The New Leader, 1946-1953 : a reconsideration of the anti-Stalinist Left

Abstract

Anti-communist groups have often been misunderstood or treated superficially, even among scholars specialising in fields such as Cold War history, labour history, and the history of the anti-Stalinist Left. A common misconception is that anti-communism was exclusively a movement of the political Right. This thesis seeks to provide a deeper understanding of anti-communism, and to correct a number of important misapprehensions, by surveying articles written for The New Leader, a social democratic periodical (located in New York) which published extensive commentary on communism and on events in the Soviet bloc. Russian Menshevik exiles were at the core of The New Leader circle. This research closely examines articles printed in The New Leader from 1946 to 1953 in order to see how these articles interpreted developments in the Soviet bloc in these years. Using the concept of an “immanent critique” as a theoretical framework, the central argument of this thesis is that New Leader writers relied on left-wing arguments in their attempts to discredit communism and Soviet-type regimes. With very few exceptions, these writers remained true to their political origins, their attacks on communism remaining firmly within the bounds of left-wing discourse. This thesis shows that, while New Leader writers were strong believers in totalitarianism theory, their thinking on the subject can be traced back to the ideas put forward by fellow left-wingers, most notably to the German socialist theoretician, Rudolf Hilferding. Writers in The New Leader circle, this research demonstrates, were not at all sympathetic to right-wing versions of totalitarianism theory. This study also shows that, in numerous articles, The New Leader assailed communist regimes for failing to uphold the rights of trade unions, for poor working conditions, and for the widespread use of forced labour. Detailed attention is also given to The New Leader’s commentary on the issue of antisemitism in the Soviet Union and the satellite states. By repudiating Soviet-type regimes for their abuse of workers’ rights or for their antisemitism, The New Leader was appealing to traditional socialist sentiments and principles. In examining themes such as these, and in viewing The New Leader’s writings on communism as an immanent critique, this thesis offers a new reading of the American anti-Stalinist Left in the early Cold War years.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Western Sydney University
Supervisor	Margarite Poulos (Supervisor) & Alison Downham Moore (Supervisor)