International Marxist Tendency
Encyclopedia
The International Marxist Tendency (IMT) is an international socialist organisation based on the ideas of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Trotsky. The late Ted Grant
was its chief theoretician and the person who built the organisation since its beginning. Currently, Alan Woods and Lal Khan
are its best known leaders and theoreticians. It was founded as the Committee for a Marxist International, but has referred to itself as the International Marxist Tendency since 2006. The tendency is active in over 30 countries worldwide.
The Militant tendency was an entrist
group within the British Labour Party
based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964. Starting from humble beginnings, in grew rapidly in size in the late 1970s and early 1980s to become a sizeable force in British politics. This caused it to become a concern for the Labour Party leaders, and in 1983, the five members of the 'Editorial Board' of the Militant newspaper were expelled from the Party. In 1986, the journalist Michael Crick
argued that the Militant was effectively Britain's fifth biggest party (after Labour, Conservative
, Liberal
and the SDP
) in the early to mid 1980s.
Ted Grant was a long time leader of the Militant tendency
in the British Labour Party until it split in early 1992 over a number of issues, primarily whether to try to continue working in the Labour Party. The majority formed Militant Labour
outside the Labour Party, which subsequently became the Socialist Party. Grant argued that leaving Labour would amount to throwing away many decades of patient work and maintained that Marxists should remain within the party. However, he and his supporters were expelled from the tendency and together with Alan Woods they formed Socialist Appeal
in Britain.
In 1974, Militant and its co-thinkers from Sweden, Ireland and elsewhere around the world formed the Committee for a Workers International. The faction fight within the Militant tendency that led to the expulsion of Grant and Woods also played itself out within the CWI with supporters of the Grant minority leaving to form the Committee for a Marxist International in other countries than Britain, which later became known as the "International Marxist Tendency". Since its World Congress in 2006, the organisation was renamed the "International Marxist Tendency" (IMT). The IMT claims sections in many countries world wide with its biggest sections being The Struggle
in Pakistan, Esquerda Marxista
in Brazil, FalceMartello in Italy, and Socialist Appeal
in Britain.
such as those in France
and Italy
and, in some countries, mass parties such as the Pakistan Peoples Party
. This work, however, is typically combined with independent work outside these parties and with a strong observance of not liquidating the organisation inside these parties. The IMT's section in the United States
does not pursue this policy, instead supporting a campaign for a trade union
-backed Labour Party.
The IMT has spread to parts of Latin America, where it now has groups in Venezuela
, Peru
, Argentina
, Mexico
, Bolivia
, Brazil
and El Salvador
. At the end of 2002 it promoted the launching of the solidarity campaign at Hands Off Venezuela
, which is now active in 30 countries and has had resolutions passed within the trade union movements in Britain, Canada, Italy and other countries. IMT activists also play an important role in FRETECO (Front of Factories Under Workers' Control) movement in Brazil and Venezuela. They have been very active in Venezuela, where their section supports the popular revolution and spread the ideas of Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky.
Every year all the sections of tendency take part in a large event that is either a World Congress or a World School of Marxism. The function of the congress is to discuss the progress of IMT in the world, present reports and plan the future activities, whilst the World School is aimed mainly to deepen the knowledge of Marxist theory, history of workers' movement and the actual situation of the struggle for world socialism.
In the first days of March 2009 the International Marxist Tendency organised a Marxist School in Mexico, where revolutionaries from all over North, South and Central America gathered in order to discuss the work done in each country, as well as Marxist ideas and perspectives for the movement. Notably present at one of the Meetings was Esteban Volkov, Grandson of Trotsky who described Alan Woods as one of Trotsky's best followers. Also in this event, a new theoretical magazine was launched, called "America Socialista", which is now published in Spanish, but will eventually come out in Portuguese, English and French.
