I too would expect GE to go right rather than left, today. But, Thomas Ferguson in his _The Golden Rule_ showed how in the US the experience was very different in the 1930s into the post war. GE and capital intensive industries tended to go New Deal, while the small and labor intensive businesses representing the NAM crowd, supported the right....
Jeffrey Sommers, Assistant Professor Department of History North Georgia College & State University Dahlonega, GA 30597 Ph.: 706-864-1913 or 1903 Fax: 706-864-1873 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Research Associate, World History Center Northeastern University, Boston Url: www.whc.neu.edu Research Associate Institute of Globalization Studies, Moscow http://www.iprog.ru/en/ -- on 2/12/04 02:22, Louis Proyect at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> Jim Stanford in his book "Paper Boom" discusses this issue at great >> length including a lot of empirical data demonstrating the superior >> economic and 'political' position of large firms vs small business. >> Small business tends to gravitate to a demagogic, right-wing populist >> position, often tinged with racisim because of competition from >> immigrants who 'self-exploit' in easy to enter sectors such as ethnic >> restaurants, mom-and-pop stores, truck farming and personal services. >> >> Paul Phillips > > On the other hand, it was the big monopolies based in heavy industry that > backed Adolph Hitler. Light industry, retail and real estate tended to back > the social democrats or the liberal parties. Small business did provide > many of the Nazi activists, but in the final analysis it was the Krupps et > al who made Nazism possible. In the USA, if we ever face such a threat in > the future, I would fully expect GE, GM, Exxon and Boeing to fund our > home-grown fascist parties. > > > Louis Proyect > Marxism list: www.marxmail.org
