The Business Plot: Smedley D. Butler, Anti-Democratic Dissidence, and the Recession of the American Right 1932-1936

This paper re-constructs the Business Plot, which was an attempted coup of the Roosevelt administration in 1933. It also explores part of Smedley D. Butler's military career and draws connections between the Business Plot and his tours in Latin America. The paper argues that the Business Plot exemplifies meaningful anti-democratic dissidence, and argues that the Business Plot reminds us to seriously address threats to American democracy.