Frances Fox Piven

Frances Fox Piven

Template:30seconds Frances Fox Piven is a prominent U.S. sociologist, writer and socialist activist. She is an honorary chair of Democratic Socialists of America. Template:TOCnestleft She is Professor of Political Science and Sociology at CUNY Graduate Center with the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education & Labor Studies.

Early life

In 1999 Frances Fox Piven explained her conversion to radicalism in a Democratic Left interview with Rob Saute;

Like a lot of people in the New York area, my parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. They were intuitive radicals even though they didn't have formal educations. I think they certainly influenced me. My father when I saw him, which wasn't very often because he worked very long hours — always talked to me about world affairs. I remember him saying to me that you couldn't believe the capitalist press. So I asked him, "Then why do you read the newspaper all the time, Daddy?" And he said, "I read between the lines." Since I couldn't read at all yet — I was only about three or four — I studied between the lines to see what I could see, and I couldn't see a damn thing. That puzzled me — until I got it.

But I think that I actually really became a radical in the 1960s. Like so many people, I was very much influenced by the movements that welled up in the previous decade, and urban protests over issues like housing and welfare. I worked with tenant organizers and later I was very closely identified with the welfare rights movement.

I continued through the 1970s to stay very close to the organizers that I had gotten to know in the 1960s. By that time, most were community organizers or had become union organizers. So that's how I became a radical. I think 1 was pre-disposed to it by my family, but then it was the actual experience. But what's also significant is that I have always enjoyed myself a lot.

Writing

Fox Piven's books include Regulating the Poor (1972, updated 1993, co-authored with Richard Cloward), a historical and theoretical analysis of the role of welfare policy in the economic and political control of the poor and working class; Poor Peoples' Movements (1977), which analyzes the political dynamics through which insurgent social movements sometimes compel significant policy reforms; Why Americans Don't Vote (1988; updated as Why Americans Still Don't Vote in 2000) analyzes of the role of electoral laws and practices in disenfranchising large numbers of working class and poor citizens; and The War at Home (2004), which examines the domestic causes and consequences of the foreign wars launched by the Bush administration. Most recently, in Challenging Authority: How Ordinary People Change America, Piven examines the interplay of disruptive social movements and electoral politics in generating the political force for egalitarian reform in American history.

Socialist Scholars Conference

1966

The Socialist Scholars Conference 1966, held September 9-11, at the Hotel Commodore, New York, included panels such as:

Poverty and Powerlessness Organizing the Poor: Can it Be Done?

• Richard A. Cloward and Frances Fox Piven, Columbia University

Commentators:

• Sherman Barr, Mobilization for Youth
• James Haughton, Harlem Unemployment Center
• Oscar Lewis University of Illinois
• William Ryan Yale Universty
• Chairman, Judith Mage, Social Service Employees Union

Beginnings of the "welfare movement" Written with associate sociologist Frances Piven of Columbia, Dr. Richard Cloward's paper for the Socialist Scholars opened with a call for a systematic strategy of "irregular and disruptive tactics" among the poor, urging them to overburden city and state governments with their "demand,," as a means of forcing these governments to turn to the federal government for more and more funds.

Prof. Cloward said, "We need, to devote more attention to disrupting corporate power." He described the poor as mere "supplicants" in the welfare state, and said they have most to gain "from a major upheaval in our society." He said our welfare system is "lawless" and violates human and civil rights. He called for welfare recipients' forcing city welfare departments to impose the labor union "check-off system" for welfare clients, by withholding 50 cents to a dollar for each client as dues to a fund for unionization of welfare clients to impose their demands for special benefits.

Prof. Cloward explained that each welfare client in New York City is entitled under existing law to special benefits for clothing, blankets, etc. He said that in 1965 city special benefits welfare payments amounted to "about $40 per client" and he called for each welfare client to demand $100 to $1,000 in such benefits.

