Examine individual changes

'{{Infobox political party |country = the United Kingdom |name_english = Socialist Workers Party |name_native = |logo = [[Image:Swplogo.png|frameless|Socialist Workers Party fist logo]] |founder = [[Tony Cliff]] |leader = Collective leadership<br>([[Central Committee]]) |chairman = |secretary_general = |leader1_name=[[Alex Callinicos]] |leader1_title = International Secretary |leader2_name=[[Charlie Kimber]] |leader2_title = National Secretary |foundation = Socialist Review Group (1950)<br />International Socialists (1962)<br />Socialist Workers Party (1977) |headquarters = [[London]], [[Postcode|SW8 2WD]] [[United Kingdom]] |newspaper = [[Socialist Worker]]<br>[[Socialist Review]]<br>[[International Socialism (journal)|International Socialism]]<br>''Party Notes'',<br>Various pamphlets and books (through its publishing house, Bookmarks)<br>Rank-and-file newspapers such as [http://www.postworker.org.uk/post/ ''Post Worker''] |ideology = [[Revolutionary socialism]], <br>[[Marxism]], <br>[[Leninism]], <br>[[Trotskyism]] |position = [[Far-left]] |national = [[Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition]] |international = [[International Socialist Tendency]] |european = [[European Anticapitalist Left]] |europarl = ''None'' |colours = [[Red]], [[White]], [[Black]] |website = [http://www.swp.org.uk/ http://www.swp.org.uk/] |colorcode = {{Socialist Workers Party (Britain)/meta/color}} }} The '''Socialist Workers Party''' (SWP) is a [[far left]] party in Britain founded by [[Tony Cliff]]. The SWP's [[Socialist Workers' Student Society|student section]] has groups at a number of universities. On the international level, it is part of the [[International Socialist Tendency]]. Let's all go out and shoot the kulaks on behalf of Comrade Stalyn! --Ro.land R.an.ce ==Publications== The SWP publishes a weekly newspaper ''[[Socialist Worker]]'', a monthly magazine, ''[[Socialist Review]]'', and a quarterly theoretical journal, ''[[International Socialism (journal)|International Socialism]]''. It also publishes an international bulletin and a public bulletin ''Party Notes'', various pamphlets and books (through its publishing house, Bookmarks) and rank-and-file newspapers such as ''Post Worker''.<ref>[http://www.postworker.org.uk/post/ ''Post Worker''] website.</ref> ==Leadership== The leadership is formed by a central committee, and a national committee. elections on a [[Slate (elections)|slate]] to the central committee are held yearly at the national conference. {{As of|2010}} the central committee members are: [[Chris Bambery]] (resigned April 2011), Weyman Bennett, Michael Bradley, [[Alex Callinicos]], Joseph Choonara, Hannah Dee, Charlie Kimber (national organiser), Amy Leather, Dan Mayer, Judith Orr, Colin Smith and Martin Smith.<ref name=conference2010>{{cite news|url=http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=19964|title=More conference decisions|date=12 January 2010|work=Socialist Worker|accessdate=2010-01-13}}</ref> The national committee consists of 50 members elected annually at national conference. At least four party councils a year are to be arranged by the central committee. At these councils two delegates elected from each branch plus the national committee will be entitled to attend.<ref>[http://www.swp.org.uk/resources/conf_2006.pdf ''Post conference bulletin''], Socialist Workers Party, January 2006</ref> There is also a national student committee elected from members of Socialist Worker Student Societies. Other prominent members include: [[Colin Barker]], [[John Molyneux (Trotskyist)|John Molyneux]], Paul McGarr, [[Michael Lavalette]], [[John Rose (UK politician)|John Rose]], [[Ian Birchall]], [[Richard Seymour (writer)|Richard Seymour]], [[Mike Gonzalez (activist)|Mike Gonzalez]], [[China Miéville]], [[Mark Bergfeld]], Jonathan Neale,<ref>http://www.swp.org.uk/23/12/2009/copenhagen-new-movement-jonathan-neale</ref> Rob Owen,<ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=14608</ref> Pat Stack,<ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=13044</ref> Jonny Jones<ref>http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?s=about</ref> and Tom Hickey.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/mar/27/highereducation.uk2 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Union committee to reconsider Israeli academics boycott | first=Anthea | last=Lipsett | date=2008-03-27}}</ref> ==History== {{Main|History of the Socialist Workers Party (Britain)}} ===The Socialist Review Group=== [[File:Tony Cliff.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tony Cliff]], founding figure of the British International Socialists.]] The origins of the SWP lie in the formation of the '''Socialist Review Group''' (SRG) which held its founding conference in 1950.<ref name="Birchall1">[http://www.marxists.de/intsoctend/birchall/theoprac.htm ''History of the International Socialists'' – "Part 1: From Theory to Practice"], Ian H. Birchall, (originally published in) ''[[International Socialism (journal)|International Socialism]]'' 76 (1st series), March 1975</ref> The group, initially of only 8 members<ref name="cliff3">Tony Cliff, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/2000/wtw/ch03.htm ''A World to Win''], Chapter 3, Bookmarks, 2000.</ref> was formed around [[Tony Cliff]]'s analysis of Russia as a bureaucratic state capitalist regime and were expelled from the [[Revolutionary Communist Party (UK, 1944)|Revolutionary Communist Party]]. Three documents formed the theoretical basis of the group: ''The Nature of Stalinist Russia'',<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1948/stalruss/index.htm ''The Nature of Stalinist Russia''], ''RCP Internal Bulletin'', 1948.</ref> ''The Class Nature of the People's Democracies''<ref>Tony Cliff, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1950/07/index.htm "The Class Nature of the People's Democracies"]</ref> and ''Marxism and the Theory of Bureaucratic Collectivism''.