Political Radicalism in the 1920s and 1930s: a Focus on the Southwestern United States of America

Abstract

My aim in writing this thesis is to examine the phenomena of political radicalism that took place in the 1920s and 1930s, with an emphasis on the southwest region of the United States of America, in particular the Californian state. The general condition of those years from an economic, social, and political point of view will be the subject of study in the first chapter, moving from the numerous waves of strikes, to the issue of immigration, to the interesting suggestions for a potential Californian pension system. The second part will instead center on Upton Sinclair, a socialist author of best-sellers including the celebrated The Jungle who also ran for governor of California in 1934. The third and last part will focus on Carey McWilliams, a writer and lawyer best known for his works on Californian politics and culture. In the latter half of his life, he also served as editor of The Nation newspaper for twenty years.