Question

Explain how the Russian revolution and nativism in the U.S led to the conviction and execution of Sacco and Vanzetti

Answer 1

Sacco and Vanzetti were two working class, italian immigrants in the USA, but they were also anarchists. Their political ideas were influenced by the ideas Russian anarchists like Mikhail Bakunin and Piotr Kropotkin.

Since politicians did not want revolutionary ideas like communism or anarchism to expand in the United States and suffer a social uprising like the Russian revolution, communists and anarchists were usually targeted by the police.

In addition to that, racism and nativism in favour of white european, especially white anglo saxon people aslo contributed to the profiling of certain ethnic groups.

Since Sacco and Vanzetti were italian immigrants and also anarchists, they were immediately targeted as guilty of robbery and murder, even though there were no definitive evidence.