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| LaRouche then declared the Fourth International to be bankrupt and left the Trotskyist factions of the Marxist-Socialist movement. However, it must be noted that this was not unusual for people to do at the time, as the post WWII era created much confusion and factionalism within the Trotskyist movement due to the success of Stalinism. Many former Trotskyists and active Trotskyists as well had regarded the 4th International project to be bankrupt long before LaRouche did. Gradually, LaRouche moved into the allegedly opportunist and rightward drifting elements within the New Left, calling for a 5th International. | LaRouche then declared the Fourth International to be bankrupt and left the Trotskyist factions of the Marxist-Socialist movement. However, it must be noted that this was not unusual for people to do at the time, as the post WWII era created much confusion and factionalism within the Trotskyist movement due to the success of Stalinism. Many former Trotskyists and active Trotskyists as well had regarded the 4th International project to be bankrupt long before LaRouche did. Gradually, LaRouche moved into the allegedly opportunist and rightward drifting elements within the New Left, calling for a 5th International. | ||
| What is interesting about LaRouche's early political career is that he was invovled in the highly activist and volantarist "vanguard" element in 20th century "Leninist" Marxism, which is considered by other Marxist schools as anything ranging from a slight defect to a complete and total break with Marxism - given Marxism's historical grounding as an egalitarian worker's movement. | What is interesting about LaRouche's early political career is that he was invovled in the highly activist and volantarist "vanguard" element in 20th century "Leninist" Marxism, which is considered by other Marxist schools as anything ranging from a slight defect to a complete and total break with Marxism - given Marxism's self proclaimed historical grounding as an egalitarian worker's movement. | ||
| The rise of Stalin and Stalinism in the USSR, one of the primary studies during the formative years of LaRouche, is considered to be an example of how the vanguard element in early 20th century Marxism (3rd International)became a pronounced philosophical influence on the rise of bureaucratism and Stalinism; and is considered to be alien to Marxism. | The rise of Stalin and Stalinism in the USSR, one of the primary studies during the formative years of LaRouche, is considered by some to be an example of how the vanguard element in early 20th century Marxism (3rd International)became a pronounced philosophical influence on the rise of bureaucratism and Stalinism; and is considered to be alien to Marxism. | ||
| ⚫ | The Marxism of LaRouche was like that of Trotsky, vanguardist on the one hand, but opposed in principle to Stalinism and Stalin on the other. But Trotsky then also believed that he was better for the job than Stalin, based upon his own superior mental abilities. LaRouche considers himself, and has proclaimed publically to possess superior mental capacities, and the best qualified to lead, even going so far as to claim that he has the he is at the peak of his mental prowess at the age of 81. This invariably put him at odds later with Wolforth and Robertson. Notably, Wolforth and Robertson had the same falling out for the same reasons, as is typical of the leadership of most Trotskyist organizations past and present. | ||
| ⚫ | The Marxism of LaRouche was like that of Trotsky, vanguardist on the one hand, but opposed in principle to Stalinism and Stalin on the other. But Trotsky then also believed that he was better for the job than Stalin, based upon his own superior mental abilities. LaRouche considers himself to possess superior mental capacities, and the best qualified to lead, even going so far as to claim that he has the he is at the peak of his mental prowess at the age of 81. This invariably put him at odds later with Wolforth and Robertson. Notably, Wolforth and Robertson had the same falling out for the same reasons, as typical of the leadership of most Trotskyist organizations past and present. | ||
| It was here that LaRouche, whose name at the time was Lyn Marcus, was impressed and shaped by the notion that history is made by great men, Leaders of Men, and not by the struggle of contending classes as Marx had said. Though this was never stated in any of the Trotskyist's works, since Trotskyism considers itself to be Marxism, LaRouche was shaped by how these organizations existed in fact. He was influenced into thinking that he was in fact the great man who could save history because he subscribed to the belief that the individual Trotsky could have had the power to set the USSR on a historical journey completely alien to what we know of and consider to be 'Stalinism'. | It was here that LaRouche, whose name at the time was Lyn Marcus, was impressed and shaped by the notion that history is made by great men, Leaders of Men, and not by the struggle of contending classes as Marx had said. Though this was never stated in any of the Trotskyist's works, since Trotskyism considers itself to be Marxism, LaRouche was shaped by how these organizations existed in fact. He was influenced into thinking that he was in fact the great man who could save history because he subscribed to the belief that the individual Trotsky could have had the power to set the USSR on a historical journey completely alien to what we know of and consider to be 'Stalinism'. | ||