<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1948/xx/burcoll.htm "Marxism and the Theory of Bureaucratic Collectivism"]</ref><ref>Jim Higgins, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/chap03.htm ''More Years for the Locusts''], Chapter 3, IS Group, 1997.</ref> The tiny size of the group meant that they adopted a position of working in the [[Labour party (UK)|Labour Party]] in order to reach an audience and recruit.<ref name="Birchall1" /> Of particular importance was the Labour League of Youth. Of the 33 members at the first recorded meeting, 19 were in the LLY.<ref name="cliff3" /> Through campaigning within the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] and the Young Socialists, a new Labour Party youth movement, the Socialist Review Group was able to recruit among a new generation of activists and by 1964 had a membership of 200.<ref name="Birchall1" /> ===''Labour Worker'' and International Socialism Group=== The paper ''Industrial Worker'' was created in 1961, and was quickly renamed ''Labour Worker'' before evolving into ''Socialist Worker''. ''Socialist Review'' was reduced in size and then scrapped.<ref>Jim Higgins, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/chap07.htm ''More Years for the Locusts''], Chapter 7, IS Group, 1997.</ref> The Socialist Review Group became the International Socialism Group (IS) at the end of 1962.<ref name="cliff3" /> With the Labour Party in power, and many Labour members becoming disillusioned, IS started doing more work that was external to the Labour Party. After 1967, few IS members were active in that party. In 1965, an article in ''Labour Worker'' said "Obviously Marxists should take those positions which give access to the direct workers’ organisations. But in the wards and GMCs the practice of buying the right to discuss politics by over-fulfilling the canvassing norms, should cease or be reduced to the minimum."<ref name="Birchall1" /> It marked a turn to more of a focus on work in the trade unions, and a key part of this process was the pamphlet published in 1966: ''Incomes policy, legislation and shop stewards'', which opposed the Labour Party's [[incomes policy]] and discussed how it could be fought.<ref>Tony Cliff & Colin Barker, ''[http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1966/incomespol/index.htm Incomes policy, legislation and shop stewards]'', London 1966.</ref> 1968 saw the IS heavily involved in the [[Vietnam Solidarity Campaign]] and large numbers of student struggles from which it recruited.<ref>[http://www.marxists.org.uk/archive/higgins/1997/locust/chap09.htm]</ref> As a result the IS grew from 400 to 1000 members but also suffered many splits.<ref name="cliff4">Tony Cliff, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/2000/wtw/ch04.htm ''A World to Win''], Chapter 4, Bookmarks, 2000.</ref> According to group historian [[Ian Birchall]], "IS’s position was always one of unconditional support for the IRA in the struggle against imperialism".<ref name="Birchall2">Ian Birchall [http://www.marxists.de/intsoctend/birchall/revparty.htm ''History of the International Socialists'' – "Part 2: Towards a revolutionary party"] (originally published in) ''[[International Socialism (journal)|International Socialism]]'' 77 (1st series), April 1975</ref> However, ''Socialist Worker'' opposed the slogan 'Troops Out!' on the grounds that British troops would protect the nationalist population:<blockquote> ‘The breathing space provided by the presence of British troops is short but vital. Those who call for the immediate withdrawal of the troops before the men behind the barricades can defend themselves are inviting a pogrom which will hit first and hardest at socialists.’<ref>''Socialist Worker,'' No. 137, 11 September 1969</ref> </blockquote> The early 1970s saw the creation of rank and file newspapers and a general turn to industry, including setting up factory branches.<ref name="Birchall2"/> During the 1972 miners strike, ''Socialist Worker'' was taken and sold by miners.<ref name="higgins11">Jim Higgins, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/chap11.htm ''More Years for the Locusts''], Chapter 11, IS Group, 1997.</ref> Between March 1972 and March 1974, the membership of IS increased from 2351 to 3310, and also recruited a large number of manual workers into membership.<ref name="higgins11" /> With hindsight, Tony Cliff concluded that the years 1970-74 had been "the best years of my life".<ref>Tony Cliff, ''A World to Win'', Bookmarks, London 2000, p. 124.</ref> ===Labour in power, the SWP formed=== In 1974 Labour returned to power and introduced the [[Social Contract (Britain)|Social Contract]] which implemented a voluntary incomes policy, with the backing of many left wing union leaders such as [[Hugh Scanlon]] and [[Jack Jones (trade union leader)|Jack Jones]]. This period also saw an increase in the number of full time union convenors and these factors along with an increase in unemployment have been blamed by Tony Cliff and the SWP for a drastic fall in union militancy.<ref>[[Tony Cliff]], ''A World to Win'', Chapter 6, Bookmarks, 2000.</ref> In 1974 the IS was ambitious and optimistic<ref>Tony Cliff ''A World to Win'', Bookmarks 2000, p. 132.</ref> expecting to double the number of its factory branches over the next year. In practice they declined swiftly from 38 in 1974 to only three or four by 1976. When the firefighters went on strike in 1977 against the Social Contract the IS was unable to deliver any significant solidarity. The national rank and file movement fell apart. In 1976 the SWP decided to stand in parliamentary by-elections but the results were very poor and the original idea of standing in 60 seats at the next election was dropped.<ref>Tony Cliff, ''A World to Win'', Bookmarks 2000o, p. 142.