A few months later, the IMT suffered a new split. The majority of the Swedish section, factions in Poland and Britain and individuals from several other sections left the IMT to form a new group called Towards a New International (TANIT). The Iranian section of the IMT also split away over the international's position on Venezuela's friendly relations with the Iranian regime and in 2011 launched the Committee for Marxist Revival with co-thinkers in Britain.
, Alan Woods and other authors. The IMT regularly publish international theoretical periodicals, such as Marxist International Review and Asian Marxist Review. The site's name, In Defence of Marxism, is derived from the title given to a collection of letters and articles by Leon Trotsky
. However, the tendency has been criticised by some left groups for placing too much emphasis on 'abstract' theoretical topics such as Marxism and art, or the Class struggles in the Roman Republic.
(SPÖ). In 2009, an IMT supporter, Lukas Riepler, ran in the Vorarlberg
provincial elections as an SPÖ candidate on a socialist platform. Der Funke is the German term for "the spark", in reference to Iskra
, the Russian socialist newspaper founded by Vladimir Lenin
.
. It was established in 1974. Vonk publishes a monthly paper carrying the same name, which is the Dutch translation of Iskra
("spark"). Its militants are active in the students' movement and as members of the Socialist Party – Differently (SP.a) and of the General Federation of Belgian Labour
(ABVV/FGTB). The student organisation of Vonk is called VMS (Vonk Marxistische Studenten). A well-known member of Vonk in Belgium is Erik De Bruyn who is the spokesman of SP.a Rood (SP.a Red), the left wing of the SP.a. Unité socialiste ("Socialist Unity") is the organisation of IMT supporters in the French Community
.
(SUF) until most of its members were expelled in 2007. It supports the Socialist People's Party
(SF) and its youth organisation SFU
, even though members of SFU
are expelled if they are a part of Socialistisk Standpunkt.
(PCF). In discussions prior to the 34th congress of the PCF in 2008, La Riposte supported an alternative document titled "Renforcer le PCF, renouer avec le marxisme" which received the support of 5428 or 15% of voters.
. Although most sections of the International Marxist Tendency are active in the 'traditional organisations' of the working class, such as the Labour and Communist Parties, the Left Party is in fact an extremely new organisation. Its formation was welcomed by the IMT as they argue it increased the unity of socialist forces as it fused together two existing mass parties. The IMT argues, therefore, that The Left is "the most serious political formation to the left of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) for generations."
.
(PRC). Their long-standing leader is Claudio Bellotti. In the 2008 congress, the faction obtained 7.7% of the delegates and played a role in the defeat of the majority, which saw the left wing (led by Paolo Ferrero
) take the leadership of the party. Until 2009 therefore, it was part of a coalition majority. It has since moved back to an opposition stand within the party.
.
("the spark").
. The section is popularly known as the Socialist Appeal group. It was founded in 1992 by Ted Grant
and his supporters who opposed the Militant tendency
's decision to abandon work in the Labour Party. In the 1980s, Militant was the most successful European Trotskyist organisation, with three Members of Parliament and effective control over Liverpool City Council
. Grant and his supporters believed that the decision to leave the Labour Party was "a threat to forty years work". Peter Taaffe
on the other hand, alongside the majority of Militant's leaders believed that the Labour party was preventing them from moving forward. Socialist Appeal was formed soon after by the expelled minority group, in the early 1990s.
(MAS). The IMT characterises the political situation in Bolivia as being similar to Venezuela, in that both countries are ruled by popular left-wing leaders; the tendency argues that these leaders must carry out socialist policies including nationalisations in order to safeguard the reforms that have been achieved. A 2011 speaking tour by Alan Woods, organised by El Militante, attracted around 800 visitors.
. Its official publication is Luta de Classes ("Class Struggle"). Esquerda Marxista was formerly a section of the Lambertist Fourth International
, but split with them over the issue of factory occupations. In 2008, their annual congress voted unanimously in favour of affiliating to the IMT. In the 2009 internal election of the Workers' Party (PT), the Esquerda Marxista slate received 3407 votes and won a position on the national leadership.
who are members of the New Democratic Party
. In 2003, supporters of Fightback were elected to the National Executive of the New Democratic Youth. Additionally, the leadership of the British Columbia
n and Alberta
n provincial NDP Youth have been held by Fightback supporters.
