excellent piece-- you might have mentioned that the term "sewer socialism" was coined by a leading NYC socialist, Morris Hillquit, who did not mean it as a compliment. Mamdani is quite aware of this history, as he made clear last year when he called into a radio interview I was doing about the history of socialism in the US. Mamdani comes in near the end of the show: https://www.wnyc.org/story/100-years-of-100-things-american-socialism/
Thanks Michael, and will check out the interview. I know about the Hillquit reference, but I still want to dig around more to see if there was an earlier use of the term.
Eric Blanc; I am very curious. My grandfather Reinhold Duchow was known as "Pres" as he was the president of the Milwaukee public sewer workers union. I have no information when or for how long. I will be browsing through the Milwaukee Leader link you provided.
information on that era in Milwaukee is not easy to come by. Do you have any other sources you can share?
I have always been fascinated by the ability of some individuals and organizations to actually accomplish what they set out to do. This article shows that many years ago socialists in Milwaukee did just that. Let's hope that we are heading into a new era where socialists will once again be a guiding force for progress across our country. The victories of Mamdani in NYC and Wilson in Seattle indicate that just might be possible.
this was a fascinating read, wish I had read it 50 years ago. But I don't think Mamdani has anything in common with Berger or the people who built the movement you describe so well here
Frank Zeidler's tenure can't be skipped over so easily if you're looking for lessons, for a couple reasons. Realtors and property owners even use the same lines against Zohran despite his housing plan being far less ambitious.
Eric. I find your writing on labor organizing insightful.
However.you don’t mention the overt racism of Victor Berger and much of the socialist party in Milwaukee and nationally when it was strongest. For example, Victor Berger’s quote, “No doubt that the Negroes and mulattos constitute a lower race”. See for example, Robert Allen’s outstanding book, Reluctant Reformers. Whitewashing this history is harmful.
Did, if at all, this movement embrace aspects of direct democracy in governance? One of the major things I see lacking from the current electoral campaigns of self described socialists is embracing assemblies and direct democracy in the vein of Bookchinesque municipalism. Socialism is not just about getting stuff, its a transformation of who has power over resources, workplaces, and institutions of governance.
Excellent piece! A shame they don't teach us about it, growing up in Milwaukee.
I've always been fascinated about those old socialist papers. Would you know any way of accessing them?
You can find PDFs of The Milwaukee Leader here:
https://www.loc.gov/search/?fa=partof:the+milwaukee+leader+%28milwaukee,+wis.%29+1911-1938&_ga=2.40619426.1467722870.1764191854-1247340256.1763174304
Thank you very much!
This piece is super insightful, clarifying so much and making me wonder what if todays Left could architect such deep union integration.
excellent piece-- you might have mentioned that the term "sewer socialism" was coined by a leading NYC socialist, Morris Hillquit, who did not mean it as a compliment. Mamdani is quite aware of this history, as he made clear last year when he called into a radio interview I was doing about the history of socialism in the US. Mamdani comes in near the end of the show: https://www.wnyc.org/story/100-years-of-100-things-american-socialism/
Thanks Michael, and will check out the interview. I know about the Hillquit reference, but I still want to dig around more to see if there was an earlier use of the term.
Eric Blanc; I am very curious. My grandfather Reinhold Duchow was known as "Pres" as he was the president of the Milwaukee public sewer workers union. I have no information when or for how long. I will be browsing through the Milwaukee Leader link you provided.
information on that era in Milwaukee is not easy to come by. Do you have any other sources you can share?
I have always been fascinated by the ability of some individuals and organizations to actually accomplish what they set out to do. This article shows that many years ago socialists in Milwaukee did just that. Let's hope that we are heading into a new era where socialists will once again be a guiding force for progress across our country. The victories of Mamdani in NYC and Wilson in Seattle indicate that just might be possible.
Thanks so much Ray!
this was a fascinating read, wish I had read it 50 years ago. But I don't think Mamdani has anything in common with Berger or the people who built the movement you describe so well here
Frank Zeidler's tenure can't be skipped over so easily if you're looking for lessons, for a couple reasons. Realtors and property owners even use the same lines against Zohran despite his housing plan being far less ambitious.
Probably couldn't keep your cute defunding the police line and discuss Zeidler, though, eh?
Eric. I find your writing on labor organizing insightful.
However.you don’t mention the overt racism of Victor Berger and much of the socialist party in Milwaukee and nationally when it was strongest. For example, Victor Berger’s quote, “No doubt that the Negroes and mulattos constitute a lower race”. See for example, Robert Allen’s outstanding book, Reluctant Reformers. Whitewashing this history is harmful.
Did, if at all, this movement embrace aspects of direct democracy in governance? One of the major things I see lacking from the current electoral campaigns of self described socialists is embracing assemblies and direct democracy in the vein of Bookchinesque municipalism. Socialism is not just about getting stuff, its a transformation of who has power over resources, workplaces, and institutions of governance.