The 1920s Marked a New Independence in Political Party Affiliation

Reading Passage Question

The 1920s marked a new independence in political party affiliation amongst Black Americans-they were ready to move in a new political direction. The direction was not, however, to the extreme left, despite the wooing of the socialists and the communists.

Because their program revolved around the working person, socialists viewed the problems of society as mainly economic rather than racial; they saw the Black person primarily as a worker and only incidentally as a "Negro". No matter how eloquent, their program was generally viewed by Black Americans as remote from their needs.

In contrast to the socialists, the communists sought to more directly address the needs of the Black community. In 1925, the Communist Party organized the American Negro Labor Congress which was designed to bring all Black trade unionists together in order to strengthen the party. They also organized the International Labor Defense, a legal arm that was designed to defend communists in the courts, but that concerned itself particularly with cases involving Black people regardless of their political affiliations. Another part of the communist program was designed to have Black Americans run for high office on the party ticket in state and national elections. However, even with such strenuous efforts, the communists made few Black converts.

“The 1920s marked a new independence in political party affiliation” - is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 6 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

Question 1
The passage as a whole is primarily concerned with

1. condemning attitudes
2. describing tactics
3. interpreting reactions
4. comparing goals
5. accounting for results

Question 2
It can be inferred from the passage that, prior to 1920, Black Americans

1. were not inclined to be politically active
2. had little freedom in making political decisions
3. sanctioned the activities of leftist organizations
4. had traditionally followed one political course
5. were secretive about their political alliances

Question 3
According to the passage, the Communist party attempted to recruit Black members by

1. seeking the help of the International Labor Defense
2. founding a separate Black republic within the United States
3. making an effort to unify members of Black trade unions
4. emphasizing their belief that the problems of society were primarily economic
5. persuading Socialists to form the International Labor Defense

Question 4
The passage provides the answer to which of the following questions?

1. Approximately how many Blacks joined the American Communist Party during the 1920s?
2. In what political direction did Blacks of the 1920s move?
3. Why did the communists wish to recruit Black Americans into their party?
4. In what way was the establishment of the International Labor Defense aimed specifically at attracting Blacks to communism?
5. What were the names of the Black communist candidates for national office?

Question 5
According to the author, Black Americans were not drawn to socialism because

1. the communists were more attentive to the needs of the Black community
2. they were put off by the extreme left associations of socialism
3. socialism saw Blacks largely as an economic group, not a racial group
4. the Negro Labor Congress advertised against socialism
5. socialists did not make enough effort to make Blacks feel part of the party mainstream

Question 6
It may be inferred from the passage that the International Labor Defense

1. was largely unsuccessful in its attempts to defend communists in court cases
2. had close ties to the Negro Labor Congress
3. defended some Blacks who were not communists
4. was formed in response to the new independence in party alliances among Blacks
5. was staffed by communist attorneys

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