| =="The Fascist"== | =="The Fascist?"== | ||
| After these entanglements he formed his own National Committee of Labor Committees recruiting from the collapsing New left. The NCLC was very strongly catastrophist claiming that economic crisis was on the immediate horizon. For this reason the NCLC had to build a leadership to prepare for the onrushing crisis. This led them to act in a very sectarian fashion towards rival leftist groups. This culminated in Operation Mop Up in which the NCLC decided to eliminate the Communist Party by attacking their meetings. After this no one regarded the NCLC as a legitimate part of the left. This is because there is an understanding among the various factions of the Marxist-Socialist movement and among radical leftists in general that organized violence is prohibited between them. A group which in reality, on the ground, concretely, attacks leftists, regardless of what they claim themselves to be; they are crossing over into doing the work of the ruling elite and the political right. This is considered by sociologists to be a primary component of fascism. | After these entanglements he formed his own National Committee of Labor Committees recruiting from the collapsing New left. The NCLC was very strongly catastrophist claiming that economic crisis was on the immediate horizon. For this reason the NCLC had to build a leadership to prepare for the onrushing crisis. This led them to act in a very sectarian fashion towards rival leftist groups. This culminated in Operation Mop Up in which the NCLC decided to eliminate the Communist Party by attacking their meetings. After this no one regarded the NCLC as a legitimate part of the left. This is because there is an understanding among the various factions of the Marxist-Socialist movement and among radical leftists in general that organized violence is prohibited between them. A group which in reality, on the ground, concretely, attacks leftists, regardless of what they claim themselves to be; they are crossing over into doing the work of the ruling elite and the political right. This is considered by some sociologists and most all Marxists to be a primary component of fascism. | ||
| LaRouche |
LaRouche distanced himself from the left all together, and claimed that his new socio-political movement trancends all traditional categories of left (socialist/liberal) and right (nationalist/hierarchical/conservative). | ||
| It should be noted however that some anarchists - radical leftists by most people's accounts - also claim that their movement and philosophy trancends categories of left and right. Conversely; Fascists, National Socialists, and Phalangists - recognized by most to be of the radical right - also claim to have trancended the classical left and right categories. | It should be noted however that some anarchists - radical leftists by most people's accounts - also claim that their movement and philosophy trancends categories of left and right. Conversely; Fascists, National Socialists, and Phalangists - recognized by most to be of the radical right - also claim to have trancended the classical left and right categories. | ||
| In addition, most left groups have characterized his movement and ideology as fascist or neo-fascist. This is because his ideas and movement |
In addition, most left groups have formally characterized his movement and ideology as fascist or neo-fascist. This is because his ideas and movement follow closely in form with what some call a fascist litmus test. These include, firstly, organized physical attacks on left groups, in particular the Socialist Worker's Party (of which he was a member for several devades)and the Communist Party. This sort of political violence against left groups is a hallmark of fascism, exemplified historically by Mussolini's Black shirts and Hitler's Brown shirts who also engaged in the same sort of political violence on Socialists and Communists, while conversely, organized attacks on Socialists and Communists in the most economically productive nations have never been carried out by any groups other than fascist groupings . | ||
| Secondly, his financial base of support, outside of many five and ten dollar contributions gathered by LaRouche organizers in normal public places like schools and shopping areas, comes from smaller proprietors and family businesses. |
Secondly, his financial base of support, outside of many five and ten dollar contributions gathered by LaRouche organizers in normal public places like schools and shopping areas, comes from smaller proprietors and family businesses. Some from this social class feel uniquely pressured from both above and below - above by the multinational corporations and international bankers, who have more capital and strength - squeezing mom and pop operations out of business. From this, we understand the special attention that LaRouche has paid to Walmart, and pandering their propaganda to appeal to those most likely to despise Walmart. Walmart, along with large trusts and banks, represent ruin to the small proprietors, these mom and pop operations. | ||
| From below, this class of small proprietors and producers also is threatened by the |
