The Sources of American Labor's Foreign Policy, 1881-1971

FAIN: FB-11389-72

Washington University (St. Louis, MO 63130-4862)
Henry W. Berger (Project Director: September 1972 to present)

To study the ideas and experiences which have shaped the historical development of American labor union involvement in foreign affairs since 1881. Some important factors: 1) the values and experiences of recent immigrants who constituted the bulk of union membership for so long a period of time; 2) religious organizations and traditions, especially Catholic and Jewish, which were influential 3) economic and social developments in America such as the growth of the large corporations as a dominant institution in society, the increasing urbanization of the nation, the closing of the traditional frontier at home and teh consensus for expansion overseas, and 4) the relevance of ideology in the evolution of labor's foreign policy.