IMT Quebec is the organisation of IMT members in Quebec
. It is a recognised collective within Québec solidaire
. Its official publication is La Riposte ("The Fightback").
(FMLN). It voted to affiliate to the IMT in 2008.
(PRD).
and build a "mass party of labor".
(PSUV). Its official publication is Lucha de Clases ("Class Struggle"). It was founded in 2010 after the Revolutionary Marxist Current
left the IMT over disputes about how to approach the PSUV and expelled its members who opposed this move, including most involved in the PSUV youth.
(PPP). Its leader and best known theoretician is Lal Khan
. The Struggle is the largest section of the IMT. its membership is in thousands. It has been active in the worker's movement through the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC), while also being involved in the student movement.
. Its official publication is Workers' Alternative.
.
.
Ted Grant
Edward "Ted" Grant , 9 July 1913 in Germiston, South Africa – 20 July 2006 in London) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain...
was its chief theoretician and the person who built the organisation since its beginning. Currently, Alan Woods and Lal Khan
Lal Khan
Lal Khan, M.D., is a political activist and Trotskyist political theorist. He is the leading figure and main theorist in the International Marxist Tendency, alongside Alan Woods. He is a doctor of Medicine, although he no longer practices this profession for the sake of his revolutionary activities...
are its best known leaders and theoreticians. It was founded as the Committee for a Marxist International, but has referred to itself as the International Marxist Tendency since 2006. The tendency is active in over 30 countries worldwide.
Origin
Entryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
group within the British Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964. Starting from humble beginnings, in grew rapidly in size in the late 1970s and early 1980s to become a sizeable force in British politics. This caused it to become a concern for the Labour Party leaders, and in 1983, the five members of the 'Editorial Board' of the Militant newspaper were expelled from the Party. In 1986, the journalist Michael Crick
Michael Crick
Michael Crick is a British journalist, author and broadcaster. Crick was a founding member of the Channel 4 News Team in 1982. He worked on the BBC's Newsnight between 1992 and 2011, acting as the programme's political editor from 2007 to his departure...
argued that the Militant was effectively Britain's fifth biggest party (after Labour, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and the SDP
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
) in the early to mid 1980s.
Ted Grant was a long time leader of the Militant tendency
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
in the British Labour Party until it split in early 1992 over a number of issues, primarily whether to try to continue working in the Labour Party. The majority formed Militant Labour
Militant Labour
Militant Labour was the name of the political party openly formed by members of the Militant Tendency when they abandoned the Trotskyist tactic of entryism in 1990....
outside the Labour Party, which subsequently became the Socialist Party. Grant argued that leaving Labour would amount to throwing away many decades of patient work and maintained that Marxists should remain within the party. However, he and his supporters were expelled from the tendency and together with Alan Woods they formed Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal is the publication of a British Trotskyist organisation operating within the Labour Party which was founded by Ted Grant and Alan Woods after they were expelled from the Militant tendency. The organisation is popularly known as the Socialist Appeal group, and publishes a monthly...
in Britain.
In 1974, Militant and its co-thinkers from Sweden, Ireland and elsewhere around the world formed the Committee for a Workers International. The faction fight within the Militant tendency that led to the expulsion of Grant and Woods also played itself out within the CWI with supporters of the Grant minority leaving to form the Committee for a Marxist International in other countries than Britain, which later became known as the "International Marxist Tendency". Since its World Congress in 2006, the organisation was renamed the "International Marxist Tendency" (IMT). The IMT claims sections in many countries world wide with its biggest sections being The Struggle
The Struggle (political organisation)
The Struggle is a Trotskyist organisation in Pakistan, affiliated to the International Marxist Tendency . Its leader and best known theoretician is Lal Khan, and it constitutes the largest section of the IMT...
