Steve Tjiang’s Reviews > A People's History of the United States > Status Update
Steve Tjiang
is on page 146 of 614
This chapter tells of the deceit and fraud that American colonial government and white settlers removed the Indians from their homeland and took them over, mostly for profit. The removal was done in a the most patronizing way, couched as "bringing civilizations" to the savages. Huge profits were afforded those in power who amassed huge plantations. The few voices sympathetic to the Indians were easily squashed.
— Jan 07, 2019 06:53PM
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Steve Tjiang
is finished
Zinn's penultimate chapter re-interprets last half of the 20th century. His arguably cynical re-intepretation fits that history into the larger theme of the 1% (the elites, white wealthy men) subjugating the 99% (the working class, poors, blacks, women). Those in control make overtures of equality and structural changes but their actions were merely small concessions to appease the People.
— May 03, 2019 05:48PM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 502 of 614
The rise of feminism and women's right movement.
— Apr 05, 2019 06:55AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 452 of 614
The Vietnam war. It was really about imperialism and a war fought under false pretexts. Unpopular war. Tied war protests to labor movement and that it was not supported by the working class, despite the impression that the protests were led by young, white, middle-class.
— Apr 05, 2019 06:54AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 444 of 614
Decades of continuing racism and mistreatment, latent during the war years, exploded in the black community. Latent and powerful during and after the war years, resentment against racism underlied black poetry and music. It exploded in the 50s with the Rosa Parks incident, and continued as peaceful protests under MLK.
— Mar 30, 2019 08:19AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 434 of 614
Despite the announced noble causes fought for, the interests of the capitalists drove many events, and decisions. This might preserving markets for American goods, even if that meant the support of dictators and unsavory regimes. It also meant suppression of domestic labor unrest and control of labor. Hence the creation of the red scare of the 50s.
— Mar 29, 2019 06:35AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 420 of 614
Despite WW II's popularity, there exist quite a bit of resistance. Hitler's invasion of Russia seemed to have swayed much of the American Left to support the way. The dropping of atom bombs on Japan was part of strategy to limit Soviet influence in Asia. And the end of the war, saw the emergence of the perpetual war economy to create the military-industrial complex with full government support.
— Mar 27, 2019 07:04AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 398 of 614
Unorganized labor unrests increased during the Great Depression. The New Deal was a response to control labor, to stabilize the capitalist system and to give minimal concessions to labor, so that labor can be managed. The AFL and CIO, though established by workers, were really institutionalized way to control labor.
— Mar 25, 2019 06:45AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 384 of 614
The end of WW I saw increasing number of strikes, despite efforts to break the IWW. Eventually, the excesses and imbalances of "capitalism" system (as established then) led to the Great Depression. Roosevelt was elected because of Hoover's inabilities to fix the economy and treatment of labor. Roosevelt's new deal was really about "fixing" capitalism and was in the hands of the capitalists.
— Mar 24, 2019 06:56AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 360 of 614
Chronicles the suppression of free speech during WW I. Highlights the jailing of socialist leaders during this time.
— Mar 23, 2019 07:35AM
Steve Tjiang
is on page 350 of 614
The last two chapter chronicles the birth and rise of "socialism", and the response of the capitalists. The movement started with labor unrest during the Civil war, and continued until the beginning of WW I. To counter the rise of socialism, a progressive movement emerged, aided by capitalists and government. In this class struggle revision of history, WW I was a convenient response to stop socialism.
— Mar 22, 2019 06:43AM
