Conspiracy of Capital: Law, Violence, and American Popular Radicalism in the Age of Monopoly

A broad coalition of American dissidents challenged corporate capitalism between the 1880s and 1920s, leading to an escalating class conflict. Monopoly capitalists and their allies responded by expanding conspiracy laws and promoting conspiracy theories, resulting in a revolutionary mass culture. Michael Mark Cohen's book "The Conspiracy of Capital" offers a new history of American radicalism and the alliance between the modern business corporation and national security state.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 320 pages
\n Publication date: 30 July 2019
\n Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press
\n

Between the 1880s and 1920s, a broad coalition of American dissidents, including rabble-rousing cartoonists, civil liberties lawyers, socialist detectives, union organizers, and revolutionary martyrs, forged a culture of popular radicalism that directly challenged an emergent corporate capitalism. Monopoly capitalists and their allies in government responded by expanding conspiracy laws and promoting conspiracy theories in an effort to destroy this anti-capitalist movement. The result was an escalating class conflict in which each side came to view the other as a criminal conspiracy.

In this detailed cultural history, Michael Mark Cohen argues that a legal, ideological, and representational politics of conspiracy contributed to the formation of a genuinely revolutionary mass culture in the United States, starting with the 1886 Haymarket bombing. Drawing on a wealth of primary sources, The Conspiracy of Capital offers a new history of American radicalism and the alliance between the modern business corporation and national security state through a comprehensive reassessment of the role of conspiracy laws and conspiracy theories in American social movements.

The rise of corporate capitalism in the late 19th century brought with it a new set of challenges for American society. The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few large corporations led to widespread economic inequality, exploitation of workers, and a lack of political representation for the working class. This created a fertile ground for the growth of radicalism, as many people began to seek alternative solutions to the problems facing their communities.

One of the most significant movements to emerge from this period was the labor movement. Led by figures such as Samuel Gompers and John L. Lewis, labor unions sought to improve the working conditions and wages of workers and to gain political power for their members. However, the labor movement faced significant opposition from corporate capitalists and their allies in government, who saw unions as a threat to their profits and power.

In response, monopoly capitalists and their allies in government expanded conspiracy laws and promoted conspiracy theories in an effort to destroy the labor movement. These laws made it illegal to organize labor unions and to engage in collective bargaining, and they also provided the government with the authority to prosecute and imprison union leaders and members who were suspected of engaging in illegal activities.

The expansion of conspiracy laws and the promotion of conspiracy theories had a significant impact on American society. It created a climate of fear and suspicion that made it difficult for workers to organize and to speak out against their employers. It also led to an increase in government surveillance and repression of political dissidents, as the government sought to identify and eliminate any potential threats to corporate capitalism.

One of the most notable examples of the impact of conspiracy laws and conspiracy theories on American society was the Red Scare of the 1920s. During this period, the government launched a campaign to identify and prosecute anyone who was suspected of having communist ties or sympathies. This campaign led to the arrest and imprisonment of thousands of people, including many labor union leaders and political dissidents.

The Red Scare also had a significant impact on American culture. It created a climate of fear and suspicion that made it difficult for artists and intellectuals to express their political beliefs without fear of persecution. It also led to the suppression of left-wing political literature and art, as the government sought to control the spread of communist ideas.

Despite the efforts of monopoly capitalists and their allies in government to destroy the labor movement and suppress political dissidents, the radicalism of the 19th and 20th centuries continued to grow. The labor movement eventually succeeded in gaining some of its goals, such as the passage of labor laws that protected workers' rights and the establishment of the United States Department of Labor. The civil rights movement also emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, led by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, and sought to end racial discrimination and segregation in American society.

The conspiratorial politics of the 19th and 20th centuries also had a lasting impact on American culture. It created a sense of paranoia and mistrust that continues to influence American society today. It also led to the development of new forms of political expression, such as conspiracy theory and alternative media, as people sought to challenge the dominant narrative of corporate capitalism and the government.

In conclusion, the conspiratorial politics of the 19th and 20th centuries played a significant role in the formation of a revolutionary mass culture in the United States. The expansion of conspiracy laws and the promotion of conspiracy theories by monopoly capitalists and their allies in government created a climate of fear and suspicion that made it difficult for workers to organize and to speak out against their employers. It also led to an increase in government surveillance and repression of political dissidents, and it had a significant impact on American culture. Despite these efforts, the radicalism of the 19th and 20th centuries continued to grow, and it ultimately contributed to the formation of a more just and equitable society.

\n \n
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781625344014\n \n