History of Utah Radicalism: Startling, Socialistic, and Decidedly Revolutionary

by John S. McCormick, John R Sillito

Utah, now one of the most conservative states, has a long tradition of left-wing radicalism. Early Mormon settlers set a precedent with the United Order and other experiments with a socialistic economy. The tradition continued into the more recent past with New Left, anti-apartheid, and other radicals. Throughout, Utah radicalism usually reflected national and international developments. Recounting its long history, McCormick and Sillito focus especially on the Socialist Party of America, which reached a peak of political influence in the first two decades of the twentieth century—in Utah and across the nation.

At least 115 Socialists in over two dozen Utah towns and cities were elected to office in that period, and on seven occasions they controlled governments of five different municipalities. This is a little-known story worth a closer look. Histories of Socialism in the United States have tended to forsake attention to specific, local cases and situations in favor of broader overviews of the movement. By looking closely at Utah's experience, this book helps unravel how American Socialism briefly flowered before rapidly withering in the early twentieth century. It also broadens the conventional understanding of Utah history.

Genres: Mormonism, History, Nonfiction

477 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2011

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with rating this book. I give it 5 stars for research ethic, 5 stars for doing a deep-dive into a niche topic, 5 stars for extensive topic coverage but overall, I don't exactly share the same views or draw the same conclusions. I wouldn't be likely to recommend the book because of it's niche appeal & conclusions. I had McCormick as a history professor years ago & he was a 5-star professor with a novel approach to teaching history. It's exciting to realize just how many books he's published. However, if I separate myself from this experience & consider just the book I read, I arrive at a 3-star rating.