The No Nothing Party, Nativism, and Electoral Politics

know nothing

Citizen Know Nothing, the Know Nothing Party’s nativist ideal.

Last night, Rachel Maddow schooled me on one historical fact and intrigued me with a new analysis.

The “No Nothing Party” was familiar to me, but I didn’t know the origin of its name, or that they were a Trump-like nativist party. Rachel reported that their name came from the fact that the large national party was founded by various secret societies, and when people asked a member about its activities, he was supposed to reply, “I know nothing.” As wikipedia states, “Outsiders called them ‘Know Nothings’, and the name stuck.” In 1856, they nominated former President Millard Fillmore in the  presidential election.

More importantly, Rachel reviewed the history of nativism in this country and argued that anti-immigrant momentum has repeatedly emerged when our two-party system was not working well when we did not have two strong, effective parties that could contest issues and negotiate compromises. That situation, she argued, has led to frustration and a power vacuum that has allowed minority voices to grow.

Her comments reminded me of the compelling analysis offered in The Atlantic’s How American Politics Went Insane.” Unfortunately, it still seems that rather than rebuilding either party into a strong, grassroots organization, most people, including Bernie Sanders, are focused on short-term self-interest: winning the next election.

To view Rachel’s powerful, full commentary, click here.

 

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