Misplaced Pages

Workers World Party: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 16:06, 30 May 2007 edit69.22.249.79 (talk)No edit summary← Previous edit Latest revision as of 15:45, 30 November 2024 edit undoPol098 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers118,315 edits →History: fist web site still there, but no movement since about 2011Tag: citing a blog or free web host 
(690 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Communist party in the United States}}
]'''Workers World Party''' (WWP) is a ] in the ] founded in ] by Sam Marcy. Marcy and his followers split from the ] in ] over a series of long-standing differences, among them Marcy's group's support for ]'s ] in ], the positive view they held of the ] led by ], and their endorsement of the ], all of which the SWP opposed.
{{Multiple issues|
{{Primary sources||date=August 2022}}
{{POV|date=January 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Workers World Party
| abbreviation = WWP
| logo = Workers World Party New Logo 2018.png
| colorcode = #C01028
| foundation = {{start date and age|1959}}
| leader1_title = First Secretary
| leader1_name = Larry Holmes
| headquarters = 121 W. 27th St. Suite 404. <br>], ] 10001
| split = ]
| newspaper = '']''
| ideology = {{ubl |] |]<ref>{{cite web |title=Workers World Party: Who We Are |publisher=Workers World Party |url=https://workersworld-party.org/about/ |url-status=live |archive-date=October 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015032458/https://workersworld-party.org/about/ |quote=Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist party dedicated to organizing and fighting for a socialist revolution in the United States and around the world. With branches around the U.S., WWP develops militant organizers in every struggle, from anti-racist and immigrant rights to labor, anti-war and anti-imperialist struggles.}}</ref> |]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roots of the Workers World Party |first1=Ken |last1=Lawrence |publisher=libcom.org |url=https://libcom.org/article/roots-workers-world-party-ken-lawrence |quote=This stance in turn meant playing down to insignificance polemics against Stalinism, while seeking leadership of the class through exemplary action. The Marcyites remained uneasily as a faction within the SWP until the USSR's military invasion of Hungary in 1956, which they supported and the SWP denounced. Depending on whose version you believe, the Marcy-Copeland faction either left (Marcy) or was expelled (Cannon), and formed Workers World Party in 1957.}}</ref>}}
| position = ]
| colors = {{colour box|#C01028}} ]
| seats1_title = Members in elected offices
| seats1 = 0
| website = {{URL |workers.org}}
| country = United States
}}
{{Socialism US}}
] protesters at ]]]
The '''Workers World Party''' ('''WWP''') is a ] ] in the United States founded in 1959 by a group led by ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/ |title=Selected Works of Sam Marcy |work=Workers World |access-date=2 October 2008}}</ref> WWP members are sometimes called '''Marcyites'''. Marcy and his followers split from the ] (SWP) in 1958 over a series of long-standing differences, among them their support for ]'s ] in 1948, their view of ] as a ], and their defense of the ], some of which the SWP opposed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themilitant.com/1949/1340/MIL1340.pdf |title=China – A setback for Imprerialism |work=The Militant |date=October 3, 1949}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/document/swp-us/idb/swp-1960-65/v24n19-jun-1963-db.pdf |title=The SWP Position on China |work=SWP Discussion Bulletin |date=June 1963}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themilitant.com/2001/6518/651849.html |title=The SWP Position on China |work=The Militant |date=2001}}</ref>


== History ==
The WWP describes itself as a party that has, since its founding, "supported the struggles of all ] peoples. It has recognized the right of nations to ], including the nationally oppressed peoples inside the ]. It supports ] as absolutely necessary in the fight for ]. It opposes all forms of ] and religious ]." Initially the WWP was confined to the ] area, where it had constituted the Buffalo and other smaller branches of the SWP, like ], but expanded in the ]. During the ] the WWP had a ], "Youth Against War and Fascism", which opposed the ]. Workers World and YAWF were also notable for their consistent defense of the ] and the ] along with ] and the ].
], October 2011]]
The WWP had its origins in the Global Class War Tendency, led by ] and ], within the SWP. This group crystallized during the ] when they urged the SWP to back ]'s ] campaign, rather than field their own candidates. Throughout the 1950s, the Global Class War Tendency expressed positions at odds with official SWP policy, categorizing the ] as a class, rather than imperialist, conflict; support of the ] as a ], if not necessarily supporting the ] leadership; and supporting the suppression of the ] by the ] in 1956.{{sfn|Alexander|1991|p=911}}


