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'''Saul Alinsky''' (1909 - 1972) was a liberal community organizer in Chicago who developed a method of local organizing that was widely copied by Democrats, and influenced [[Barack Obama]] and [[Hillary Clinton]]. He is credited with coining the term "community organizer."  His most well-known accomplishment was the book ''Rules for Radicals''.  He wanted reform inside the system by pressuring government officials to take into account the needs and wants of neighborhood residents. He was opposed by far-left radicals who wanted to destroy capitalism and who feared that Alinsky was strengthening it by resolving the issues most important to the poor.  

'''Saul Alinsky''' (1909 - 1972) was a liberal community organizer in Chicago who developed a method of local organizing that was widely copied by Democrats, and influenced [[Barack Obama]] and [[Hillary Clinton]]. He is credited with coining the term "community organizer."  His most well-known accomplishment was the book ''Rules for Radicals''.  He wanted reform inside the system by pressuring government officials to take into account the needs and wants of neighborhood residents. He was opposed by far-left radicals who wanted to destroy [[capitalism]] and who feared that Alinsky was strengthening it by resolving the issues most important to the poor.  

He was awarded a doctorate in archeology from the University of Chicago and was awarded a fellowship in sociology, which he never completed. He was nicknamed "The Red" for his radicalism --his book was dedicated tongue-in-cheek to Lucifer, the first radical. <ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&PageId=76170 Guess who recommended Obama to enter Harvard] Worldnetdaily, September 24, 2008</ref>

He was awarded a doctorate in archaeology from the [[University of Chicago]] and was awarded a fellowship in sociology, which he never completed. He was nicknamed "The Red" for his radicalism --his book was dedicated tongue-in-cheek to Lucifer, the first radical. <ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&PageId=76170 Guess who recommended Obama to enter Harvard] Worldnetdaily, September 24, 2008</ref>

Alinsky's approach to community organizing stressed "self interest as the generating reality of life." This view arose from his experiences in the [[Congress of Industrial Organizations]] (CIO) as an organizer in the style of labor union leaders [[Samuel Gompers]] and [[John L. Lewis]]. Alinsky produced notable results like the Back of the Yard and the Woodlawn organizations in Chicago. Alinsky and his Industrial Areas Foundation utilized confrontational tactics and dramatic protests to help members gain bargaining status and a larger share of the local pie. He disavowed with increasing vigor any national issue strategy or ideological outlook. The weakness of his emphasis on the organizer as a tactician only and the granting of control to those organized was that racist goals could be chosen by the membership as a whole.<ref> Alan S. Miller, "Saul Alinsky: America's Radical Reactionary." ''Radical America'' 1987 21(1): 11-18. 0033-7617 </ref>  

Alinsky's approach to community organizing stressed "self interest as the generating reality of life." This view arose from his experiences in the [[Congress of Industrial Organizations]] (CIO) as an organizer in the style of labor union leaders [[Samuel Gompers]] and [[John L. Lewis]]. Alinsky produced notable results like the Back of the Yard and the Woodlawn organizations in Chicago. Alinsky and his Industrial Areas Foundation utilized confrontational tactics and dramatic protests to help members gain bargaining status and a larger share of the local pie. He disavowed with increasing vigor any national issue strategy or ideological outlook. The weakness of his emphasis on the organizer as a tactician only and the granting of control to those organized was that racist goals could be chosen by the membership as a whole.<ref> Alan S. Miller, "Saul Alinsky: America's Radical Reactionary." ''Radical America'' 1987 21(1): 11-18. 0033-7617 </ref>  

Alinsky had a tendency to rub the sores of a community raw.  During the [[Great Society]] campaigns of [[Lyndon Johnson]], he pushed the Eastman Kodak Company to hire more black workers.  However, his hard-knock, do-anything techniques rubbed many leaders the wrong way, and in 1967 he found himself without a contract.  This led him to label [[Lyndon Johnson|Johnson]]'s "war on poverty" as a political pork barrel.

Alinsky had a tendency to rub the sores of a community raw.  During the [[Great Society]] campaigns of [[Lyndon Johnson]], he pushed the Eastman Kodak Company to hire more black workers.  However, his hard-knock, do-anything techniques rubbed many leaders the wrong way, and in 1967 he found himself without a contract.  This led him to label [[Lyndon Johnson|Johnson]]'s "war on poverty" as a political pork barrel.

The Black Panther movement in the 1960s made it hard for Alinsky to organize the black populace; they had a difficult time dealing with white leadership.  He finally settled with organizing middle-class white Americans to protest against the deterioration of the suburban markets.

The [[Black Panther]] movement in the 1960s made it hard for Alinsky to organize the black populace; they had a difficult time dealing with white leadership.  He finally settled with organizing middle-class white Americans to protest against the deterioration of the suburban markets.

