''Socialist Worker'' is the name of several

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

s currently or formerly associated with the International Socialist Tendency (IST). It is a weekly newspaper published by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) in the United Kingdom since 1968, and a monthly published by the International Socialists in Canada. It was a monthly (and daily web site) published by the International Socialist Organization (ISO) in the United States from 1977 to 2019, and a biweekly published by the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland, a quarterly published by the International Socialist Organisation in

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

, a bi-monthly published by the Socialist Workers League in Nigeria, and a monthly published by the former International Socialist Organisation in Australia.

United Kingdom

Although ''Socialist Worker'' sales/circulation data is not publicly available, John Molyneux estimated the circulation of the paper in 2006 to be under 8,000. Special "bumper" issues have a circulation approaching 10,000 it was claimed in an article containing an interview with Judith Orr in April 2013.Ian Burrel
"Why we had to rejoice after Margaret Thatcher's death, by the editor behind provocative Socialist Worker front page"
''The Independent'', 12 April 2013

History

Originally titled ''Industrial Worker'', and then ''Labour Worker'', it was founded by the Socialist Review Group (which became the International Socialists, then the SWP) in 1961 in London (Cliff 78). The newspaper was renamed ''Socialist Worker'' in 1968 and moved to weekly production; its first editor was Roger Protz (Higgins 90). Its language and general approach was modelled on ''

The Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead ...

'' but aimed to provide a very different set of ideas. In the early 1970s at a time of class struggle in Britain, the print order rose from 13,000 in 1970 to 28,000 during the miners strike of 1972, and had stabilised at about 27,000 in March 1973. It then rose again at the end of that year, reaching 40,000 during the 1974 miners' strike and even touching 53,000 for one issue before the crucial 1974 election. Writers included Paul Foot, Duncan Hallas and Eamonn McCann plus reports of strikes and other struggles from across the country sent in by readers. The editor from 1974 to 1978, Paul Foot (Foot xii) later went to work for the ''Mirror'', though he continued to contribute to ''Socialist Worker'' until his death in 2004. It was first edited between 1976–77 and then again between 1982 and 2004 by

Chris Harman Christopher John Harman (8 November 1942 – 7 November 2009) was a British journalist and political activist, and a member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. He was an editor of '' International Socialism'' and '' S ...

. After 2004 it was edited by Chris Bambery, who was succeeded by Charlie Kimber in 2009, and Judith Orr late in 2010.Peter Manso
"Another one bites the dust"
, ''Weekly Worker'', 6 January 2011 When Margaret Thatcher died, the newspaper printed "Rejoice" over her headstone, gaining much international comment. Sale of the Socialist Worker in Leeds

The paper gained mainstream attention for itself when it published an article which seemed to mock the death of a 17-year-old who was mauled to death by a polar bear, on the basis that he was attending Eton. Writing in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', Owen Jones commented that instead of expressing sadness or empathy over the death of a young person, the newspaper was "evidently delighted." Jones said the end of the article "was even more gratuitous," because it said "Now we have another reason to save the polar bears." Jones suggested that "the official organ of the Socialist Workers party (SWP) apparently fantasises about an army of polar bears leaving the playing fields of Eton soaked blue with posh blood." Working for the newspaper has proven to be an apprenticeship for many prominent journalists at the onset of their careers, including Gary Bushell and the brothers

Christopher Christopher is the English language, English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek language, Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or ''Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Jesus ...

and

Peter Hitchens Peter Jonathan Hitchens (born 1951) is an English Conservatism in the United Kingdom, conservative author, broadcaster, journalist, and commentator. He writes for ''The Mail on Sunday'' and was a Foreign correspondent (journalism), foreign cor ...

Production and distribution

The paper is published on behalf of the party by Larkham Printers & Publishers Limited, having previously been published by Sherborne Publications Limited.

United States

Shortly after its foundation in 1977, the ISO began publishing a monthly titled ''Socialist Worker'', modelled after the British publication of the same name and the biweekly ''Workers' Power'', then published by the International Socialists. The paper became a daily web site on

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's March equinox, spring equinox and midsummer June solstice, solstice. Festivities ma ...

2008. The print version was published monthly. The ISO left the International Socialist Tendency in 2001. Since 13 April 2001, the ISO also published a

Spanish language Spanish () or Castilian () is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin spoken on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Today, it is a world language, gl ...

supplement to ''Socialist Worker'', titled ''Obrero Socialista''. Publication was irregular until 2005, since when it has been bimonthly. The ISO, and with it ''Socialist Worker'', was dissolved in April of 2019 in the wake of a sexual scandal.

Canada

''Socialist Worker'' is the publication of the International Socialists, the Canadian IST affiliate. The newspaper was originally called ''Workers' Action'' and was published monthly from 1975 until 1985. After 108 issues, it was renamed ''Socialist Worker''. More recently, the newspaper has been published sporadically. It was published triweekly for a short period in 1995 and is currently on a monthly schedule. ''Socialist Worker'' is twelve pages and printed in black and red. A French-language monthly, ''Résistance!'', was also published by the IS and claimed a circulation of 300, most of it in

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

. It has now ceased publication. ''The Agitator'', a monthly student bulletin was published from 2007 to 2009.

Other countries

The Irish SWP's fortnightly ''Socialist Worker'' styles itself as a "paper of the movements". Similar publications with the same title were formerly published in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian International Socialist Organisation's paper sales dwindled to 422 an issue by 2000. By 2001, when the paper went weekly, sales had dropped by almost 300.Armstrong, Mick. "The Origins of Socialist Alternative", ''Marxist Left Review.'' Number 1, Spring, 2010, p.131. The paper ended with the merger of the ISO and two other socialist groups which formed

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 ...

in 2008.

References

;Notes ;Sources * Tony Cliff (2000) ''A World to Win''. Bookmarks, London, * Paul Foot (1990) ''Words as Weapons'', Verso, London, *

(1991) ''The Revolutionary Paper'', Socialist Workers Party, * Jim Higgins (1997)
More Years for the Locust
', IS Group, London,