From below, this class of small proprietors and producers also is threatened by the propertyless mob, the many, the masses who also threaten small business owners because these masses often demand the same wages and benefits that only the large multinational firms can afford to pay (like the auto industry or other industrial sectors). This was the same base of support that Hitler and Mussolini initially based themselves upon before their movement picked up momentum. After Hitler and Mussolini were recognized by their respective nations largest productive and investment firms as salvation from and a bulwark against the anarchy and left-socialism of the masses below, their base of support also later then came to include the largest and wealthiest firms. | ||
| Similarly, LaRouche has also publically outlined a strategy to eventually garner support from the large and wealthy domestic industrialist firms, what Larouche considers the base of the'physical economy' (see more on physical economy below) |
Similarly, LaRouche has also publically outlined a strategy to eventually garner support from the large and wealthy domestic industrialist firms, what Larouche considers the base of the'physical economy' (see more on physical economy below). LaRouche divides, somewhat accurately, the powerfull and wealthy groupings of the elite into two categories - industrialists and userers. Banking and usery are considered by LaRouche one of the causes of the social ills, holding back the progress and rational decisions of the industrialists. An example of an industrialist firm would be G.M or G.E, where as a userer would be something like J.P Morgan or the Rothchilds, Chase Manhattan Bank, or any family or grouping of bankers, investors, stock traders, in any sort of consortium. | ||
| Thirdly, there is the attempt to create a mass or popular movement from below which would push LaRouche into the position of being considered someone to take seriously; someone the industrialist side of the bourgeoisie would embrace and get behind in their struggle against their debtors (userers). | Thirdly, there is the attempt to create a mass or popular movement from below which would push LaRouche into the position of being considered someone to take seriously; someone the industrialist side of the bourgeoisie would embrace and get behind in their struggle against their debtors (userers). | ||
| Simultaneously, they would have the power and authority to check any other mass or popular movements which would hostile to the entire elite - both industrial firms and usery firms. These movements would typically be left groups, so the fact that LaRouche is willing to have his 'shirts' engage in physical attacks on leftists in the present and past is meant as an indicator to the ruling sectors that 'he' has what it takes to get the job done |
Simultaneously, they would have the power and authority to check any other mass or popular movements which would hostile to the entire elite - both industrial firms and usery firms. These movements would typically be left groups, so the fact that LaRouche is willing to have his 'shirts' engage in physical attacks on leftists in the present and past is meant as an indicator to the ruling sectors that 'he' has what it takes to get the job done. Any reading in depth of LaRouche's platform, available through the link below, will confirm this. | ||
| Lastly, |
Lastly, his philosophy (which he claims is not an ideology) is premised upon what some may call an idealization of the European Civilization of the 15th and 16th centuries, in particular the Renaissance, and states that he holds itself to be opposed to the Enlightenment Rationalists of the 18th century, as well as the modern socialisms of the 19th and 20th century. | ||
| LaRouche understands that Facsism has a bad name, and the American psychology is very anti-fascist in name. This means that a fascist movement in the U.S would have to |
His critics have then speculated that LaRouche understands that Facsism has a bad name, and the American psychology is very anti-fascist in name. This means that a fascist movement in the U.S would have to, as one of its platforms, state they are anti-fascists and produce a number of coherent theoretical works opposing fascism. Many believe that no mass movement in the U.S will spring up around the self-proclaimed banner of fascism. The industrialist sector of the owning class which LaRouche seeks to ally himself with would also have probably nothing to do with any group that called itself fascist if it wants to be a mass popular movement. | ||
| Also, LaRouche is opposed to racism and his political organization is ethnically diverse. This makes it hard to label him a fascist as his critics do, but it should be noted historically that the original fascist movement - Mussolini in Italy - was not based on a theory of racial superiority. The racism associated with Italian Fascism is due to the influence of National Socialism and Hitler. However, after the rise of Hitler and the alliance with Nazi Germany, the Fascists and Mussolini were compelled to adopt Germany's racial hygene laws and help with the holocoust. | |||
