AH Challenge: Socialist Texas

[AmIndHistoryAuthor]

Suggested here.
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=132297

A little background.
http://www.labordallas.org/hist/reds.htm

The idea is to see how possible it might for socialists (not necessarily party members or running under that party's banner) to be as influential as possible in TX history.

The early German proto socialists were largely wiped out by Confederate persecution in the CW. My suggested POD is that Governor Sam Houston accepts Lincoln's offer of federal troop to keep him in office. IOTL Houston refused. I'd suggest that at the least federal troops may have kept ther parts of TX with the most Unionists, NE of Dallas, the German Hill Country, and S TX from San Antonio on down, from falling to insurgents.

 

[Geekhis Khan]

Buwahahahaha! My crazy ramblings heeded!

The Houston angle might work in keeping Texas (semi) Union during the war, but I can't see it going truly Socialist because of that. You could have greater unionization by Oil workers drive it left (modern day Democrat?), but I'd think for a truly Socialist Texas you need the Lamarites and other Independent Texas factions to keep Texas an independent entity.

Maybe the classic WI posed here: Texas as a British ally/protectorate in the 19th C. shifting towards German Socialism. Perhaps more German Socialists and other Euro and American Socialists emigrate there. By the early 20th Social Democrats transform the nation, perhaps even nationalizing the oil industry.

 

[AmIndHistoryAuthor]

Maybe the classic WI posed here: Texas as a British ally/protectorate in the 19th C. shifting towards German Socialism. Perhaps more German Socialists and other Euro and American Socialists emigrate there. By the early 20th Social Democrats transform the nation, perhaps even nationalizing the oil industry.

Interesting. In that same WI someone suggested Britain may import laborers from India. I suggested that culturally Texas may then resemble one of the Guianas.

Imagine many leftist Germans added to the mix. Makes their reaction to WWI interesting to see, possibly British Texas colonial units largely made up of ethnic Germans, also Indo-Texan units.

And in the Cold War, when Britain and the US went out of their way to bring down a socialist leader in their former colony of tiny Guyana, perhaps they try the same with any socialists in British Texas. Incidentally, do they even keep the name?

Though if there are enough people of Euro heritage, they may just regard the colony as another Finland, a socialist nation neutral in the Cold War.

Also, outside of Venezuela under Chavez I can't think of a socialist nation with an oil industry bringing in enough profit to put them in a position to aid neighbors they regard as deserving of help. Maybe Socialist Texas offers aid to Castro to keep him from turning to the Soviets? Maybe aid to Chile's Allende?

 

[TheDifferenceEngine]

Interesting. In that same WI someone suggested Britain may import laborers from India. I suggested that culturally Texas may then resemble one of the Guianas.

Imagine many leftist Germans added to the mix. Makes their reaction to WWI interesting to see, possibly British Texas colonial units largely made up of ethnic Germans, also Indo-Texan units.

And in the Cold War, when Britain and the US went out of their way to bring down a socialist leader in their former colony of tiny Guyana, perhaps they try the same with any socialists in British Texas. Incidentally, do they even keep the name?

Though if there are enough people of Euro heritage, they may just regard the colony as another Finland, a socialist nation neutral in the Cold War.

Also, outside of Venezuela under Chavez I can't think of a socialist nation with an oil industry bringing in enough profit to put them in a position to aid neighbors they regard as deserving of help. Maybe Socialist Texas offers aid to Castro to keep him from turning to the Soviets? Maybe aid to Chile's Allende?

You are aware of the butterfly effect, right?

 

[Geekhis Khan]

I'm curious about the Indo-Texans concept. If it's a de jura independent nation there's less likelihood of the Fourth Texian Rifles being shipped to fight in *Crimea or wherever unless the Republic of Texas enters the war "independently" as an "ally".

But yea, after the first couple of decades butterflies are spiraling things a long way from OTL. The political situ in the US is changed without the major casus belli for the Mex-Am war (Tex-Mex border dispute). Cali is now up for grabs with the US, UK, Texas, and Mexico all likely wanting a piece or twelve. Of course the Tex-Mex border here becomes a British interest with our assumed British "alliance" to independent TX. Maybe they support the Republic of the Rio Grande or even Yucatan as well.

 

[AmIndHistoryAuthor]

Yes we know about butterflies. But how would a British/Socialist Texas somehow manage to affect Chile's history, other than what I suggested?

I could see it affecting Cuba's if the slaveowning interests push for the US annexing it to get another slave state.