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Committee for a Workers' International

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The Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) is an international association of Trotskyist parties. Members include the Socialist Party of England and Wales, the Socialist Party (Ireland), the Socialist Party (Australia) the Democratic Socialist Movement in South Africa and Nigeria and groups using the name Socialist Alternative in the United States, Canada, along with parties in Sweden, Germany - representatives in 40 countries worldwide making the CWI the second largest Trotskyist international after the reunified Fourth International.

History

File:CWIlogo.gif
Logo of CWI.

The CWI was founded in 1974 at a conference in London on 20/21st April[1] by supporters of what was then called the Militant tendency in Britain, Sweden, Ireland and several other countries. At that time CWI sections generally pursued a policy of entrism into social democratic or labour parties, although it was not the only strategy pursued.

This strategy ended in the early 1990s. The CWI developed an analysis that these parties had changed in nature and had become simply capitalist parties. This was strongly resisted by Ted Grant, Militant's founder. After a lengthy debate [1] and special conference in 1991 confirmed overwhelmingly the position of the CWI in the England and Wales section, Grant split in 1992 after he and his supporters stopped paying dues in preparation of founding their own organisation which became the International Marxist Tendency.

Grant dismissed the leadership of the CWI, especially Peter Taaffe, as sectarians because they had deserted, in his view, the mass parties of the working class. Grant cited the success of the Militant in Britain, which as entryists had secured Dave Nellist, Terry Fields and Pat Wall as MPs. However this was countered with the argument that the clear determination of the Labour leadership under Neil Kinnock to destroy Trotskyist influence in the party, as well as Labour's move away from socialist policies, had changed the situation in the party. It was no longer possible, the CWI argued, for Militant to carry out activity in the way it had been done up to the late 1980s. In the UK, Kinnock had Terry Fields MP removed as a Labour MP in 1991, and Dave Nellist MP was suspended from Party membership around the same time. (Pat Wall MP had died.)

Activities

Since their open turn CWI sections have, in a number of countries, run candidates under their own name electing Joe Higgins to the Irish parliament Dáil Éireann as a Socialist Party candidate as well as several councillors in Britain, specifically in London and Coventry, and the Republic of Ireland. The CWI also has elected members of regional legislatures or local councils in Sweden, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands (members of the Dutch Socialist Party who are also CWI members), Pakistan, Sri Lanka and in the former Soviet Union. In the 2005 Sri Lanka presidential elections the CWI affiliate, the United Socialist Party, came third (with 0.4%) while gaining the highest left vote.[2]

Supporters of the CWI launched a youth organisation, International Socialist Resistance, in 2001. [3]

CWI members played a leading role in founding the Scottish Socialist Party. The CWI later left the SSP, establishing a new party in Scotland, Solidarity, in conjunction with the Socialist Workers Party.

CWI members stood as National Conscience Party candidates in the 2003 Nigerian elections, gaining the best results that the NCP (reaching 0.51% on a national scale) achieved. In Germany CWI members have been active in the new WASG since its foundation in 2004 and in December 2005 were elected part of the new leadership of its Berlin district that wants to run candidates on a clear anti-cuts programme in the 17 September 2006 Berlin regional election. In Brazil CWI members helped found the P-SOL Socialism and Freedom Party after left wing parliamentarians were expelled from the PT.

List of CWI sections

The following are the sections claimed by the CWI.

See also

References

  1. ^ Taaffe, P. (2004) A Socialist World is Possible London: CWI Publications and Socialist Books, pg.67
  2. ^ United Socialist Party (cwi) comes third in presidential election - retrieved 17/08/07
  3. ^ 500+ at Brussels ISR conference - retrieved 17/03/08
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