The Global Class War Tendency left the SWP in early 1959. Although they would later abandon ], in their ] issue (no. 3) of their new periodical the group proclaimed: "We are THE Trotskyists. We stand 100% with all the principled positions of Leon Trotsky, the most revolutionary communist since Lenin".{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} The nascent group appears to have organized as the Workers World Party by February 1960.{{sfn|Alexander|1973|p=554}} At its inception, the WWP was concentrated among the ] in Buffalo, Youngstown, Seattle and New York. A youth organization, first known as the Anti-Fascist Youth Committee and later as ] (YAWF), was created in April 1962.{{sfn|Alexander|1991|p=912}}
==Ideological Background and Basic Positions==


The WWP began publishing the monthly ] in 1959; it was published weekly since 1974.
Ideologically, the WWP is ]. The party's ] origins are reflected in much of Sam Marcy's literature, whom remained firmly critical of Stalin. However, Marcy also continued to uphold the USSR as a socialist state until the very end. This is what led some individuals and organizations to accuse both Marcy and the party of being "Stalinist," even though Marcy was always critical of Stalin's leadership. The party was also not simply a "pro-Soviet" organization (i.e. being seen as simply following the line of the ]). Marcy firmly criticized Khrushchev for starting the ] and called for the unity of all of the socialist states at the time (i.e. the ] countries, ], ], ] and the ]). This notion of supporting all of the socialist states and calling for a united socialist bloc, rather than simply following the line of one of the large, ruling Communist parties (e.g. Chinese or Soviet), was what made the WWP unique during the Cold War.


From the beginning, the WWP and YAWF concentrated their energies on ]. Early campaigns focused on support of ], opposition to the ] and against racial discrimination in housing. They conducted the first protest against ] on August 2, 1962.<ref>{{cite book|author-last=Klehr |author-first=Harvey |date=1988 |title=Far Left of Center}}</ref> Their opposition to the war also included the tactics of "]" and ]. After organizing demonstrations at ], Oklahoma in support of a soldier being tried for possessing anti-war literature, they founded the ], intended to be a ] of American soldiers. However, the group was completely dominated by the WWP and YAWF.{{sfn|Alexander|1991|pp=912–913}}
==Activities and Organizational Structure==


During the late 1960s and 1970s, the party was involved in protests over causes including "defen of the heroic black uprisings in ], ], ], ]" and ]. During the ], the rioters requested YAWF member ] to present their grievances for them. The WWP was most successful in organizing demonstrations in support of ] in 1975. Nearly 30,000 people attended the Boston March Against Racism which they had organized. During the 1970s, they also attempted to begin work inside organized labor, but apparently were not very successful.{{sfn|Alexander|1991|p=913}}
The WWP has organized, directed or participated in many coalition organizations for various causes, typically anti-imperialist in nature. The International Action Center, which counts many WWP members as leading activists, founded the ] (ANSWER) coalition shortly after ], and has run both the All People's Congress (APC) and the ] (IAC) for many years. The APC and the IAC in particular share a large degree of overlap in their memberships with ] in the WWP. In ], a ] close to the WWP called (FIST) was founded.


In 1980, the WWP began to participate in ], naming a presidential ticket as well as candidates for New York Senate, congressional and state legislature seats. In California, they ran their candidate ] in the primary for the ] nomination. They came in last, with 1,232 votes out of 9,092. In 1984, the WWP supported ] bid for the ], but when he lost in the primaries they nominated their own presidential ticket, along with a handful of congressional and legislative nominees.{{sfn|Alexander|1991|p=914}}
The WWP lists regional offices in 20 major US cities <ref></ref>. The party receives donations and contributions as the source of its funding, while volunteers/cadres run the day to day operations of the party. Finally, the party is led by an internally elected secretariat.


