Revolutionary Tendency (SWP)
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Tendency within the US Socialist Workers Party (United States)
was an internal faction that disagreed with the direction the leadership was taking the party on several important issues. Many groups and movements would have the roots in the RT, both in the United States and internationally, including the Socialist Equality Party
, and the world Spartacist
and LaRouche movement
s, and their various splinters.
The Revolutionary Tendency first crystallized around opposition to the SWPs line regarding the Cuban Revolution
. The leadership regarded the Cuban regime as a full blown workers' state deserving unqualified defense by the Party. The RT rejected this because of the revolutions "petty bourgeoisie" leadership, and the absence of a vanguard party
prior to the revolutions coming to power. The RT also objected to the moves of the SWP toward leaving the International Committee of the Fourth International
and joining the "Pabloite" International Secretariat of the Fourth International. They also a danger of Pabloism within the SWP as well, because of what they regarded as a downplaying of the counter-revolutionary role of the Stalinism. All of these positions were spelled out in a document called "In Defense of a Revolutionary Perspective - A Statement of Basic Positions", drawn up be Tim Wohlforth
and others and presented to the SWP national committee in March 1962.
The tendency was concentrated among members who had been in the left wing of the Young Socialist League
who had rejected merger into the Young People's Socialist League
when Max Shachtman
, leader of the parent Independent Socialist League had merged with the YPSLs parent group, the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation. This group had subsequently been recruited by the SWP and were instrumental in founding the SWPs new youth group, the Young Socialist Alliance
in 1960.
The initial membership of the tendency was quite small, about 35 in October 1961, with clusters in New York
and Bay Area of about 15 each. Subsequently the tendency grew with cadres in Detroit, Philadelphia and New Haven, Connecticut
. The RT initially controlled the National Committee of the YSA, but the SWP leadership was able to out them.
On November 1, 1963 the Political Committee adopted a resolution suspending James Robertson
, Shane Mage, Larry Ireland, and Lynne Harper. Two months later the Committee voted 18-1 to expel these members entirely. Early the next year the first issue of Spartacist appeared dated "February–March 1964" and published by "he supporters of the Revolutionary Tendency expelled from the Socialist Workers Party". The paper announced that the group would continue publishing "pending our re-admission to the SWP and resumption of our proper role within it." The expelled members appealed their expulsion to the United Secretariat of the Fourth International. They sent a letter dated February 23, 1964 to Pierre Frank
requesting the USFI to express their opinion regarding their organizational rights. On April 17 Frank replied, enclosing a resolution of the USFI condemning the Spartacists. The expelled group tried on last time to appeal its expulsion. In May 1965 Harry Turner
requested that the USFI allow it to present its case to its World Congress scheduled for that June. They were again rebuffed, claiming that since the SWP was not an official member of the USFI they had no jurisdiction in the matter.
and Lyndon LaRouche
called the Reorganized Minority Tendency. This group was more vocal in its adherence to the International Committee, and to the line led by Gerry Healy
and the British Socialist Labour League. They also rejected the RTs characterization of the SWP as centrist, which they regarded as "giving up the political battle before it has begun". They were adamant against splitting the SWP, and obeying internal party discipline
. At the 1963 SWP convention the Party decided to join the United Secretariat of the Fourth International and remove Wohlforth, who was already taking instructions from Healy, from his position on the Political Committee. The RMT members were expelled in early 1964 after disagreeing with the position the Party took with regard to the actions of the Trotskyist party in Ceylon. The expelled members reorganized themselves as the American Committee for the Fourth International.
Socialist Workers Party (United States)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
was an internal faction that disagreed with the direction the leadership was taking the party on several important issues. Many groups and movements would have the roots in the RT, both in the United States and internationally, including the Socialist Equality Party
Socialist Equality Party (United States)
The Socialist Equality Party is a Trotskyist political party in the United States, one of several Socialist Equality Parties around the world affiliated to the International Committee of the Fourth International . The ICFI publishes daily news articles, perspectives and commentaries on the World...
, and the world Spartacist
International Communist League (Fourth Internationalist)
The International Communist League , earlier known as the international Spartacist tendency is a Trotskyist international. Its largest constituent party is the Spartacist League...
and LaRouche movement
LaRouche movement
The LaRouche movement is an international political and cultural network that promotes Lyndon LaRouche and his ideas. It has included scores of organizations and companies around the world. Their activities include campaigning, private intelligence gathering, and publishing numerous periodicals,...
s, and their various splinters.
The Revolutionary Tendency first crystallized around opposition to the SWPs line regarding the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
. The leadership regarded the Cuban regime as a full blown workers' state deserving unqualified defense by the Party. The RT rejected this because of the revolutions "petty bourgeoisie" leadership, and the absence of a vanguard party
Vanguard party
A vanguard party is a political party at the forefront of a mass action, movement, or revolution. The idea of a vanguard party has its origins in the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
prior to the revolutions coming to power. The RT also objected to the moves of the SWP toward leaving the International Committee of the Fourth International
International Committee of the Fourth International
The International Committee of the Fourth International is the name of two Trotskyist internationals; one with sections named Socialist Equality Party which publishes the World Socialist Web Site and another linked to the Workers Revolutionary Party in Britain.-Foundation:The International...
and joining the "Pabloite" International Secretariat of the Fourth International. They also a danger of Pabloism within the SWP as well, because of what they regarded as a downplaying of the counter-revolutionary role of the Stalinism. All of these positions were spelled out in a document called "In Defense of a Revolutionary Perspective - A Statement of Basic Positions", drawn up be Tim Wohlforth
Tim Wohlforth
Timothy Andrew Wohlforth , is a United States former Trotskyist leader. Since leaving the Trotskyist movement he has become a writer of crime fiction and of politically oriented non-fiction....
and others and presented to the SWP national committee in March 1962.
