More Powerful Than Dynamite: Radicals, Plutocrats, Progressives, and New York's Year of Anarchy

by Thai Jones, Jennifer Spanier

In the year that saw the start of World War I, the United States was itself on the verge of revolution: industrial depression in the east, striking coal miners in Colorado, and increasingly tense relations with Mexico. There was blood in the air that year,†a witness later recalled, there truly was. In New York, the year had opened with bright expectations, but 1914 quickly tumbled into disillusionment and violence. For John Purroy Mitchel, the city's new boy mayor, the trouble started in January, when a crushing winter caused homeless shelters to overflow. By April, anarchist throngs paraded past industrialists mansions, and tens of thousands filled Union Square demanding Bread or Revolution. Then, on July 4, 1914, a detonation destroyed a seven-story Harlem tenement. It was the largest explosion the city had ever known. Among the dead were three bomb makers; incited by anarchist Alexander Berkman, they had been preparing to dynamite the estate of John D. Rockefeller Jr., son of a plutocratic dynasty and widely vilified for a massacre of his company's striking workers in Colorado earlier that spring. More Powerful Than Dynamite charts how anarchist anger, progressive idealism, and plutocratic paternalism converged in that July explosion. Its cast ranges from celebrated figures such as Emma Goldman, Upton Sinclair, and Andrew Carnegie to the fascinating and heretofore little known: Frank Tannenbaum, a homeless teenager who dared to lead his followers into the city's churches; police inspector Max Schmittberger, too honest for his department and too crooked for everyone else; and Becky Edelsohn, a young anarchist known for her red tights and for spitting in millionaires faces. Historian and journalist Thai Jones creates a fascinating portrait of a city on the edge of chaos coming to terms with modernity.

Genres: History, Politics, New York, Nonfiction, American History, American, Economics

416 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 2012

Reviews

[David Buccola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thai Jones does a good job of researching the weather of 1914; beyond that the book is a complete hatchet job, filled with liberal bias toward radicals, like Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman. John D. Rockefeller Jr., on the other hand, is handled with kid gloves and portrayed as a victim. What makes it all the worse is that Thai Jones flaunts his parents radical past in order to give himself street creed that he most assuredly does not deserve. This book continues a long liberal tradition of ignoring police violence and focusing on the rather small acts of self-defense as somehow violent.

Jones creates a caricature of Alexander Berkman as the epitome of the violent, bomb-throwing anarchist, seeking out violence at every turn. There are two references to Berkman "calling for violence" in the book. One is the heresy of Mabel Dodge, the heiress to a wealthy banker from Buffalo who is quoted at length about what she "felt" Berkman was up to. This is a woman who was not only from the ranks of the Capitalist Class but one that explicitly didn't like Berkman despite his friendly advances. The second example of Berkman "calling for violence" occurs in the wake of the Ludlow Massacre when Berkman explicitly calls on the miners to defend themselves. Jones calls this a call to revenge when it's obviously anything but that. After having their organizers murdered, evicted from their company owned shanty town and forced to spend the winter of 1913 in the freezing mountains of Colorado they are finally machine-gunned down and burned to death; at this point Berkman rightly points out that the only option at this point is dynamite. In other words, the miners were given no choice but to fight back against Rockefeller and his thugs. This in the eyes of Jones is how Berkman "favors violence."

Meanwhile theres never any reference to how Junior felt about violence. He tells Congress that it would be better that every employee be killed and all his money lost than to allow the workers to organize, but Jones never elaborates on that; he never expands on Junior's obvious part in the worst massacre of striking workers in our nation's history. Instead he creates this image of Rockefeller as a hapless, dummy director who is the victim of his subordinates.

Jones undermines any serious credibility as a historian throughout the book, but perhaps no where more so than his handling of the Lexington Ave. Bombing in which he echoes the New York Police Department's theory as fact despite the evidence. I've seen Jones speak about this book and he is very clear that the bomb that ripped through that tenement in Harlem in 1914 killing three anarchists was intended for John D. Rockefeller Jr. What evidence does this historian present us with? The police said so. The very same police that Jones admits used every form of subterfuge to rid the City of Anarchists. Later in the book when Jones talks about the comfy job former police commissioner gets with John D. Rockefeller Jr. we're supposed to believe it's all just a coincidence; like it was just a coincidence that the day of the bombing the commissioner was there within 30 minutes.

To be fair, Jones does tell us about "alternative theories" from people like Alexander Berkman and Upton Sinclair who believed it to be an agent provocateur. But Jones goes out of his way to belittle these theories and cast Sinclair's objectivity into question. Berkman who was nothing but candid regarding his assassination attempt on Henry Clay Frick is portrayed as unreliable by Jones. To further call into question the "alternative theories" Jones quotes from the Capitalist press owned by friends of John D. Rockefeller which, again, echo the theory of the NYPD despite any evidence. The old adage "repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth" is alive and well here.

With the recent conviction of Occupy Wall Street activist Cecily McMillan, this book is as relevant as ever, and like McMillan's case the violence of police is hidden from view. Police aren't violent in Jones world. Like Jedi's of the 1% they use "Force." Sometimes they use too much force. But thank God they are never violent. When they arrive on horseback to club and beat people they are simply "clearing the park" or "dispersing anarchists." Any act of self-defense--no matter how meek--is viewed as an act of violence. To avoid being labeled violent by intellectuals like Jones it best to serenely suffer the necessary force needed to keep the rabble in line.