==2004 Split== === Splits ===
In 1968, the WWP absorbed a small faction of the ] that had worked with it in the ] called the ]. This group left the WWP in 1971 as the ]. The NYRC's newspaper provided rare details about the internal functioning of the group that have subsequently been used by scholars as a primary source. The NYRC later reconstituted as the Revolutionary Communist League (Internationalist).{{sfn|Alexander|1991|pp=913, 941–943, 1049}}


In 2004, the WWP suffered its most serious split when the San Francisco branch and some other members left to form the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://liberationschool.org/founding-statement-of-the-party-for-socialism-and-liberation/ |title=Founding statement of the Party for Socialism and Liberation |publisher=Liberation School |date=1 August 2004 |access-date=20 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-13/bernie-sanders-isn-t-socialist-enough-for-many-socialists |title=Bernie Sanders Isn't Socialist Enough for Many Socialists |author-last=Freedlander |author-first=David |publisher=Bloomberg |date=13 October 2015 |access-date=20 August 2018}}</ref>
In ], ], the party split and the ] was formed by members of the San Francisco and Los Angeles branches of the WWP. Those involved in the Party for Socialism and Liberation have maintained their relationship with ], while the Workers World Party organized the ]. Looking at the material in the two parties' publications, there seems to be few if any ideological differences between them. This indicates that the split was not over ideological differences, but due to other internal disagreements between party members.{{fact}}


In July 2018, the WWP experienced another schism in which several branches including the Detroit branch, one of its oldest, resigned from the organization to form the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://workersworlddetroit.org/detroit-branch-resignation-from-wwp/ |title=Detroit branch resignation from WWP |publisher=The Former Workers World Party |date=15 July 2018 |access-date=28 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929114632/http://workersworlddetroit.org/detroit-branch-resignation-from-wwp/ |archive-date=29 September 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Presidential candidates==
* 1980 - ] and ]
* 1984 - ] (or in some states ]) and ]
* 1988 - ] and ]
* 1992 - ] and ]
* 1996 - ] and ]
* 2000 - ] and ]
* 2004 - ] and ]


=== Associated organizations ===
==Controversy==
The WWP has organized, directed or participated in many coalition organizations for various causes, typically ] in nature.
Naturally, not all groups, organizations and parties on the left agree with the WWP's political positions or tactics. This is seen in disagreements over analysis of whether or not a particular country is socialist (e.g. ] or ]) and also positions historically held by the party (e.g., support for Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, Czechoslovakia and Hungary). It is also seen in disagreements over WWP calls for/solidarity with governments that it sees as being socialist, anti-imperialist, or any country facing the threat of being attacked by the United States.


The ], which counts many WWP members as leading activists, founded the ] (ANSWER) coalition shortly after the ] in 2001 and has run the All People's Congress (APC). The APC and the IAC in particular share a large degree of overlap in their memberships with ] in the WWP.
It also faces opposition from the same ideological groups that most other ] and ] parties are criticized by. On the left, this criticism comes from anarchists, social democrats and the liberal left. The right is also, of course, naturally opposed to any communist party or socialist organization. When the WWP was playing a large role in organizing anti-war protests before the US attack on Iraq in 2003, various corporate-owned newspapers and TV shows attacked the WWP specifically, in a style reminiscent of 1950s ].


In 2004, a ] close to the WWP called Fight Imperialism Stand Together (FIST) was founded.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} The group's Web site was live {{As of|2024|lc=y}}, but the latest newsletter available at that time was dated October 4, 2010,<ref>{{cite web | title=Newsletter |publisher=FIST| date=4 October 2010 | url=https://fistnewsletter.wordpress.com/ | access-date=30 November 2024}}</ref> and the home page advertised a "forthcoming" event on 3 December 2011.<ref>{{cite web | title=Home page| publisher=Fight Imperialism Stand Together | date=23 November 2011 | url=https://fistyouth.wordpress.com/ | access-date=30 November 2024|quote=Dance Dance REVOLUTION: Durham, NC FIST Fundraiser, Saturday 3 December 2011}}</ref>
==References==
<references/>


