Longism

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"I'm for the poor man — all poor men, black and white, they all gotta have a chance. They gotta have a home, a job, and a decent education for their children. 'Every man a king' — that's my slogan."

Longism is an economically centre-left, culturally conservative, Nationalist and statist ideology. Longism's name, ideology, and personality are based on Huey Long, governor and senator from Louisiana in the 1930s. Longism wants to heavily regulate the markets with his "Share Our Wealth" plan, which involved taxing the rich to fund social programs for free education, old-age pensions, public works, and large subsidies for families

What sets him main apart from any type Social Democracy or Christian Democracy is that he believes that authoritarian methods are valid ways to achieve reform.

History

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Huey Pierce Long Jr. was born on August 30, 1893, near the small town of Winnfield, Louisiana, at the seat of Winn Parish. He was born into a relatively well-off family in a log cabin, a contrast to the impoverished surroundings of Winn Parish. The parish, a Unionist stronghold during the American Confederacy, was known for its residents, mostly Christian Baptists, being outsiders in Louisiana's political system. In the 1890s, Winn Parish became a bastion of the Populist Party, and in the 1912 election, 35% of Louisianans voted for Socialist presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs. This environment influenced Huey Long's populist sentiments.

Education and Early Ambitions

Huey Long had eight siblings and was homeschooled until 1904. He was then sent to public school, where he earned a reputation as an excellent student with a remarkable memory, convincing his teachers to let him skip the seventh grade. During his time at Winnfield High School, Long and his friends formed a secret society that set rules for students and ran school activities, identifiable by their red ribbons. Long became a rebel, writing and distributing flyers criticizing his teachers and the state-mandated fourth-year secondary education. This led to his expulsion in 1910, though he successfully petitioned to have the principal fired.

Due to the influence of his Christian parents, Long became a student of the Bible, familiarizing himself with its contents to a degree comparable to ordained ministers. His speeches often included quotes from the Holy Scripture.

Early Career

Scholarship and Early Employment

A capable debater, Huey Long won a full-tuition scholarship to Louisiana State University at a state debate competition in Baton Rouge. However, the scholarship did not cover textbooks or living expenses, and his family could not afford to support him. Additionally, Long did not graduate from high school, which prevented him from attending. Instead, he entered the workforce as a traveling salesman in the rural South.

In September 1911, Long attended seminary classes at Oklahoma Baptist University at his mother's urging, living with his brother George. However, he attended for only one semester, rarely appearing at lectures. After deciding against preaching, Long focused on law. He borrowed $100 from his brother, lost it playing roulette in Oklahoma City, and then attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law for a semester in 1912 while continuing to work as a salesman. He took four classes, receiving one incomplete and three C's, later admitting that he learned little due to his gambling and social activities.

Marriage and Family

Huey Long met Rose McConnell at a baking contest where he was promoting Cottolene shortening. After a two-and-a-half-year courtship, they married in April 1913 at the Gayoso Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. On their wedding day, Long borrowed $10 from his new fiancée to pay the officiant. Shortly after their marriage, Long began planning to run for statewide office, including the governorship, the senate, and ultimately the presidency. The couple had three children: Rose Long (1917–2006), Russell B. Long (1918–2003), a U.S. senator, and Palmer R. Long (1921–2010), an oilman in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Legal Education and Early Law Career

In the fall of 1914, Huey Long enrolled at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. After a year of study, focusing on courses necessary for the bar exam, Long successfully petitioned the Louisiana Supreme Court to take the test early. He passed the bar exam in May 1915 and received his license to practice law.

Long established a private practice in Winnfield, representing poor plaintiffs, usually in workers' compensation cases. He avoided fighting in World War I by obtaining a draft deferment on the grounds of being married with dependent children. He also successfully defended himself from prosecution under the Espionage Act of 1917, with the help of a state senator who had loaned him money.

Early Political Involvement

In 1918, Long invested $1,050 in an oil well, but the Standard Oil Company refused to accept any of the oil in its pipelines, costing him his investment and leading to his animosity towards Standard Oil.

Long entered the race for a seat on the three-seat Louisiana Railroad Commission. In the Democratic primary, he polled second behind incumbent Burk Bridges. A run-off election was held since no candidate garnered a majority of the votes. Long campaigned tirelessly across northern Louisiana, defeating Bridges by 636 votes with wide support in rural areas despite low support in urban areas. As a commissioner, Long forced utilities to lower rates, ordered railroads to extend service to small towns, and demanded that Standard Oil cease importing Mexican crude oil in favor of Louisiana oil.

Rise to Power

Gubernatorial Campaign and Election

In the 1920 gubernatorial election, Long campaigned heavily for John M. Parker, helping him win northern parishes. However, after Parker's election, the two became bitter rivals. Parker served as governor of Louisiana from May 11, 1920, until May 13, 1924.