in Pakistan, Esquerda Marxista
Esquerda Marxista
-About:Esquerda Marxista is a Brazilian Trotskyist organization, a recognized tendency within the ruling Workers' Party.The organization is now affiliated with the International Marxist Tendency , but it was founded as a section of the Lambertist Fourth International. It split with them over the...
in Brazil, FalceMartello in Italy, and Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal
Socialist Appeal is the publication of a British Trotskyist organisation operating within the Labour Party which was founded by Ted Grant and Alan Woods after they were expelled from the Militant tendency. The organisation is popularly known as the Socialist Appeal group, and publishes a monthly...
in Britain.
Theory and Tactics
The International Marxist Tendency adheres to orthodox Trotskyism, emphasising the education of cadres of workers and youth. One can recognize a strong emphasis on the following issues in their theory:- The constitutionally "Socialist" states born after the Second World War (for example, those in the Eastern BlocEastern blocThe term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
) are categorised by Grant as "deformed workers' states", or "proletarian Bonapartist" regimes. Thus he denies a qualitative difference between Stalin's USSR and such countries. In particular, Ted Grant deepened Trotsky's theory on "proletarian Bonapartism": he foresaw the likelihood, in the 1945-1991 world situation, of the establishment of new bureaucratised "workers' states" in backward countries, also on the basis of left-wing military coups and peasant guerrilla wars. According to this premise, variants between such regimes have a minor importance and the clashes counterposing their leaderships are just instrumental in supporting the interests of conflicting bureaucracies.
- Differently from most Trotskyist groups, The IMT believes that countries such as Burma and SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, though their leaders were not delivering Marxist-Leninist speeches, were to be included in that same category when they had a planned economy. For all these countries, the IMT supports a classic Trotskyist demand: a workers' "political revolution" aimed at restoring or establishing "workers' democracy" while preserving economic planning. This demand was raised by the workers' wing of the Hungarian revolutionaries in 1956.
- The Tendency developed an original concept of entrism which was described as being a different concept than the classic entryism and also an opposing vision to Michel Pablo's "deep entrism" or "entrism sui generis". Marxists should work "inside, outside and around the mass organisations" for "workers begin to move through their own traditional mass organisations" and therefore "outside the workers' movement, there's nothing". This stance resulted in the Grantist groups on a world scale leaving the Fourth International after 1965, since the IMT considered other Fourth Internationalists as having degenerated into sects under the influence of non-Marxist ideas such as guerrillaism, left-wing nationalism, studentism, or third-worldism.
Activity
Just as the Committee for a Worker's International pursued a policy of working in the traditional mass organisations up until the early 1990s, IMT groups across the world pursue this method in their respective Labour Parties (where they exist), some Communist PartiesCommunist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
such as those in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and, in some countries, mass parties such as the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
. This work, however, is typically combined with independent work outside these parties and with a strong observance of not liquidating the organisation inside these parties. The IMT's section in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
does not pursue this policy, instead supporting a campaign for a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
-backed Labour Party.
The IMT has spread to parts of Latin America, where it now has groups in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. At the end of 2002 it promoted the launching of the solidarity campaign at Hands Off Venezuela
Hands Off Venezuela
Hands Off Venezuela is a political lobby group based in the United Kingdom and with branches in many other countries. The campaign was established in December 2002, following the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002, with the aim of increasing public and political awareness in the UK and elsewhere of...
, which is now active in 30 countries and has had resolutions passed within the trade union movements in Britain, Canada, Italy and other countries. IMT activists also play an important role in FRETECO (Front of Factories Under Workers' Control) movement in Brazil and Venezuela. They have been very active in Venezuela, where their section supports the popular revolution and spread the ideas of Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky.
