Abstract

This thesis presents original research from the primary text of the Appeal to Reason newspaper (1895-1922) as evidence of the nature of the American Socialist counterpublic in the decade prior to the First World War. The text shows that turn-of-the-century American Socialists prioritized reacting and appealing to the mainstream public in their discourses, limiting their ability to build an independent worldview. However, the design and mode of production of the Appeal to Reason shows that while the paper has been criticized for its conventionally hierarchical structure, it had several features that made it possible for members of the American Socialist counterpublic to communicate in a way that was fundamentally separate from the dominant public sphere. The conclusion is that the American Socialist counterpublic did for a time constitute an alternative space of political action, although with significant limitations.