Sunday, November 01, 2015

*From The "In Defense Of Marxism" IMT Website-When the Socialist Party Was a Factor in US Politics: Lessons in Party Building - A Guest Commentary

*Click on the headline to link to the "In Defense Of Marxism" IMT Website for th entry-"When the Socialist Party Was a Factor in US Politics: Lessons in Party Building."

Markin comment:

This article hits the high points needed in any critique of the American Socialist Party in the old, pre-World War I days. Although it could have been, and should have been, sharper on the "above the battle" attitude of Eugene V. Debs when the natural factional struggles erupted over various questions. Especially on his failure to move left (and out) with the decisive political event of the 20th century, particularly the early part of the 20th century, the Russian October Revolution of 1917. I also did not get a sense in the article that, as Leon Trotsky noted on more than one occasion, the American SP was the perfect party for dentists. And Trotsky would have known, and known directly, having spend time here just prior to returning to Russia in 1917.

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