==External links== == Ideology ==
The WWP describes itself as a party that has since its founding "supported the struggles of all ] peoples". It has recognized the right of nations to ], including the nationally oppressed peoples inside the United States. It supports ] as necessary in the fight for ] and it opposes all forms of ] and religious ].{{cn|date=December 2023}}
*

*
The WWP and its affiliate Youth Against War and Fascism (YAWF) were known for their consistent defense of the ], the ], the ] and the ].{{cn|date=December 2023}}

=== North Korea ===
The WWP has maintained a position of supporting the government of ]. Through its Vietnam-era front organization, the ] (ASU), the party endorsed a 1971 statement of support for that government. The statement was read on North Korea's international radio station by visiting ASU delegate ].<ref>"Workers World Party and Its Front Organizations" (April 1974) ]</ref> In 1994, ] sent a letter to ] expressing his condolences on behalf of the WWP on the ] ], calling him a great leader and comrade in the international communist movement.<ref name="Kim Il Sung">{{cite web|title=Kim Il Sung – Anti-imperialist fighter, socialist hero |url=http://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/sam94/1994html/s940721.htm |date=21 July 1994 |author-first=Sam |author-last=Marcy}}</ref> Its later front groups, IAC and formerly ], have also demonstrated in support of North Korea.<ref name="Carlson">{{cite news|author-last=Carlson |author-first=Peter |title=The Crusader: Ramsey Clark Was LBJ's Attorney General. Now He's Busy Denouncing U.S. 'War Crimes' in Places Like Iraq, N. Korea. How Did That Happen? |newspaper=] |date=15 December 2002}}</ref>

=== Iraq ===
When the WWP was playing a role in organizing anti-war protests before the ] in 2003, many newspapers and TV shows attacked the WWP for supporting Iraqi president ].<ref>{{cite news|title=A Smart Peace Movement is MIA |author-first=Marc |author-last=Cooper |work=] |date=29 September 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Who Will Lead?|author-first=Todd |author-last=Gitlin |journal=Mother Jones |date=14 October 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Behind the Placards: The odd and troubling origins of today's antiwar movement |author-first=David |author-last=Corn |work=] |date=1 November 2002}}</ref>

=== Belarus ===
The WWP signalized support of ] during the ] in 2020. They accused the protest movement of being "counterrevolutionary" and supported by the "fascist ] movement and the U.S. imperialism", while praising President Lukashenko for maintaining some socialist-oriented politics, "rejection of privatization" and keeping the Soviet state symbols.<ref>{{cite web|author-last=Grotewohl |author-first=Otis |date=29 August 2020 |title=Workers and communists in Belarus unite behind Lukashenko |url=https://www.workers.org/2020/08/50925/ |access-date=29 September 2020 |website=Workers World |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author-last=Grotewohl |author-first=Otis |date=17 August 2020 |title=U.S., fascists set scopes on socialist-leaning Belarus |url=https://www.workers.org/2020/08/50609/ |access-date=29 September 2020 |website=Workers World |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Election results ==
The WWP has participated in presidential election campaigns since the 1980 election, though its effectiveness in this area is limited as it has not been able to get on the ballots of many states. The party also has run some campaigns for other offices. One of the most successful was in 1990, when Susan Farquhar got on the ballot as a Senate candidate in ] and received 1.3% of the vote. However, the party's best result was in the ], when the WWP candidate received 6.7% of the vote, running against a Democrat and a Republican.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballot-access.org/2003/0101.html#9 |title=Vote for U.S. Senate |work=Ballot Access News |date=1 January 2003 |access-date=22 September 2008}}</ref>