</ref> In January 1977, IS was renamed the Socialist Workers Party. This decision was a result of the move to stand in elections along with a perception that: "IS’s ability to initiate activity, rather than simply join in movements launched by others, had never been greater. Industrially, there were more members than ever able to lead disputes in their own workplaces."<ref>Ian Birchall: [http://www.marxists.de/intsoctend/birchall/crisis.htm ''The Smallest Mass Party'' - "Part 3: Facing the crisis", SWP 1981.]</ref> According to Martin Shaw this occurred with no real discussion within the organisation<ref>Martin Shaw: [http://www.martinshaw.org/is.htm "From the International Socialists to the SWP"], ''Socialist Register 1978''.</ref> and Jim Higgins has claimed "Its founding was for purely internal reasons, to give the members a sense of progress, the better to conceal the fact that there had actually been a retreat."<ref name="higgins14">Jim Higgins, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/chap14.htm ''More Years for the Locusts''], Chapter 14, IS Group, 1997.</ref> ===Anti-Nazi League and Rock against Racism=== A campaign in which the SWP had a significant role at this time was the [[Anti-Nazi League]] (ANL).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/mar/04/race.otherparties|title=Blood and glory|date=2007-03-04|work=The Observer|accessdate=2009-05-22 | location=London | first=Ed | last=Vulliamy}}</ref> The [[National Front (UK)|National Front]] (NF) grew during the 1970s, and in the May 1976 local elections the party polled 15,340 votes in Leicester and large votes elsewhere. They were even more visible on the streets through graffiti, racist attacks and street protests. A key turning point came when, on August 13, 1977, thousands of anti-fascists, including large numbers of local black youths, attempted to stop the NF from marching through Lewisham. This was to lead to the creation of the ANL as an initiative between the SWP and sections of the Labour Left. It also received support from other Trotskyist groups, Anarchist groups and the [[Communist Party of Britain]]. In response to [[Eric Clapton]]'s public support for [[Enoch Powell]], [[Rock Against Racism]] was set up in close collaboration with the ANL, and a series of successful carnivals were organised. Among the bands involved with Rock Against Racism were [[The Clash]] (as seen in the film ''[[Rude Boy (film)|Rude Boy]]''), [[The Buzzcocks]], [[Steel Pulse]], [[X-Ray Spex]], [[The Ruts]], [[Generation X (band)|Generation X]] and the [[Tom Robinson Band]]. By 1981 the NF had fragmented becoming far smaller, and the campaign was wound up.<ref>[[Dave Renton]], [http://www.dkrenton.co.uk/anl/1970s.html "The Anti-Nazi League, 1977-81"], on the website dkrenton.co.uk.</ref> ===The "downturn"=== From 1978 Tony Cliff became convinced by some of his comrades that the period of rising militancy had come to an end<ref>Cliff, Chapter 7</ref><ref name=autogenerated1>[http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj97/rees.htm The broad party, the revolutionary party and the united front<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and a downturn had begun. Cliff wrote that: "The crisis in the organisation went on for about 3 years, 1976-79". By 1982 the SWP was refocused completely to a propagandist approach, with geographical branches as the main unit of the party, a focus on Marxist theory and an abandonment of perspective of building a rank and file movement. The rank and file organisations were wound down as was the women's organisation ''Women's Voice'' and the paper for ethnic minorities ''Flame''. The closure of ''Women's Voice'' in particular was bitterly disputed,<ref>For further details, see Lindsey German ''Sex, Class and Socialism'', Chapter 10.</ref> a sharp debate taking place between those who believed the result would be to ignore the specificities of women's oppression, and those who believed that feminist theories were in danger of losing contact with the united interests of men and women workers. During the [[UK miners' strike (1984-1985)|1984-85 miners strike]] the SWP's propaganda concentrated on the need for solidarity and explaining why this was not happening. Cliff described the approach as one of concrete propaganda: "It had to answer the question 'What slogan fits the issue the workers are fighting over?"<ref>Cliff, chapter 6</ref> This change in outlook and methods was viewed by many on the left as being a retreat into sectarianism by the SWP<ref>see for example, "Where is the SWP going?"[http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj97/smith.htm] by Murray Smith of the [[Scottish Socialist Party]]</ref> but this change in methods is credited by the SWP as allowing it to survive a very hostile period with substantial numbers of party members.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> In contrast Murray Smith described it as "jumping from one campaign to the next and hostility towards the rest of the left."<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj97/smith.htm Where is the SWP going?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===The 1990s=== The early 1990s for many of the far-left was a period of demoralisation and disorientation due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, for the SWP this was seen as a vindication of their long held analysis that the Soviet Union was a 'state capitalist' society. They believe that "the transition from state capitalism to multinational capitalism is neither a step forward nor a step backwards, but a step sidewards. The change only involves a shift from one form of exploitation to another form for the working class as a whole."<ref>Harman ''The Storm Breaks'', ISJ 2:46</ref> The SWP were involved in the campaign against the [[Poll Tax#The Community Charge|Poll Tax]] in England although it has been claimed they failed to intervene in Scotland.