The tendency was concentrated among members who had been in the left wing of the Young Socialist League
Socialist Youth League (US)
The Socialist Youth League was the youth group affiliated with the Workers Party, a splinter Trotskyist party led by Max Shachtman. The parent group changed its name to the Independent Socialist League in 1950. In February 1954, the Socialist Youth League merged with the a faction of the Young...
who had rejected merger into the Young People's Socialist League
Young People's Socialist League (1907)
The Young People's Socialist League , founded in 1907, was the official youth arm of the Socialist Party of America. Its political activities tend to concentrate on increasing the voter turnout of young democratic socialists and affecting the issues impacting that demographic group.- Foundation and...
when Max Shachtman
Max Shachtman
Max Shachtman was an American Marxist theorist. He evolved from being an associate of Leon Trotsky to a social democrat and mentor of senior assistants to AFL-CIO President George Meany.-Beginnings:...
, leader of the parent Independent Socialist League had merged with the YPSLs parent group, the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation. This group had subsequently been recruited by the SWP and were instrumental in founding the SWPs new youth group, the Young Socialist Alliance
Young Socialist Alliance
The Young Socialist Alliance was a Trotskyist youth group of the Socialist Workers Party in the United States of America. It was founded in 1960, although it had roots going back several years earlier. It was dissolved in 1992...
in 1960.
The initial membership of the tendency was quite small, about 35 in October 1961, with clusters in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Bay Area of about 15 each. Subsequently the tendency grew with cadres in Detroit, Philadelphia and New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. The RT initially controlled the National Committee of the YSA, but the SWP leadership was able to out them.
On November 1, 1963 the Political Committee adopted a resolution suspending James Robertson
James Robertson (Trotskyist)
James Robertson is National Chairman of the Spartacist League of the United States, which is a section of the International Communist League , an international organization of small Trotskyist groups...
, Shane Mage, Larry Ireland, and Lynne Harper. Two months later the Committee voted 18-1 to expel these members entirely. Early the next year the first issue of Spartacist appeared dated "February–March 1964" and published by "he supporters of the Revolutionary Tendency expelled from the Socialist Workers Party". The paper announced that the group would continue publishing "pending our re-admission to the SWP and resumption of our proper role within it." The expelled members appealed their expulsion to the United Secretariat of the Fourth International. They sent a letter dated February 23, 1964 to Pierre Frank
Pierre Frank
Pierre Frank was a French Trotskyist leader. He served on the secretariat of the Fourth International from 1948 to 1979....
requesting the USFI to express their opinion regarding their organizational rights. On April 17 Frank replied, enclosing a resolution of the USFI condemning the Spartacists. The expelled group tried on last time to appeal its expulsion. In May 1965 Harry Turner
Turnerites
Under a variety of names and within a number of organizations over at least 17 years, the group around Harry Turner, or Turnerites was a presence within Trotskyism in the United States.- History :...
requested that the USFI allow it to present its case to its World Congress scheduled for that June. They were again rebuffed, claiming that since the SWP was not an official member of the USFI they had no jurisdiction in the matter.
Reorganized Minority Tendency
In 1962 the RT itself splintered. A section split off led that included Wohlforth, Albert Philips, Fred MazelisFred Mazelis
Fred Mazelis was a third-party candidate for Vice President of the United States in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, representing the Socialist Equality Party. He was the running mate of Helen Halyard and Jerome White respectively....
and Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche, Jr. is an American political activist and founder of a network of political committees, parties, and publications known collectively as the LaRouche movement...
called the Reorganized Minority Tendency. This group was more vocal in its adherence to the International Committee, and to the line led by Gerry Healy
Gerry Healy
Thomas Gerard Healy, known as Gerry Healy , was a political activist, a co-founder of the International Committee of the Fourth International, and, according to former prominent U.S. supporter David North, the leader of the Trotskyist movement in Great Britain between 1950 – 1985...
and the British Socialist Labour League. They also rejected the RTs characterization of the SWP as centrist, which they regarded as "giving up the political battle before it has begun". They were adamant against splitting the SWP, and obeying internal party discipline
Democratic centralism
Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party...
. At the 1963 SWP convention the Party decided to join the United Secretariat of the Fourth International and remove Wohlforth, who was already taking instructions from Healy, from his position on the Political Committee. The RMT members were expelled in early 1964 after disagreeing with the position the Party took with regard to the actions of the Trotskyist party in Ceylon. The expelled members reorganized themselves as the American Committee for the Fourth International.