| =="A Cult?"== | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | Some have stated that the LaRouche organization is a cult and numerous former members have claimed that the this is so. Many families have attempted interventions and in other few cases, youth who associated with the LaRouche group have disappeared and are still missing, police reports had been filed, etc. The LaRouche organization is said to be primarily recruited out of the personality types associated with political cults; lonely older people, alienated younger people. What takes shape in the organization is that there are two types; leaders (intellectuals, talkers) and followers (believers, listeners). LaRouche's approach to the intellectuals has been to invent a theory and method which would captivate their minds and set them upon a course of thinking and viewing the world which can only confirm the statements and ideas of LaRouche. LaRouche creates an ideology primarily out of those philosophers who had little if anythng to do with the intellectual roots of classical fascism (e.g nietchze, social-darwinism) but also those who had little to do with, or historically farther removed from, the intellectual roots of marxism - which LaRouche had reinvented himself as a staunch opponent. | ||
| Whereas classical fascism, in its general theory of who now rules the world, entails an elaborate conspiracy of International Bankers who simultanously support the most of evil of the capitalists and the most dangerous of the left-socialists (or communists, or anarchists). The classical fascist (conspiracy) theory then, is that the apparent forces of left and right are an illussion created by a single ruling elite of International Bankers. In the |
Whereas classical fascism, in its general theory of who now rules the world, entails an elaborate conspiracy of International Bankers who simultanously support the most of evil of the capitalists and the most dangerous of the left-socialists (or communists, or anarchists). The classical fascist (conspiracy) theory then, is that the apparent forces of left and right are an illussion created by a single ruling elite of International Bankers. In the Hitlerite variation of this theory, these International Bankers are themselves either mostly or totally controlled by International Jewery. | ||
| ⚫ | LaRouche's ideas are intended to be pallatable and friendly to the American sensibility and are not stated to be upon the ideas of Nietchze, Hitler, or Marx, but rather based on Alexander Hamilton, Plato, Gauss, and others. | ||
| LaRouche wanted seperate himself from classical fascism and totalitarianism on the one hand, but to also create a theory which is consistent with the premise of fascism since function dictates form; LaRouche requires the same function from his theory as classical fascism has, and so this dictates the form. | |||
| ⚫ | LaRouche's |
||
| In his theory, classical fascism is the apparent right wing thrust of what he calls a synarchist (literally, 'against anarchy) movement of International Bankers, and socialism/marxism/liberalism is it's left wing. Therefor, any other world leader, mass movement, or individual activist, could be accused by LaRouche of being a patsy or co-conspirator for either the left socialist or right facsist wing of the International Bankers conspiracy. This would mean that he alone stands as the only legitimate opposition 'from among the people'. | In his theory, classical fascism is the apparent right wing thrust of what he calls a synarchist (literally, 'against anarchy) movement of International Bankers, and socialism/marxism/liberalism is it's left wing. Therefor, any other world leader, mass movement, or individual activist, could be accused by LaRouche of being a patsy or co-conspirator for either the left socialist or right facsist wing of the International Bankers conspiracy. This would mean that he alone, and this he states publically, stands as the only legitimate opposition 'from among the people'. | ||
| =="Propadanda"== | =="Propadanda"== | ||
| The propaganda of LaRouche is often anti-capitalist, appealing to those layers of society, mostly, as mentioned above, small proprietors, but also the unemployed, students, and wage workers. However, their end goal is to save 'real' capitalism, to salvage and rescue that sector of the owning class which makes actual goods, industrialists (as opposed to money markets, speculation, and banking, which create no actual wealth). This economic form is called by LaRouche 'Hamiltonian economics' or 'Federalism', but historically it has been called 'state-capitalism' by Lenin and Keynes or 'coporatism' by Mussolini. The State - LaRouche in the White House - would take over and expropriate - what fascists call nationalize, what socialists call socialize, what LaRouche calls 'federalize' - the banks and userers and other 'parasitic' layers, waging total war on all "infections and diseases" which ail the "physical economy". Basically, he will divide the |