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> They also helped relaunch the ANL in 1992 in response to the growth of the [[British National Party]] and campaigned against the [[Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994|Criminal Justice Bill]]. In 1997, despite being highly opposed to [[Tony Blair]]'s policies, they called for a vote for the Labour Party, with the belief that there would rapidly be a crisis of expectations in Labour which would lead New Labour voters to question their allegiances and open up opportunities and space for organisation and activity to the left of Labour that are traditionally occupied by Labour when it is in opposition. John Rees wrote in July 1997: "In the mid-term the 'sado-monetarist' strategy followed by the Labour government will clash increasingly sharply with a working class movement which has drawn hope and confidence from its electoral victory over the Tories."<ref>[http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj75/rees.htm The Class Struggle Under New Labour<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===Recent activity=== [[File:Socialist Workers Party stall.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A stall run by the SWP in [[Trafalgar Square]] at the [[2011 anti-cuts protest in London]].]] The SWP's recent activity has been influenced by what it sees as a "revival in consciousness and combativity, discernible from the mid-1990s and unmistakable since the Seattle demonstration in 1999."<ref name=autogenerated1 /> In the aftermath of 9/11 the SWP approached other groups and individuals on the left and with them launched the Stop the War Coalition. The Coalition's aims were to oppose to the invasion of Afghanistan and subsequently Iraq and to campaign against attacks on Muslims and civil liberties. Leading SWP member Lindsey German was elected as Convenor and John Rees and Chris Nineham were appointed as national officers. In terms of mass participation, this was by far the biggest campaign that the Party had ever been ever been involved with. The Coalition organised the biggest demonstration in British history in February 2003 when up to two million people marched through London in opposition the invasion of Iraq. Activity in the Stop the War Coalition was central to the SWP for the next five years. The SWP described the [[Iraqi insurgency]] as a "resistance" movement against military occupation<ref>[[Alex Callinicos]], [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=1855 "Victory to the resistance?"], ''Socialist Worker'', 21 August 2004</ref> and endorsed [[George Galloway]]'s support of [[Hezbollah]], who they describe as "the resistance",<ref>[http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=9334 "Hizbollah is right to fight Zionist terror"], George Galloway, ''Socialist Worker''; [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=9330 "Facts point to an unequal conflict in the Middle East"], ''Socialist Worker'', 29 July 2006</ref> leading to criticism from those who see it as supporting all groups opposed to the United States government without offering independent working-class perspectives.<ref>http://www.workersliberty.org/files/globalisation_2003.pdf</ref> The SWP was involved with the [[Socialist Alliance (England)|Socialist Alliance]] in England and the [[Welsh Socialist Alliance]]. Its Scottish members joined the [[Scottish Socialist Party]] as the Socialist Worker Platform in May 2001.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> In England and Wales involvement in the Socialist Alliance was succeeded by involvement in [[RESPECT The Unity Coalition|Respect]], an electoral alliance with one Member of Parliament, [[George Galloway]], and a small number of councillors (one of whom, [[Michael Lavalette]], is a member of the SWP). However, after a schism within Respect a faction led by the SWP formed the [[Left List]] (now called Left Alternative). In Scotland, the SWP existed as a platform of the [[Scottish Socialist Party]] but in August 2006, it decided to split from the SSP in order to pursue a new political grouping with [[Tommy Sheridan]], [[Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement|Solidarity]].<ref>[[Mike Gonzalez (historian)|Mike Gonzalez]], [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=9534 "Great opportunity to move forward in Scotland"], ''[[Socialist Worker]]'', 26 August 2006</ref> In 2010, the SWP joined the [[Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition]] and stood five candidates in the [[2010 UK election|general election]].<ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=20159</ref> In January 2009, [[John Rees (activist)|John Rees]], [[Lindsey German]] and [[Chris Nineham]] resigned from the Central Committee at party conference<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=16846|title=Changes in the party’s leadership|date=17 January 2009|work=Socialist Worker|accessdate=2009-03-13}}</ref> before forming an oppositional Left Platform in the party<ref>[http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/794/PreconfBulletintwo2009.pdf Internal Bulletin 1, October 2009]</ref> in October 2009 with the support of 64 members.<ref>Peter Manson [http://cpgb.org.uk/worker/790/formationof.php "Formation of Rees faction means SWP is on the verge of a split",] ''Weekly Worker'', #790, 22 October 2009</ref> The faction agreed to disband after the party's January 2010 conference.<ref name=conference2010%252F> Two members of the Left Platform were expelled over allegations of secret factionalising outside of the three-month period prior to conference (in which open factions are permitted).<ref>http://solomonsmindfield.blogspot.com/2009/11/party-to-win-clare-solomon-expulsion_23.html</ref><ref>Peter Manson [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/article.php?article_id=1002025 "Left Platform trounced",] ''Weekly Worker'', #800, 14 January 2010</ref> The expulsions were contested at the conference of 2010 but a majority of the more than 500 delegates voted in favour of the expulsions which were then ratified.