Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf
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NATIONALISM<br />
with chauvinism.... Communism [now] also has far greater opportunities for work among<br />
the youth than formerly." 28 Though nationalism was a foreign tactic to Western YCLs,<br />
the main focus of communist youth politics had always been the struggle against imperialist<br />
war. For youth, nationalism was considered a necessary strategic tactic to continue<br />
their struggle against imperialist war under the era of fascism.<br />
Wolf Michal stressed to the YCI the importance of laying claim to their national historical<br />
traditions. 29 Popular Front theory insisted fascism was the main enemy of the<br />
nation and the youth. To combat fascism, young communists needed to rally youth<br />
through patriotic and progressive nationalist appeals. National traditions and sentiment<br />
were powerful weapons to draw the youth away from fascism:<br />
An especially important phase of our work… is the proper utilization of the revolutionary<br />
and democratic traditions of the people of each country. We must draw upon the rich<br />
heritage which we have in common with the masses of youth. Every movement in the<br />
history of the different nations, against repression, every revolt against slavery, every rebellious<br />
spokesman for the people, should be studies and learned. In this way we will, in<br />
advance, help cut the ground from under the very feet of the fascists who go to great<br />
lengths to distort this heritage of the peoples of all countries for their own sinister aims. 30<br />
<strong>Youth</strong> were often more susceptible to fascism's demagogic and nationalist appeals.<br />
Michal stressed to the YCI delegates that by "utilizing the weapons of our enemy" young<br />
communists would "be in a position to tear away the masses of the youth from fascism." 31<br />
The British-American Context<br />
Popular Front nationalism opened considerable opportunities but also new challenges for<br />
communist youth in Britain and the United States. 32 The continued ascendancy of the<br />
British Empire, even under successive Labour Governments, made reconciling internationalism<br />
and socialist nationalism unattractive to the Leninist Generation in Britain. In<br />
the US, the early YWL was made up primarily of immigrant youth who shared a "profound<br />
alienation from American culture," making American nationalism an unattractive<br />
and foreign conception to them. 33 Severe state persecution simply fuelled the YWL's<br />
existing disposition against American nationalism. The continued anti-militarist content<br />
of communist nationalist rhetoric smoothed the Popular Front transition for the youth.<br />
While still critiquing the imperialist practices of their respective governments, the British<br />
and American YCLs began propagating a nationalist line that identified their program of<br />
anti-fascism with the progressive traditions of their nation. The British YCL posited that<br />
Chamberlain's opponents represented "the Real Britain" while his administration and<br />
supporters were deemed "enemies of the British youth." 34 In an opposing trend, as<br />
Roosevelt's administration became more progressive domestically and internationally, the<br />
American YCL deemed his opponents "enemies of the youth" and identified themselves<br />
with the "progressive elements [of the nation] in the Democratic Party headed by Roosevelt."<br />
35<br />
65