The propaganda of LaRouche is often both anti-capitalist and patriotic or nationalist, appealing to those layers of society, mostly, as mentioned above, small proprietors, but also the unemployed, students, and wage workers. The political organization they are allied with in Russia are the Nationalists, and in Italy LaRouche has the "Italian Solidarity Movement", MSI. However, their end goal, they claim, is to save 'real' capitalism, to salvage and rescue that sector of the owning class which makes actual goods, industrialists (as opposed to money markets, speculation, and banking, which create no actual wealth). This economic form is called by LaRouche 'Hamiltonian economics' or 'Federalism', but historically it has been called 'state-capitalism' by Lenin and Keynes or 'coporatism' by Mussolini. The State - LaRouche in the White House - would take over and expropriate - what fascists call nationalize, what socialists call socialize, what LaRouche calls 'federalize' - the banks and userers and other 'parasitic' layers, waging total war on all "infections and diseases" which ail the "physical economy". Basically, he will divide the owning class between those who he will expropriate 'federalize' (bankers), and those who will support him and share in the spoils (industrialists). One would only be reiterating to state that this is identitical in substance to the classical and openly fascist doctrines of Hitler and Mussolini, but it is also important to reiterate that LaRouche and his followers maintain that they are staunch anti-fascists. | ||
| =="The complex domain"== | =="The complex domain"== | ||
| The germ of all his political views is an understanding of what he terms "the complex domain". By this, scientists such as ] and ] mean the domain of the universal physical principles, or ]s, pertaining to both science and art, the interaction of which with man's sense organs produces the apparent, but paradoxical sensible universe. The resolution of such paradoxes by the method of creative hypothesis and proof-of-principle experiment, is the source of all knowledge. | The germ of all his publically stated political views since his reinvention as an anti-communist, is an understanding of what he terms "the complex domain". By this, scientists such as ] and ] mean the domain of the universal physical principles, or ]s, pertaining to both science and art, the interaction of which with man's sense organs produces the apparent, but paradoxical sensible universe. The resolution of such paradoxes by the method of creative hypothesis and proof-of-principle experiment, is the source of all knowledge. | ||
| From this ] understanding, LaRouche identifies the only true political conflict, as that between oligarchism, which declares man a kind of domesticable herd animal, and government based on the general welfare, which declares him made in the mental image of the Creator. In the latter, the only efficient agenda is the development of mankind's characteristic faculty for discovering, transmitting, and employing universal physical principles. | From this ] understanding, LaRouche identifies the only true political conflict, as that between oligarchism, which declares man a kind of domesticable herd animal, and government based on the general welfare, which declares him made in the mental image of the Creator. In the latter, the only efficient agenda is the development of mankind's characteristic faculty for discovering, transmitting, and employing universal physical principles. | ||
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| In ] of ], LaRouche was convicted of ] and ] in regards to the methods used by his organization to solicit approximately $34 million in loans. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in Minnesota, though he was given a early release in ] after serving five years. Prominent radical political figure and former statesman, Ramsey Clark, has helped to try to clear LaRouche's name, arguing that investigators and political opponents had gone overboard in their accusations. | In ] of ], LaRouche was convicted of ] and ] in regards to the methods used by his organization to solicit approximately $34 million in loans. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in Minnesota, though he was given a early release in ] after serving five years. Prominent radical political figure and former statesman, Ramsey Clark, has helped to try to clear LaRouche's name, arguing that investigators and political opponents had gone overboard in their accusations. | ||
| == External links == | == External links == | ||
Revision as of 08:32, 26 January 2004
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. (born September 8, 1922 as Lynn Marcus) is an American political figure, and a perennial candidate for President of the United States. While he associates himself with the Democratic Party, he has never been that party's nominee for office. He is a candidate for 2004 US Presidential Election.
His political views are extremely controversial and are characterized by his belief in a number of complex conspiracy theories, involving global plots to establish a frightening New World Order, involving such figures as the British Royal Family (especially the Duke of Edinburgh) and George H.W. Bush and other circles of International Bankers engaging in what he has characterized as a 'synarchist' political movement of the oligarchy. His opponents on the political conservative right have characterized him as a fascist and a communist, his opponents on the political liberal and socialist/communist left have characterized him as a fascist, Bonapartist, and a right populist.
"The Communist"
LaRouche began his career also within the Marxist-Socialist left, and was a member of the Socialist Workers Party (Trotskyist) from 1948 until 1965. In 1965 he left the SWP and was briefly associated with first Tim Wohlforth American Committee of the Fourth International and then Jim Robertsons Spartacist League, who themselves had also recently left the Socialist Worker's Party over the issue of Cuba and Castro.