<ref>[http://solomonsmindfield.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-expulsion-from-swp-has-been-ratified.html]</ref> In February 2010, sixty former members of the Left Platform including [[John Rees (activist)|John Rees]], [[Lindsey German]] and [[Chris Nineham]] resigned from the SWP.<ref>''Why we are resigning from SWP: an open letter'', Solomon's Mindfield, Tuesday, 16 February 2010 http://solomonsmindfield.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-we-are-resigning-from-swp-open.html</ref> In response to the [[financial crisis of 2007–2010]], the SWP initiated the Right to Work campaign in June 2009.<ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=20180</ref> In October 2009, the SWP's National Secretary Martin Smith was charged with assaulting a police officer at the [[Unite Against Fascism]] (UAF) demonstration against [[British National Party]] (BNP) leader [[Nick Griffin]]'s appearance on the BBC's ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]''. Smith was found guilty of the assault at South Western Magistrates' Court, London, on 7 September 2010. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 80 hours' unpaid work, and was fined £450 pending an appeal.<ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22373</ref> Following a UAF demonstration against the [[English Defence League]] (EDL) in [[Bolton]] on 20 March 2010, SWP Central Committee member Weyman Bennett was charged with conspiracy to incite [[violent disorder]] but the charge was dropped in November 2010.<ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=20776</ref><ref>http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=23029</ref> On 22 May 2010, around 100 SWP members disrupted negotiations between [[Unite the Union|Unite]] and [[British Airways]] inside the [[Acas]] building, much to the diapproval of both parties.<ref>Paul Gallagher [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/may/23/woodley-ba-strike-cost "Leftwing protestors break up talks to prevent BA strike"], ''The Observer'', 23 May 2011</ref> The talks had to be abandoned.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/10140911 "BA and union talks stopped by protesters"], BBC News, 22 May 2010</ref> Martin Smith claimed on [[Channel 4 News]] that the actions of [[Willie Walsh (Irish businessman)|Willie Walsh]], then BA chief executive, were far worse.<ref name=ba>{{cite news|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/willie+walsh+8216is+trying+to+divide+the+union8217/3657387|title=BA's Willie Walsh 'trying to divide Unite'|date=23 May 2010|work=Channel 4 News|accessdate=23 May 2010}}</ref> In 2010 elections SWP joined the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition; this alliance received 1% of votes. In April 2011, Chris Bambery, one of the last two Central Committee members to have worked alongside Tony Cliff, and the organiser of the Right To Work campaign, resigned from the party arguing, in his resignation letter, that it was ridden with factionalism, that he had learned about the founding of RTW from 'Party Notes' and that the party has no credible strategy to fight the government's cuts agenda.<ref>Bambery resigns from SWP: http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=7983</ref> Bambery's resignation was followed by 38 members in Scotland with the intention of forming a new Marxist grouping north of the border. 50 ex-members of the SWP formed the [[International Socialist Group (Scotland)]] shortly thereafter.<ref>[http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/news/news/11886-new-socialist-organisation-formed-in-scotland#comments "New socialist organisation formed in Scotland"], Counterfire website, 12 April 2011</ref> ==Theory== [[Image:Duncan Hallas.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Duncan Hallas]], a founding member of the IS, predecessor of the SWP.]] [[Duncan Hallas]], a founding member of the IS, predecessor of the SWP, wrote: "The founders of the group saw themselves as mainstream Trotskyists, differing on important questions from the dominant group in the International, but belonging to the same basic tendency."<ref>Duncan Hallas: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/hallas/works/1971/xx/introis.htm Introduction] to ''Origins of the International Socialists'', Pluto Press, 1971. (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> Here "the group" refers to the Socialist Review Group, forerunner of the SWP and "the International" to the [[Fourth International]] - the main Trotskyist grouping. The SWP describes itself as a 'revolutionary socialist party' and considers itself to stand in the 'tradition' of [[Leon Trotsky]]. It also shares many of the political positions of other Trotskyist groups, a tradition rooted in [[Marxism]] and [[Leninism]] (see for example Tony Cliff, ''Marxism at the Millennium''.<ref>Tony Cliff: ''[http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/2000/millennium/index.htm Marxism at the Millennium]'', Bookmarks, 2000. (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref>) In common with other Trotskyists the SWP defends the body of ideas codified by the first four Congresses of the [[Communist International]] and the founding Congress of the [[Fourth International]] of Leon Trotsky in 1938. Its supporters often refer to their beliefs as 'socialism from below', a term which has been attributed to [[Hal Draper]]. This concept can also be traced back to the rules of the [[First International]] which stated: "the emancipation of the working classes must be conquered by the working classes themselves."