Revolutionary Policy Committee (U.S.)
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Policy Committee (RPC) was an offshoot of the so-called "Militant" faction in the Socialist Party of America
during the middle-1930s. The group sought to transform the SP into a revolutionary socialist organization from its origins as a social democratic political party.
faction in the Socialist Party's factional war of 1934 to 1937. While it shared the name and basic objectives of a similar faction in Great Britain
established in 1931, the American RPC seems to have been launched only in April 1934. The RPC made itself known with the publication of a thin 12-page pamphlet entitled An Appeal to the Membership of the Socialist Party, a document which prominently featured the names and party positions of about 80 members of the Socialist Party. Prominent sponsors of the 1934 appeal to the membership included Roy Reuther of Detroit, as well as Franz Daniel, Mary Hillyer and J. B. Matthews
of New York City, in addition to the National Industrial Organizer of the Young People's Socialist League
, Joseph Zameres. According to James Oneal, Frances A. Henson acted as secretary of the faction during its initial phase.
According to historian Constance Ashton Myers, the Revolutionary Policy Committee was spearheaded by a "Lovestoneite infiltrator," Irving Brown. Chairman of the group was J.B. Matthews, a former Methodist missionary who would later become chief investigator for the House Committee on Un-American Activities headed by Martin Dies, Jr.
victorious in Europe, and a "certainty of world catastrophe" imminent. The appeal declared
The RPC provocatively declared that it made "no fetish of legality" in exercising its desire to establish a "Workers' Republic." The April 1934 Appeal asserted:
The RPC demanded that the Socialist Party make "ceaseless efforts toward united action against common enemies" through "united fronts
on specific issues." It was, however, highly critical of the Communist Party USA
, declaring its so-called "united front from below" tactics had "been proven to be disruptive of the development of a revolutionary labor movement." To oppose this, it postulated that the Socialist Party take the lead in "counteracting these tactics" by "promoting united fronts of all working class organizations for struggle on specific political issues such as: political prisoners, race discrimination, impending war, dangers of fascism, etc."
The April 1934 Appeal also hailed the Soviet Union as the "land of proletarian dictatorship" and demanded that "the Socialist Party must pledge itself to defend the victories for Socialism which have been achieved in the USSR."
The 1934 Appeal was influential in steering the June 1934 Detroit Convention of the Socialist Party towards a radical new Declaration of Principles, a document ultimately written by Norman Thomas
' associate Devere Allen.
The RPC proved to be the proverbial "red flag" to the SP's social democratic "Old Guard" faction
, with James Oneal
declaring its April 1934 Appeal to be "more definitely Communist than the Left Wing Manifesto which split the Socialist Party and out of which came two Communist parties." At the same time when the Old Guard was itself organizing itself as the Committee for the Preservation of the Socialist Party
with an Executive Secretary, office, "Provisional Executive Committee," and mailing list, Oneal rather hysterically charged the RPC as being a "party within the party" and a "dual organization in the party!" "The RPC is Lovestone
Communism," Oneal declared, noting that "the Lovestone organization is supporting the Communist elements in the Socialist Party." "Those who support the RPC program should join one of the four Communist sects," Oneal urged, "We cut out the cancer in 1919; there is no reason for us tolerating it in 1934."
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...
during the middle-1930s. The group sought to transform the SP into a revolutionary socialist organization from its origins as a social democratic political party.
Formation of the faction
The Revolutionary Policy Committee (RPC) was an organized far leftFar left
Far left, also known as the revolutionary left, radical left and extreme left are terms which refer to the highest degree of leftist positions among left-wing politics...
faction in the Socialist Party's factional war of 1934 to 1937. While it shared the name and basic objectives of a similar faction in Great Britain
Revolutionary Policy Committee
The Revolutionary Policy Committee was a faction within the former political party Independent Labour Party of the United Kingdom.The RPC was formed in 1931 by members of the Independent Labour Party who were especially unhappy with the gradualist policies of the Second Labour Government...
established in 1931, the American RPC seems to have been launched only in April 1934. The RPC made itself known with the publication of a thin 12-page pamphlet entitled An Appeal to the Membership of the Socialist Party, a document which prominently featured the names and party positions of about 80 members of the Socialist Party. Prominent sponsors of the 1934 appeal to the membership included Roy Reuther of Detroit, as well as Franz Daniel, Mary Hillyer and J. B. Matthews
J. B. Matthews
Joseph Brown "Doc" Matthews, Sr. , best known as J.B. Matthews, was an American linguist,and a educator, writer, and political activist...
of New York City, in addition to the National Industrial Organizer of the Young People's Socialist League
Young People's Socialist League
The Young People's Socialist League , founded in 1989, is the official youth arm of the Socialist Party USA. The group's membership consists of those democratic socialists under the age of 30, and its political activities tend to concentrate on increasing the voter turnout of young democratic...