He said there are now 550,00 welfare clients in the city, but that by 1967 there probably will be 60,000 The poor, said Dr. Cloward, could become a stake and powerful organization "in small portions of power" within the context "of a broader point."

Dr. Cloward said he had consulted with legal experts and "we estimate that $200 million in special grants" could be obtained in New York City alone: Dr. Cloward said that 'in Cleveland, on June 20, 1966, 30 to 35 welfare recipients were joined by others in a demonstration that included the Hough area.

In early August, he said, he himself had taken part in "a national conference to organize the welfare recipients movement,:' Dr. Cloward said he personally had taken part in Wednesday night meetings with welfare clients "week after week, month after month," and that as a result, "Next Monday there will be a demonstration of welfare recipients at City Hall"

Dr. Cloward read his paper to the Socialist Scholars Conference in the East Ballroom of the Hotel Commodore on Saturday afternoon, September 10. On Monday night, September 12, CBS and NBC TV newscasts showed the demonstration of screaming welfare recipients that took place right on Cloward schedule. They shouted demands for more "special benefits," though the present city general welfare budget (including hospital services, etc.) is almost a billion dollars annually, the Mayor says the city is "broke," and New Yorkers were hit this year with a city income tax in addition to state and federal taxes to pay for it all.

Prof. Cloward was right about the success of his Wednesday night meetings. Evidently his strategy of "disruptive tactics" will require costly police reinforcements at city welfare departments throughout our nation.

The prospects delighted Prof. William Ryan, formerly of Harvard now of Yale, who described himself to the audience as "a radical without portfolio." He said, "I have been enchanted with the Cloward strategy of blowing a fuse in the welfare agencies, housing developments, and among unmarried mothers. I wonder what would happen if there was a really systematic overload."

When a member of the audience went to the floor microphone during the question period to ask whether Dr. Cloward's strategy is a substitute for "Socialist organization of the proletariat, the industrial factory workers " Dr. Frances Piven of Columbia replied from the dais: "I really only want to make one point-the disruption of the system. Welfare rolls will begin to go up; welfare payments will begin to go up-the impact will be very, very sharp. The mounting welfare budget will increase taxes, force cities to turn to the federal government. We have to help people to make claims; for this they will organize and act."

1990

The Socialist Scholars Conference 1990, held September 6-8, at the Hotel Commodore, New York, included panels such as:

Michael Harrington as Theorist: A Critical Evaluation

• Sponsor: Dissent
• Frances Fox Piven, Political Science Graduate center CUNY
• Joanne Barkan, Democratic Socialists of America National Political Committee
• Irving Howe, Editor of Dissent

1992

Arthur Kinoy and Frances Fox Piven, Irving Beinin were speakers on the The Left & the '92 Elections: Boycott, Third Party, or the Democrats? panel sponsored by Socialist Dialogue at the Tenth Annual Socialist Scholars Conference. The conference was held April 24-26, 1992 at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York City.

She spoke alongside Jim Sleeper, Jerry Watts and Ray Franklin on the Racial Politics and the Democrats: '92 panel sponsored by the Michael Harrington Center.

1997

In March 28-30 1997 Democratic Socialists of America convened their annual Socialist Scholars Conference at Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York.

The conference was themed "Radical alternatives on the eve of the millenium".

Invitees were asked to join Doug Henwood, Robert Heilbroner, Paul Sweezy, Harry Magdoff, Bill Tabb, Frances Fox Piven, Robert Fitch, Jane Slaughter and Ellen Meiksins Wood "as they debate changes in the labor movement, Marxist theory, the state of the economy, market socialism, and other areas where theory and practice meet".

Or "listen to the United States' only independent and socialist congressman", Rep. Bernie Sanders, "dialogue with" Joel Rogers of the New Party and In These Times' ....Salim Muwakkil on independent politics.