Huey Long was elected Governor of Louisiana in 1928 by the largest margin in the state's history. Facing entrenched opposition from the Old Guard, he launched an unprecedented program to modernize the state's infrastructure and provide universal educational and economic opportunities to the masses. After a failed attempt by his opponents to oust him from office, Long ruthlessly consolidated his power in the state, becoming known as the “Kingfish.”

Legislative Achievements

Long immediately pushed several bills through the legislature to fulfill his campaign promises, including a free textbook program for schoolchildren, night courses for adult literacy, and piping natural gas to New Orleans. He also launched a massive construction program of roads, bridges, hospitals, and educational institutions. As the nation plunged into the Great Depression after the stock market crash of 1929, thousands of Louisianians were employed building the state's new infrastructure. Louisiana employed 22,000 men just to build the roads, representing ten percent of the nation's highway workers. With greater access to transportation, education, and healthcare, the quality of life in Louisiana improved notably while the rest of the nation declined.

Controversial Measures and Consolidation of Power

Irritated by immoral gambling dens and brothels in New Orleans, Long, a cultural conservative and committed Christian, deployed the National Guard to raid these establishments with orders to "shoot without hesitation." Gambling equipment was burned, prostitutes were arrested, and over $25,000 (equivalent to $376,793 in 2020) was confiscated for government funds. Local newspapers ran photos of National Guardsmen forcibly searching nude women. City authorities had not requested military force, and martial law had not been declared. The Louisiana attorney general denounced Long's actions as illegal, but Long casually rebuked him, saying, "Nobody asked him for his opinion."

The opposition, including the ministerial association, condemned Long for using troops to enforce his determination to clean out the red-light district. In a broadcast, Long shocked the city and the state by suggesting that the brothel keepers and the ministerial association were on the same side. Despite the controversy, Long's harsh crackdowns on social vices proved widely popular among the common workers in Louisiana and strengthened his support.

Legacy and Establishment of Longism

Longism, the political movement established by Huey P. Long, significantly transformed Louisiana from his election as governor in 1928 until about 1960. Long's administration undertook extensive infrastructure projects, including the construction of thousands of miles of roads, numerous bridges, and public buildings such as schools and hospitals. These efforts not only improved transportation and public health but also provided much-needed employment during the Great Depression. His emphasis on education through free textbook programs and adult literacy courses elevated the state's educational standards, fostering a more informed and capable workforce.

Long's tenure was also marked by ambitious social reforms aimed at reducing economic inequality and improving public welfare. His "Share Our Wealth" program, although never fully realized, proposed capping personal fortunes and ensuring a guaranteed income for every American family. Long's focus on healthcare led to the construction of hospitals and improved medical facilities, addressing disparities and enhancing access to medical care, particularly in rural areas. These initiatives significantly uplifted many impoverished families and contributed to an overall improvement in the quality of life in Louisiana.

Despite his achievements, Long's methods of consolidating power were highly controversial, often bypassing traditional democratic processes and leading to accusations of authoritarianism. His unilateral actions, such as deploying the National Guard to raid gambling dens and brothels, exemplified his willingness to exercise power decisively. Nonetheless, Long's popularity among the common people remained strong, driven by his ability to connect with ordinary citizens and address their needs. His legacy continued to shape Louisiana politics for decades, influencing subsequent leaders and inspiring movements focused on reducing economic disparity and promoting social justice.

Personality and Behaviour

  • Wears a crown to symbolize his belief in extensive social programs and a robust safety net for all.
  • Though denying socialism, Longism votes for left-centre economic policies to dismantle plutocratic power and monopolies.
  • His politics are based on American nationalism and Christian values, inspired by the Bible, Declaration of Independence, and US Constitution, rejecting Marxism.
  • He despises LibRight ideologies but tolerates others if not obstructive, often making speeches about his formative years and beliefs.
  • Loves football, Ramos gin fizzes, and the Hearts of Iron IV mod Kaiserreich. His best friend is Distributism, sharing views on state autonomy and anti-Communism.
  • Supports his views with conservative principles, emphasizing the Law of God, ancient philosophy, and the Founding Fathers' ideals of a free man.

