Socialist Party USA
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| Socialist Party USA | |
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| Party Chairman | Andrea Pason Jerry Levy |
|---|---|
| Senate Leader | None |
| House Leader | None |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Headquarters | 339 Lafayette St. Suite #303 New York, NY 10012 |
| Political ideology | Democratic socialism, socialist feminism[1] |
| Political position | Fiscal: Socialist economics Social: Civil libertarianism |
| International affiliation | None |
| Seats in the Senate | 0 |
| Seats in the House of Representatives | 0 |
| Color(s) | Red |
| Website | Socialist Party USA |
The Socialist Party USA (Socialist Party of the United States of America) is one of the heirs to the Socialist Party of America of Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas. It is a democratic socialist, multi-tendency party, advocating a broad-based, democratic social revolution from below. Its youth affiliate is the Young People's Socialist League.
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[edit] History
The Socialist Party USA was one of three organizations to emerge from a split of the Socialist Party of America in 1972-1973. In 1958, the Trotskyist Independent Socialist League led by Max Shachtman dissolved to join the SPA. Shachtman, whose politics had begun to move sharply to the right since his days as a Trotskyist leader, argued both for militant opposition to Soviet-style Communism and that the Socialist Party should attempt to simply re-align with the Democratic Party, losing independence. By 1972 Shachtman's Unity Caucus had taken control of the Socialist Party and blocked a resolution opposing the Vietnam War. In the 1972 presidential election, Shachtman's caucus initially backed Scoop Jackson, then refused to oppose Richard Nixon after Jackson was defeated in the primaries.
In response, two groups broke off: the Coalition Caucus led by Michael Harrington supported antiwar Democrat George McGovern and went on to form the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (later Democratic Socialists of America), while the left-wing Debs Caucus backed People's Party anti-war candidate Benjamin Spock. The Debs Caucus formed the Union for Democratic Socialism, which became the Socialist Party USA in 1973, when the Shachtmanites who remained in the SPA renamed their organization Social Democrats USA. Numerous local and state branches of the old SPA, including the Wisconsin, California, and Illinois parties also participated in the formation of the Socialist Party USA.
Committed to independent socialist politics, the reconstituted SP quickly began fielding its own candidates, including a 1976 Presidential ticket of Frank Zeidler and Quinn Brisben. In 1980, the SP became the first American party to nominate an openly gay man for President, anti-war activist David McReynolds, who would run for a second time in 2000.
In 1976, Jacqueline Srouji, a reporter for Nashville's The Tennessean was fired for having served as a confidential informant and possible agent provocateur for the FBI. One of the reported charges was that as a member of the Tennessee Valley Local of the SP she had tried to get two fellow members and fellow employees of the Tennessean to vandalize the Nashville Federal Office Building. This was during the era of COINTELPRO.[2]
The Socialist Party experienced substantial growth in the early years of the 21st century, expanding from only 600 members to around 1,700. Socialists surprised many in some recent elections. In 1992, Socialist Iowa City Councilwoman Karen Kubby won her re-election with the highest vote totals in the Iowa City Council's history, and was continually re-elected until retiring from the Council in 2000. In Milwaukee, in 2000, Socialist Wendell Harris received almost 20% of the vote for Mayor. In 2008, Socialist Jon Osbourne pulled in 22% of the vote for Rhode Island's 34th District State Senate seat, while listed on the ballot under the Socialist Party USA label. The Party refused to endorse Howie Hawkins's 2006 Senate campaign in New York, since it felt Hawkins did not make sufficient note of his membership in the SP or use the campaign to present a socialist program. Despite this, Hawkins received the support of members and locals in New York.