==Association with subversive organizations==

==Association with subversive organizations==

The [[CPUSA]] newspaper, the ''[[Daily Worker]]'' named Alinsky as one of the sponsors of a dinner for Pearl Hart, a notorious [[communist front]]er, arranged by the [[Midwest Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born]].  Alinsky was identified in the ''Daily Worker'' as chairman of the Public Housing Association of Chicago Illinois. The [[American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born]], with which the Midwest Committee was affiliated, was cited by the President [[Harry S. Truman]]'s Attorney General [[Thomas Clark]] as [[subversive]] and [[Communist]].  It was also cited by the Special [[Committee on Un-American Activities]] as one of the oldest auxillaries of the [[Communist Party of the United States]].<ref>[http://www.usasurvival.org/docs/Scope_of_Soviet_Activity.pdf Reports of the Commission on Subversive Activities of the Territory of Hawaii], p. 12 pdf.</ref>

The [[CPUSA]] newspaper, the ''[[Daily Worker]]'' named Alinsky as one of the sponsors of a dinner for Pearl Hart, a notorious [[communist front]]er, arranged by the [[Midwest Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born]].  Alinsky was identified in the ''Daily Worker'' as chairman of the Public Housing Association of Chicago Illinois. The [[American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born]], with which the Midwest Committee was affiliated, was cited by the President [[Harry S. Truman]]'s Attorney General [[Thomas Clark]] as [[subversive]] and [[Communist]].  It was also cited by the Special [[Committee on Un-American Activities]] as one of the oldest auxillaries of the [[Communist Party of the United States]].<ref>[http://www.usasurvival.org/docs/Scope_of_Soviet_Activity.pdf Reports of the Commission on Subversive Activities of the Territory of Hawaii], p. 12 pdf.</ref>

==Legacy==

==Legacy==

Many right-wing talk radio hosts, such as [[Rush Limbaugh]], [[Sean Hannity]], and Michael Savage, attribute many of the strategies of the [[Democratic Party]] to Alinsky's ''Rules For Radicals''.  [[Hillary Clinton]]'s senior honors thesis was an analysis of the works of Saul Alinsky and the effect that they have on politics today.  [[Barack Obama]] can also trace his roots to the teachings of Saul Alinsky.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10305695 NPR, ''Democrats and the Legacy of Activist Saul Alinsky'' (audio file)]</ref> Obama had a passion for Alinsky's work. Before he left Harvard, Barack wrote "After Alinsky: Community Organizing in Illinois." Under the tutelage of an Alinsky admirer John L. McKnight, Obama says he got the "best education I ever had, better than anything I got at Harvard Law School." <ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&PageId=76170 Guess who recommended Obama to enter Harvard] Worldnetdaily, September 24, 2008</ref>

Many right-wing talk radio hosts, such as [[Rush Limbaugh]], [[Sean Hannity]], and [[Michael Savage]], attribute many of the strategies of the [[Democratic Party]] to Alinsky's ''Rules For Radicals''.  [[Hillary Clinton]]'s senior honors thesis was an analysis of the works of Saul Alinsky and the effect that they have on politics today.  [[Barack Obama]] can also trace his roots to the teachings of Saul Alinsky.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10305695 NPR, ''Democrats and the Legacy of Activist Saul Alinsky'' (audio file)]</ref> Obama had a passion for Alinsky's work. Before he left Harvard, Barack wrote "After Alinsky: Community Organizing in Illinois." Under the tutelage of an Alinsky admirer John L. McKnight, Obama says he got the "best education I ever had, better than anything I got at Harvard Law School." <ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&PageId=76170 Guess who recommended Obama to enter Harvard] Worldnetdaily, September 24, 2008</ref>

== Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" ==

== Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" ==

Alinsky wrote: ''"What follows is for those who want to change the world from what it is to what they believe it should be. The Prince was written by Machiavelli for the Haves on how to hold power. Rules for Radicals is written for the Have-Nots on how to take it away."''  

Alinsky wrote: ''"What follows is for those who want to change the world from what it is to what they believe it should be. The Prince was written by Machiavelli for the Haves on how to hold power. Rules for Radicals is written for the Have-Nots on how to take it away."''  

* Horwitt, Sanford D.  ''Let Them Call Me Rebel: Saul Alinsky: His Life and Legacy'' (1992), 595pp

* Horwitt, Sanford D.  ''Let Them Call Me Rebel: Saul Alinsky: His Life and Legacy'' (1992), 595pp

* Levine, Charles F. "Understanding Alinsky, Conservative Wine In Radical Bottles." ''American Behavioral Scientist'' 1973 17(2): 279-284.  

* Levine, Charles F. "Understanding Alinsky, Conservative Wine In Radical Bottles." ''American Behavioral Scientist'' 1973 17(2): 279-284.  

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:1960s]]

[[Category:1960s]]

[[Category:1950s]]

[[Category:1950s]]