LaRouche then declared the Fourth International to be bankrupt and left the Trotskyist factions of the Marxist-Socialist movement. However, it must be noted that this was not unusual for people to do at the time, as the post WWII era created much confusion and factionalism within the Trotskyist movement due to the success of Stalinism. Many former Trotskyists and active Trotskyists as well had regarded the 4th International project to be bankrupt long before LaRouche did. Gradually, LaRouche moved into the allegedly opportunist and rightward drifting elements within the New Left, calling for a 5th International.
What is interesting about LaRouche's early political career is that he was invovled in the highly activist and volantarist "vanguard" element in 20th century "Leninist" Marxism, which is considered by other Marxist schools as anything ranging from a slight defect to a complete and total break with Marxism - given Marxism's self proclaimed historical grounding as an egalitarian worker's movement.
The rise of Stalin and Stalinism in the USSR, one of the primary studies during the formative years of LaRouche, is considered by some to be an example of how the vanguard element in early 20th century Marxism (3rd International)became a pronounced philosophical influence on the rise of bureaucratism and Stalinism; and is considered to be alien to Marxism.
The Marxism of LaRouche was like that of Trotsky, vanguardist on the one hand, but opposed in principle to Stalinism and Stalin on the other. But Trotsky then also believed that he was better for the job than Stalin, based upon his own superior mental abilities. LaRouche considers himself, and has proclaimed publically to possess superior mental capacities, and the best qualified to lead, even going so far as to claim that he has the he is at the peak of his mental prowess at the age of 81. This invariably put him at odds later with Wolforth and Robertson. Notably, Wolforth and Robertson had the same falling out for the same reasons, as is typical of the leadership of most Trotskyist organizations past and present.
It was here that LaRouche, whose name at the time was Lyn Marcus, was impressed and shaped by the notion that history is made by great men, Leaders of Men, and not by the struggle of contending classes as Marx had said. Though this was never stated in any of the Trotskyist's works, since Trotskyism considers itself to be Marxism, LaRouche was shaped by how these organizations existed in fact. He was influenced into thinking that he was in fact the great man who could save history because he subscribed to the belief that the individual Trotsky could have had the power to set the USSR on a historical journey completely alien to what we know of and consider to be 'Stalinism'.
"The Fascist?"
After these entanglements he formed his own National Committee of Labor Committees recruiting from the collapsing New left. The NCLC was very strongly catastrophist claiming that economic crisis was on the immediate horizon. For this reason the NCLC had to build a leadership to prepare for the onrushing crisis. This led them to act in a very sectarian fashion towards rival leftist groups. This culminated in Operation Mop Up in which the NCLC decided to eliminate the Communist Party by attacking their meetings. After this no one regarded the NCLC as a legitimate part of the left. This is because there is an understanding among the various factions of the Marxist-Socialist movement and among radical leftists in general that organized violence is prohibited between them. A group which in reality, on the ground, concretely, attacks leftists, regardless of what they claim themselves to be; they are crossing over into doing the work of the ruling elite and the political right. This is considered by some sociologists and most all Marxists to be a primary component of fascism.
LaRouche distanced himself from the left all together, and claimed that his new socio-political movement trancends all traditional categories of left (socialist/liberal) and right (nationalist/hierarchical/conservative). It should be noted however that some anarchists - radical leftists by most people's accounts - also claim that their movement and philosophy trancends categories of left and right. Conversely; Fascists, National Socialists, and Phalangists - recognized by most to be of the radical right - also claim to have trancended the classical left and right categories.
In addition, most left groups have formally characterized his movement and ideology as fascist or neo-fascist. This is because his ideas and movement follow closely in form with what some call a fascist litmus test. These include, firstly, organized physical attacks on left groups, in particular the Socialist Worker's Party (of which he was a member for several devades)and the Communist Party. This sort of political violence against left groups is a hallmark of fascism, exemplified historically by Mussolini's Black shirts and Hitler's Brown shirts who also engaged in the same sort of political violence on Socialists and Communists, while conversely, organized attacks on Socialists and Communists in the most economically productive nations have never been carried out by any groups other than fascist groupings .
Secondly, his financial base of support, outside of many five and ten dollar contributions gathered by LaRouche organizers in normal public places like schools and shopping areas, comes from smaller proprietors and family businesses. Some from this social class feel uniquely pressured from both above and below - above by the multinational corporations and international bankers, who have more capital and strength - squeezing mom and pop operations out of business. From this, we understand the special attention that LaRouche has paid to Walmart, and pandering their propaganda to appeal to those most likely to despise Walmart. Walmart, along with large trusts and banks, represent ruin to the small proprietors, these mom and pop operations.
From below, this class of small proprietors and producers also is threatened by the propertyless mob, the many, the masses who also threaten small business owners because these masses often demand the same wages and benefits that only the large multinational firms can afford to pay (like the auto industry or other industrial sectors). This was the same base of support that Hitler and Mussolini initially based themselves upon before their movement picked up momentum. After Hitler and Mussolini were recognized by their respective nations largest productive and investment firms as salvation from and a bulwark against the anarchy and left-socialism of the masses below, their base of support also later then came to include the largest and wealthiest firms.
Similarly, LaRouche has also publically outlined a strategy to eventually garner support from the large and wealthy domestic industrialist firms, what Larouche considers the base of the'physical economy' (see more on physical economy below). LaRouche divides, somewhat accurately, the powerfull and wealthy groupings of the elite into two categories - industrialists and userers. Banking and usery are considered by LaRouche one of the causes of the social ills, holding back the progress and rational decisions of the industrialists. An example of an industrialist firm would be G.M or G.E, where as a userer would be something like J.P Morgan or the Rothchilds, Chase Manhattan Bank, or any family or grouping of bankers, investors, stock traders, in any sort of consortium.
Thirdly, there is the attempt to create a mass or popular movement from below which would push LaRouche into the position of being considered someone to take seriously; someone the industrialist side of the bourgeoisie would embrace and get behind in their struggle against their debtors (userers). Simultaneously, they would have the power and authority to check any other mass or popular movements which would hostile to the entire elite - both industrial firms and usery firms. These movements would typically be left groups, so the fact that LaRouche is willing to have his 'shirts' engage in physical attacks on leftists in the present and past is meant as an indicator to the ruling sectors that 'he' has what it takes to get the job done. Any reading in depth of LaRouche's platform, available through the link below, will confirm this.
Lastly, his philosophy (which he claims is not an ideology) is premised upon what some may call an idealization of the European Civilization of the 15th and 16th centuries, in particular the Renaissance, and states that he holds itself to be opposed to the Enlightenment Rationalists of the 18th century, as well as the modern socialisms of the 19th and 20th century.
His critics have then speculated that LaRouche understands that Facsism has a bad name, and the American psychology is very anti-fascist in name. This means that a fascist movement in the U.S would have to, as one of its platforms, state they are anti-fascists and produce a number of coherent theoretical works opposing fascism. Many believe that no mass movement in the U.S will spring up around the self-proclaimed banner of fascism. The industrialist sector of the owning class which LaRouche seeks to ally himself with would also have probably nothing to do with any group that called itself fascist if it wants to be a mass popular movement. Also, LaRouche is opposed to racism and his political organization is ethnically diverse. This makes it hard to label him a fascist as his critics do, but it should be noted historically that the original fascist movement - Mussolini in Italy - was not based on a theory of racial superiority. The racism associated with Italian Fascism is due to the influence of National Socialism and Hitler. However, after the rise of Hitler and the alliance with Nazi Germany, the Fascists and Mussolini were compelled to adopt Germany's racial hygene laws and help with the holocoust.
"A Cult?"
Some have stated that the LaRouche organization is a cult and numerous former members have claimed that the this is so. Many families have attempted interventions and in other few cases, youth who associated with the LaRouche group have disappeared and are still missing, police reports had been filed, etc. The LaRouche organization is said to be primarily recruited out of the personality types associated with political cults; lonely older people, alienated younger people. What takes shape in the organization is that there are two types; leaders (intellectuals, talkers) and followers (believers, listeners). LaRouche's approach to the intellectuals has been to invent a theory and method which would captivate their minds and set them upon a course of thinking and viewing the world which can only confirm the statements and ideas of LaRouche. LaRouche creates an ideology primarily out of those philosophers who had little if anythng to do with the intellectual roots of classical fascism (e.g nietchze, social-darwinism) but also those who had little to do with, or historically farther removed from, the intellectual roots of marxism - which LaRouche had reinvented himself as a staunch opponent.
Whereas classical fascism, in its general theory of who now rules the world, entails an elaborate conspiracy of International Bankers who simultanously support the most of evil of the capitalists and the most dangerous of the left-socialists (or communists, or anarchists). The classical fascist (conspiracy) theory then, is that the apparent forces of left and right are an illussion created by a single ruling elite of International Bankers. In the Hitlerite variation of this theory, these International Bankers are themselves either mostly or totally controlled by International Jewery.
LaRouche's ideas are intended to be pallatable and friendly to the American sensibility and are not stated to be upon the ideas of Nietchze, Hitler, or Marx, but rather based on Alexander Hamilton, Plato, Gauss, and others.
In his theory, classical fascism is the apparent right wing thrust of what he calls a synarchist (literally, 'against anarchy) movement of International Bankers, and socialism/marxism/liberalism is it's left wing. Therefor, any other world leader, mass movement, or individual activist, could be accused by LaRouche of being a patsy or co-conspirator for either the left socialist or right facsist wing of the International Bankers conspiracy. This would mean that he alone, and this he states publically, stands as the only legitimate opposition 'from among the people'.
"Propadanda"
The propaganda of LaRouche is often both anti-capitalist and patriotic or nationalist, appealing to those layers of society, mostly, as mentioned above, small proprietors, but also the unemployed, students, and wage workers. The political organization they are allied with in Russia are the Nationalists, and in Italy LaRouche has the "Italian Solidarity Movement", MSI. However, their end goal, they claim, is to save 'real' capitalism, to salvage and rescue that sector of the owning class which makes actual goods, industrialists (as opposed to money markets, speculation, and banking, which create no actual wealth). This economic form is called by LaRouche 'Hamiltonian economics' or 'Federalism', but historically it has been called 'state-capitalism' by Lenin and Keynes or 'coporatism' by Mussolini. The State - LaRouche in the White House - would take over and expropriate - what fascists call nationalize, what socialists call socialize, what LaRouche calls 'federalize' - the banks and userers and other 'parasitic' layers, waging total war on all "infections and diseases" which ail the "physical economy". Basically, he will divide the owning class between those who he will expropriate 'federalize' (bankers), and those who will support him and share in the spoils (industrialists). One would only be reiterating to state that this is identitical in substance to the classical and openly fascist doctrines of Hitler and Mussolini, but it is also important to reiterate that LaRouche and his followers maintain that they are staunch anti-fascists.
"The complex domain"
The germ of all his publically stated political views since his reinvention as an anti-communist, is an understanding of what he terms "the complex domain". By this, scientists such as Carl Friedrich Gauss and Bernhard Riemann mean the domain of the universal physical principles, or natural laws, pertaining to both science and art, the interaction of which with man's sense organs produces the apparent, but paradoxical sensible universe. The resolution of such paradoxes by the method of creative hypothesis and proof-of-principle experiment, is the source of all knowledge.
From this platonic understanding, LaRouche identifies the only true political conflict, as that between oligarchism, which declares man a kind of domesticable herd animal, and government based on the general welfare, which declares him made in the mental image of the Creator. In the latter, the only efficient agenda is the development of mankind's characteristic faculty for discovering, transmitting, and employing universal physical principles.
"Criminal Record"
In December of 1988, LaRouche was convicted of conspiracy and mail fraud in regards to the methods used by his organization to solicit approximately $34 million in loans. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in Minnesota, though he was given a early release in 1993 after serving five years. Prominent radical political figure and former statesman, Ramsey Clark, has helped to try to clear LaRouche's name, arguing that investigators and political opponents had gone overboard in their accusations.
External links
- Lyndon LaRouche 2004 Presidential campaign
- Lyndon LaRouche: Fascism Wrapped in an American Flag
- Executive Intelligence Review: LaRouche Publications
- Lyndon LaRouche's Long Campaign (Newsday article on LaRouche's record of eight consecutive Presidential campaigns)
- World LaRouche Youth Movement