Revolutionary Democratic Group
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Democratic Group (RDG) is a socialist organisation in the United Kingdom
. They were founded in the early 1980s as a split from London
and Scottish
branches of the Socialist Workers Party
, of which, for many years, they considered themselves an "external faction".
The ideological centre of the RDG is an explicit commitment to republicanism
. The RDG believes that the far-left concentrates excessively on economic struggles without a clear focus on the need for democracy
. The organisation developed the concept of the social monarchy to explain the nature of the British state and seeks to demonstrate links between the existence of the monarchy and the continuation of capitalism.
The RDG has consistently sought alliances with other socialist groups, with the aim of forming a larger, democratic socialist party. For example, they began working with the Socialist Federation in 1984. For the 1987 general election
the RDG joined the Red Front, an electoral alliance spearheaded by the Revolutionary Communist Party
. In 1988, they sought fusion talks with Red Action
. In the late 1990s they joined Arthur Scargill
's Socialist Labour Party
, officially dissolving their organisation and becoming the Republican Group. They left, regained the RDG name and soon after joined the Socialist Alliance
. They have patchy relations with Communist Party of Great Britain and occasionally have articles carried in the Weekly Worker
. The RDG is also active within the United Socialist Party
political initiative started by former Liverpool Dockers to build a new workers' party.
They briefly sold the Alliance for Workers' Liberty
's newspaper Solidarity
. The group occasionally produces one-off editions of its newspaper, Republican Worker. These are targeted at particular events, such as conferences or demonstrations.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They were founded in the early 1980s as a split from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
branches of the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
, of which, for many years, they considered themselves an "external faction".
The ideological centre of the RDG is an explicit commitment to republicanism
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
. The RDG believes that the far-left concentrates excessively on economic struggles without a clear focus on the need for democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. The organisation developed the concept of the social monarchy to explain the nature of the British state and seeks to demonstrate links between the existence of the monarchy and the continuation of capitalism.
The RDG has consistently sought alliances with other socialist groups, with the aim of forming a larger, democratic socialist party. For example, they began working with the Socialist Federation in 1984. For the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
the RDG joined the Red Front, an electoral alliance spearheaded by the Revolutionary Communist Party
Revolutionary Communist Party (Furedi)
The Revolutionary Communist Tendency , which emerged in 1978, began as a Trotskyist political organisation in Britain in 1978, becoming the Revolutionary Communist Party in 1981, in the tradition of the revolutionary Bolshevik Party...
. In 1988, they sought fusion talks with Red Action
Red Action
Red Action is a small British leftist political group formed in 1981. It became known for violently confronting racist and fascist opponents on the streets, and for supporting Anti-Fascist Action...
. In the late 1990s they joined Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill is a British politician who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1982 to 2002, leading the union through the 1984–85 miners' strike, a key event in British labour and political history...
's Socialist Labour Party
Socialist Labour Party (UK)
The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party...
, officially dissolving their organisation and becoming the Republican Group. They left, regained the RDG name and soon after joined the Socialist Alliance
Socialist Alliance (England)
The Socialist Alliance was a left-wing electoral alliance in England between 1992 and 2005.In late 2005, a small group reformed with the name "Socialist Alliance", with a mutual affiliation with the larger Alliance for Green Socialism.-Origins:...
. They have patchy relations with Communist Party of Great Britain and occasionally have articles carried in the Weekly Worker
Weekly Worker
The Weekly Worker is a newspaper published by the Communist Party of Great Britain . The paper is well known on the left for its polemical articles, close attention to Marxist theory and the politics of other Marxist groups...
. The RDG is also active within the United Socialist Party
United Socialist Party (UK)
The United Socialist Party is a British political organisation based in Liverpool. It was formed by a number of former Liverpool Dockers who had been active in the strike of the 1990s...
political initiative started by former Liverpool Dockers to build a new workers' party.
They briefly sold the Alliance for Workers' Liberty
Alliance for Workers' Liberty
The Alliance for Workers' Liberty , also known as Workers' Liberty, is a Trotskyist group in Britain. The group has a complex history but has always been identified with the theorist Sean Matgamna...
's newspaper Solidarity
Socialist Organiser
Socialist Organiser was a weekly socialist newspaper circulated in the Labour Party. The newspaper was founded in 1979 by the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory, later renamed the Socialist Organiser Alliance....
. The group occasionally produces one-off editions of its newspaper, Republican Worker. These are targeted at particular events, such as conferences or demonstrations.