Every year all the sections of tendency take part in a large event that is either a World Congress or a World School of Marxism. The function of the congress is to discuss the progress of IMT in the world, present reports and plan the future activities, whilst the World School is aimed mainly to deepen the knowledge of Marxist theory, history of workers' movement and the actual situation of the struggle for world socialism.
In the first days of March 2009 the International Marxist Tendency organised a Marxist School in Mexico, where revolutionaries from all over North, South and Central America gathered in order to discuss the work done in each country, as well as Marxist ideas and perspectives for the movement. Notably present at one of the Meetings was Esteban Volkov, Grandson of Trotsky who described Alan Woods as one of Trotsky's best followers. Also in this event, a new theoretical magazine was launched, called "America Socialista", which is now published in Spanish, but will eventually come out in Portuguese, English and French.
2009-2010 Splits
In late 2009 a dispute developed between the IMT leadership and the leaderships of its sections in Spain, Venezuela and Mexico. In January 2010, these organisations, together with the group in Colombia and part of the section in Mexico, broke with the IMT and established a new international body, the Corriente Marxista Revolucionaria, the same name as the former IMT section in Venezuela. Minorities in Venezuela and Spain choose to remain with the IMT and set up new sections. The new IMT Venezuelan section launched their newspaper, Lucha de Clases, in April 2010.A few months later, the IMT suffered a new split. The majority of the Swedish section, factions in Poland and Britain and individuals from several other sections left the IMT to form a new group called Towards a New International (TANIT). The Iranian section of the IMT also split away over the international's position on Venezuela's friendly relations with the Iranian regime and in 2011 launched the Committee for Marxist Revival with co-thinkers in Britain.
Website and Publications
In Defence of Marxism is the website of the International Marxist Tendency, found at http://www.marxist.com. The site is multilingual, and publishes international current affairs articles written from a Marxist perspective, as well as a large number of historical and theoretical articles. In addition to the IMT website, each national section has its own website in that country's respective language(s). There is also a quantity of audio and video material on the site. In Defence of Marxism has an online socialist book store at http://wellred.marxist.com. Additionally, Wellred publishes a number of books by Leon TrotskyLeon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
, Alan Woods and other authors. The IMT regularly publish international theoretical periodicals, such as Marxist International Review and Asian Marxist Review. The site's name, In Defence of Marxism, is derived from the title given to a collection of letters and articles by Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
. However, the tendency has been criticised by some left groups for placing too much emphasis on 'abstract' theoretical topics such as Marxism and art, or the Class struggles in the Roman Republic.
Austria
Der Funke is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Austria who are members of the Social Democratic Party of AustriaSocial Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
(SPÖ). In 2009, an IMT supporter, Lukas Riepler, ran in the Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein...
provincial elections as an SPÖ candidate on a socialist platform. Der Funke is the German term for "the spark", in reference to Iskra
Iskra
Iskra was a political newspaper of Russian socialist emigrants established as the official organ of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Initially, it was managed by Vladimir Lenin, moving as he moved. The first edition was published in Stuttgart on December 1, 1900. Other editions were...
, the Russian socialist newspaper founded by Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
.
Belgium
Vonk is the organisation of IMT supporters in the Flemish CommunityFlemish Community
The term Flemish Community has two distinct, though related, meanings:...
. It was established in 1974. Vonk publishes a monthly paper carrying the same name, which is the Dutch translation of Iskra
Iskra
Iskra was a political newspaper of Russian socialist emigrants established as the official organ of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Initially, it was managed by Vladimir Lenin, moving as he moved. The first edition was published in Stuttgart on December 1, 1900. Other editions were...
("spark"). Its militants are active in the students' movement and as members of the Socialist Party – Differently (SP.a) and of the General Federation of Belgian Labour
General Federation of Belgian Labour
-External links:* Official site.*...
(ABVV/FGTB). The student organisation of Vonk is called VMS (Vonk Marxistische Studenten). A well-known member of Vonk in Belgium is Erik De Bruyn who is the spokesman of SP.a Rood (SP.a Red), the left wing of the SP.a. Unité socialiste ("Socialist Unity") is the organisation of IMT supporters in the French Community
French Community of Belgium
The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not...