The SP focuses on grassroots activism in addition to electoral politics.[3] It has conducted "Socialist Summer" activist campaigns in recent years to address issues such as counter-recruitment and fighting to end the military-industrial complex; promoting socialized health care; supporting immigrant workers and battling persecution of immigrants following the September 11, 2001 attacks; and promoting civil liberties and civil rights. To promote activism, the SP has set up a dual structure of "Commissions" in addition to geographical local and state affiliates, which allow members with common interests to network and conduct campaigns. Active commissions include the Women's Commission, Labor Commission,[4] Faith and Socialism Commission,[5] Queer Commission, People of Color Commission, Environmental Commission, and others.[6]
The Socialist Party holds National Conventions in odd-numbered years and Organizing Conferences in even-numbered years. The most recent National Convention was held October 19–21, 2007 in St. Louis, Missouri.[7] The most recent Organizing Conference was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 11–13, 2008.[8]
[edit] Platform and principles
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Key topics and issues
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The Socialist Party USA describes itself as a democratic socialist party. It is opposed to both capitalism and Stalinism.[1] The Party's principles and platform call for the elimination of the power of big business through public ownership and workers' control, production for use instead of profit, and the establishment of a classless society. The party is also strongly committed to internationalism and the struggle against racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and homophobia.[1][9] The party calls for the abolition of the death penalty, as well as the criminal justice system's orientation to the prison-industrial complex.
As a multi-tendency party, the party rejects those models of organization referred to as cadre groups, as well as the practices commonly called "democratic centralist," meaning that SP members are often free to disagree publicly with party policy.[10] However, dues-paying members are required to confirm their agreement with the SP's Statement of Principles, "Socialism as Radical Democracy" and abide by its Constitution.[11] Since there are varying views within the membership on the means of achieving socialism based on the Statement of Principles, there is occasionally disagreement over what actions by members are appropriate and what merit censure. The party also strives to achieve a relative unity in action.
While some SP members favor a more gradual approach to socialism, most others envision a more sweeping or revolutionary transformation of society from capitalist to socialist through the decisive victory of the working class in the class struggle. Some SP members also advocate revolutionary nonviolence or pacifism, while some consider armed struggle a possible necessity. The Party's Statement of Principles rejects equating socialism with a "welfare state" and calls for democratic social revolution from below.[1] Many party members consider contemporary labor struggles to be of particular importance, and work in the party's Labor Commission.[4]
The party is strongly committed to socialist feminism and strives to carry out its internal practices in accordance with feminist process.[1][12] It requires gender parity among its elected National Convention delegates, National Committee members, and national Co-Chairs and Co-Vice Chairs of the Party, and organizes pro-choice activities. Its platform considers abortion a part of women's health care rights.[9] It has an active Women's Commission which publishes the magazine Socialist Women.[13]
[edit] Presidential tickets
- 1976 – Frank P. Zeidler and J. Quinn Brisben 6,038 votes
- 1980 – David McReynolds and Diane Drufenbrock 6,898 votes
- 1984 – None; chose to endorse Citizens Party ticket of Sonia Johnson and Richard J. Walton
- 1988 – Willa Kenoyer and Ron Ehrenreich 3,882 votes
- 1992 – J. Quinn Brisben and Barbara Garson 3,057 votes
- 1996 – Mary Cal Hollis and Eric Chester 4,764 votes (on the ballot in five states, official write-in status in another seven)
- 2000 – David McReynolds and Mary Cal Hollis 5,602 votes (on the ballot in seven states, official write-in status in another seven)
- 2004 – Walt Brown and Mary Alice Herbert 10,837 votes (on the ballot in eight states, official write-in status in another eleven)
- 2008 – Brian Moore and Stewart Alexander 6,555 votes[14][15] (on the ballot in eight states, official write-in status in another fifteen)
[edit] See also
- The Socialist magazine
- Industrial Workers of the World
- Luxemburgism
- List of political parties in the United States
- List of democratic socialist parties and organizations
State affiliates:
- Socialist Party of Florida
- Socialist Party of Massachusetts
- Socialist Party of Michigan
- Socialist Party of New Jersey
- Socialist Party of Oregon
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Statement of Principles
- ^ "A Special Relationship", TIME, May 24, 1976
- ^ "Tactics and Organizing", Socialist Party Handbook.
- ^ a b Labor Commission.
- ^ Faith and Socialism Commission.
- ^ Directory of Commissions.
- ^ 2007 National Convention.
- ^ 2008 National Organizing Conference.
- ^ a b Platform.
- ^ "Defining Democratic Socialism", Socialist Party Handbook.
- ^ Constitution
- ^ feministprocess
- ^ Socialist Women.
- ^ "2008 OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS". FEC. 2008-11-04. http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2008/2008presgeresults.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-02-03.
- ^ [2008 PRESIDENTIAL VOTE (not final)]", Ballot Access News, 6 January 2009 (accessed 21 February 2009).
