Solidarity Party
Encyclopedia
The Solidarity Party was an American
political party in the state
of Illinois
. It was named after Lech Wałęsa
's Solidarity movement in Poland
, which was widely-admired in Illinois at the time (Illinois has a very large Polish American
population, especially around Chicago
).
The party was founded in 1986 by Senator Adlai Stevenson III
in reaction to the Democratic Party's nomination of two followers of Lyndon LaRouche
in the race for high state offices. These candidates were Mark Fairchild, who was running for Lieutenant Governor
, and Janice Hart
, who was running for Illinois Secretary of State. Stevenson, a Democratic Gubernatorial
candidate, did not want to run alongside anybody associated with LaRouche's organization.
There are a number of explanations as to how the LaRouche followers became nominees. Some believe that it simply boiled down to the names of the LaRouche candidates, which sounded less "ethnic" than those of their opponents George E. Sangmeister
and Aurelia Pucinski. Hart's victory over Pucinski was likely helped by a voter reaction to Pucinski, whose father, Roman Pucinski
, was a prominent opponent of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
.
Many criticized the Democrats for their failure to inform voters exactly who the candidates were, and this allowed campaigning efforts in rural areas to be very effective. "LaRouche Democrats" claimed that the Democratic Party (especially chairman Charles Manatt) was under the influence of Mikhail Gorbachev
. LaRouche maintains that the population voted for his followers to take the party back from elitist bankers. In any case, most analysts (including Stevenson himself) agreed that the whole ordeal confused voters, resulting in Republican James R. Thompson
winning the election. The "Solidarity Democrats" and the LaRouche supporters blame one another for the subsequent decades of Republican control in Illinois. Stevenson left politics and went on to become an investment banker
.
The Solidarity Party continued to exist (completely unaffiliated with Stevenson) after the 1986 incident. This made it an easy for other small political parties to "take over" when necessary. One such group was the New Alliance Party
(NAP) who was largely unknown in Illinois but still managed to run some of its candidates for local offices.
NAP founder Lenora Fulani
campaigned as a Solidarity Party presidential
candidate in 1988 and 1992. This is interesting because Fulani works closely with Fred Newman
, a former affiliate of LaRouche who broke from the National Caucus of Labor Committees
to start his own political activities.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political party in the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It was named after Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
's Solidarity movement in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, which was widely-admired in Illinois at the time (Illinois has a very large Polish American
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
population, especially around 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...
).
The party was founded in 1986 by Senator Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Ewing Stevenson III is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Illinois in the United States Senate from 1970 until 1981.-Education, military service, and early career:...
in reaction to the Democratic Party's nomination of two followers of Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche, Jr. is an American political activist and founder of a network of political committees, parties, and publications known collectively as the LaRouche movement...
in the race for high state offices. These candidates were Mark Fairchild, who was running for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
, and Janice Hart
Janice Hart
Janice Hart was an unsuccessful candidate for the office of Illinois Secretary of State in 1986.Hart, a political unknown and a LaRouche movement activist since the age of 17, unexpectedly won the Democratic Party's nomination. Her opponent, Aurelia Pucinski, came from a politically-prominent...
, who was running for Illinois Secretary of State. Stevenson, a Democratic Gubernatorial
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
candidate, did not want to run alongside anybody associated with LaRouche's organization.
There are a number of explanations as to how the LaRouche followers became nominees. Some believe that it simply boiled down to the names of the LaRouche candidates, which sounded less "ethnic" than those of their opponents George E. Sangmeister
George E. Sangmeister
George Edward Sangmeister was a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He originally represented Illinois' 4th District, before it was renumbered as the 11th district....
and Aurelia Pucinski. Hart's victory over Pucinski was likely helped by a voter reaction to Pucinski, whose father, Roman Pucinski
Roman Pucinski
Roman Conrad Pucinski was an American Democratic politician from Chicago, Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative from 1959 to 1973, and alderman from the 41st Ward of Chicago from 1973 to 1991...
, was a prominent opponent of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
.
Many criticized the Democrats for their failure to inform voters exactly who the candidates were, and this allowed campaigning efforts in rural areas to be very effective. "LaRouche Democrats" claimed that the Democratic Party (especially chairman Charles Manatt) was under the influence of Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
. LaRouche maintains that the population voted for his followers to take the party back from elitist bankers. In any case, most analysts (including Stevenson himself) agreed that the whole ordeal confused voters, resulting in Republican James R. Thompson
James R. Thompson
James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois...
winning the election. The "Solidarity Democrats" and the LaRouche supporters blame one another for the subsequent decades of Republican control in Illinois. Stevenson left politics and went on to become an investment banker
Investment banking
An investment bank is a financial institution that assists individuals, corporations and governments in raising capital by underwriting and/or acting as the client's agent in the issuance of securities...
.
The Solidarity Party continued to exist (completely unaffiliated with Stevenson) after the 1986 incident. This made it an easy for other small political parties to "take over" when necessary. One such group was the New Alliance Party
New Alliance Party
The New Alliance Party was an American political party formed in New York City in 1979. Its immediate precursor was an umbrella organization known as the Labor Community Alliance for Change, whose member groups included the coalition of Grass Roots Women and the New York City Unemployed and...
(NAP) who was largely unknown in Illinois but still managed to run some of its candidates for local offices.
NAP founder Lenora Fulani
Lenora Fulani
Lenora Branch Fulani is an American psychologist, psychotherapist, and political activist. She may be best known for her presidential campaigns and development of youth programs serving minority communities in the New York City area...
campaigned as a Solidarity Party presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
candidate in 1988 and 1992. This is interesting because Fulani works closely with Fred Newman
Fred Newman
Frederick Delano "Fred" Newman was an American philosopher, psychotherapist, playwright and political activist, and creator of a therapeutic modality called Social Therapy.-Early life:...
, a former affiliate of LaRouche who broke from the National Caucus of Labor Committees
National Caucus of Labor Committees
The National Caucus of Labor Committees is a political cadre organization in the United States founded and controlled by political activist Lyndon LaRouche, who has sometimes described it as a "philosophical association"....
to start his own political activities.