Communist Party of the U.S
The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), founded in 1919, is a political organization that advocates for the establishment of a socialist political system in the U.S., inspired by the former Soviet model. Throughout its history, the CPUSA has aimed to challenge the prevailing political norms of individual liberty in the U.S. by emphasizing equality, a fundamental aspect of its ideology. The party's activities have sparked significant debates regarding the balance between governmental authority and constitutional freedoms, particularly freedom of speech and association. Various Supreme Court cases have addressed the legality of the party’s actions, often weighing the need for national security against the rights of its members.
In the mid-20th century, laws like the Smith Act and the Subversive Activities Control Act further scrutinized the CPUSA, leading to legal challenges that shaped the interpretation of free speech and the limits of dissent in the U.S. Today, the CPUSA remains active, with approximately 20,000 members and a focus on progressive issues, encapsulated in its motto, "People and Planet Before Profits." The resurgence of the Young Communist League USA aims to engage younger generations with its ideals, while its publication, People’s World, continues to provide a platform for its perspectives online.
Communist Party of the U.S.
- FOUNDED: 1919
- TYPE OF ORGANIZATION: Political party advocating establishment of a socialist dictatorship in the United States
- SIGNIFICANCE: Existence of the CPUSA has tested the commitment of the U.S. government to its constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of expression and association
Throughout most of its history, the primary goal of the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) has been to establish a socialist political system in the United States modeled after that which existed in the former Soviet Union. Whereas the U.S. political system has placed great value on individual liberty, the Soviet system placed primary emphasis on equality. Throughout Soviet history, individual freedom and initiative were sacrificed for the collective goals defined and directed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. It was to these goals that the CPUSA became committed.
The U.S. government is based on the rule of law as established by the Constitution. Some of the most cherished constitutional liberties—liberties guaranteed to all American citizens—are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association. The activities of the CPUSA have periodically raised serious and volatile debates both within the U.S. government and U.S. society, generally as to the extent to which the government is obligated to protect the liberties of citizens whose avowed wish is to topple the government.
Within the U.S. political system, the courts have the responsibility of interpreting and bringing clarity and definition to principles embodied in the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court of law in the United States. In a number of cases involving the CPUSA, the Court has drawn the line for the U.S. government as to how far it can go in protecting itself from threats posed by CPUSA activities, while also ensuring that the constitutional rights of the CPUSA itself and its members are protected.
Sedition and Treason Cases
The federal Espionage Act of 1917 made it illegal during wartime intentionally to publish false or misleading reports about military operations, to promote the success of the enemies of the United States, or to obstruct the drafting of U.S. military personnel. Following the passage of this act, an American communist newspaper published a number of articles denouncing World War I and the participation of the United States in it. The U.S. postmaster general responded to the newspaper’s actions by revoking its second-class mailing privileges. This action meant the newspaper was nonmailable and could no longer be delivered by the U.S. Post Office to its readers. The justification given by the postmaster for his action was that the Espionage Act gave him the right to stop mail if, in his view, the mail violated provisions of the act. The publisher of the CPUSA paper sued the postmaster on the grounds that its constitutional rights to free expression were being abridged. In the 1921 case of United States ex rel. Milwaukee Social Democratic Public Publishing Company v. Burleson, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the actions of the postmaster were permissible under the Espionage Act, and that the nonmailable matter provisions of the act were constitutional.
In 1940, the Smith Act came into effect in the United States. The Smith Act made it a crime to advocate overthrowing the U.S. government by force or violence through the use of speech, printed materials, or instruction. The law also made it illegal to organize a group or to be a member of a group that advocated the overthrow of the U.S. government. In the 1951 case of Dennis v. United States, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction under the Smith Act of Eugene Dennis, a leading member of the CPUSA. Dennis had argued that the Smith Act was unconstitutional because it violated his freedom of expression and association. The Supreme Court concluded that an individual’s freedom of expression and association could be restricted by law if the person’s activities posed a “clear and present danger” to the security of the United States. A similar finding was made by the Supreme Court in the case of Scales v. United States in 1961, when it again upheld the conviction of a member of the CPUSA, Junius Scales, under the Smith Act.
In the 1957 case of Yates v. United States, the Supreme Court refined its interpretation of the Smith Act by ruling that the mere teaching or advocacy of communism, in and of itself, did not pose a threat to the security of the United States, and was, therefore, protected by the U.S. Constitution. In the 1961 case of Noto v. United States, the Supreme Court reversed a conviction under the Smith Act because the Court was of the opinion that the intent to incite immediate action to bring about the overthrow of the U.S. government had not been proven.
Registration and Loyalty Oath Cases
In 1950, the Subversive Activities Control Act became law in the United States. The 1950 act required all communist parties or organizations in the United States to register with the U.S. government. Additionally, they were required to provide a list of their officers and all past and present members, a financial statement, and a list of all the printing presses at their disposal. In Communist Party of the United States v. Subversive Activities Control Board (1961), the Supreme Court held that the registration provisions of the 1950 Act were constitutional because they were regulatory, not prohibitory, in nature. Such provisions did not outlaw or ban communist party activities, so they did not violate the U.S. Constitution.
One final Supreme Court decision affecting the CPUSA came in the case of the Communist Party of Indiana v. Whitcomb in 1974. This case involved the denial by the state of Indiana to allow communist candidates a place on the ballot in the 1972 general election because they refused to swear a loyalty oath pledging not to advocate the overthrow of local, state, or national government in the United States by force or violence. The Supreme Court concluded that the required loyalty oath violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because it attempted to proscribe advocacy of the use of force without determining if such advocacy would result in imminent lawless action against the government.
Twenty-first Century
In the twenty-first century, the CPUSA continues to operate with around 20,000 members, following the motto, "People and Planet Before Profits." The Young Communist League USA (YCLUSA), established in 1920, was reestablished in 2019 to support youth with ideals aligned with the CPUSA. Additionally, the CPUSA's People's World newspaper began online publications in 2010.
Bibliography
"About CPUSA." Communist Party of the United States of America, www.cpusa.org/about-us. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
Bales, James. J. Edgar Hoover Speaks Concerning Communism. Capitol Hill Press, 1970.
Dennis, Peggy. The Autobiography of an American Communist. Lawrence Hill, 1977.
Diggins, John. The American Left in the Twentieth Century. Harcourt Brace, 1973.
Foster, William. A History of the Communist Party of the United States. Greenwood Press, 1968.
Pedersen, Vernon L. The Communist Party on the American Waterfront: Revolution, Reform, and the Quest for Power. Lexington Books, 2020.
Starobin, Joseph. American Communism in Crisis, 1943-1957. Harvard UP, 1972.