Socialist Action (US)
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Socialist Action is a
Trotskyist Trotskyism (, ) is the political ideology and branch of Marxism developed by Russian revolutionary and intellectual Leon Trotsky along with some other members of the Left Opposition and the Fourth International. Trotsky described himself as an ...
political party in the United States. SAct formed in 1983, when its members were expelled from the Socialist Workers Party. SAct describes itself as a revolutionary socialist party fighting for true democracy, because
capitalist Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their use for the purpose of obtaining profit. This socioeconomic system has developed historically through several stages and is defined by ...
states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
"cannot be used as tools of the working class, but have to be smashed". Notable members include
Jeff Mackler Jeffrey Mackler is an American activist from San Francisco, California. Mackler is the national secretary of Socialist Action (United States), Socialist Action, a Trotskyism, Trotskyist political party. He was the nominee of Socialist Action for ...
.


History


Origins

In 1983, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) expelled two groups: First, the Fourth Internationalist Tendency (FIT). Second, the group that would coalesce around the ''Socialist Action'' (SAct) newspaper. SAct argued that they were expelled for defending
Trotskyist Trotskyism (, ) is the political ideology and branch of Marxism developed by Russian revolutionary and intellectual Leon Trotsky along with some other members of the Left Opposition and the Fourth International. Trotsky described himself as an ...
ideas of
Permanent Revolution Permanent revolution is the strategy of a revolutionary class pursuing its own interests independently and without compromise or alliance with opposing sections of society. As a term within Marxist theory, it was first coined by Karl Marx and ...
, class independence, and continued support for the
Fourth International The Fourth International (FI) was a political international established in France in 1938 by Leon Trotsky and his supporters, having been expelled from the Soviet Union and the Communist International (also known as Comintern or the Third Inte ...
. The first issue of its newspaper contained no listing of an editorial board.


Subsequent history

In 1985, SAct split in two. Those who split created Socialist Unity (SU). In 1986, SU merged with Workers Power and the International Socialists to form
Solidarity Solidarity or solidarism is an awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies creating a psychological sense of unity of groups or classes. True solidarity means moving beyond individual identities and single issue politics ...
. After the split, SAct reorganized as a Trotskyist party. SAct planned a Central America solidarity conference. In 2004, SAct won the right to refuse to disclose its campaign donors, because of demonstrable government harassment of socialist candidates, as did
Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA (CPUSA), officially the Communist Party of the United States of America, also referred to as the American Communist Party mainly during the 20th century, is a communist party in the United States. It was established ...
,
Freedom Socialist Party The Freedom Socialist Party (FSP) is a Trotskyist and socialist feminist political party in the United States. FSP formed in 1966, when its members split from the Socialist Workers Party. FSP views the struggles of women, people of color and ...
, and Socialist Workers Party. In 1992, during the
Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
, SAct was active in the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
antiwar movement through the National Campaign Against the War in the Middle East, which competed with the
Workers World Party 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 Part ...
-led Coalition Against a Vietnam War in the Middle East. In 2019, a minority faction was expelled or resigned membership from Socialist Action and re-established as Socialist Resurgence.


Ideology

Socialist Action is a
Trotskyist Trotskyism (, ) is the political ideology and branch of Marxism developed by Russian revolutionary and intellectual Leon Trotsky along with some other members of the Left Opposition and the Fourth International. Trotsky described himself as an ...
and
Revolutionary socialist Revolutionary socialism is a political philosophy, doctrine, and tradition within socialism that stresses the idea that a social revolution is necessary to bring about structural changes in society. More specifically, it is the view that revolu ...
party. The party has claimed that the
Euromaidan Euromaidan ( ; , , ), or the Maidan Uprising, was a wave of Political demonstration, demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protests in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv. The p ...
revolution in
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
was a "US-backed fascist coup", alongside claiming that Ukraine banned the Russian language. The
Fourth International The Fourth International (FI) was a political international established in France in 1938 by Leon Trotsky and his supporters, having been expelled from the Soviet Union and the Communist International (also known as Comintern or the Third Inte ...
congress deemed positions of Socialist Action campist and decided to break off relations with the organisation in 2025.


Election results

Socialist Action (SA) has fielded electoral candidates in the United States for
local Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Local'' (comics), a limited series comic book by Bria ...
,
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
, and federal offices. One SA member, Adam Ritscher, won an uncontested election. No SA member has won a contested election.


Presidential elections

In
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, SAct again nominated Mackler. SAct again gained no
ballot access Ballot access is rules and procedures regulating the right to candidacy, the conditions under which a candidate, political party, or ballot measure is entitled to appear on voters' ballots in elections in the United States. The jurisprudence o ...
or
write-in A write-in candidate is a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot but seeks election by asking voters to cast a vote for the candidate by physically writing in the person's name on the ballot. Depending on electoral law it may be poss ...
status in any state, and thus received zero votes. In
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, SAct nominated their first presidential ticket, selecting national secretary
Jeff Mackler Jeffrey Mackler is an American activist from San Francisco, California. Mackler is the national secretary of Socialist Action (United States), Socialist Action, a Trotskyism, Trotskyist political party. He was the nominee of Socialist Action for ...
for
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
and Karen Schraufnagel for
vice-president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
.


Congressional elections

In 2018, SA member and Iraq War veteran Fred Linck hoped to run as Socialist Action candidate for United States Senate in Connecticut. The party submitted over 11,000 signatures to the Connecticut Secretary of State, but too many were disqualified for Linck to be placed on the November ballot. Linck asserted that local officials incorrectly invalidated signatures. Despite being left off the ballot, Linck continued to run for office as an official write-in candidate, and ultimately received 70 votes, or 0.01%.


Local elections

In 1988, SA member Sylvia Weinstein ran for
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
Board of Education, in which she won 21,000 votes. Weinstein also ran in 1985 and 1986.


See also

*
American Left The American Left refers to the groups or ideas on the left of the political spectrum in the United States. It is occasionally used as a shorthand for groups aligned with the Democratic Party. At other times, it refers to groups that have soug ...
*
Democratic Socialists of America The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a political organization in the United States and the country's largest Socialism, socialist organization. Sitting on the Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left of the politic ...
*
Socialist Alternative (United States) Socialist Alternative (SAlt or SA) is a Trotskyist political party in the United States. SAlt formed as Labor Militant in 1986, when members of the Committee for a Workers' International created a US branch. SAlt describes itself as a revol ...
*
Green Party of the United States The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) is a federation of Green state political parties in the United States. The party promotes green politics, specifically environmentalism; nonviolence; social justice; participatory democracy; anti-war; ...
* History of left-wing politics in the United States


References


External links


Socialist Action

''Socialist Action'' newspaper
{{Authority control Far-left politics in the United States Fourth International (post-reunification) Political parties established in 1983 Trotskyist parties in the United States