In the 1920s, Italian Communist Antonio Gramsci formulated a political strategy that, a decade later, gave birth to the concept of the Popular Front most famously articulated by Georgi Dimitrov, head of the Communist international. This strategy, which was based on the experience of communists resisting fascism in Italy, Spain and elsewhere, proposed an alliance of all anti-fascist forces, across class and even political divides, in order to first weather fascism and ultimately to destroy it.
Adopted by many European communist movements over the course of the 1930s, the United Front strategy led to the election of the Blum government in France, a coalition made up of such varied groups as liberal bourgeoisie and communists and the United Front government in Republican Spain. While this strategy was formulated nearly eighty years ago, it still has a great deal of applicability to our current political situation, especially the 2004 presidential election.
Many groups have called the Bush government the most right wing presidency in US history. Clearly his policies are the greatest danger to humanity in the world today. All have resolved to defeat Bush at all costs in 2004. By looking at the early Democratic debates, one can see the wide range of the opposition, from the more conservative supporters of Lieberman to the more progressive supporters of Kucinich and Sharpton.
While the ideological struggle for a more progressive line within the Democratic Party leading up to the Spring 2004 primaries is certainly important, the real goal should be the defeat of Bush in November 2004. Whatever candidate is nominated by the Democratic Party, Leftists and liberals alike must put aside our differences for the larger cause of defeating Bush as the main threat to the world.
Once the presidential race is in full swing, and most importantly when November 2004 comes around, the anti-Bush forces in this country must unite behind one strong candidate, using the Popular Front strategy of Gramsci and Dimitrov, in order to guarantee the defeat of Bush and put in a president who stands for and with the people, one who will move the United States forward as a nation and as a citizen of the world.
Certainly those who stand against Bush are quite a diverse group. Groups as dissimilar as the financial powerhouse of the conservative Democratic Leadership Council, the Green Party and the Communist Party all want Bush out of office. In some sense, opposition to Bush is the only common ground that unites such groups.
However, keeping in mind Bush’s threat to international peace, democratic rights at home, and his loyal service to monopoly capitalism makes this one point of agreement more than enough. The civil rights, women’s rights, student, labor and other movements must realize that they will never succeed in defeating Bush alone. The only way for Bush to be defeated in 2004 is through a wide coalition mobilizing millions upon millions of people.
One key principle of a United Front is the need to compromise with other groups in order to achieve unity. This means that conservative Democrats have to realize that Lieberman, a DLC candidate with horrible peace credentials, cannot be elected. It also means the Green Party should put the main criticism on Bush and not the Democratic candidate who will be the only chance of defeating Bush.
A strong liberal candidate representing the many divergent interests of those arrayed against Bush is the likely vehicle to take the White House. This point cannot be stressed enough. The Right has come to power in the last twenty years due to divisions and disorganization on the Left. In order to defeat Bush, the Left and Center must unite. Bush fears facing a militantly determined united front in November 2004. Disunity only serves the Rightwing.
Many people have questioned the success of the Popular Front strategy and governments. They argue that different groups can only be concerned about their own interests, and would never be able to maintain any sort of coalition government. Such opinions are unfounded.
The Democratic presidencies stretching from Roosevelt to Johnson were largely elected through a Popular Front strategy composed of a multiracial alliance of workers, farmers, and sectors of business. Currently, the Republican Party has its own “united front�, bringing together a brad range of conservatives who disagree on many issues, but have successfully forged an alliance that has gained electoral and legislative victories.
The Republican Party, it cannot be denied, has been more then successful in the last few years in adopting this strategy. The Left must reclaim a United Front strategy and build a Left and Center mass movement based on United Front principles to oust Bush from office in 2004.
The 2004 presidential election is one of the most important in our country’s history, ranking along with the 1864 election battle over slavery and 1932 election in the midst of the Great Depression. The fate of the country—and the world—hangs in the balance of next year’s Presidential elections. We have watched, in a mere two years, what a rightwing sweep of government can do while in power. We have also seen that the Right’s rise to power was dependent on an alliance of divergent interests and groups under one umbrella.
The ultra-right and Bush, must be defeated in 2004 and beyond. America must be turned into a nation where all are safe and equal, where joblessness and poverty are nonexistent. America must be the beacon of liberty in the world, the force of change and justice. We can begin this by taking the White House in 2004.
Matt Murtagh is a high school student and YCL member in NYC's At Large Club.
President Bush listens to a reporter's question during a joint news conference with Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki in the East Room of the White House Monday, Oct. 6, 2003 in Washington.
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