Earl Browder Quotes

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About Earl Browder

Earl Russell Browder (November 23, 1891 – October 6, 1973) was a prominent American political figure, best known as the General Secretary of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) from 1935 to 1945. Born in Wichita, Kansas, Browder's family moved frequently due to his father's job as a railroad worker. This nomadic upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of social justice and class consciousness. In 1908, while studying engineering at the University of Kansas, he was introduced to socialism by an older brother. In 1911, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in mechanical engineering but became increasingly involved in socialist politics. He joined the Socialist Party and later the Communist Party USA. Browder's most significant contribution to American communism was the "American Road to Socialism," a strategy that emphasized the need for electoral politics, alliances with trade unions, and promoting a domestic agenda over foreign revolution. This approach led to the CPUSA's growth during the Great Depression, particularly through the Popular Front period (1935-1948). Some of Browder's key works include "The Soviet Union Today" (1935), which provided an overview of the Soviet system, and "I Am Not a Communist" (1948), an autobiography detailing his political evolution. His policies were controversial, particularly during World War II when he advocated for the CPUSA to support the war effort while maintaining its communist identity. After being ousted from the CPUSA leadership in 1945 by Joseph Stalin, Browder spent several years under house arrest and was eventually stripped of his American citizenship. He regained his citizenship in 1963 but remained a controversial figure within American politics until his death in 1973. Earl Browder's life and works continue to be studied as significant markers in the history of American communism and the broader American left.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The Soviet Union is not a capitalist country; it is a socialist country."

This quote reflects Earl Browder's assertion that, despite its economic system having some features resembling capitalism (such as markets for goods and services), the Soviet Union under Stalin was fundamentally a socialist state. The emphasis on collective ownership of means of production, central planning, and the absence of private profit-making were the defining characteristics that Browder saw as emblematic of socialism in the USSR. This perspective is debatable and depends on one's definition of socialism, but it highlights the ideological position of Browder as a prominent Communist Party leader during this time.

"Communism is the science of the movements of society, the science of revolution."

Earl Browder's quote suggests that Communism is a systematic and theoretical understanding of societal changes and revolutionary actions aimed at transforming the social order towards communist ideals. It implies that Communism is not merely an economic system but also a philosophy or science guiding the analysis, prediction, and orchestration of the societal upheavals required for such transformation.

"The American people have the right and the ability to govern themselves."

This quote by Earl Browder emphasizes the principle of self-governance, a fundamental aspect of democratic societies. He suggests that the American people not only possess the inherent right to decide their own affairs but also have the capability to effectively manage and make decisions for themselves. The idea is that citizens have the wisdom, understanding, and power to govern themselves without external control or manipulation. It underscores the importance of citizen participation, civic engagement, and trust in government by the people.

"Socialism is not a dream, but an achievable goal."

Earl Browder's quote "Socialism is not a dream, but an achievable goal" conveys a strong belief that socialism – a socio-economic system where the means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned collectively – is not an idealistic utopia, but rather a practical and attainable objective. This perspective encourages optimism, determination, and collective action towards realizing a more equitable society.

"We must make every effort to maintain unity among all communist parties and groups in the United States."

The quote by Earl Browder emphasizes the importance of unity within the communist movement in the United States. This unity is essential because it strengthens their collective power, allows for more effective decision-making, and fosters a stronger, more cohesive front against opposition. By striving to maintain this unity, they aim to advance their ideologies and goals more efficiently.

This radical transformation of world power relationships reflects primarily in the case of both the USA and the USSR the growth of the productive forces.

- Earl Browder

Radical, USA, USSR, World Power

Socialism is nothing more nor less than the social, political and ideological system which breaks the fetters upon economic growth created under capitalism and opens the way to a new period of economic and social expansion on a much larger scale.

- Earl Browder

Political, Scale, Larger, Opens

But I made no efforts to organize my supporters to hold on to the apparatus. Consequently I was soon expelled and my followers, who did not change coats overnight, quietly left or were expelled from the party.

- Earl Browder

Change, Made, Apparatus, Expelled

The American Communists had thrived as champions of domestic reform.

- Earl Browder

Champions, Domestic, Reform, Communists

I have opposed the Communist cold war line ever since, both by public utterance and by private help to trade unionists breaking free from the Communist influence.

- Earl Browder

Communist, Private, Opposed, Cold War

What remains constant for me, during the last 15 years, has been the conviction that the cold war was a calamity for the entire world, and that it can be justified by no consideration of theory, nor by any supposed national interest.

- Earl Browder

Been, Constant, Entire World, Cold War

Because capitalist society has expanded the productive forces so enormously, the social conditions under which it arose lag behind and become fetters holding back the further growth of productive forces.

- Earl Browder

Behind, Capitalist, Which, Lag

The social system grows rigid but the productive forces continue to expand, and conflict ensues between the forces of production and the social conditions of production.

- Earl Browder

Social, Production, Grows, Conflict

I knew I could not maintain that leadership in open struggle against Moscow influence. Only two Communist leaders in history ever succeeded in doing this - Tito and Mao Tse-tung.

- Earl Browder

Doing, Communist, Could, Mao

Marxism conceives of the new system of socialism as the necessary outcome of all previous history made possible and necessary only by that previous history.

- Earl Browder

New, Necessary, Marxism, Socialism

The stage of the development of the productive forces determines the political and ideological superstructure of society which are crystallized into a system of social organization.

- Earl Browder

Development, Social, Which, Forces

Marxism is an interpretation of history which explains the progress of society as a product of the expansion of the forces of production of the material means of life, that is, the development of economy.

- Earl Browder

Marxism, Which, Means, Forces

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