How to Draw

Flag of Longism
  1. Draw a circle.
  2. Draw a simplified version of the Coat of Arms of Huey Long, starting with the diagonal red lines, then the fish, then the fish's crown. (The latter two don't need to be complicated/have details, using a solid color is fine.)
  3. Add a crown to Longism.
  4. Add eyes.
  5. Done!
Color Name HEX RGB
Blue #0026FF 0, 38, 255
Red #BD2E2A 189, 46, 42
White #FFFFFF 255, 255, 255
Greyish Blue #0B6894 11, 104, 148
Yellow #FFFF00 255, 255, 0

Relationships

Friends

  • Machiavellianism - I'm absolutely an "ends justify the means" type of guy.
  • Christian Democracy - My greatest influence. If only he was willing to dispense with democracy....
  • Distributism - Perhaps my best friend, we're united in our sacred mission of Sharing the Wealth!
  • Social Democracy - A great guy and a great friend with great ideas, it's simply tragic how he insists on "democracy" even when it doesn't get the job done. A contender for my best friend.
  • Paternalistic Conservatism - Combining two scoops of patriotism and social conservatism with a scoop of wealth redistribution sounds marvelous. You literally the non-regional version of me.
  • Illiberal Democracy - How I acquire power (democracy) and how I maintain it (authoritarianism).
  • Social Authoritarianism - For all intents and purposes, he's the non-regional version of me.
  • Left-Wing Populism - One of my earliest friends and backers, I am for uplifting the poor man after all.
  • Right-Wing Populism - Charles Coughlin and his followers were your ilk and they rallied behind my movement. I appreciate such loyalty and accordingly share a lot of their nationalist and religiously conservative views.
  • Peronism - In many ways, he is my Argentine equivalent. Incredibly based.
  • Bull Moose Progressivism - Fellow trust-busting patriot. If only you rejected imperialism and embraced isolationism, the only true American nationalist foreign policy.
  • Bonapartism - I am the reincarnated ego of Napoleon.
  • Gaullism - My dear French twin! I share many traits and ideas with you.
  • Welfare Chauvinism - We agree on most things, but less chauvinism, please

Frenemies

  • Keynesian School - All I care is what the boys at the forks of the creek think of me.
  • Socialism - Has more good ideas than bad, but brainlessly insists on dressing up in an un-American red.
  • Social Libertarianism - Seeks to Share the Wealth, but always fails to bust those damned trusts!
  • New Dealism - You appropriated my proposals in your Second New Deal, but cancel the NRA! I would have ran against you in '36 if that damned Weiss hadn't gotten in the way.
  • White Nationalism - The best way to circumcise a Klansman is to kick his sister in the chin. When I took power in Louisiana I dismantled your traditional power structures and replaced them with my own, as well as creating social programs to promote education among and eliminate illiteracy throughout the black population. On the other hand, I make some pronunciations against the Klan from the point of view of 'law and order', not so much anti-racism which has led people to attribute progressive reputation to me. The nature of the local Louisiana politics, especially northern Louisiana politics that was my home base enabled that me could advance without addressing the racism issues. When I discussed the racial issue, and in these cases I spoke like a typical Southern Democrat and accused Hoover of favoring "Negro domination," adding, “We believe this is a white man's country and are not willing to turn it over to the Negroes. Some Longists like, Gerald L. K. Smith (the organizer of Share Our Wealth) and Leander Perez (Huey impeachment attorney), were outspoken white supremacists throughout their political careers. It's a complicated relationship.
  • Black Nationalism - Despite popular mythology, I was not ahead of his time on racial issues, i opposition to anti-lynching legislation and be for segregation and white supremacy all the way. But I am, and to a greater extent, my brother Earl wanna channeling equalized economic assistance to every poor man in society irrespective of race. But you named Huey Newton after me and were amazed at all the black people I lifted out of poverty. It's a complicated relationship.
  • Silver Legionism - I did not realize I had a nazi, esoteric and fascist sidekick but I swear I'll purge you if you betray me in the American Union State.
  • Fascism - We agree on a doctrine of class collaboration but you're far too tainted for me to associate with you, and I prefer a more grounded and pragmatic authoritarianism as a tool to push forward my program instead of your unhealthy obsession with the State.

Enemies

Further Information

Literature

Suggested literatures

  • Boulard, Garry. Huey Long Invades New Orleans: The Siege of a City, 1934-36. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 1998.
  • Kurtz, Michael L., and Morgan D. Peoples. Earl K. Long: The Saga of Uncle Earl and Louisiana Politics. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1990.

Wikipedia

Videos

Alternative History

Websites

Gallery

Navigation

  1. ↑ Metzger considers himself "a populist" in a tradition of Huey P. Long. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/06/08/calif-klansman-nominated-for-congress-as-democrat/3a2ea72c-c105-44b4-ac2f-b8d9b3d58372/
  2. ↑ https://amgreatness.com/2021/05/02/the-long-shot/
  3. ↑ https://occidentaldissent.com/2021/01/29/the-share-our-wealth-amendment/
  4. ↑ https://donaldjeffries.wordpress.com/2021/11/06/the-short-and-simple-annals-of-the-poor/
  5. ↑ https://holmogor.livejournal.com/3752413.html
  6. ↑ https://m-kalashnikov.livejournal.com/1721458.html
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