Bibliography

Sources:

"Socialism and America" by Irving Howe Harcourt Brace Jovonich Publishers, USA, 1985

"War, Peace, and All That Jazz" by Joy Hakim Oxford University Press, USA, 2003

"An Age of Extremes" by Joy Hakim Oxford University Press, USA, 2003

The Book's Publication and the Personal Opinions of Betty Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was not published in the time that it takes place in, but about 30 years later in 1943. It is not a large time difference, but it is enough that peoples attitudes had changed and the Great Depression had just ended. At the end of the Great Depression, socialist ideas were popularized again, although not as immensely as they had been in the early 1900s. The book supports socialism, and may be partially responsible for that gain. Since the book was almost instantly popularized and discussed, the ideas in it were spread and were most likely adopted by some.
The Nolans of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn are obviously poor, struggling to make the money necessary to make ends meet. They would most likely benefit from socialism, as it creates a more classless society. They are an example of where U.S. government system does not actually work for everyone, much as it seems to. They slip through society's cracks, and are ignored in government because, being poor, they are not given as much power. Despite this, Johnny Nolan still is strictly Democratic. This may be a point that Betty Smith has - that socalism may, indeed, help this country.
"'Anybody can ride in those cabs, provided, the got the money. So you can see what a free country we got here,'"says Johnny Nolan in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
"'What's free about it if you have to pay?'" Francie asks.
Francie has a point, one Betty Smith tries to make with her book. Democracy is not free to anyone but the aristocrats. The poor cannot afford to ride the city bus, or to travel at all for that matter, nor can they afford to go to college, or to do much of anything in society. Socialism would allow them to do that. Through this, Betty Smith shows the downfalls of Democracy and the advantages of socialism.

Opposing Views of Socialism

There are a few reasons why people oppose the socialism idea, particularly in the time when A Tree Grows in Brooklyn takes place. One is fear. Many socialists were radicalists, and were unafraid to make great sacrifices and to ask (or force) people to make great sacrifices fo their belief. It was also a new idea, and an idea that related to the communism they had seen fail miserably under totalitarian rulers. Obviously, it scared them to consider socialism becuase of this. Another reason is the famous "everyone else is doing it". Many U.S. citizens, support domacracy at all costs, and capitalism. To support socialism is to stick out like a sore thumb, and to have a belief that few support. Children are raised on the beliefs of those around them, and thus they are also raised to be anti-socialists. This conversation between Johnny Nolan and his daughter, Francie, from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, illustrates that point. (the conversation is about riding in cabs for free)
"'Wouldn't it be more of a free country,' persisted Francie, 'if we could ride in them free?'
'No.'
'Why?'
'Because that would be Socialism,' concluded Johnny triumphantly, ' and we won't want that over here.'
'Why?'
'Because we got Democracy, and that's the best thing there is.'"

Socialism: The Idea

The idea of socialism is often considered to be a compromise between capitalism and communism. The government does not control every part of a person's life, such as their occupation, and how much one earns is based on how much they work. But the government pays for certain things with taxes. The government has more control over trade and economics than in capitalism where the individual citizens control the economy. Communism is based on needs, socialism is based on deeds. A person cannot be lazy in socialist society and still get as much benefit as some one who works hard, but they are given equal opportunity to perform well.

Eugene V. Debs and the Election of 1912

Eugene V. Debs ran for president as part of the Socialist Party in 1904, 1908 and 1912, around the time A Tree Grows in Brooklyn takes place. He, along with his running partner, Emil Seidel (Ben Hanford in 1904), won 897, 011 votes out of the 92,228,496 people in the United States. Debs was a radicalists, his ideas were radical and he believed in sacrifice for them.

1912 was an important year for the Socialist Party. People were begginning to consider the idea, or at least recognize it. The Socialist Party's membership skyrocketed to its' highest population, about 118,000 people. It polled about 6% of the population in 1912 and there were more than 1000 socialists in government offices around the country.

Prologue

This blog is not a frequently updated blog. It is not a blog for any kind of social purposes, nor is it a blog for personal information. It is for a school English project and, knowing Blogger, will probably never be viewed by anyone whom I have not specifically asked to view it. However, all are welcome to read. The flowing is an examination of the book, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith, focusing particularly on the idea of socialism and politics it brings up and the environment it was released into.