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Eugene V. Debs: Citizen & Socialist

by Nick Salvatore

3.76 · rating details · 59 ratings · 9 reviews

In this classic book, Nick Salvatore offers a major reevaluation of Eugene V. Debs, the movements he launched, and his belief in American Socialism as an extension of the nation's democratic traditions.

Paperback, 480 pages

Published March 15th 2007 by University of Illinois Press (Urbana) (first published 1982)

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Jan 24, 2012

Erik Graff rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Erik by: no one

Shelves: biography

I was a long-time member of the Socialist Party. One of the reasons was familial. Father and his father had both belonged. Another was because two of my heroes, Norman M. Thomas and Eugene V. Debs, had belonged. When I was young, Thomas was still around. I recall reading about his death one day while in our high school's in-school suspension lock-up where I had been spending a week's sentence for political crimes. As I got older Debs gradually came to supercede Thomas. I still, even after...more

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Jan 28, 2012

Ben rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history, politics

This is not a narrative biography written so that those with no knowledge of Debs can learn about him; rather this is a critical biography that assumes the reader already has knowledge of Debs, the labor movement from post-Civil War times through post WWI, and the Populist/Socialist/Communist movements of the same period. Salvatore presents a compelling, detailed and reasoned portrait of the man for those who have the prerequisite knowledge.

We see Debs as a product both of his times...moreThis is not a narrative biography written so that those with no knowledge of Debs can learn about him; rather this is a critical biography that assumes the reader already has knowledge of Debs, the labor movement from post-Civil War times through post WWI, and the Populist/Socialist/Communist movements of the same period. Salvatore presents a compelling, detailed and reasoned portrait of the man for those who have the prerequisite knowledge.

We see Debs as a product both of his times and American history. Initially the Debsian labor movement was centered on the idea of harmony, of the labor organizations working with the managers/owners. The brotherhoods were there to both give the companies access to good labor, and to provide the labor with the chance to improve themselves, and even possibly be upwardly mobile. Debs idolized the capitalists during this period of his life, especially those in his home town of Terre Haute, Indiana. The initial brotherhoods were selective, and often worked at cross purposes of each other. The Firefighters Brotherhood was separate from the Brakeman, which was separate from the Engineers, etc. And you had to be working for the train companies, associated jobs like telegraph operators were shunned from the unions. These groups were rarely for women, minorities, or immigrants (exceptions being made in Debs’ group for Anglo-Saxon and German immigrants). But over time we see Debs begin to change.

Eventually he moves towards a larger approach, and wants to organize labor in broader terms. He still isn’t very supportive of women and other groups, but he no longer believes that small groups have the power needed, and he gradually abandons his ideas of harmony. Salvatore presents this as a Debsian reaction to the changing landscape of industrial/corporate capitalism, though he assumes the reader is already familiar with the subject and doesn’t provide much evidence outside of specific incidents within the labor movement. We see that the labor movement never coalesces, and remains fragmented. The rivalry with Gompers and the AFL, the conflicts between immigrant and non-immigrant groups and the differing regional goals continue.

Debs then moves into the Populist movement, but more as a figurehead than anything else. Debs starts to incorporate non-traditional labor into his thinking; the plight of farmers in particular starts to appear in his awareness. His break with the Democratic Party is now complete, which is not surprising, he would always be a small fish in a big pond with them. Within a short period of time Debs would move into the Socialist movement, though again as a figurehead through his popularity.

Debs would become the presidential candidate for the party from 1900 – 1912, then again in 1920 while serving time in a federal prison in Atlanta. The Socialists never quite formed a cohesive whole, and Debs, rather than confronting the divisive issues and working to unify the various fronts, remained a figurehead and pawn of a faction. The movement splintered again after the Russian revolution in 1917, with two new Communist parties emerging. Debs never did fit it completely with the Socialists as he supported a democratic transition away from industrial/corporate capitalism, rather than direct action towards Socialism, a conflict that would remain unresolved during his lifetime.

Ultimately we see Debs as a man who craved the adoration of the crowds, who loved to spend time catching up with old friends, who needed to feel that he was helping others, and who became more and more opposed to direction of the American economy. These same factors that made him such an electric speaker and successful as both a labor organizer and the only man the Socialists could nominate that could attract non-Socialist votes also made him a less than ideal leader. Debs rarely confronted problems, especially if doing so would make him unpopular. He was also frequently under the domination of behind the scenes players, especially in the Socialist movement where he felt that his intellectual understanding was inferior to many others.

I would be tempted to recommend this to anyone who is fascinated by the art of biography, but would need to emphasize that prior knowledge is a prerequisite for reading this book. This is also highly recommended for all who are interested in a thorough understanding of American history.
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Jan 01, 2012

Steve rated it

I've been interested in Debs for a long time, especially since moving to Indiana and learning that he was a native son. Indiana in general would rather claim Hoagy Carmicheal, Michael Jackson, Benjamin Harrison, and Abraham Lincoln than a socialist labor organizer like Debs, but we should be very proud of him. Salvatore writes as a historian, not a partisan, and tries to show Debs in his weak moments as well as his glorious ones, and evaluates his strengths as a leader, organizer, and speaker,...more

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Jan 24, 2012

John Hively rated it

· review of another edition

This was a brilliant book. Salvatore paints a wonderful, detailed picture of Debs and his times.

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Dec 08, 2009

Danielle Brooks rated it

Shelves: history

his progression from passionate to reformer was amazing. i hope to be that person one day.

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Nov 24, 2010

Thomas Baughman rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: biography, classics, history

This is one of the best historical biograpies written in the last 30 years.

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Jul 29, 2010

Zachary rated it

A life-changing read for me.

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May 12, 2008

Bap rated it

Shelves: biography, labor

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 03, 2008

David rated it

excellent biography of Debs

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