Alexander Berkman is, perhaps, one of the most interesting characters in Anarchist history. The arch of his growth from a young, fiery anarchist that put his body on the line in the assassination attempt of Henry Clay Frick grows considerably over the course of his 14-years of incarceration, dramatically altering his views on violence, and yet none of that can be found in Jones book. Take this quote from Prison Memoir of an Anarchist:

"The real despotism of republican institutions is far deeper, more insidious, because it rests on the popular delusion of self-government and independence. That is the subtle source of democratic tryanny, and, as such, it cannot be reached with a bullet."

Berkman came to realize that violence was a shoddy shortcut to the real organizing work that needed to be done and that growth is reflected well in this essay: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archi...

Jones continues in a long line of liberal intellectuals that feign objectivity.

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great examination on a little known area of NYC history and history of social justice movements in the US. A very well written and engaging book nonfiction book, which makes this a rare wonderful gem!

[Bill Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading if you are interested in the time. I am.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

This is a big, sprawling, fascinating book which to me never decided its exact theme or purpose but remained interesting.

It is the story of a few years around 1914 in New York City, and a microscope into city and national politics of the day. It is also the story of the failures and successes of a reform mayor there and an insight into how authorities dealt with free speech issues in different ways. It's a bit of a chronicle of the anarchist movement, particularly the part played by Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman. And it skirts around the Wobblies, the International Workers of the World, in their waning days. And additionally, it spends a lot of time on the Ludlow Massacre in the coal fields of Colorado, and on the life of John D. Rockefeller Jr.

The book is meticulously researched and footnoted and makes heavy use of quoted material. The descriptions of the various eccentric and passionate personalities of the day was always entertaining.

If you're interested in any of these subjects, this quirky anecdote-filled read might be right up your alley.

[Joe Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book. I will admit that I was really concerned that it would be very biased after I discovered that author is a son of Weatherman terrorists. I didn’t know that when I bought the Kindle version of the book. The author actually came off rather neutral and even sympathetic to the likes of John D. Rockefeller Jr, NYC Mayor Mitchel, and NYCPD Commissioner Wood. The author shows some of the negative aspects of the anarchists like Emma Goldman.

It is a good and easy read, plus keeps your attention. It a worthwhile read to understand the growing unrest between the wealth of Rockefeller, the Progressive party of government that controlled NYC under Mayor Mitchel, the slowly reforming NYC police under Wood, the IWW union, and anarchists in 1914.

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year (1914) in the life of New York. They don't really teach much about this period in school, so it's worth examining--though you'd be hard-pressed to find an unslanted account, and you won't find it here.

Also, the Acknowledgments are full of unprosecuted domestic terrorists from the 60s, which I won't play into the author's hands by getting any further agitated about...

[David Pitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great exploration of a particular vibe at a particular time, much more of a vibe-establishment book than a super coherent thesis book

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The preponderance of this work covers the year 1914 in New York City and the major characters in the news. It was the first year of 'progressive' Mayor John Purroy Mitchel's administration and a number of knowledgeable, experienced people took over from the cronyism of Tammany Hall. Anarchists wanted more concern for the working class and those out of work due to actions of the barons of industry. The major plutocrat was John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and a portion of this book covers the Ludlow Massacre and his reactions during and after that event in Colorado. 1914 was also the year WW I started taking the spotlight away from the anarchists. As the war progressed, individual liberties were abrogated. When the war ended, most of the leaders of the 'anarchist' movement, being immigrants, were deported.

[B. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jones explores a time when New York was a hotbed of radical politics, when tens of thousands of its residents were members of labor unions, and anarchists regularly held well-attended rallies at Union Square and other public venues. The year referred to in the title is 1914, a year of notable conflict between capital and labor, when anarchists plotted (unsuccessfully) to bomb the apartment of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. for his complicity in the massacre of striking coal miners and their family members in Ludlow, Colorado.

I was initially drawn to this book because I teach about the Red Scare in my section of Discover New York. It is a highly entertaining read, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in NYC history.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of this book and probably because I'm a huge fan of anarchist history and NY history. It was a very good read and I learned a great deal about early 20th century politics in the US. I would loved more detail about the Ludlow Massacre but that is hardly a blemish on this book or the author. I look forward to reading A Radical Line!

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jones is obviously well educated. Unfortunately, instead of weaving together events in history to prove his thesis (that 1914 was in fact, a year filled with anarchy) Jones shares with readers everything he knows about the subject. There were some enlightening moments, some interesting and unknown facts. However, I found the book a difficult and frustrating read.

[Zoe]

History really does repeat itself, the similarities of the 1910s and now (2018) are uncanny: attacks on the first amendment for the sake of national security, corporate repression on labor, high unemployment, class inequalities.

History is futile if you don’t learn from it. Maybe I failed in my reading of this book, but Jones’ lessons are ambiguous and vague.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a competent book, but somewhat slow going.

[Regina Keenan]

Pretty fun, wild times. shows you the powerful were always worried and some folks always saw thru them.

[Dad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot about the era.

[John Schaberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a strange book. I learned a lot about the anarchist movement in New York, but the way it was written was kind of all over the place.

[J. Dutilloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating story about New York unrest movement just before World War I.

[Caleb J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting period piece that could have used a bit more depth in character investigation.