Robin D. G. Kelley's book Hammer and Hoe explores the history of commu

Question

Robin D. G. Kelley's book Hammer and Hoe explores the history of communism in the U.S. state of Alabama. Kelley asks not whether the Communist Party was ideologically correct, but how it came to attract a substantial number of African-American workers and how these workers could embrace and use the Communist Party as a vehicle for organizing themselves. He insists on measuring communism not by its abstract tenets but by its ability to interact with a culture to generate bold class organization.

Most scholarship that has offered a defense of the Communist Party in the 1930s and 1940s (a period known as the party's Popular Front) has tended to emphasize its attempts to draw on democratic political traditions, and to enter meaningful political alliances with liberal political forces. While this is an understandable viewpoint among historians searching for models of unity between radicals and liberals, Kelley's interest is in African-American organizing. From that point of view the Popular Front appears as much less of a blessing.

Indeed Kelley argues that the wild, often sectarian Third Period that preceded the Popular Front better undergirded organization among African-American farmers and industrial workers. The extreme rhetoric of the Third Period communists was not taken seriously by African-American party members, who avoided posturing and confrontation whenever possible. But on another level, rhetoric regarding a "new world" resonated among African-Americans, whose traditions emphasized both a struggle for survival and the transcendent hope of deliverance. Help from a powerful ally, even one as far away as Moscow, seemed a source of power and possibility. The worldwide efforts of the communist-led International Labor Defense in mobilizing against lynch law in the United States helped to establish the party's image as such an ally.

The Popular Front saw African-American participation in the Communist Party decline. A retreat from attacks on white chauvinism and a tendency to de-emphasize, however slightly, involvement in local African-American issue-oriented politics made the party seem less an instrument of deliverance. The party's increasing cautiousness, born of a desire to appeal to moderates, doubtless made it a less attractive alternative in interracial conflicts.

Even so, Kelley is far from claiming that the change to a Popular Front line was the sole reason for the decline of African-American communism. The Popular Front initially appealed to African-American communists because it seemed to open new strategies for blunting repression. Kelley's rounded portrait of the decline emphasizes not the absence of a "correct line" but the presence of factional battles and of transformations in the agriculture industry caused by market changes and U.S. federal government intervention.     1 
 1. Which one of the following most accurately characterizes the passage's main point?

(A) By spending little time discussing ideological controversies, Hammer and Hoe fails to fully explicate the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s.
(B) The relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s makes it clear that ideological purity and consistency are not essential to effecting political change.
(C) Hammer and Hoe constitutes a valuable tool for the modern historian who is attempting to search for models of unity between radicals and liberals.
(D) The true measure of the success of the Communist Party at organizing African-American workers was not its ability to change people's thinking but to interact with their culture.
(E) Hammer and Hoe offers new insights into the nature of the relationship, in the 1930s and 1940s, between the Communist Party and African-American workers.

2 
 2. The passage's characterization of the Communist Party in Alabama before the 1930s includes each of the following EXCEPT that the party

(A) refrained from attacking white chauvinism 
(B) benefited from the goodwill created by the actions of the International Labor Defense
(C) inspired some African Americans with its rhetoric 
(D) failed to convince some of its African-American members that confrontation was an acceptable political stance 
(E) was involved in local African-American political issues

3 
 3. The primary purpose of the second paragraph is to

(A) contrast Kelley's viewpoint on the Popular Front with that of previous historians
(B) defend the Popular Front from Kelley's attacks on it
(C) question the political usefulness of searching for common ground between radicals and liberals
(D) enumerate the differences between the Popular Front and the Third Period
(E) argue that one valid way to approach the study of communism in the United States is to discuss its impact on African-American workers

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that Kelley would most likely agree with which one of the following assertions about the Popular Front?

(A) The Popular Front introduced factors that hampered the political appeal of communism for African Americans.
(B) The Popular Front was inherently inimical to African-American interests from its inception.
(C) The increasing cautiousness of the Popular Front appealed to most African-American party members.
(D) The Popular Front was viewed by African Americans as an improvement over the rhetoric of the Third Period.
(E) The extreme posturing and confrontation of the Popular Front alienated many African Americans.
 
 5 
 5. Based on the passage, which one of the following statements is more likely to have been made by a Communist Party organizer during the Third Period than during the Popular Front?

