New American Movement
Encyclopedia
The New American Movement (NAM) was founded in 1971 by a group of leaders of opposition to the Vietnam War
to serve as a forum for discussing where and how to redirect their activities. The call to convene was issued by Michael Lerner
. Lerner became distant from the organization shortly after it was founded and went on to start the magazine Tikkun
.
In its early years, NAM shared much of the political framework of the New Communist Movement
, but rejected the strategy of building a "vanguard party
", a position prominent NAM members defended in a debate in the pages of the National Guardian. The organization was built around local groups called "chapters," which emphasized Marxist study, discussion of contemporary issues, support of local labor actions, and work in the community to raise awareness.
By the early 1980s, after a great change in the American political climate and the departure of some of its more radical members, NAM had moved away from its original neo-Leninist orientation and adopted a more traditionally social democratic outlook, culminating in a merger with the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee
(DSOC) in 1982 to form the Democratic Socialists of America
(DSA). At the time of the merger, NAM claimed 2,500 members.
Richard Healey, son of Los Angeles Communist Party
leader Dorothy Healey, was a leader of NAM from its founding in 1971. After his mother resigned from the CPUSA in 1973 Richard worked on recruiting her to NAM, which she joined in 1974. In 1975 Dorothy Healey joined Richard on NAM's National Interim Committee, and later became a Vice Chair of DSA in 1982.
The official organ of NAM was a magazine called Movin' On. The independent journals Radical America
and Socialist Revolution
(later Socialist Review) were also vaguely associated with NAM, as was the weekly socialist newspaper In These Times
, which had its share of supporters within NAM, DSOC, and ultimately the DSA.
Opposition to the Vietnam War
The movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...
to serve as a forum for discussing where and how to redirect their activities. The call to convene was issued by Michael Lerner
Michael Lerner (rabbi)
Michael Lerner is a political activist, the editor of Tikkun, a progressive Jewish interfaith magazine based in Berkeley, California, and the rabbi of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue of San Francisco.-Family and Education:...
. Lerner became distant from the organization shortly after it was founded and went on to start the magazine Tikkun
Tikkun (magazine)
Tikkun is a quarterly English-language magazine, published in the United States, that analyzes American and Israeli culture, politics, religion and history from a leftist-progressive viewpoint, and provides commentary about Israeli politics and Jewish life in North America...
.
In its early years, NAM shared much of the political framework of the New Communist Movement
New Communist Movement
The New Communist Movement ' was a Marxist-Leninist political movement of the 1970s and 1980s in the United States. The term refers to a specific trend in the U.S. New Left which sought inspiration in the experience of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Chinese Revolution, and the Cuban...
, but rejected the strategy of building a "vanguard party
Vanguard party
A vanguard party is a political party at the forefront of a mass action, movement, or revolution. The idea of a vanguard party has its origins in the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
", a position prominent NAM members defended in a debate in the pages of the National Guardian. The organization was built around local groups called "chapters," which emphasized Marxist study, discussion of contemporary issues, support of local labor actions, and work in the community to raise awareness.
By the early 1980s, after a great change in the American political climate and the departure of some of its more radical members, NAM had moved away from its original neo-Leninist orientation and adopted a more traditionally social democratic outlook, culminating in a merger with the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee
Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee
The Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee was founded in 1973 by Michael Harrington, who led a minority caucus in the Socialist Party. Harrington's caucus supported George McGovern's his call for a cease-fire and immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam...
(DSOC) in 1982 to form the Democratic Socialists of America
Democratic Socialists of America
Democratic Socialists of America is a social-democratic organization in the United States and the U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International, an international federation of social-democratic,democratic socialist and labor political parties and organizations.DSA was formed in 1982 by a merger of...
(DSA). At the time of the merger, NAM claimed 2,500 members.
Richard Healey, son of Los Angeles Communist Party
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
leader Dorothy Healey, was a leader of NAM from its founding in 1971. After his mother resigned from the CPUSA in 1973 Richard worked on recruiting her to NAM, which she joined in 1974. In 1975 Dorothy Healey joined Richard on NAM's National Interim Committee, and later became a Vice Chair of DSA in 1982.
The official organ of NAM was a magazine called Movin' On. The independent journals Radical America
Radical America
Radical America was a left wing political magazine in the United States established in 1967. The magazine was founded by Paul Buhle and Mary Jo Buhle, activists in Students for a Democratic Society and served during its first few years of existence as an unofficial theoretical journal of that...
and Socialist Revolution
Socialist Review (US)
Socialist Review is a left-wing political and cultural magazine published in the United States since 1970...
(later Socialist Review) were also vaguely associated with NAM, as was the weekly socialist newspaper In These Times
In These Times
In These Times is a politically progressive monthly magazine of news and opinion published by the Institute for Public Affairs in Chicago...
, which had its share of supporters within NAM, DSOC, and ultimately the DSA.
External links
- Undocumented workers, are they the problem? A NAM pamphlet by Glen Scott.
- Working papers on gay-lesbian liberation and socialism. A NAM pamphlet.
- Anti-Racism bulletin Summer 1980