Robert M. La Follette

Robert M. La Follette Jr. – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the biography of Robert M. La Follette Jr. (1895–1953), U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, progressive leader, and champion of civil liberties. Read about his life, political philosophy, legacy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Robert Marion La Follette Jr. (February 6, 1895 – February 24, 1953) was an American politician and a prominent figure in the Progressive movement. Known as “Young Bob” to distinguish him from his father, Robert M. “Fighting Bob” La Follette Sr., he served as U.S. Senator from Wisconsin from 1925 to 1947.

La Follette Jr. inherited a legacy of reform and often carried forward his father’s progressive agenda—labor rights, government accountability, civil liberties—while navigating the tumultuous political shifts of the mid-20th century, including the New Deal, World War II, and the rise of anti-communist fervor.

Early Life and Family

Robert M. La Follette Jr. was born in Madison, Wisconsin, to Belle Case La Follette and Robert M. La Follette Sr.

He attended the University of Wisconsin, although illness prevented him from completing a college degree.

Between 1919 and 1925, he worked as his father’s private secretary—a role that allowed him to become familiar with legislative and political processes.

Political Career and Achievements

Entering the Senate

When his father died in 1925, La Follette Jr. ran to fill the vacant Senate seat and won, beginning his tenure on September 30, 1925.

Early on, he aligned as a Republican, but his convictions soon pushed him toward more independent and progressive positions.

Progressive Reorientation & Civil Liberties Work

La Follette Jr. was a key figure behind the La Follette Civil Liberties Committee, a Senate investigative body exposing tactics used by large employers to suppress labor organizing (such as surveillance, intimidation, blacklisting).

In 1934, he co-founded the Wisconsin Progressive Party with his brother Philip, running for reelection under that banner.

As an isolationist, La Follette Jr. opposed U.S. involvement in European wars prior to WWII, and was among the founders of the America First Committee.

During his Senate career, he initially supported much of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal but later diverged over issues like naval expansion.

Decline & Return to Republicanism

By 1946, the Progressive Party’s influence was waning. That year, La Follette Jr. returned to the Republican Party.

After leaving the Senate, he worked as a consultant and remained engaged with economic and political issues.

Historical Milestones & Context

• Civil Liberties in the New Deal era: La Follette Jr. used Senate power to shine light on corporate practices that undermined worker rights—surveillance, blacklisting, suppression of organizing.

• Party realignment: His shift from Republican to Progressive and then back reflects mid-century turbulence over ideology, partisanship, and who would lead reform.

• Isolationism & America First: His opposition to U.S. entry into foreign wars before WWII reflected a strong contingent in U.S. politics wary of international entanglements.

• Defeat by McCarthy: His loss to Joseph McCarthy in 1946 foreshadowed the rise of postwar anti-communist politics, which would dominate U.S. national discourse for years.

Legacy and Influence

La Follette Jr. is remembered as the last major Progressive in the U.S. Senate, marking a dwindling era for third-party reform movements. His work on civil liberties continues to be cited in studies of labor rights and government overreach.

Though overshadowed compared to his father, he played a crucial role in preserving and adapting the progressive tradition into the mid-20th century. His fate also illustrates how the political climate shifted in the postwar period, marginalizing progressive dissent in favor of Cold War consensus.

In Wisconsin, the La Follette name continued in public life—his son, Bronson La Follette, served multiple terms as Attorney General of Wisconsin.

Personality, Beliefs & Style

La Follette Jr. inherited a deep conviction that government must be accountable, transparent, and serve the people rather than powerful interests. He often took positions out of principle, even when politically risky.

He was described as independent, sometimes unpredictable, and ideologically consistent in defending individual rights, labor protections, and resisting concentrations of power.

His decision to take his own life in 1953—while facing health struggles and perhaps political pressures—ended a career marked by both ideals and frustrations.

Famous Quotes of Robert M. La Follette Jr.

Here are some quotes attributed to Robert M. La Follette Jr.:

• “Before the war is ended, the war party assumes the divine right to denounce and silence all opposition to war as unpatriotic and cowardly.”

• “In times of peace, the war party insists on making preparation for war. As soon as prepared for, it insists on making war.”

• “Every nation has its war party … It is commercial, imperialistic, ruthless. It tolerates no opposition.”

• “If there is no sufficient reason for war, the war party will make war on one pretext, then invent another … after the war is on.”

These quotes reflect his strong criticisms of militarism, the misuse of patriotism, and the role of powerful interests in driving conflict.

Lessons from Robert M. La Follette Jr.

1. Public service rooted in principle over politics. La Follette Jr. shows that reformers may need to resist popular pressure in order to protect rights and integrity.

2. Long shadow of family legacy. He illustrates both the benefits and burdens of inheriting a political tradition—he had prestige, but also high expectations and comparisons.

3. Vulnerability of third-party movements. Even well-respected progressives faced structural challenges when outside the dominant parties.

4. Civil liberties often come under strain during wartime. His warnings about the “war party” are timeless: many rights are most in peril when fear is high.

5. Personal cost of public life. The pressures of health, ideology, shifting politics, and fading influence show the toll that long public lives can bring.

Conclusion

Robert M. La Follette Jr. stands as a bridge between Gilded Age progressivism and modern 20th-century politics. His efforts to safeguard civil liberties, support labor, and challenge powerful interests bear lessons for today’s debates over democracy, corporate influence, and war.

Though his career ended in political defeat and personal tragedy, his convictions and actions continue to offer a compelling example of principled dissent. If you like, I can prepare a timeline of La Follette Jr.’s Senate work, or compare his positions with his father’s or contemporaries. Would you like me to do that?