=== Presidential elections ===
In ], the WWP endorsed ] of the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.workers.org/2008/editorials/cynthia_mckinney_0724/ |title=Cynthia McKinney for president |date=Jul 17, 2008 |publisher=Workers World Party |url-status=live |archive-date=October 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013182026/https://www.workers.org/2008/editorials/cynthia_mckinney_0724/}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%"
! Year
! Presidential candidate
! Vice presidential candidate
! Popular votes
! %
! Electoral votes
! Result
! Ballot access
! Notes
! Ref
|-
| ]
| ]
| ]
| 4,173
| {{Percentage bar|0.00|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|142|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=FEC2016>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 2016 |publisher=] |date=December 2017 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections2016.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202185336/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections2016.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| John Parker
| Teresa Gutierrez
| 1,646
| {{Percentage bar|0.00|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|93|538|#C01028}}
| {{efn|2004: Vote total includes 265 votes on the ] line in ].}}
| <ref name=FEC2004>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 2004 |publisher=] |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections2004.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202185553/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections2004.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| ]
| 4,795
| {{Percentage bar|0.00|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|51|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=FEC00>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 00 |publisher=] |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections00.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202185648/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections00.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| ]
| 29,083
| {{Percentage bar|0.03|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|153|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=FEC1996>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 96 |publisher=] |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections96.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202185745/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections96.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| Larry Holmes
| 181
| {{Percentage bar|0.00|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|5|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=FEC1992>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 92 |publisher=] |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections92.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202162939/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections92.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Larry Holmes
| ]
| 7,846
| {{Percentage bar|0.01|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|157|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=FEC1988>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 88 |publisher=] |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections88.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202162943/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections88.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Larry Holmes{{efn|In 1984, ] ran in place of Larry Holmes in some states.}}
| ]
| 17,983
| {{Percentage bar|0.02|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|130|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=FEC1984>{{Cite web |title=Federal Elections 84 |publisher=] |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections84.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202162947/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections84.pdf}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| ]
| 13,213
| {{Percentage bar|0.01|hex=#C01028}}
| 0
| {{no2}} Lost
| {{Composition bar|117|538|#C01028}}
|
| <ref name=HC1980>{{Cite web |title=Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1980 |publisher=] |date=April 15, 1981 |page=73 |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1980election.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=May 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528234643/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1980election.pdf}}</ref>
|}

== Notable members ==
* ], actor
* ], author
* ], activist
* ], author

== See also ==
{{Portal|Politics|Communism|United States}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist |30em}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book|author=House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security |author-link=United States House of Representatives |title=The Workers World Party and Its Front Organizations |year=1974 |publisher=] |location=]}}<!-- {{sfn|Committee on Internal Security|1974|p=}} -->
* {{cite book|author-last=Alexander |author-first=Robert |title=International Trotskyism: a documented analysis of the world movement |location=] |publisher=] |year=1991}}<!-- {{sfn|Alexander|1991|p=}} -->
* {{cite journal|author-last=Alexander |author-first=Robert |title=Schisms and unifications in the American Old Left 1953–1970 |journal=Labor History |volume=14 |year=1973 |issue=Fall 1973}}<!-- {{sfn|Alexander|1973|p=}} -->


== Further reading == == Further reading ==
* by Ken Lawrence, Marxmail Discussion List. January 1999. Retrieved April 12, 2005. * Ken Lawrence (January 1999). . Marxmail Discussion List.
* contains brief entry on WWP. * . It contains brief entry on WWP.
* . A correspondence on the early history of the Global Class War tendency.
* Kevin Coogan. .

== External links ==
* {{official website|http://www.workers.org/}}
* ] (1979). . New Haven, Connecticut: Revolutionary Communist League (Internationalist). A foundational document of the Global Class War tendency.
* V. Grey New York (November 3, 1956). . Reissued by ''Workers World'' in 1959. Another foundational document of the Global Class War tendency.