1960s activism

Institute for Policy Studies connections

The Institute for Policy Studies/TransNational Institute Annual Report for 1979-80 lists a sampling of seminars and lectures. Lecturers on U. S. political activities included Frances Fox Piven, James Weinstein, editor of IPS's weekly newspaper In These Times, Ned Crosby, president, Center for New Democratic Processes, Lee Benson, History Department, University of Pennsylvania, Harley Shaiken United Auto Workers consultant and Robert Cole, Economics Department, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

In 1993 Frances Fox Piven was listed as a among "former Visiting Fellows and Visiting Scholars and current TransNational Institute Fellows" on the Institute for Policy Studies 30th Anniversary brochure.

DSA Conference delegate

In 1983 Frances Fox Piven was a New York delegate to the Democratic Socialists of America conference in New York City, October 14-16, 1983

DSA Feminist Commission

In 1985, Frances Fox Piven of New York was listed as a member of the Feminist Commission of the Democratic Socialists of America.

In 1986 she was listed as a member of the National Executive Committee of the Commission.

New Party builder

New Party News Fall 1994 listed over 100 New Party activists-"some of the community leaders, organizers, retirees,, scholars, artists, parents, students, doctors, writers and other activists who are building the NP" the list included Frances Fox Piven CUNY.

Campaign for America's Future

In 1996 Frances Fox Piven was one of the original 130 founders of Campaign for America's Future.

War Times

In January 2002, a group of San Francisco leftists, mainly involved with STORM or Committees of Correspondence, founded a national anti-Iraq War newspaper War Times.

Endorsers of the project included Frances Fox-Piven.

How Class Works

At the How Class Works - 2002 Conference, panels included; 3.0 Class and Public Policy

• Frances Fox Piven, CUNY Graduate Center – Political Science
• Adolph Reed, New School University – Political Science
• Ruth Brandwein, Chair, Stony Brook – School of Social Welfare

Not In Our Name

In August 2004 Frances Fox Piven, CUNY Faculty Grad Center endorsed an anti “Bush Team” Protest at the Republican National Convention in New York, organized by Not In Our Name, an organization closely associated with the Revolutionary Communist Party.

Left Forum

2007

Vivek Chibber, Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Bill Fletcher Jr., Frances Fox Piven and David Graeber were speakers on the closing plenary, Visions for the Future at the Left Forum. The forum was held March 9 - 11, 2007 at Cooper Union College, New York City.

Fox Piven also spoke alongside Mike Menser, Robin Hahnel and James Tracy, Community Housing Organizing Project, San Francisco Community on the What Are Non-reformist Reforms Today? panel.

Left Forum board

In 2009, the Left Forum board included Stanley Aronowitz, Roderick Bush, Eric Canepa, Vivek Chibber, Nancy Holmstrom, Jamie McCallum, Lorraine Minnite, Frances Fox Piven, Hobart Spalding, Bill Tabb, Richard D. Wolf and Julia Wrigley.

Open Letter to Obama on Iran

In 2008 Frances Fox Piven, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York signed an online petition “A Open Letter to Barack Obama on Iran”.

Feminists for Peace and Barack Obama

In early 2008 Frances Fox Piven, of CUNY signed a petition circulated by Feminists for Peace and Barack Obama.

In the coming elections, it is important to remember that war and peace are as much \"women\'s issues\" as are health, the environment, and the achievement of educational and occupational equality. Because we believe that all of these concerns are not only fundamental but closely intertwined, this Tuesday we will be casting our vote for Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

Open letter to Andy Stern

On May 1 2008, Frances Fox Piven, of the City University of New York Graduate Center signed an open letter to SEIU president Andy Stern in protest at SEIU move to force its local United Healthcare Workers into trusteeship.

"We are writing to express our deep concern about SEIU's threatened trusteeship over its third largest local, United Healthcare Workers (UHW). We believe that there must always be room within organized labor for legitimate and principled dissent, if our movement is to survive and grow. Putting UHW under trusteeship would send a very troubling message and be viewed, by many, as a sign that internal democracy is not valued or tolerated within SEIU. In our view, this would have negative consequences for the workers directly affected, the SEIU itself, and the labor movement as a whole. We strongly urge you to avoid such a tragedy."