(A) African Americans and whites must join together under the common banner of communism.
(B) Workers everywhere must revolt to bring about the final global victory over capitalist oppression.
(C) African Americans should strive to overcome racism in the highest levels of government.
(D) The goals of communism have much in common with those of more liberal causes.
(E) One should not expect too much progress too quickly when attempting to change the prevailing social order.

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 89 Date: 04-Apr-2023
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

Source:   LSAT Preptest Feb 1999 (B)   
 Difficulty Level:   700

ritikmishra2901 · Accepted Answer

What is the difficulty level of this RC ? I've read it thrice. I still am unable to comprehend it completely.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello ritikmishra2901

This seems to be a hard (700 level) passage.

Ishatv · Answer

could you provide answer for q5.

Nielgmat · Answer

I had a very tough time with this passage. Here is my attempt at Question 5.

5. Based on the passage, which one of the following statements is more likely to have been made by a Communist Party organizer during the Third Period than during the Popular Front?

The question requires us to draw out differences between the Third period Communist and Popular Front Communists. So we need to focus on the 3rd and 4th paras. Check which of the following options would hold true for a Third period Communist.

(A) African Americans and whites must join together under the common banner of communism.
 Neither of he paras talk about joining together of Af-Am and Whites.

(B)  Workers  everywhere must  revolt  to bring about the final global victory over capitalist oppression.
Key words in the option have been highlighted.
 Refer 3rd para - "Third Period ....better undergirded organization among African-American farmers and industrial workers." Also pay attention to words such as  'extreme rhetoric'  attributed to Third period.    Best Choice - Correct Answer .

(C) African Americans should strive to overcome racism in the highest levels of government.
 Close choice. However, less extreme than Option B. We need an extreme position for it to be taken by a Third period Communist than a Popular Front Communist.

(D) The goals of communism have much in common with those of more liberal causes.
 This can be attributed to Popular front, not 3rd period .

(E) One should not expect too much progress too quickly when attempting to change the prevailing social order.
 Neither of the 3rd or4th paras refers to such a position.

Vaibhavi Katiyar · Answer

Can you please post explanation for Q#1 ?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. Which one of the following most accurately characterizes the passage's main point?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

The correct answer is  (E)  Hammer and Hoe offers new insights into the nature of the relationship, in the 1930s and 1940s, between the Communist Party and African-American workers.

The passage discusses Robin D. G. Kelley's book, Hammer and Hoe, which explores the history of communism in Alabama and its relationship with African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s. The author argues that Kelley is interested in understanding how the Communist Party attracted African-American workers and how they used it to organize themselves. The passage also highlights Kelley's emphasis on measuring communism's success not by its abstract tenets but by its ability to interact with a culture to generate bold class organization. Therefore, the passage suggests that Kelley's book offers new insights into the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s.

(A) By spending little time discussing ideological controversies, Hammer and Hoe fails to fully explicate the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s. 
This answer option is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Hammer and Hoe fails to fully explicate the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers. Rather, the passage suggests that Kelley's book offers new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers.

(B) The relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s makes it clear that ideological purity and consistency are not essential to effecting political change. 
This answer option is also incorrect. While the passage does suggest that Kelley is interested in how African-American workers embraced and used the Communist Party, it does not make a claim about ideological purity or consistency being essential or non-essential to effecting political change.

(C) Hammer and Hoe constitutes a valuable tool for the modern historian who is attempting to search for models of unity between radicals and liberals. 
This answer option is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Hammer and Hoe constitutes a valuable tool for the modern historian who is attempting to search for models of unity between radicals and liberals. Rather, the passage suggests that Kelley's book offers new insights into the nature of the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers.

(D) The true measure of the success of the Communist Party at organizing African-American workers was not its ability to change people's thinking but to interact with their culture. 
This answer option is close, but not entirely accurate. The passage does suggest that Kelley emphasizes measuring communism's success not by its abstract tenets but by its ability to interact with a culture to generate bold class organization. However, the passage does not make the claim that the true measure of success was not its ability to change people's thinking.

(E) Hammer and Hoe offers new insights into the nature of the relationship, in the 1930s and 1940s, between the Communist Party and African-American workers.  
This answer option is the correct answer. The passage discusses Robin D. G. Kelley's book, Hammer and Hoe, which explores the history of communism in Alabama and its relationship with African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s. The passage suggests that Kelley's book offers new insights into the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s.