{{United States political parties}}
{{Communist parties in the United States}}

]
] ]
]
]
] ]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 15:45, 30 November 2024

Communist party in the United States
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this by adding secondary or tertiary sources.
Find sources: "Workers World Party" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)
‹ The template Infobox political party is being considered for merging. ›
Workers World Party
AbbreviationWWP
First SecretaryLarry Holmes
Founded1959; 65 years ago (1959)
Split fromSocialist Workers Party
Headquarters121 W. 27th St. Suite 404.
New York City, New York 10001
NewspaperWorkers World
Ideology
Political positionFar-left
Colors  Red
Members in elected offices0
Website
workers.org
This article is part of a series on
Socialism
in the United States
HistoryUtopian socialism

Progressive Era

Repression and persecution

Anti-war and civil rights movements

Contemporary

People
Active organizations
Inactive or defunct organizations
Literature
Related topics
WWP and FRSO protesters at Disrupt J20

The Workers World Party (WWP) is a Marxist–Leninist communist party in the United States founded in 1959 by a group led by Sam Marcy. WWP members are sometimes called Marcyites. Marcy and his followers split from the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) in 1958 over a series of long-standing differences, among them their support for Henry A. Wallace's Progressive Party in 1948, their view of People's Republic of China as a workers' state, and their defense of the 1956 Soviet intervention in Hungary, some of which the SWP opposed.

History

Members staffing a WWP information booth at Occupy Wall Street, October 2011

The WWP had its origins in the Global Class War Tendency, led by Sam Marcy and Vincent Copeland, within the SWP. This group crystallized during the 1948 presidential election when they urged the SWP to back Henry Wallace's Progressive Party campaign, rather than field their own candidates. Throughout the 1950s, the Global Class War Tendency expressed positions at odds with official SWP policy, categorizing the Korean War as a class, rather than imperialist, conflict; support of the People's Republic of China as a workers' state, if not necessarily supporting the Mao Zedong leadership; and supporting the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution by the Soviet Union in 1956.

The Global Class War Tendency left the SWP in early 1959. Although they would later abandon Trotskyism, in their International Workers Day issue (no. 3) of their new periodical the group proclaimed: "We are THE Trotskyists. We stand 100% with all the principled positions of Leon Trotsky, the most revolutionary communist since Lenin". The nascent group appears to have organized as the Workers World Party by February 1960. At its inception, the WWP was concentrated among the working class in Buffalo, Youngstown, Seattle and New York. A youth organization, first known as the Anti-Fascist Youth Committee and later as Youth Against War and Fascism (YAWF), was created in April 1962.

The WWP began publishing the monthly Workers World newspaper in 1959; it was published weekly since 1974.

From the beginning, the WWP and YAWF concentrated their energies on street demonstrations. Early campaigns focused on support of Patrice Lumumba, opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee and against racial discrimination in housing. They conducted the first protest against American involvement in Vietnam on August 2, 1962. Their opposition to the war also included the tactics of "draft resistance" and "GI resistance". After organizing demonstrations at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in support of a soldier being tried for possessing anti-war literature, they founded the American Servicemen's Union, intended to be a mass organization of American soldiers. However, the group was completely dominated by the WWP and YAWF.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, the party was involved in protests over causes including "defen of the heroic black uprisings in Watts, Newark, Detroit, Harlem" and women's liberation. During the Attica Prison riot, the rioters requested YAWF member Tom Soto to present their grievances for them. The WWP was most successful in organizing demonstrations in support of desegregation "busing" in the Boston schools in 1975. Nearly 30,000 people attended the Boston March Against Racism which they had organized. During the 1970s, they also attempted to begin work inside organized labor, but apparently were not very successful.

In 1980, the WWP began to participate in electoral politics, naming a presidential ticket as well as candidates for New York Senate, congressional and state legislature seats. In California, they ran their candidate Deirdre Griswold in the primary for the Peace and Freedom Party nomination. They came in last, with 1,232 votes out of 9,092. In 1984, the WWP supported Jesse Jackson's bid for the Democratic nomination, but when he lost in the primaries they nominated their own presidential ticket, along with a handful of congressional and legislative nominees.

Splits

In 1968, the WWP absorbed a small faction of the Spartacist League that had worked with it in the Coalition for an Anti-Imperialist Movement called the Revolutionary Communist League (Internationalist). This group left the WWP in 1971 as the New York Revolutionary Committee. The NYRC's newspaper provided rare details about the internal functioning of the group that have subsequently been used by scholars as a primary source. The NYRC later reconstituted as the Revolutionary Communist League (Internationalist).