Progressives for Obama

In 2009 Frances Fox Piven Author, 'Poor Peoples Movements,' CUNY was listed as a signer of the Progressives for Obama website.

Wellstone Action

In 2009 Frances Fox Piven was listed as a member of the Advisory Board of Wellstone Action, a Minnesota based organization based on the political legacy of that state’s late ‘progressive” Senator Paul Wellstone.

Wellstone Action and Wellstone Action Fund combine to form a national center for training and leadership development for the progressive movement. Founded in January 2003, Wellstone Action's mission is to honor the legacy of Paul and Sheila Wellstone by continuing their work through training, educating, mobilizing and organizing a vast network of progressive individuals and organizations.

Center for the Study of Working Class Life

In 2009 Frances Fox Piven, Political Science, CUNY Graduate Center served as an Academic on the Advisory board for the Center for the Study of Working Class Life.

New Politics

As of 2009 Frances Fox Piven served as a sponsor of New Politics, magazine almost completely staffed and run by members of Democratic Socialists of America.

Social Policy

The Editorial Advisory Group of the magazine Social Policy includes;

Noam Chomsky, Janice Fine, S. M. Miller, Peter Olney, Frances Fox Piven, Heather Booth, Peter Dreier, Maya Wiley, Robert Fisher, Ashutosh Saxena, Ken Grossinger==New York

"Real World Labor"

In August 2009 Dollars & Sense, produced an anthology entitled "Real World Labor", edited by Immanuel Ness, Amy Offner and Chris Sturr and the Dollars & Sense Collective.

Contributors included David Bacon, Kim Bobo, Aviva Chomsky, Steve Early, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Staughton Lynd, Arthur MacEwan, John Miller, Frances Fox Piven, Robert Pollin, Jane Slaughter.

Democratic Lawyers Council

On April 12, 2010, Anne Hess and Craig Kaplan hosted an event entitled "An Evening for Election Integrity! - With Mark Ritchie, Minnesota's Secretary of State" at 214 East 18th St., New York City. Members of the host committee were: Al Appleton, Caron Atlas, Allison Barlow, Marjorie Fine, Frances Fox Piven, Anne Hess and Craig Kaplan, Allen Hunter and Linda Gordon, Riva Krut and Harris Gleckman, Ruth Katz, Sandra Levinson, Jaykumar Menon, Leah Margulies, Marion Nestle, Anita Nager, Miles Rapoport, Donna Schaper and Warren Goldstein, and Deborah Stern. The event was a fundraiser for Ritchie's upcoming 2010 re-election campaign as Minnesota's Secretary of State.

Renewing the Call

On Dec. 22, 2010, Frances Fox Piven wrote an article for The Nation entitled "Mobilizing the Jobless". In the article she writes,

"Second, before people can mobilize for collective action, they have to develop a proud and angry identity and a set of claims that go with that identity. They have to go from being hurt and ashamed to being angry and indignant...

Local protests have to accumulate and spread -- and become more disruptive -- to create serious pressures on national politicians. An effective movement of the unemployed will have to look something like the strikes and riots that have spread across Greece in response to the austerity measures forced on the Greek government by the European Union, or like the student protests that recently spread with lightning speed across England in response to the prospect of greatly increased school fees.

Protests by the unemployed led by young workers and by students, who face a future of joblessness, just might become large enough and disruptive enough to have an impact in Washington. There is no science that predicts eruption of protest movements. Who expected the angry street mobs in Athens or the protests by British students? Who indeed predicted the strike movement that began in the United States in 1934, or the civil rights demonstrations that spread across the South in the early 1960s? We should hope for another American social movement from the bottom -- and then join it."

Fight Back Teach In

Fight Back Teach In held in New York City, a national teach-in on austerity, debt and corporate greed featuring Frances Fox Piven and Cornel West on April 5, 2011

External links

• Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education & Labor Studies website

References

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