June 15, 2020 • 2hr 43min
#16 – God’s Socialist, pt. 6: No Driver At The Wheel
The Martyr Made Podcast
Key Takeaways
- The student movement and Black Panther Party were torn apart by FBI counterintelligence programs (COINTELPRO) in the early 1970s
- Activism devolved into infighting, paranoia, and terrorism as the civil rights movement fractured
- Jim Jones and People's Temple became increasingly paranoid and cult-like during this period
- Jones struggled to balance revolutionary rhetoric with avoiding violence that could bring scrutiny
- The departure of 8 key young members in 1973 sent Jones into a paranoid spiral
- Jones began using more extreme loyalty tests and control tactics on his followers
- By the mid-1970s, People's Temple was primed for its eventual tragic end in Jonestown
Introduction
This episode continues the series on Jim Jones and People's Temple, focusing on the early 1970s period when the broader activist movements were fracturing and Jones' paranoia was intensifying. It examines how government counterintelligence operations, internal conflicts, and increasing radicalization tore apart groups like the Black Panthers. Against this backdrop, People's Temple struggled with its own revolutionary aspirations while trying to avoid violence. The episode traces how these dynamics led to Jones implementing more extreme control tactics and loyalty tests on his followers.
Topics Discussed
Fracturing of the Black Panther Party (3:09)
The episode details how the Black Panther Party was torn apart by internal conflicts and FBI counterintelligence operations in the early 1970s:
- Leadership struggles between Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver split the party
- FBI COINTELPRO operations sowed distrust and paranoia among members
- Violent incidents like the torture and murder of Alex Rackley damaged the Panthers' image
- The New Haven Nine trial became a major media spectacle and further divided the movement
As the narrator states: "Panther leaderships all over the place, and law enforcement is riding them hard and the organizations in disarray."
Rise of the Black Liberation Army (1:11:23)
The episode covers the emergence of the militant Black Liberation Army (BLA) from former Panther members:
- BLA formed from Panthers who felt pinched between police and rival factions
- Engaged in bombings, shootouts with police, and assassinations of officers
- Operated in small cells with little central coordination
- Eldridge Cleaver provided ideological inspiration from exile in Algeria
The BLA's violent actions further damaged public perception of the Black Power movement.
Jim Jones' Balancing Act (1:54:24)
The episode examines how Jim Jones tried to balance revolutionary rhetoric with avoiding violence:
- Jones praised militant figures like George Jackson as heroes and martyrs
- He allowed discussion of revolutionary violence in People's Temple meetings
- Ultimately ruled out violence, saying the Temple had "too many children, too many senior citizens"
- Jones walked a fine line between radical credibility and avoiding scrutiny
As the narrator states: "Jim Jones played both sides as best he could. He played himself up as the most radical of the radicals while trying to keep his people from spilling out into the rest of the world in ways that might come back on him or the temple."
Departure of the Eight Revolutionaries (2:10:30)
A key turning point came when 8 young members left People's Temple in 1973:
- The "Eight Revolutionaries" were groomed as future leaders
- They left a scathing letter criticizing the Temple's leadership and lack of revolutionary action
- Accused Jones' inner circle of hypocrisy, racism, and sexual exploitation
- Their departure sent Jones into a paranoid spiral
The letter stated: "We have nothing to say to or with staff. Proed. A revolutionary, as you and staff would say, does not engage in s*x. Anyone with any awareness concerning socialism would give up s*x. The reasons for giving up s*x are agreeable with us. However, who takes the privileged liberty to abuse such a decision?"
Intensifying Control and Loyalty Tests (2:24:34)
After the Eight Revolutionaries left, Jones implemented more extreme control tactics:
- Created a special organization to spy on and report on other members
- Required planning commission members to sign false confessions as blackmail
- Conducted loyalty tests like fake mass poisonings
- Became obsessed with ferreting out disloyalty among followers
The episode describes one loyalty test: "Jim Jones coaxed his people and led them into singing a dirge as they lamented their shortened time in a corrupted world. And then when it was over Jim Jones told them that there was no poison and Patty cartmel rose revealing that proes had fired a blank. Some of them had proven their loyalty and commitment. Others had proven themselves suspect and everyone knew on which side they had fallen when the end had come."
Jones' Increasing Paranoia and Erratic Behavior (2:00:25)
The episode details how Jones became increasingly paranoid and unstable in the mid-1970s:
- Became convinced the FBI, CIA and others were conspiring against him
- Had run-ins with police, including an arrest for lewd conduct
- Behavior became more impulsive and erratic
- Obsession with loyalty and betrayal intensified
As the narrator states: "His behavior is becoming more erratic by this point, more impulsive. You would think that someone as paranoid as Jim Jones would be doing everything possible to avoid a situation like that."
Sexual Dynamics in People's Temple (2:02:15)
The episode explores the complex sexual dynamics Jones fostered in the Temple:
- Jones engaged in sexual relationships with many followers, male and female
- S*x between other members was officially forbidden as "counter-revolutionary"
- Jones would humiliate members by making them confess sexual urges
- S*x became an obsession in late-night planning meetings
The narrator notes: "S*x increasingly became an obsession of the late night planning commission meetings. On any given night, they'd alternate between catharsis sessions and talking about s*x, often with one leading into the other."
Conclusion
By the mid-1970s, People's Temple was primed for its eventual tragic end. The broader fracturing of activist movements, Jones' increasing paranoia, and the implementation of extreme control tactics had transformed the group into an isolated cult centered around Jones' personality. While still maintaining a veneer of progressive activism, the inner workings of the Temple had become defined by loyalty tests, sexual manipulation, and preparation for a final confrontation with perceived enemies. Jones' delusions of grandeur and persecution would only intensify in the coming years as the group relocated to Guyana, setting the stage for the mass murder-suicide at Jonestown in 1978.