The ''International Socialist Review'' was a monthly

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

published in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

by Charles H. Kerr & Co. from 1900 until 1918. The magazine was chiefly a

Marxist Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...

theoretical A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may be ...

journal during its first years under the editorship of

A.M. Simons Algie Martin Simons (1870–1950) was an American socialist journalist, newspaper editor, and political activist, best remembered as the editor of ''International Socialist Review (1900), The International Socialist Review'' for nearly a decade. ...

. Beginning in 1908 the publication took a turn to the left with publisher Charles H. Kerr taking over the main editorial task. The later ''Review'' (as it was called by its contemporaries) featured heavy use of photographic illustration on glossy paper and mixed news of the contemporary

labor movement The labour movement or labor movement consists of two main wings: the trade union movement (British English) or labor union movement (American English) on the one hand, and the political labour movement on the other. * The trade union movement ...

with its typical theoretical fare. Loyal to the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

throughout the entire course of its existence, the ''International Socialist Review'' after 1908 was recognized as one of the primary voices of the party's left wing. It defended the concept of

revolutionary socialism Revolutionary socialism is a political philosophy, doctrine, and tradition within socialism that stresses the idea that a social revolution is necessary to bring about structural changes in society. More specifically, it is the view that revolut ...

against those who would reduce the Socialist Party to a party of ameliorative reform, expounded upon the syndicalist ideas of the revolutionary industrial union known as the

Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), members of which are commonly termed "Wobblies", is an international labor union that was founded in Chicago in 1905. The origin of the nickname "Wobblies" is uncertain. IWW ideology combines general ...

, consistently fought against the expansion of

militarism Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...

being pushed forward by the so-called "Preparedness" movement, and provided a vehicle for the leaders of the

Zimmerwald Left The Zimmerwald Conference was held in Zimmerwald, Switzerland, from September 5 to 8, 1915. It was the first of three international socialist conferences convened by anti-militarist socialist parties from countries that were originally neutral ...

to relay their ideas to an American audience. After American intervention in the European World War in 1917, the ''International Socialist Review'' came under increasing pressure from the

U.S. Post Office Department The United States Post Office Department (USPOD; also known as the Post Office or U.S. Mail) was the predecessor of the United States Postal Service, in the form of a Cabinet department, officially from 1872 to 1971. It was headed by the postma ...

and

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...

. Its loss of mailing privileges at the hands of the Wilson administration's

Postmaster General A Postmaster General, in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters. The practice of having a government official responsib ...

Albert S. Burleson Albert Sidney Burleson (June 7, 1863 – November 24, 1937) was a progressive Democrat who served as United States Postmaster General and Representative in Congress. He was a strong supporter of William Jennings Bryan and Woodrow Wilson, so Wil ...

in 1917 sounded the death knell for the publication. The magazine died early in 1918, chiefly due to this government pressure. A brief attempt to revive the publication as ''The Labor Scrapbook'' under the editorship of

Mary Marcy Mary Edna Tobias Marcy (May 8, 1877 – December 8, 1922) was an American socialist author, pamphleteer, poet, and magazine editor. She is best remembered for her muckraking series of magazine articles on the meat industry, "Letters of a Pork Pac ...

, Kerr's chief lieutenant, proved unsuccessful in 1918.

Publication history

Simons period (1900–1908)

''International Socialist Review'' was edited from 1900 to 1908 by Algie M. Simons, formerly of

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. Under Simons, the magazine served as a sounding board for various theoretical questions which were dividing the socialist movement.Allen Ruff, ''International Socialist Review,'' in

Mari Jo Buhle Mari Jo Buhle (born 1943) is an American historian and William J. Kenan Jr. University Professor Emerita at Brown University. Early life and education Buhle was born in 1943 as Mari Jo Kupski. She graduated from North Chicago Community High S ...

Paul Buhle Paul Merlyn Buhle (born September 27, 1944) is a (retired) Senior Lecturer at Brown University, author or editor of 35 volumes including histories of radicalism in the United States and the Caribbean, studies of popular culture, and a series ...

, and

Dan Georgakas Dan Georgakas ( el, Νταν Γεωργακάς; 1938–2021) was an American anarchist poet and historian, who specialized in oral history and the American labor movement, best known for the publication ''Detroit: I do mind dying: A study in u ...

(eds,), ''Encyclopedia of the American Left.'' First Edition, New York: Garland Publishing, 1990; pp. 374-375. The magazine gave particular attention to the role of the socialist movement towards the American farmer, an issue held near and dear both by editor Simons (author of a 1902 book on the topic) as well as by J.A. Wayland of the '' Appeal to Reason,'' the largest circulation socialist newspaper of its era. The tone of the early ''Review'' was temperate and the policies advocated modest. The publication was fully reflective of what one historian has called "the rather moderate social-democratic perspective of Simons and other Socialists of the 'Center.'"Herbert G. Gutman, "The International Socialist Review: Chicago, 1900-1918," in

Joseph R. Conlin Joseph R. Conlin (born January 7, 1940) is an American historian and academic who in 1995 retired amid controversy from his duties as professor of American history at California State University at Chico. Biography Conlin was born in Philadelph ...

