Being one of the most notable characters during the socialist movement during the early 20th century. He was there when socialism in the United States was probably at its height. So, I am curious about his views on the October revolution and the Soviet Union in its early times, and his views in Marxism in general.
Debs was extremely pro-bolshevik, as nearly all US socialists were:
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/spusa/1918/0316-debs-russia.pdf
Some other good ones:
- https://www.marxists.org/archive/debs/works/1912/1912-capsoc.htm
- https://www.marxists.org/archive/debs/works/1918/canton.htm
Here, in this alert and inspiring assemblage our hearts are with the Bolsheviki of Russia. Those heroic men and women, those unconquerable comrades have by their incomparable valor and sacrifice added fresh luster to the fame of the international movement. Those Russian comrades of ours have made greater sacrifices, have suffered more, and have shed more heroic blood than any like number of men and women anywhere on earth; they have laid the foundation of the first real democracy that ever drew the breath of life in this world. And the very first act of the triumphant Russian revolution was to proclaim a state of peace with all mankind, coupled with a fervent moral appeal, not to kings, not to emperors, rulers or diplomats but to the people of all nations. Here we have the very breath of democracy, the quintessence of the dawning freedom. The Russian revolution proclaimed its glorious triumph in its ringing and inspiring appeal to the peoples of all the earth. In a humane and fraternal spirit new Russia, emancipated at last from the curse of the centuries, called upon all nations engaged in the frightful war, the Central Powers as well as the Allies, to send representatives to a conference to lay down terms of peace that should be just and lasting.
This is also a good source about it https://www.marxists.org/archive/debs/works/1919/daypeople.htm I already respected him before now I do even more
It doesn’t quite answer you question directly but AFAIK most socialists and communists, even in the West, supported the Soviets until just after Khrushchev’s ‘Secret Speech’.
“We have nothing special to offer the negro” is all I’m capable of remembering him for. The odious first steps of the “class war only” philosophy that guides the modern day white left; in spite and willful ignorance of defaulted-upon reparations for all that Amerika has done to my folk.
He is the epitome of "don’t talk about it, be about it" to me-- because for someone who says “he blushes” at the knowledge of what his people did to mine, he made no moves to rectify it.
