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The '''John Birch Society''' is a [[Conservative]] [[American]] anti-[[Communist]] organization. It was moderately active in the 1960s with numerous chapters, but rarely engaged in coalition building with other conservatives. Starting with its leader--who considered President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] a Communist stooge, it was deeply distrustful of all presidents since Franklin Roosevelt. The John Birch Society was a favorite target of liberals--some of whom laughed and others pointed to it as a dangerous organization of the "radical right" that aimed to subvert democracy. In practice, the Society actually did little more than publish pamphlets and sponsor local discussion groups.
The '''John Birch Society''' is a conservative American anti-Communist organization founded in 1958 with chapters around the country. It never had a major impact on politics. It is still in operation, but is mentioned mostly by liberals who want to attack conservatives in general.
==Rejected by most conservatives==
It was moderately active in the 1960s with numerous chapters, but rarely engaged in coalition building with other conservatives. Indeed, it was rejected by most conservatives because of the outlandish conspiracy theories of its leader [[Robert Welch]]. [[William F. Buckley]] and his ''National Review'' regularly attacked Welch, and by 1965 was attacking the Society as well. Starting with Welch considered conservative President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] a Communist stooge, it was deeply distrustful of all presidents since Franklin Roosevelt.
Eisenhower cabinet member [[Ezra Taft Benson]], a leading Mormon, spoke in fabor of the John Birch Society, but in January 1963 the Mormon church issued a statement distancing itself from the Society.<ref>Gregory A. Prince, "The Red Peril, the Candy Maker, and the Apostle: David O. Mckay's Confrontation with Communism," ''Dialogue: a Journal of Mormon Thought'' 2004 37(2): 37-94, </ref>
==Liberal target==
The John Birch Society was a favorite target of liberals--some of whom laughed and others pointed to it as a dangerous organization of the "radical right" that aimed to subvert democracy. In practice, the Society actually did little more than publish pamphlets and sponsor local discussion groups.
The organization was founded by [[Robert Welch]] in 1958 to aid America in fighting Communist infiltration of the [[United States]]. He targeted collectivist infiltration from communists, [[fascists]], the [[United Nations]], and various front groups. Welch said he named the Society after [[John Birch]], the first American to die in the [[Cold War]].
The organization was founded by [[Robert Welch]] in 1958 to aid America in fighting Communist infiltration of the [[United States]]. He targeted collectivist infiltration from communists, [[fascists]], the [[United Nations]], and various front groups. Welch said he named the Society after [[John Birch]], the first American to die in the [[Cold War]].
The Birch Society has an active publication and reprint program. Reflecting its distrust of national leadership over the last 70 years, many of the books blame the White House and national leaders for deliberately damaging the national interest--for example, by encouraging the Japanese to sink the American fleet at Pearl Harbor.
The Birch Society has an active publication and reprint program. Reflecting its distrust of national leadership over the last 70 years, many of the books blame the White House and national leaders for deliberately damaging the national interest--for example, by encouraging the Japanese to sink the American fleet at Pearl Harbor.
==See Also==
==Members==
One survey in the early 1970s found the typical John Birch Society member was middle or upper-middle class, Republican and Protestant. He was also fairly young and well educated: the majority of the sample was under 40 at time of recruitment and had completed at least three years of college. A later survey in the mid 1980s found the membership then was disproportionately Southwesterners, young, urban, male, and Catholic. They were consistently conservative on secular issues, antigovernment, and negative toward communism. The evidence does not support liberal notions that irrationality, social strains, or status anxiety explained their beliefs.<ref>Stone (1974); Wilcox (1988) </ref>
==Further reading==
* McGirr, Lisa. ''Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right'' (2001), focus on Los Angeles suburbs in 1960s
* Stone, Barbara S. "The John Birch Society: a Profile," ''Journal of Politics'' 1974 36(1): 184-197,
* Wilcox, Clyde. "Sources of Support for the Old Right: a Comparison of the John Birch Society and the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade." ''Social Science History'' 1988 12(4): 429-450,
===Primary sources===
*Robert W. Welch Jr. ''The blue book of the John Birch Society''. Boston: Western Islands, 1961.
*Robert W. Welch Jr. ''The blue book of the John Birch Society''. Boston: Western Islands, 1961.
*Robert W. Welch Jr. and the John Birch Society ''The White Book of the John Birch Society for 1964.'' Belmont: John Birch Society, 1961.
*Robert W. Welch Jr. and the John Birch Society ''The White Book of the John Birch Society for 1964.'' Belmont: John Birch Society, 1961.