.
Denmark
Socialistisk Standpunkt ("Socialist Standpoint") is the Danish section of the IMT. It was a fraction in the Socialist Youth FrontSocialist Youth Front
Socialistisk UngdomsFront is an ecological, revolutionary socialist youth organization in Denmark, consisting of more than 1100 members and 35 local committees across Denmark....
(SUF) until most of its members were expelled in 2007. It supports the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
The Socialist People's Party is a green and socialist political party in Denmark.-1959–69:The SF was founded on 15 February 1959 by Aksel Larsen, a former leader of the Communist Party of Denmark and CIA agent. Larsen was removed from the ranks of the DKP for his criticism over the Soviet...
(SF) and its youth organisation SFU
Youth of the Socialist People's Party
Socialistisk Folkepartis Ungdom is the youth wing of the Socialist People's Party of Denmark, founded in 1969...
, even though members of SFU
Youth of the Socialist People's Party
Socialistisk Folkepartis Ungdom is the youth wing of the Socialist People's Party of Denmark, founded in 1969...
are expelled if they are a part of Socialistisk Standpunkt.
France
La Riposte ("The Fightback") is the newspaper of IMT supporters in France who are members of the French Communist PartyFrench Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
(PCF). In discussions prior to the 34th congress of the PCF in 2008, La Riposte supported an alternative document titled "Renforcer le PCF, renouer avec le marxisme" which received the support of 5428 or 15% of voters.
Germany
Der Funke ("The Spark") is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Germany who are members of the Left PartyLeft Party (Germany)
The Party of Democratic Socialism was a democratic socialist political party active in Germany from 1989 to 2007. It was the legal successor to the Socialist Unity Party , which ruled the German Democratic Republic until 1990. From 1990 through to 2005, the PDS had been seen as the left-wing...
. Although most sections of the International Marxist Tendency are active in the 'traditional organisations' of the working class, such as the Labour and Communist Parties, the Left Party is in fact an extremely new organisation. Its formation was welcomed by the IMT as they argue it increased the unity of socialist forces as it fused together two existing mass parties. The IMT argues, therefore, that The Left is "the most serious political formation to the left of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) for generations."
Greece
Marxistiki Foni ("Marxist Voice") is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Greece who are members of Synaspismós.Ireland
Fightback is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Ireland who are members of the Irish Labour PartyLabour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
.
Italy
FalceMartello ("HammerSickle") is the Italian section of the IMT. It is a recognised faction within the Communist Refoundation PartyCommunist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
(PRC). Their long-standing leader is Claudio Bellotti. In the 2008 congress, the faction obtained 7.7% of the delegates and played a role in the defeat of the majority, which saw the left wing (led by Paolo Ferrero
Paolo Ferrero
Paolo Ferrero is an Italian politician, member of the Communist Refoundation Party and former Italian Minister of Social Solidarity in the Prodi II Cabinet.-Career:...
) take the leadership of the party. Until 2009 therefore, it was part of a coalition majority. It has since moved back to an opposition stand within the party.
Poland
Socjalizm is the Polish section of the IMT. Their website has been offline since the passage of a law banning the promotion of Communism in June 2010.Spain
Lucha de Clases is the Spanish section of the IMT. The Spanish section was the largest in Europe prior to the split, where it lost the bulk of its members.Sweden
Avanti! ("Forward!") is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Sweden who are members of the Left PartyLeft Party (Sweden)
The Left Party is a socialist and feminist political party in Sweden, from 1967 to 1990 known as the Left Party – The Communists .On welfare issues, the party opposes privatizations...
.