<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/iwma/archive/eichhoff/iwma-history/ch04.htm Rules of the International Workingmen's Association] (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> They see this as distinguishing themselves from other socialist groups, particularly both from reformist parties such as the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] (described as a 'capitalist workers' party'<ref>Cliff, Gluckstein. ''The Labour Party'', p.2</ref>) and from various forms of what they disparagingly term '[[Stalinism]]'&mdash;forms of socialism usually associated with the former Soviet Bloc and the old Communist Parties. These are seen as advocating socialism from above. In contrast Cliff argued: "The heart of Marxism is that the emancipation of the working class is the act of the working class. ''The Communist Manifesto'' states: 'All previous historical movements were movements of minorities, or in the interest of minorities. The proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of the immense majority.'"<ref>Tony Cliff: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1998/09/indonesia.htm "Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Indonesia"], International Socialism 80, September 1998. (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> For more on this see ''Marxism at the Millennium'' (2000)<ref>Tony Cliff: ''[http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/2000/millennium/index.htm Marxism at the Millennium]'', Bookmarks, 2000 (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> The SWP also seeks to differentiate itself from other Trotskyist tendencies. Three key theories are at the centre of its difference from other Trotskyists: State Capitalism, Deflected Permanent Revolution and The Permanent Arms Economy (see below). Unlike most Troskyist organisations, the SWP does not have a formal programme (like the Fourth International's founding document, the [[Transitional Program]]), but an outline of the SWP's ideas called "Where We Stand"<ref>[http://www.swp.org.uk/where.php "Where We Stand"], in every issue of ''Socialist Worker''. (accessed 2008-05.29)</ref> is published in ''Socialist Worker'' every week. ==='State Capitalism'=== The SWP maintains an opposition to what it terms "[[Substitutionism|substitutionist]] strategies". This is the idea that social forces other than the [[proletariat]], which is for Marxists the potentially social revolutionary class due to its 'radical chains', may substitute for the proletariat in the struggle for a socialist society (see above). This idea led the founder of the SWP, [[Tony Cliff]], to reject the idea that the USSR was a '[[degenerated workers' state]]', the position held by other Trotskyists and derived from Leon Trotsky's analysis in the 1930s. Cliff argued that in fact the USSR and [[Eastern Europe]] used a form of capitalism which he referred to as 'bureaucratic [[state capitalism|state capitalist]]', and that later so did other countries ruled by what he termed Stalinist parties, such as [[China]], [[Vietnam]] and [[Cuba]]. Cliff's approach to this idea was published in the 1948 article ''The Nature of Stalinist Russia''<ref>Tony Cliff: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1948/stalruss/index.htm ''The Nature of Stalinist Russia''], (1948) (accessed 2005-05-29)</ref> as it was further advanced on in his 2000 publication ''Trotskyism after Trotsky'' where he discussed the decline of the USSR. [[Image:Chris Harman.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Chris Harman]], one of the leading theoreticians of the SWP.]] Other IS/SWP theoreticians such as [[Nigel Harris (economist)|Nigel Harris]] and [[Chris Harman]] would later extend and develop a distinct body of state capitalist analysis based on Cliff's initial work. This theory was summed up in the slogan "Neither Washington nor Moscow, but International Socialism". The slogan is said to have originally come from [[Max Shachtman]]'s group, the [[Workers Party (US)|Workers Party]], in their paper 'Labor Action' and was only borrowed by the IS/SWP at a later date. This is seen as ironic because one of Cliff's concerns when first developing his idea of state capitalism was to differentiate his ideas from the idea of [[bureaucratic collectivism]] associated with Shachtman (see for example ''The theory of bureaucratic collectivism: A critique'' (1948).<ref>Tony Cliff: ''[http://www.marxists.org.uk/archive/cliff/works/1948/xx/burcoll.htm The theory of bureaucratic collectivism: A critique]'' (1948) (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref>) However, the formula also echoes the [[Fourth International]]'s 1948 manifesto, ''Neither Wall Street nor the Kremlin''. Cliff's version of the theory of state capitalism can be differentiated from those associated with other dissident Trotskyists and [[left communists]], such as [[CLR James]] and [[Raya Dunayevskaya]]. ==='Deflected Permanent Revolution'=== As a Trotskyist tendency, the SRG/IS was faced with developing an explanation as to why and how a number of countries in the former colonial world had succeeded in overthrowing the rule of various imperial powers and forming states characterised by the SRG/IS as being bureaucratic state capitalist. In part, such an explanation was needed to understand why these colonial revolutions had not developed into uninterrupted or [[Permanent Revolution]]s, as predicted by Leon Trotsky in his theory of the same name. Taking Trotsky's theory as his starting point, Tony Cliff developed his own theory of '[[deflected permanent revolution]]'. He argued that where a revolutionary working class did not exist, the intelligentsia could, in certain limited circumstances, take the leadership of the nation and lead a successful revolution in the direction of a state capitalist solution. The outcome of such a revolution would be deflected from the goal of a social revolution as envisaged in Trotsky's original work. Cliff's essay "Permanent