, Joseph Zameres. According to James Oneal, Frances A. Henson acted as secretary of the faction during its initial phase.
According to historian Constance Ashton Myers, the Revolutionary Policy Committee was spearheaded by a "Lovestoneite infiltrator," Irving Brown. Chairman of the group was J.B. Matthews, a former Methodist missionary who would later become chief investigator for the House Committee on Un-American Activities headed by Martin Dies, Jr.
Martin Dies, Jr.
Martin Dies, Jr. was a Texas politician and a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives. His father, Martin Dies, was also a member of the United States House of Representatives.-Biography:...
The 1934 Appeal to the Socialist Party
The RPC's Appeal was intended to reorient the Socialist Party towards revolutionary socialism from its previous parliamentary tradition. Capitalism was portrayed as a "collapsing structure," all efforts at disarmament "abortive," fascismFascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
victorious in Europe, and a "certainty of world catastrophe" imminent. The appeal declared
"The Socialist Party can become the effective instrument for bringing about Socialism only if it changes its present principles and tactics. The small growth in membership and the poor showing at the polls are objective evidence that the program and policies of the Party are not adequate. More important, however, the failure of social democracySocial democracySocial democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
to take power in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where the Socialists had gained the support of large numbes of the working people, raises grave questions as to its theoretical soundness."
The RPC provocatively declared that it made "no fetish of legality" in exercising its desire to establish a "Workers' Republic." The April 1934 Appeal asserted:
"Once socialists are in possession of the state machinery by the mandate of the workers, their task is to secure and insure the governmental power for the victorious revolution by arming the workers for its defense against all possibility of a counter-revolutionary resistance, and to proceed to transform the economic and social basis of society."
The RPC demanded that the Socialist Party make "ceaseless efforts toward united action against common enemies" through "united fronts
United front
The united front is a form of struggle that may be pursued by revolutionaries. The basic theory of the united front tactic was first developed by the Comintern, an international communist organisation created by revolutionaries in the wake of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.According to the theses of...
on specific issues." It was, however, highly critical of the Communist Party USA
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....
, declaring its so-called "united front from below" tactics had "been proven to be disruptive of the development of a revolutionary labor movement." To oppose this, it postulated that the Socialist Party take the lead in "counteracting these tactics" by "promoting united fronts of all working class organizations for struggle on specific political issues such as: political prisoners, race discrimination, impending war, dangers of fascism, etc."
The April 1934 Appeal also hailed the Soviet Union as the "land of proletarian dictatorship" and demanded that "the Socialist Party must pledge itself to defend the victories for Socialism which have been achieved in the USSR."
The 1934 Appeal was influential in steering the June 1934 Detroit Convention of the Socialist Party towards a radical new Declaration of Principles, a document ultimately written by Norman Thomas
Norman Thomas
Norman Mattoon Thomas was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.-Early years:...
' associate Devere Allen.
The RPC proved to be the proverbial "red flag" to the SP's social democratic "Old Guard" faction
Old Guard faction
The Old Guard faction was an organized grouping of Marxists in the Socialist Party of America who sought to retain the organization's traditional orientation towards electoral politics by fighting generally younger party members who factionally organized to promote greater efforts at direct action...
, with James Oneal
James Oneal
James "Jim" Oneal , a founding member of the Socialist Party of America , was a prominent socialist journalist, historian, and party activist who played a decisive role in the bitter party splits of 1919-21 and 1934-36.-Early years:...
declaring its April 1934 Appeal to be "more definitely Communist than the Left Wing Manifesto which split the Socialist Party and out of which came two Communist parties." At the same time when the Old Guard was itself organizing itself as the Committee for the Preservation of the Socialist Party
Committee for the Preservation of the Socialist Party
The Committee for the Preservation of the Socialist Party was a short-lived organized factional grouping in the Socialist Party of America established in 1934 by its New York-based "Old Guard" faction...
with an Executive Secretary, office, "Provisional Executive Committee," and mailing list, Oneal rather hysterically charged the RPC as being a "party within the party" and a "dual organization in the party!" "The RPC is Lovestone
Jay Lovestone
Jay Lovestone was at various times a member of the Socialist Party of America, a leader of the Communist Party USA, leader of a small oppositionist party, an anti-Communist and Central Intelligence Agency helper, and foreign policy advisor to the leadership of the AFL-CIO and various unions...
Communism," Oneal declared, noting that "the Lovestone organization is supporting the Communist elements in the Socialist Party." "Those who support the RPC program should join one of the four Communist sects," Oneal urged, "We cut out the cancer in 1919; there is no reason for us tolerating it in 1934."