Switzerland
Der Funke, l'Étincelle, and la Scintilla are the newspapers of IMT supporters in Switzerland in German, French, and Italian respectively. All three names mean IskraIskra
Iskra was a political newspaper of Russian socialist emigrants established as the official organ of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Initially, it was managed by Vladimir Lenin, moving as he moved. The first edition was published in Stuttgart on December 1, 1900. Other editions were...
("the spark").
United Kingdom
Socialist Appeal is the newspaper of the British section of the IMT which is active within the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. The section is popularly known as the Socialist Appeal group. It was founded in 1992 by Ted Grant
Ted Grant
Edward "Ted" Grant , 9 July 1913 in Germiston, South Africa – 20 July 2006 in London) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain...
and his supporters who opposed the Militant tendency
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
's decision to abandon work in the Labour Party. In the 1980s, Militant was the most successful European Trotskyist organisation, with three Members of Parliament and effective control over Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
. Grant and his supporters believed that the decision to leave the Labour Party was "a threat to forty years work". Peter Taaffe
Peter Taaffe
Peter Taaffe is the general secretary of the Socialist Party of England and Wales SPEW and member of the International Executive Committee of the Committee for a Workers International , which claims sections in over 35 countries around the world.Taaffe was founding editor of the Marxist Militant...
on the other hand, alongside the majority of Militant's leaders believed that the Labour party was preventing them from moving forward. Socialist Appeal was formed soon after by the expelled minority group, in the early 1990s.
Argentina
El Militante is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Argentina.Bolivia
El Militante is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Bolivia who are members of the Movement for SocialismMovement for Socialism (Bolivia)
The Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples , alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism", is a left-wing, socialist, Bolivian political organization led by Evo Morales, founded in 1995...
(MAS). The IMT characterises the political situation in Bolivia as being similar to Venezuela, in that both countries are ruled by popular left-wing leaders; the tendency argues that these leaders must carry out socialist policies including nationalisations in order to safeguard the reforms that have been achieved. A 2011 speaking tour by Alan Woods, organised by El Militante, attracted around 800 visitors.
Brazil
Esquerda Marxista do Partido dos Trabalhadores ("Marxist Left of the Workers' Party") is the Brazilian section of the IMT active within the ruling Workers' PartyWorkers' Party (Brazil)
The Workers' Party is a democratic socialist political party in Brazil. Launched in 1980, it is recognized as one of the largest and most important left-wing movements of Latin America. It governs at the federal level in a coalition government with several other parties since January 1, 2003...
. Its official publication is Luta de Classes ("Class Struggle"). Esquerda Marxista was formerly a section of the Lambertist Fourth International
Fourth International (ICR)
The Fourth International was established as an "International Centre of Reconstruction" by co-thinkers of Pierre Lambert, in 1981 who argued that the post-war political evolution of the Fourth International under the leadership of Michel Pablo and Ernest Mandel had taken the FI away from the...
, but split with them over the issue of factory occupations. In 2008, their annual congress voted unanimously in favour of affiliating to the IMT. In the 2009 internal election of the Workers' Party (PT), the Esquerda Marxista slate received 3407 votes and won a position on the national leadership.
Canada
Fightback is the newspaper of IMT supporters in English CanadaEnglish Canada
English Canada is a term used to describe one of the following:# English-speaking Canadians, as opposed to French-speaking Canadians. It is employed when comparing English- and French-language literature, media, or art...
who are members of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
. In 2003, supporters of Fightback were elected to the National Executive of the New Democratic Youth. Additionally, the leadership of the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
n and Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
n provincial NDP Youth have been held by Fightback supporters.
IMT Quebec is the organisation of IMT members in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It is a recognised collective within Québec solidaire
Québec Solidaire
Québec solidaire is a democratic socialist and sovereigntist political party in Quebec, Canada, that was created on 4 February 2006 in Montreal. It was formed by the merger of the left-wing party Union des forces progressistes and the alter-globalization political movement Option Citoyenne, led...
. Its official publication is La Riposte ("The Fightback").