Revolution" was first published in ''International Socialism Journal'', No. 12 Spring 1963,<ref>Tony Cliff: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1963/xx/permrev.htm "Permanent Revolution"], International Socialism (1st series), No. 12, Spring 1963 (accessed 2008-95-29)</ref> in response to the [[Cuban Revolution]] and largely took it and the earlier Chinese Revolution as its subject. However, the general concept of a deflected permanent revolution would be much exercised as a key analytical tool by IS theoreticians in the coming years. Most notable in this respect is the work of Nigel Harris in relation to India and later of Mike Gonzalez on Cuba<ref>Peter Bins & Mike Gonzalez: [http://www.marxists.de/statecap/cuba/80-cucas.htm "Castro, Cuba and Socialism"], ''International Socialism'' 2:8, Spring 1980 (accessed 2008-5-29)</ref> and Nicaragua. Most recently{{when|date=July 2011}} the theory has been given a central place in Cem Uzun's work ''Making the Turkish Revolution''. ===The 'permanent arms economy'=== State capitalism and deflected permanent revolution came to be seen as central to a distinct IS politics by the mid-1960s along with the theory of the '[[permanent arms economy]]' (PAE) which sought to explain the [[post-World War II boom|long boom]] in the global economy after the Second World War. This boom was in contrast to the period after the First World war where there was a period of stagnation. The three theories taken together are often seen as being the hallmarks of the IS tradition, although this is contested by some former leaders of the IS, including Nigel Harris and [[Michael Kidron]] both of whom worked on the PAE and now repudiate it, and by some other Trotskyists outside the IS Tradition. The PAE, the most contested of the three theories, is also the only one that did not originate with Tony Cliff. The PAE originated with a member of Max Shachtman's Workers' Party/Independent Socialist League named Ed Sard in 1944. Sard, writing as Walter J. Oakes, argued in ''Politics'' that the PAE was to be understood as allowing capitalism to achieve a level of stability by preventing the rate of profit from falling as spending on arms was unproductive and would not lead to the increase of the organic composition of capital. Later in 1951 in ''New International'', this time writing as T. N. Vance, Sard argued that the PAE operated through its ability to apply [[John Maynard Keynes|Keynes]]' multiplier effect.<ref>T. N. Vance: [http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/writers/vance/1951/permwar/index.htm "The Permanent War Economy"], ''New International'', Vol. 17 Nos. 1-6, January–November 1951 (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> Although briefly mentioned by Duncan Hallas in a ''Socialist Review'' of 1952 the theory was only introduced to the IS by Cliff in 1957.<ref>Jim Higgins: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/app01.htm More Years for the Locust] (1997) (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> In his May 1957 article "Perspectives of the Permanent War Economy",<ref>Tony Cliff: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1957/05/permwar.htm "Perspectives of the Permanent War Economy"], ''Socialist Review'', May 1957 (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> Cliff offered the PAE to readers in a version derived from Sard's earlier essays but without reference to Keynes and using a Marxist theoretical framework. This was the only attempt to develop the idea, which it is suggested explains the long post war boom, until the publication of Mike Kidron's ''Western Capitalism Since the War''<ref>Michael Kidron: ''[http://www.marxists.org/archive/kidron/works/1970/westcap/index.htm Western Capitalism Since the War]'', Penguin (1968) (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> in 1968. Kidron would further develop the theory in his ''Capitalism and Theory''. Additional work was also contributed by Nigel Harris and later by Chris Harman. However it should also be noted that Mike Kidron was to repudiate the theory as early as the mid-1970s in his essay "Two Insights Don't Make a Theory"<ref>Michael Kidron: [http://www.marxists.org/archive/kidron/works/1977/07/insights.htm "Two Insights Don't Make a Theory"], ''International Socialism'' (1st series), No. 100, July 1977 (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> in ''International Socialism'' No. 100. This was followed by a rejoinder from Chris Harman ("Better a valid insight than a wrong theory").<ref>Chris Harman: [http://www.marxists.de/theory/harman/insight.htm "Better a valid insight than a wrong theory"], ''International Socialism'' (1st series), No. 100, July 1977 (accessed 2008-05-29)</ref> ==Notable members== ===Current=== *[[Alex Callinicos]] (political philosopher and current Director of the Centre for European Studies at [[King's College London]]) *[[Keith Flett]] (prolific letter writer to the British press, historian) *[[Mike Gonzalez (historian)|Mike Gonzalez]] (historian) *[[Michael Lavalette]] (Preston socialist councillor) *[[China Miéville]], (science fiction author and legal theorist) *[[John Molyneux (politician)|John Molyneux]] (art historian) *[[John Rose (UK politician)|John Rose]] (sociologist and Jewish anti-Zionist activist) *[[Richard Seymour (writer)|Richard Seymour]] (writer and "Lenin's Tomb" blogger) *[[Ben Watson (music writer)|Ben Watson]] (political and music writer) ===Former (including former members of the IS)=== *[[Chris Bambery]] (journalist and activist) *Sue Blackwell (academic) *[[Verity Burgmann]] (political scientist and labour historian) *[[Julie Burchill]] (journalist) *[[Garry Bushell]] (journalist) *[[Raymond Challinor]] (labour historian) *[[Terry Eagleton]] (literary critic) *[[Neil Faulkner (archaeologist)|Neil Faulkner]] (archaeologist) *[[Jim Fitzpatrick (politician)|Jim Fitzpatrick]] (politician) *[[Roni Marguiles (Columnist,Poet)| Roni Marguiles]](Columnist,Poet) *[[Lindsey German]] (convenor of the Stop the War Coalition) *[[John Rees (activist)|John Rees]]<ref>http://solomonsmindfield.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-we-are-resigning-from-swp-open.html</ref><ref>http://luna17activist.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-we-are-resigning-from-swp-open.html</ref><ref>http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=5289</ref><ref>http://liammacuaid.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/why-we-are-resigning-from-swp-an-open-letter/</ref><ref>http://faithfultotheline.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/why-we-are-resigning-from-the-swp/</ref> (former National Secretary of Respect and the Left Alternative) *[[Alan Gibbons]] (children's author) *[[Ian Gibson (politician)|Ian Gibson]] (politician) *[[Nigel Harris (economist)|Nigel Harris]] (economist) *[[Christopher Hitchens]] (journalist) *[[Peter Hitchens]] (journalist) *[[Rod Liddle]] (journalist) *[[Alasdair MacIntyre]] (philosopher) *[[Sean Matgamna]] (political activist) *[[Andrew Milner]] (sociologist) *[[Stan Newens]] (politician) *[[Seymour Papert]] (mathematician) *[[Roger Protz]] (beer writer) *[[Sheila Rowbotham]] (feminist writer) *[[Martin Shaw (professor)|Martin Shaw]] (political scientist) *[[Mark Steel]] (Comedian) *[[Laurie Taylor (sociologist)|Laurie Taylor]] (sociologist and broadcaster) *[[Frank Webster]] (sociologist) *[[Samuel West]] (actor) ===Deceased (including deceased former members)=== *[[Tom Behan]] (historian) *[[Tony Cliff]] (founding member, IS and SWP) *[[Paul Foot]] (investigative journalist) *[[Duncan Hallas]] *[[Chris Harman]] (former editor of ''[[Socialist Worker#Socialist Worker - United Kingdom|Socialist Worker]]'') *[[Alistair Hulett]] (folk singer) *[[Michael Kidron]] (writer and cartographer) *[[Peter Sedgwick]] (writer) *[[Harry Wicks]] (activist) *[[David Widgery]] (physician) == See also == *[[History of the Socialist Workers Party (Britain)|History of the Socialist Workers Party]] *[[International Socialism]] *[[International Socialist Tendency]] *[[Socialist Review]] *[[Socialist Worker]] *[[Socialist Workers' Student Society]] *[[Trotskyism]] *[[Tony Cliff]] *[[Left Alternative]] *[[Respect – The Unity Coalition]] *[[Stop the War Coalition]] *[[Unite Against Fascism]] ==Notes== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== ===SWP pages=== *[http://www.swp.org.uk SWP web site] *[http://www.socialistworker.co.uk Socialist Worker online] *[http://www.socialistreview.org.uk Socialist Review online] *[http://www.isj.org.uk International Socialism online] *[http://www.socialistreviewindex.org.uk Searchable text of several SWP publications including ISJ and SR] *[http://www.bookmarks.uk.com/cgi/store/bookmark.cgi Bookmarks] the SWP's bookshop and publisher *[http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/writers/ist/index.htm International Socialist Archive] *[http://www.marxists.de/intsoctend/birchall/ ''The Smallest Mass Party In The World''] by [[Ian Birchall]]: a history of the SWP and its predecessors to 1981, written by a prominent SWP member. *[http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/2000/wtw/index.htm T. Cliff, ''A World to Win''], Bookmarks Publications, London, 2000. ISBN 1-898876-62-2 Tony Cliff's autobiography. *[http://www.marxists.org/archive/hallas/works/1971/xx/introis.htm ''Origins of the International Socialists''], [[Duncan Hallas]] *[http://www.resistancemp3.lpi.org.uk/ Resistance MP3s], site with MP3s mainly recorded at the SWP's annual Marxism conference ===Non-SWP pages=== *[http://www.sa.org.au/in-depth/169-documents/1529-the-respect-fiasco-in-britain Socialist Alternative (Australia) on the SWP and Respect] *[http://www.workersliberty.org/taxonomy/term/114 The AWL on the Socialist Workers Party] *[http://www.cpgb.org.uk/theory/swp.htm The CPGB on the Socialist Workers Party] *[http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/latest/6614 Debate between the Socialist Party and the SWP] *[http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/index.htm ''More Years for the Locust: The Origins of the SWP''], Critique of Cliff and the SWP by Jim Higgins, former National Secretary of the International Socialists. *[http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?page=recherche&recherche=SWP+AND+Britain&submit=SEARCH The Fourth International on the Socialist Workers Party], [[International Viewpoint]] *[http://www.martinshaw.org/is.htm Martin Shaw, "The Making of a Party? The International Socialists 1965-1976"] *[http://web.archive.org/web/20091028124254/http://geocities.com/socialistparty/leftunity1.htm "The Struggle for Socialism Today"] - A reply to the politics of the Socialist Workers Party by the Socialist Party *[http://www.newstatesman.com/200305190007 Mark Thomas has had enough of the SWP] *[http://www.fifthinternational.org/index.php?id=104,542,0,0,1,0 Workers Power on the Socialist Workers Party] {{British political parties}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Socialist Workers Party (Uk)}} [[Category:Trotskyist organisations of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Political parties established in 1977]] [[Category:Political parties in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:International Socialist Tendency]] [[Category:Socialist Workers Party (UK)|*]] [[Category:Socialist parties in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Anti-Zionism in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Trotskyism]] [[de:Socialist Workers Party (Vereinigtes Königreich)]] [[eo:Socialista laborista partio de Britio]] [[fr:Socialist Workers Party (Royaume-Uni)]] [[ko:사회주의 노동자당 (영국)]] [[nl:Socialist Workers' Party]] [[ru:Социалистическая рабочая партия (Великобритания)]] [[sv:Socialist Workers Party (Storbritannien)]]'