The Wild Jackasses: The American Farmer in Revolt

by Dale Kramer

farming

260 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A three-way history of the evolution of agrarian revolt in the US, from the People's Party of the 1890s, the North Dakota Nonpartisan League of the 1910s, and the Farmer's Union of the 1920s-1930s. Kramer takes such a narrative stance that it is difficult to parse when he is actually quoting or simply surmising speeches and ideas. Although I came to it for the People's Party, I found most interesting the history of the Farmer's League, and the ridiculous positions taken by the CPUSA against Milo Reno and a potential source of socialist organization (ironic, considering the CPUSA embraced the same tactics in the South with the STFU, which Kramer unfortunately does not mention).