Lyndon LaRouche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyndon LaRouche
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LaRouche circa 1988
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| Born |
Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche Jr.
September 8, 1922 Rochester, New Hampshire, U.S.
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| Died | February 12, 2019 (aged 96) |
| Other names | Lyn Marcus |
| Education | Northeastern University (no degree) |
| Organization | National Caucus of Labor Committees |
| Political party |
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| Movement | LaRouche movement |
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Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche Jr. (born September 8, 1922 – died February 12, 2019) was an American political activist. He started a group called the LaRouche movement. Its main part was the National Caucus of Labor Committees (NCLC). LaRouche was known for believing in secret plots. He also ran for President of the United States many times.
He started his political journey on the far-left. But in the 1970s, he moved to the far-right. Some people described his movement as being like a cult. LaRouche was found guilty of fraud. He spent five years in prison from 1989 to 1994.
LaRouche was born in Rochester, New Hampshire. In his twenties, during World War II, he became interested in socialist ideas. In the 1950s, he worked as a consultant in New York City. He was also part of a group called the Trotskyists. By the 1960s, he joined smaller, more radical groups.
During the 1970s, he created the LaRouche movement. He started to believe more in secret plots. His group also became involved in some illegal activities. He shifted from radical left politics to radical right politics.
The LaRouche movement never had many members. It is thought to have had only a few thousand people. However, it had a big impact on politics. It raised a lot of money, possibly over $200 million. In the 1980s, its members ran in more than 4,000 elections. They sometimes pretended to be conservative Democrats. They also bothered their political opponents.
In 1986, the movement had its biggest success. LaRouche's candidates won some primary elections in Illinois. This worried officials in the Democratic Party. Later in the 1980s, criminal investigations began. Several members of the LaRouche movement were found guilty. This included LaRouche himself. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. But he only served five years.
LaRouche ran for President of the United States many times. He ran in every election from 1976 to 2004. He ran as a candidate for smaller parties. These parties were created by his movement members. His highest number of votes was about 78,000 in the 1984 election. He also tried to get the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1996, he received 5% of the votes in the Democratic primaries. In 2000, he got enough votes to have delegates in some states. But the Democratic National Committee did not let his delegates join. They also stopped LaRouche from attending the Democratic National Convention.
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Lyndon LaRouche's Early Life and Education
Lyndon LaRouche was born in Rochester, New Hampshire. He was the oldest of three children. His father worked for a shoe machinery company. His family later moved to Lynn, Massachusetts.
His parents became Quakers. They taught him not to fight, even to defend himself. He said this led to "years of hell" from bullies. Because of this, he spent a lot of time alone. He enjoyed long walks and thinking about great philosophers. He wrote that he read many philosophy books between ages 12 and 14. He liked the ideas of Leibniz. He did not agree with philosophers like Hume or Kant. He finished Lynn English High School in 1940.
University Studies and War Service
LaRouche went to Northeastern University in Boston. He left in 1942 without finishing his degree. He later said his teachers were not good enough for him. As a Quaker, he was a conscientious objector (CO) during World War II. This meant he refused to fight in the war. He joined a Civilian Public Service camp instead.
In 1944, he joined the United States Army. He served as a non-combatant. He worked in medical units in India and Burma. By the end of the war, he was an ordnance clerk. He said joining the army was a very important decision for him. In India, he felt sympathy for the Indian independence movement. He wrote that many soldiers did not want to help British forces fight against Indian independence.
LaRouche wrote that he talked about Marxism in the CO camp. In 1946, he met a fellow soldier who introduced him to Trotskyism. After returning to the U.S., he went back to Northeastern University. But he dropped out again. In 1948, he returned to Lynn. The next year, he joined the Socialist Workers Party. He used the name "Lyn Marcus" for his political work. In 1953, he moved to New York City. There, he worked as a management consultant.
The LaRouche Movement and Its Impact
The size of LaRouche's movement changed over time. Most estimates say it had a core of 500 to 2,000 members. In 1978, about 600 members paid monthly dues. One writer said in 1983 that some groups linked to LaRouche had attracted about 20,000 members. They also had 300,000 magazine subscribers.
Christopher Toumey said that LaRouche had a special power over his followers. Members believed he had unique insights and knowledge. He would find a big problem that people cared about. Then he would research it deeply. After that, he would suggest a simple solution. These solutions often involved changing the economy or national security. He and his members would say that anyone who disagreed with him was bad. They would claim these people were part of a secret plot.
Why Some Called It a Cult
Critics and groups that study cults have called the LaRouche movement a cult. They also used terms like "cult-like."
A newspaper article from 1987 described how members lived. They lived in crowded apartments and had very little money. The movement paid for their basic needs. Members spent almost all their time together. They worked to raise money or sell newspapers for LaRouche. They also did research for him or sang in a group choir.
Lyndon LaRouche's Personal Life
Lyndon LaRouche was married two times. In 1954, he married Janice Neuberger. She was a psychiatrist. Their son, Daniel, was born in 1956. They divorced in 1963. He then married Helga Zepp in 1977.
Death of Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon LaRouche's death was announced on one of his group's websites. He died on February 12, 2019. He was 96 years old. The announcement did not say where he died or what caused his death.
See also
In Spanish: Lyndon LaRouche para niños
