Political Parties and Class Conflict in the United States

In: Socialist review: SR, Band 8, Heft 3, S. 37-57

Abstract

An analysis of the use of political parties in class struggles in the US. Although capitalists control the government in significant ways, the workers have made important political gains in the government. These gains have been primarily made through the Democratic party. The Democratic party is primarily composed of a coalition of liberal capitalists & workers, which creates tension within the party, while the Republican party is primarily composed of moderate & conservative capitalists. The "capitalists have tried to limit the democratic aspects of the state, not only exercising significant influence within the major parties but also by making electoral politics less important in the determination of government policy." Due to capitalists' attempts to decrease the importance of the democratic process, it would appear that socialist electoral activity is useless, but just the opposite is suggested. For various reasons, including the government's intervention in economics, socialist electoral activity is important in the class struggle, & the Democratic party appears to be the vehicle for the socialist electoral activity. L. Milner.