and their various splinter groups.
There is no direct continuity between any of these organizations and the Union Labor Party
of early 20th-century San Francisco, California
; nor with the Duluth, Minnesota
Union Labor Party which elected William Leighton Carss
to Congress and various candidates to city offices in that region in the early 20th century, before merging into the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party
.
New York, London: D. Appleton and Co., 1914. OCLC 498366, p. 296
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
which were organized during the 1870s and 1880s.
The Social Democratic Workingmen's Party of North America was formed in 1874. By 1877 the party changed its name to the Socialist Labor Party of North America
Socialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
, and continues under that name.
In 1877, the racist Workingman's Party
Workingman's Party
The Workingman's Party was a California labor organization led by Denis Kearney in the 1870s. The party took particular aim against Chinese immigrant labor and the Central Pacific Railroad which employed them. Its famous slogan was "The Chinese must go!" They held large Sunday afternoon rallies...
was formed in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, led by Denis Kearney; by 1879 it was powerful enough to help re-write the state constitution of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, inserting provisions intended to curb the powers of capital
Capital (economics)
In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process...
and to abolish Chinese contract labor.
In 1878, the Greenback Party, under the influence of leaders of organized labor, changed its name to the Greenback Labor Party, and continued to operate in some states, electing a congressman as late as 1886; but by 1888 had dissipated. In 1886, a United Labor Party was organized in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
under the leadership of that city's Central Labor Union; It drew over 20,000 votes for its county
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
ticket in the fall of 1886, and in the following spring elections garnered 28,000 votes for its candidate for Mayor
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
; but by 1888 it had merged with the Democratic Party in that city.
In Wisconsin a Union Labor Party was organized by the Knights of Labor
Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor was the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations of the 1880s. Its most important leader was Terence Powderly...
in conjunction with the remnants of the Greenback Party. The movement was strongly supported by the local socialists
Sewer Socialism
Sewer Socialism was a term, originally more or less pejorative, for the American socialist movement that centered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and existed from around 1892 to 1960...
, and obtained considerable results in the city of Milwaukee, electing a member of Congress
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
(Henry Smith
Henry Smith (Wisconsin)
Henry Smith was a millwright and politician who was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin from 1887 - 1889 as a member of the Union Labor Party. He also served as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1878...
). In other states there were groupings known variously as United Labor Party, Union Labor Party, Industrial Labor Party, Labor Reform Party, or simply Labor Party.
These parties were made up in varying proportions of members of the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
and Knights of Labor, radical socialists, Greenbackers, and even anarchists, and challenged the Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and Democrats)
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primarily in local elections and state elections, but not at the presidential level. The most important of these local races of that period may have been that in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1886, when the United Labor Party of that city nominated Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
for mayor of New York, and cast for him 68,000 votes. The Single Taxers and socialists united in this vote, the Socialists supporting the George candidacy as a popular movement against corporate capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. But by 1887 the United Labor Party of New York State nominated Henry George for Secretary of State
Secretary of State of New York
The Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York.The current Secretary of State of New York is Cesar A...
, repudiating socialism. Socialist Labor members, combining with other radical labor organizations, formed a Progressive Labor Party, nominating John Swinton to run against Henry George. The Progressive Labor party vote of about 5000 was virtually confined to New York City.
In 1888 two "labor parties" appeared in the field of presidential politics, namely: (1) the Union Labor Party, which was formed by a coalition of the Greenback Labor Party, largely rural in its constituency, with the urban trade union movement, which had been demanding labor and industrial reforms: it nominated Alson Streeter
Alson Streeter
Alson Jenness Streeter of New Windsor, Illinois, was the Union Labor Party nominee in the United States presidential election of 1888. With vice presidential running mate Charles E. Cunningham of Arkansas, the Union Labor ticket finished fourth in the election, garnering 149,115 votes or 1.31...
for president; and (2) the United Labor Party, a much smaller party, which under leadership of a Father Edward McGlynn, of New York, demanded the recognition single tax and the abolition of private property
Private property
Private property is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Private property is distinguishable from public property, which refers to assets owned by a state, community or government rather than by...
in land. These parties both disappeared after the campaign of 1888.
For varying reasons, none of these organizations maintained their existence as separate parties. The constituents and activitists became involved either in one of the major parties (as in the Chicago example) or in such movements as the Populists
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
(which in urban areas drew heavily on former Labor Party advocates), or the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
, and their various splinter groups.
There is no direct continuity between any of these organizations and the Union Labor Party
Union Labor Party (California)
The Union Labor Party was a San Francisco, California working class political party of the first decade of the 20th century. The organization, which endorsed the doctrine of nativism, rose to prominence in both the labor movement and urban politics in the years after 1901, electing its nominee as...
of early 20th-century San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
; nor with the Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
Union Labor Party which elected William Leighton Carss
William Leighton Carss
William Leighton Carss, was a U.S. Representative from Minnesota; born in Pella, Marion County, Iowa and subsequently moved with his parents to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1867. There he attended the public schools, studied civil and mechanical engineering and followed that profession for a number of...
to Congress and various candidates to city offices in that region in the early 20th century, before merging into the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party
Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party was a political party in the United States state of Minnesota, the most successful and longest-lasting of the constituent elements of the national Farmer–Labor Party movement, which had a presence in other states...
.
Sources
- McLaughlin, Andrew Cunningham & Hart, Albert Bushnell. Cyclopedia of American Government.
New York, London: D. Appleton and Co., 1914. OCLC 498366, p. 296