In 2004, the WWP suffered its most serious split when the San Francisco branch and some other members left to form the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

In July 2018, the WWP experienced another schism in which several branches including the Detroit branch, one of its oldest, resigned from the organization to form the Communist Workers League.

Associated organizations

The WWP has organized, directed or participated in many coalition organizations for various causes, typically anti-imperialist in nature.

The International Action Center, which counts many WWP members as leading activists, founded the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) coalition shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001 and has run the All People's Congress (APC). The APC and the IAC in particular share a large degree of overlap in their memberships with cadre in the WWP.

In 2004, a youth group close to the WWP called Fight Imperialism Stand Together (FIST) was founded. The group's Web site was live as of 2024, but the latest newsletter available at that time was dated October 4, 2010, and the home page advertised a "forthcoming" event on 3 December 2011.

Ideology

The WWP describes itself as a party that has since its founding "supported the struggles of all oppressed peoples". It has recognized the right of nations to self-determination, including the nationally oppressed peoples inside the United States. It supports affirmative action as necessary in the fight for equality and it opposes all forms of racism and religious bigotry.

The WWP and its affiliate Youth Against War and Fascism (YAWF) were known for their consistent defense of the Black Panthers, the Weather Underground, the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Puerto Rican Independence movement.

North Korea

The WWP has maintained a position of supporting the government of North Korea. Through its Vietnam-era front organization, the American Servicemen's Union (ASU), the party endorsed a 1971 statement of support for that government. The statement was read on North Korea's international radio station by visiting ASU delegate Andy Stapp. In 1994, Sam Marcy sent a letter to Kim Jong Il expressing his condolences on behalf of the WWP on the death of his father Kim Il Sung, calling him a great leader and comrade in the international communist movement. Its later front groups, IAC and formerly International A.N.S.W.E.R., have also demonstrated in support of North Korea.

Iraq

When the WWP was playing a role in organizing anti-war protests before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, many newspapers and TV shows attacked the WWP for supporting Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Belarus

The WWP signalized support of Alexander Lukashenko during the Belarusian protests in 2020. They accused the protest movement of being "counterrevolutionary" and supported by the "fascist Maidan movement and the U.S. imperialism", while praising President Lukashenko for maintaining some socialist-oriented politics, "rejection of privatization" and keeping the Soviet state symbols.

Election results

The WWP has participated in presidential election campaigns since the 1980 election, though its effectiveness in this area is limited as it has not been able to get on the ballots of many states. The party also has run some campaigns for other offices. One of the most successful was in 1990, when Susan Farquhar got on the ballot as a Senate candidate in Michigan and received 1.3% of the vote. However, the party's best result was in the 1992 Ohio Senate election, when the WWP candidate received 6.7% of the vote, running against a Democrat and a Republican.

Presidential elections

In 2008, the WWP endorsed Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party of the United States.

Year Presidential candidate Vice presidential candidate Popular votes % Electoral votes Result Ballot access Notes Ref
2016 Monica Moorehead Lamont Lilly 4,173 0.00% 0 Lost 142 / 538
2004 John Parker Teresa Gutierrez 1,646 0.00% 0 Lost 93 / 538
2000 Monica Moorehead Gloria La Riva 4,795 0.00% 0 Lost 51 / 538
1996 Monica Moorehead Gloria La Riva 29,083 0.03% 0 Lost 153 / 538
1992 Gloria La Riva Larry Holmes 181 0.00% 0 Lost 5 / 538
1988 Larry Holmes Gloria La Riva 7,846 0.01% 0 Lost 157 / 538
1984 Larry Holmes Gloria La Riva 17,983 0.02% 0 Lost 130 / 538
1980 Deirdre Griswold Gavrielle Holmes 13,213 0.01% 0 Lost 117 / 538

Notable members

See also

Notes

  1. 2004: Vote total includes 265 votes on the Liberty Union Party line in Vermont.
  2. In 1984, Gavrielle Holmes ran in place of Larry Holmes in some states.