El Salvador
Bloque Popular Juvenil ("Popular Youth Bloc") is the Salvadoran section of the IMT. Its official publication is BJP Militante. The BPJ was founded as the youth wing of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation FrontFarabundo Martí National Liberation Front
The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is, since 1992, a left-wing political party in El Salvador and formerly a coalition of five revolutionary guerrilla organizations...
(FMLN). It voted to affiliate to the IMT in 2008.
Mexico
Militante is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Mexico who are members of the Party of the Democratic RevolutionParty of the Democratic Revolution
The Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
(PRD).
Peru
Fuerza de Izquierda Socialista ("Socialist Left Force") is the Peruvian section of the IMT. Its official publication is El Militante.United States
The Workers' International League (WIL) is the US sympathizing section of the IMT. Its official publication is Socialist Appeal. Unlike IMT supporters in most countries, the Workers' International League does not support any existing political party, but rather calls on the trade unions to break with the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and build a "mass party of labor".
Venezuela
IMT Venezuela is the Venezuelan section of the IMT. It is a recognised faction within the United Socialist Party of VenezuelaUnited Socialist Party of Venezuela
The United Socialist Party of Venezuela is the name of a democratic socialist political party in Venezuela which resulted from the fusion of some of the political and social forces that support the Bolivarian Revolution led by incumbent President Hugo Chávez...
(PSUV). Its official publication is Lucha de Clases ("Class Struggle"). It was founded in 2010 after the Revolutionary Marxist Current
Revolutionary Marxist Current
The Revolutionary Marxist Current is a Trotskyist tendency within the United Socialist Party of Venezuela ....
left the IMT over disputes about how to approach the PSUV and expelled its members who opposed this move, including most involved in the PSUV youth.
Iran
Mobareze Tabaqati ("Class Struggle") is the journal of IMT supporters in Iran.Pakistan
The Struggle is the Pakistan section of the IMT which is active within the Pakistan Peoples PartyPakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP). Its leader and best known theoretician is Lal Khan
Lal Khan
Lal Khan, M.D., is a political activist and Trotskyist political theorist. He is the leading figure and main theorist in the International Marxist Tendency, alongside Alan Woods. He is a doctor of Medicine, although he no longer practices this profession for the sake of his revolutionary activities...
. The Struggle is the largest section of the IMT. its membership is in thousands. It has been active in the worker's movement through the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC), while also being involved in the student movement.
Morocco
The Communist League of Action is the Moroccan section of the IMT. Its official publication is The Communist; IMT supporters in Morocco also publish an Arabic-language website.Nigeria
The Campaign for a Workers' Alternative is the Nigerian section of the IMT which is active within the Nigerian Labour PartyLabour Party (Nigeria)
The Labour Party is a socialist/social democratic political party in Nigeria. In the 21 April 2007 Nigerian National Assembly election, the party won 1 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and no seats in the Senate. The Party's flagbearer in Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, emerged the...
. Its official publication is Workers' Alternative.
Australia
Fightback is the newspaper of IMT supporters in Australia who are members of the Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
.
New Zealand
Socialist Appeal is the newspaper of IMT supporters in New Zealand who are members of the New Zealand Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
.
See also
- Militant TendencyMilitant TendencyThe Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
- Ted GrantTed GrantEdward "Ted" Grant , 9 July 1913 in Germiston, South Africa – 20 July 2006 in London) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain...
- Alan Woods
- Lal KhanLal KhanLal Khan, M.D., is a political activist and Trotskyist political theorist. He is the leading figure and main theorist in the International Marxist Tendency, alongside Alan Woods. He is a doctor of Medicine, although he no longer practices this profession for the sake of his revolutionary activities...
- TrotskyismTrotskyismTrotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
- Bolivarian RevolutionBolivarian RevolutionThe “Bolivarian Revolution” refers to a leftist social movement and political process in Venezuela led by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, the founder of the Fifth Republic Movement...
- Labour Party (UK)Labour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...