Answer: E

sahiljaiswal30 · Answer

i have read the passage 4 timrs still not able to understand it, can someone please explain it and even wnat to know the approach for reading such passage

Shrey1 · Answer

2  The passage's characterization of the Communist Party in Alabama before the 1930s includes each of the following EXCEPT that the party

(A) refrained from attacking white chauvinism
(B) benefited from the goodwill created by the actions of the International Labor Defense
(C) inspired some African Americans with its rhetoric
(D) failed to convince some of its African-American members that confrontation was an acceptable political stance
(E) was involved in local African-American political issues

Correct answer has to be A, as passage mentions -

"The Popular Front saw African-American participation in the Communist Party decline. A retreat from attacks on white chauvinism and a tendency to de-emphasize, however slightly, involvement in local African-American issue-oriented politics made the party seem less an instrument of deliverance."

Retreat from attacks on white chauvinism was a characteristic that the front developed later and was not there in 1930's. So, "(A) refrained from attacking white chauvinism" cannot be a characteristic of communist party in 1930.

Shrey1 · Answer

4. It can be inferred from the passage that Kelley would most likely agree with which one of the following assertions about the Popular Front?

(A) The Popular Front introduced factors that hampered the political appeal of communism for African Americans.
(B) The Popular Front was inherently inimical to African-American interests from its inception.
(C) The increasing cautiousness of the Popular Front appealed to most African-American party members.
(D) The Popular Front was viewed by African Americans as an improvement over the rhetoric of the Third Period.
(E) The extreme posturing and confrontation of the Popular Front alienated many African Americans.

It is mentioned that the reasons for decline were - 
1. A retreat from attacks on white chauvinism
2. tendency to de-emphasize involvement in local African-American issue

So, these are the factors that were introduced and hampered the political appeal, so alligns with A.

inherently inimical to African-American interests is not mentioned in the passage, so rule out B.

C is just the opposite of the statements mentioned above, if increasing cautiousness would appeal to African Americans then why would it decline?

D is not referred to in the passage.

E. is different from the statements above and not mentioned as the reason for decline or alienation.

So the correct answer would be A.

nikitathegreat · Answer

Can someone provide detailed explanation for Q5. How do we differentiate between option choice B and C?
 GMATNinja

The extreme rhetoric of the Third Period communists was not taken seriously by African-American party members, who avoided posturing and confrontation whenever possible.

Are we saying they should have done more of confrontation and hence more revolts for their rights?

GMATNinja · Answer

Question 5 
 
Kelley argues that the Third Period "better undergirded organization among African-American farmers and industrial workers"  even though  African-American party members did not take the extreme rhetoric of the Third Period communists seriously. There was something about the Third Party rhetoric that DID appeal to African-Americans, but they weren't 100% on-board with the extreme rhetoric.

Nothing in the passage suggests that those African-Americans should have been more extreme or that they should have engaged in posturing and confrontation. Those things are just cited to show how those African-Americans were not 100% aligned with the Third Party.

As for choice (C), there's nothing in the passage suggesting that the Third Party advocated for overcoming racism in the highest levels of government.

Yes, the Third Party helped in mobilizing against lynch law. And yes, the Popular Front retreated from attacks on white chauvinism and tended to de-emphasize involvement in local African-American issue-oriented politics. So  maybe  the Third Party is a bit more likely than the Popular Front to agree with choice (C)? But we can't really tell based on the evidence in the passage.

We do, however, know that the Popular Front was more cautious than the Third Party ("The party's increasing cautiousness, born of a desire to appeal to moderates, doubtless made it a less attractive alternative in interracial conflicts"). Choice (B) is an example of EXTREME rhetoric that would appeal to Third Party members but not to the more cautious Popular Front, so (B) is a much better choice.

I hope that helps!

btsaami · Answer

Summary:  Kelley's book mentions how the Communist Party attracted a substantial number of African American workers and how the ideology helped them organize themselves.

Further, there is a comparison between the African-American organizations in two periods: the third and the Popular Front.

The third front's rhetoric was confrontational and extreme, which did not appeal to many members. To others, in hope of a new world, it set the stage for African American organizations.

African American participation in the Communist Party declined during the popular front due to changes in its ideology.

However, according to Kelley, in addition to these changes, the presence of factional battles and agricultural transformations led to a decline in participation of African Americans in the Communist Party.