References

  1. "Workers World Party: Who We Are". Workers World Party. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist party dedicated to organizing and fighting for a socialist revolution in the United States and around the world. With branches around the U.S., WWP develops militant organizers in every struggle, from anti-racist and immigrant rights to labor, anti-war and anti-imperialist struggles.
  2. Lawrence, Ken. "Roots of the Workers World Party". libcom.org. This stance in turn meant playing down to insignificance polemics against Stalinism, while seeking leadership of the class through exemplary action. The Marcyites remained uneasily as a faction within the SWP until the USSR's military invasion of Hungary in 1956, which they supported and the SWP denounced. Depending on whose version you believe, the Marcy-Copeland faction either left (Marcy) or was expelled (Cannon), and formed Workers World Party in 1957.
  3. "Selected Works of Sam Marcy". Workers World. Retrieved 2 October 2008.
  4. "China – A setback for Imprerialism" (PDF). The Militant. October 3, 1949.
  5. "The SWP Position on China" (PDF). SWP Discussion Bulletin. June 1963.
  6. "The SWP Position on China". The Militant. 2001.
  7. Alexander 1991, p. 911.
  8. Alexander 1973, p. 554.
  9. Alexander 1991, p. 912.
  10. Klehr, Harvey (1988). Far Left of Center.
  11. Alexander 1991, pp. 912–913.
  12. Alexander 1991, p. 913.
  13. Alexander 1991, p. 914.
  14. Alexander 1991, pp. 913, 941–943, 1049.
  15. "Founding statement of the Party for Socialism and Liberation". Liberation School. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  16. Freedlander, David (13 October 2015). "Bernie Sanders Isn't Socialist Enough for Many Socialists". Bloomberg. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  17. "Detroit branch resignation from WWP". The Former Workers World Party. 15 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  18. "Newsletter". FIST. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  19. "Home page". Fight Imperialism Stand Together. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2024. Dance Dance REVOLUTION: Durham, NC FIST Fundraiser, Saturday 3 December 2011
  20. "Workers World Party and Its Front Organizations" (April 1974) US House Committee on Internal Security
  21. Marcy, Sam (21 July 1994). "Kim Il Sung – Anti-imperialist fighter, socialist hero".
  22. Carlson, Peter (15 December 2002). "The Crusader: Ramsey Clark Was LBJ's Attorney General. Now He's Busy Denouncing U.S. 'War Crimes' in Places Like Iraq, N. Korea. How Did That Happen?". The Washington Post.
  23. Cooper, Marc (29 September 2002). "A Smart Peace Movement is MIA". Los Angeles Times.
  24. Gitlin, Todd (14 October 2002). "Who Will Lead?". Mother Jones.
  25. Corn, David (1 November 2002). "Behind the Placards: The odd and troubling origins of today's antiwar movement". LA Weekly.
  26. Grotewohl, Otis (29 August 2020). "Workers and communists in Belarus unite behind Lukashenko". Workers World. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  27. Grotewohl, Otis (17 August 2020). "U.S., fascists set scopes on socialist-leaning Belarus". Workers World. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  28. "Vote for U.S. Senate". Ballot Access News. 1 January 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  29. "Cynthia McKinney for president". Workers World Party. Jul 17, 2008. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008.
  30. "Federal Elections 2016" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. December 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  31. "Federal Elections 2004" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  32. "Federal Elections 00" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  33. "Federal Elections 96" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  34. "Federal Elections 92" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  35. "Federal Elections 88" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  36. "Federal Elections 84" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  37. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1980" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. April 15, 1981. p. 73. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 28, 2008.

Sources

Further reading

External links

National political parties in the United States
List of political parties in the United States
Major parties
Third parties
Larger
Smaller
Defunct parties
Major parties
Third parties
Current communist parties in the United States
Marxist–Leninist
(including Maoist and Hoxhaist parties)
Trotskyist
Other
Categories: