Farrell Dobbs
Encyclopedia
Farrell Dobbs was an American Trotskyist and trade unionist.
He was born in Queen City, Missouri
where his father was a worker in a coal mine. They moved to Minneapolis
, and he graduated from North High School in 1925. In 1926, he left for North Dakota
to find work, but returned the following fall. At this point, young Farrell Dobbs was a conservative Republican and supported Herbert Hoover
for President. However, his political viewpoint was changed during the Great Depression
in the 1930s. Seeing the plight of workers in that situation (including himself), he became politically radicalized to the left.
In 1933, while working for the Pittsburgh Coal Company
in Minneapolis, Dobbs joined the Teamsters
and after getting to know the three Trotskyist Dunne brothers, (Miles, Vincent & Grant Dunne) and Swedish socialist Carl Skoglund
, he joined the Communist League of America
. Dobbs was one of the initiators of a general strike in Minneapolis
, and for a while worked full-time as a union organiser, but quit in 1939 to work for the new Socialist Workers Party
(SWP). Dobbs met the Russian revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky
when he visited Mexico shortly before Trotsky's death in 1940.
For opposing World War II, he and other leaders of the SWP and the Minneapolis Teamsters were convicted of violating the Smith Act
which made it illegal to "conspire to advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government." He served over a year in Sandstone Prison during 1944-1945.
After his release, he became the editor of the SWP's newspaper, The Militant
. From 1948 to 1960 he was the SWP's candidate for President of the United States
and succeeded James P. Cannon
as national secretary of the party in 1953.
In 1960, Farrell Dobbs and Joseph Hansen
, Trotsky’s former secretary in Mexico, went to Cuba to experience the revolutionary movement there. The two American Trotskyists came to the conclusion to fully support the Cuban Revolution
and the leadership of Fidel Castro
and Che Guevara
.
Farrell Dobbs retired in 1972 but remained in the party to his death in 1983.
He was born in Queen City, Missouri
Queen City, Missouri
Queen City is a city in Schuyler County, Missouri, United States. The population was 598 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kirksville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
where his father was a worker in a coal mine. They moved to Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, and he graduated from North High School in 1925. In 1926, he left for North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
to find work, but returned the following fall. At this point, young Farrell Dobbs was a conservative Republican and supported Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
for President. However, his political viewpoint was changed during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in the 1930s. Seeing the plight of workers in that situation (including himself), he became politically radicalized to the left.
In 1933, while working for the Pittsburgh Coal Company
Pittsburgh Coal Company
The Pittsburgh Coal Company was a bituminous coal mining company, controlled by the Mellon family. It later merged with Consolidation Coal Company, controlled by the Rockefeller family.-Coal Mines:...
in Minneapolis, Dobbs joined the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
and after getting to know the three Trotskyist Dunne brothers, (Miles, Vincent & Grant Dunne) and Swedish socialist Carl Skoglund
Carl Skoglund
Carl Skoglund was a Swedish-American socialist, affectionately called Skogie by all his American friends and comrades. He was born in Dalsland and went to the United States in 1911. After spending some time in the I.W.W...
, he joined the Communist League of America
Communist League of America
The Communist League of America was founded by James P. Cannon, Max Shachtman and Martin Abern late in 1928 after their expulsion from the Communist Party USA for Trotskyism. The CLA was the United States section of Leon Trotsky's International Left Opposition and initially positioned itself as...
. Dobbs was one of the initiators of a general strike in Minneapolis
Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934
The Minneapolis General Strike of 1934 grew out of a strike by Teamsters against most of the trucking companies operating in Minneapolis, a major distribution center for the Upper Midwest. The strike began on May 16, 1934 in the Market District and ensuing violence lasted periodically throughout...
, and for a while worked full-time as a union organiser, but quit in 1939 to work for the new Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (United States)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
(SWP). Dobbs met the Russian revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
when he visited Mexico shortly before Trotsky's death in 1940.
For opposing World War II, he and other leaders of the SWP and the Minneapolis Teamsters were convicted of violating the Smith Act
Smith Act
The Alien Registration Act or Smith Act of 1940 is a United States federal statute that set criminal penalties for advocating the overthrow of the U.S...
which made it illegal to "conspire to advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government." He served over a year in Sandstone Prison during 1944-1945.
After his release, he became the editor of the SWP's newspaper, The Militant
The Militant
The Militant is an international Socialist newsweekly connected to the Socialist Workers Party and the Pathfinder Tendency. It is published in the United States and distributed in other countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Sweden, Iceland, and New...
. From 1948 to 1960 he was the SWP's candidate for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and succeeded James P. Cannon
James P. Cannon
James Patrick "Jim" Cannon was an American Trotskyist and a leader of the Socialist Workers Party.Born on February 11, 1890 in Rosedale, Kansas, he joined the Socialist Party of America in 1908 and the Industrial Workers of the World in 1911...
as national secretary of the party in 1953.
Joseph Hansen (socialist)
Joseph Leroy Hansen , was an American Trotskyist and leading figure in the Socialist Workers Party.Born in Richfield, Utah, Joseph Hansen was the oldest of 15 children in a poor working class family, and he was the only one of them who could attend college. His father, Conrad J. Z...
, Trotsky’s former secretary in Mexico, went to Cuba to experience the revolutionary movement there. The two American Trotskyists came to the conclusion to fully support the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
and the leadership of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
and Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
.
Farrell Dobbs retired in 1972 but remained in the party to his death in 1983.
Works
Dobbs was the author of a four-volume history/memoir of the Minneapolis struggles, Teamster Rebellion, Teamster Power, Teamster Politics & Teamster Bureaucracy, and had completed two volumes of a planned history of the Marxist movement in the United States at the time of his death, called Revolutionary Continuity: The Early Years, 1848-1917 & Birth of the Communist Movement, 1918-1922.- Trade union problems New York: Pioneer Publishers, 1941
- The Voice of socialism: radio speeches by the Socialist Workers Party candidates in the 1948 election (with Grace CarlsonGrace CarlsonGrace Holmes Carlson was an American communist politician. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Carlson was raised in local Catholic schools. As a leading member of the Socialist Workers Party she was imprisoned in 1941 under the Smith Act together with many other SWP leaders for opposing the US...
and James Cannon) New York, Pioneer Publishers 1948 - Recent trends in the labor movement New York : National Education Dept., Socialist Workers Party, 1967
- The structure and organizational principals of the party New York : National Education Dept., Socialist Workers Party, 1971
- Teamster rebellion New York: Pathfinder Press 1972
- Teamster power New York: Pathfinder Press 1973
- Teamster politics New York: Pathfinder Press 1975
- Teamster bureaucracy New York: Pathfinder Press 1977
- Counter-mobilization: a strategy to fight racist and fascist attacks New York : National Education Dept., Socialist Workers Party, 1976
- Revolutionary continuity: Marxist leadership in the U.S. Vol. 1 The early years, 1848-1917 New York : Monad Press : Distributed by Pathfinder Press 1980
- Revolutionary continuity: Marxist leadership in the U.S. Vol. 2 Birth of the Communist movement, 1918-1922 New York : Monad Press : Distributed by Pathfinder Press 1983
- A political biography of Walter Reuther: the record of an opportunist by Beatrice Hansen New York: Pathfinder Press 1987 2nd ed. (contains Dobbs' essay Meany vs. Reuther)