Main idea:  Kelley, in her book, seeks to study the rise and decline in African American participation in Communist party.

1. Which one of the following most accurately characterizes the passage's main point?

(A) By spending little time discussing ideological controversies, Hammer and Hoe fails to fully explicate the relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s -  Wrong. Tone mismatch from the author. Author isn't criticizing Kelley.

(B) The relationship between the Communist Party and African-American workers during the 1930s and 1940s makes it clear that ideological purity and consistency are not essential to effecting political change. -  Irrelevant, no evidence saying CP's ideology was pure and clearly it was not consistent. (Third period & Popular Front)

(C) Hammer and Hoe constitutes a valuable tool for the modern historian who is attempting to search for models of unity between radicals and liberals. -  Wrong. Other scholars (2nd Para) are attempting to search for models of unity between radicals and liberals which is different from Kelley's view.

(D) The true measure of the success of the Communist Party at organizing African-American workers was not its ability to change people's thinking but to interact with their culture. -  Wrong. (...its ability to interact with a culture to generate bold class organization.) This is just a sidetrack from the main answer. No clear evidence of changing the group's thinking. It was about appealing to their principles.

(E) Hammer and Hoe offers new insights into the nature of the relationship, in the 1930s and 1940s, between the Communist Party and African-American workers. - Correct and logical.

2. The passage's characterization of the Communist Party in Alabama before the 1930s includes each of the following  EXCEPT   that the party

(A) refrained from attacking white chauvinism -  Correct- Related to popular front in 1930s.

​Beware!!  Except question: I almost got the question wrong. Only after reading further options, I realized the questions & options didn't match up.

3. The primary purpose of the second paragraph is to

Option B, C and D can be eliminated right away after getting a fair understanding of the passage. Let's check for A & E .

(A) contrast Kelley's viewpoint on the Popular Front with that of previous historians -  Correct, refer line- "While this is an understandable viewpoint among historians searching for models of unity between radicals and liberals, Kelley's interest is in African-American organizing."

(E) argue that one valid way to approach the study of communism in the United States is to discuss its impact on African-American workers -  Wrong, as the author is neutral in tone, saying that Kelley's focus is on African American organizing and, if seen from his point of view, the popular front isn't that great for the party.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that Kelley would most likely agree with which one of the following assertions about the Popular Front?

(A) The Popular Front introduced factors that hampered the political appeal of communism for African Americans. - Correct, explicitly mentioned in passage.

(B) The Popular Front was inherently inimical to African-American interests from its inception.-   inimical- too extreme word, not matching the tone of the passage.

(C) The increasing cautiousness of the Popular Front appealed to most African-American party members. -  Wrong

(D) The Popular Front was viewed by African Americans as an improvement over the rhetoric of the Third Period. - Wrong

(E) The extreme posturing and confrontation of the Popular Front alienated many African Americans.-   Wrong, it was the characteristic of third period.

5. Based on the passage, which one of the following statements is more likely to have been made by a Communist Party organizer during the Third Period than during the Popular Front?

(A) African Americans and whites must join together under the common banner of communism. -  Completely wrong.

(B) Workers everywhere must revolt to bring about the final global victory over capitalist oppression. -  Correct, as the third period organizer would have been more radical and confrontational. Therefore, extreme action such as this one would justify the third period organizer.

(C) African Americans should strive to overcome racism in the highest levels of government. - Good one but unfortunately, incorrect as it says overcome racism but not how to overcome racism- by being confrontational.

(D) The goals of communism have much in common with those of more liberal causes. -  "Irrelevant."

(E) One should not expect too much progress too quickly when attempting to change the prevailing social order. -  "Irrelevant."

Chandrasekaran27 · Answer

Took me 7 minutes with 7/7

SH160703 · Answer

the passage would be easy to comprehend if the reader can get diference between PF and third world ..... which period two elongs and which period had what impact on its party adherent

rachanarc · Answer

btsaami 
Thank you, this is really great explanation of the passage. 
I have 1 doubt in Q4 - according to the last passage, Kelly's opinion (as mentioned "far from claiming") highlights that  Popular Front line was NOT the sole reason for the decline of African-American communism. How can option A be right as it's asking - Kelly would most likely agree with?

Robin D. G. Kelley's book Hammer and Hoe explores the history of commu

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Robin D. G. Kelley's book Hammer and Hoe explores the history of commu

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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