(ed.), ''The Radical Press in America, 1880-1960.'' Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1974; vol. 1, pg. 82. From its beginnings in the summer of 1900, the publication managed to achieve a modest circulation of about 4,000, about three-quarters of which obtained the publication by mail rather than via sales at newsstands or via bundle orders by local socialist organizations.

Post-Simons period (1908–1918)

Due to a disagreement over fundamental principles, with Simons' views becoming steadily more moderate while those of his employer became increasingly radical, publisher Charles H. Kerr fired editor Simons in 1908. Kerr worked to make the previously dry and academic publication into what he called "the fighting magazine of socialism," making use of dramatic photography in telling the story of contemporary labor struggles against the forces of

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for Profit (economics), profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, pric ...

. As historian Allen Ruff notes, the revitalized ''Review'' took a very different form than its predecessor:

"Liberally illustrated with 'action fotos' and original graphics, the revamped ''ISR'' carried firsthand reports of major strikes, lockouts, organizing drives, and employers' offensives as well as theoretical and political discussions. Kerr's work with longtime associates Mary and Leslie Marcy and an editorial board including left-wingers William D. "Big Bill" Haywood, Frank Bohn, and poet/illustrator Ralph Chaplin raised the ''Review's'' circulation from nearly 6,000 in 1908 to over 40,000 by 1911."

The ''Review'' soon became the major organ of the "left wing" of the Socialist Party, which was critical of what it perceived to be an obsession of many national figures in the party with ameliorative reform.Gutman, ''The International Socialist Review,'' vol. 1, pg. 83. The circulation and influence of the ''Review'' was further enhanced with the 1910 termination of '' The Socialist,'' a weekly newspaper published in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

Hermon F. Titus Hermon Franklin Titus (1852–1931) was an American socialist activist and newspaper publisher. Originally a Baptist minister (Christianity), minister before becoming a medical doctor, Titus is best remembered as a factional leader of the Washingt ...

which had gained national attention and readership as a left wing voice. By July 1910, the monthly circulation of the ''Review'' had grown to 27,000 copies. The moderate wing of the Socialist Party was at times sharply critical of ''The International Socialist Review.'' Writer Robert Hunter declared in 1911 of the ''Review'':

"It has sneered at
Political Action In sociology, social action, also known as Weberian social action, is an act which takes into account the actions and reactions of individuals (or ' agents'). According to Max Weber, "Action is 'social' insofar as its subjective meaning takes ...
, advocated rival unionism, and vacillated between
Anarchism Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessa ...
and Proudhonism. The constant emphasis ''The Review'' lays on
Direct Action Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...
and its apparent faith that a revolution can be evoked by Will or Force is in direct opposition to our whole philosophy."Quoted by Gutman, ''The International Socialist Review,'' vol. 1, pg. 83.

The ''Review'' was, in fact, very sympathetic to the

, a revolutionary

industrial union Industrial unionism is a trade union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union, regardless of skill or trade, thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in ...

which sought to unite all workers regardless of race, craft, or skill under the umbrella of "One Big Union" with a view to the overthrow of the

wage system A wage is payment made by an employer to an employee for work done in a specific period of time. Some examples of wage payments include compensatory payments such as '' minimum wage'', ''prevailing wage'', and ''yearly bonuses,'' and remune ...

and its replacement with decision-making by economic units established by the workers themselves (

syndicalism Syndicalism is a revolutionary current within the left-wing of the labor movement that seeks to unionize workers according to industry and advance their demands through strikes with the eventual goal of gaining control over the means of prod ...

Prominent staff members

* Max S. Hayes * Charles H. Kerr *

Ernest Untermann Gerhard Ernest Untermann, Sr. (1864–1956) was a German-American seaman, socialist author, translator, newspaper editor. In his later life he was Director of the old Washington Park Zoo in Milwaukee, a geologist, fossil hunter, and artist. Biogr ...

Index of volumes

References

External sources

International Socialist Review
at the

Marxists Internet Archive Marxists Internet Archive (also known as MIA or Marxists.org) is a non-profit online encyclopedia that hosts a multilingual library (created in 1990) of the works of communist, anarchist, and socialist writers, such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Eng ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:International Socialist Review 1900 establishments in Illinois 1918 disestablishments in Illinois Monthly magazines published in the United States News magazines published in the United States Defunct political magazines published in the United States] Industrial Workers of the World in the United States Magazines established in 1900 Magazines disestablished in 1918 Magazines published in Chicago Marxist magazines Socialist magazines Socialist Party of America publications