Socialist Workers Party (UK) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Socialist Workers Party
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| Abbreviation | SWP |
| International secretary | Alex Callinicos |
| National secretary | Lewis Nielsen |
| Founder | Tony Cliff |
| Founded | Socialist Review Group (1950) International Socialists (1962) Socialist Workers Party (1977) |
| Split from | Revolutionary Communist Party |
| Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Newspaper |
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| Membership (2023) |  2,504 (financial)6,000 (registered) |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Far-left |
| International affiliation | International Socialist Tendency |
| Colours | Red |
| Governing bodies |
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The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) is a far-left political party in the United Kingdom. It was started by supporters of Tony Cliff in 1950. Back then, it was called the Socialist Review Group (SRG). Later, it became the International Socialists in 1962, and finally the SWP in 1977.
The party follows ideas based on Trotskyism. Tony Cliff and his followers believed that the Soviet Union was not truly socialist. They called it "state capitalist" instead.
The SWP has created groups to help organize and influence left-wing actions. One example is the Anti-Nazi League from the late 1970s. The party also worked with George Galloway and the Respect group. This partnership ended in 2007, causing some problems within the SWP.
A more serious challenge happened in 2013. This was due to internal disagreements and challenges regarding how the party handled serious complaints about a member's behavior. This situation led to many members leaving the party. It also resulted in new rules to support members who experience unfair treatment.
Internationally, the SWP is part of the International Socialist Tendency.
Party History
Early Beginnings: Socialist Review Group
The SWP started as the Socialist Review Group (SRG) in 1950. This group had only eight members at first. They formed around Tony Cliff's ideas about Russia. Cliff believed Russia was a "state capitalist" country. Because of these ideas, they were removed from the Revolutionary Communist Party.
The group was very small. So, they decided to work within the Labour Party. This helped them reach more people and find new members. The Labour League of Youth (LLY) was especially important for them.
The Socialist Review Group grew by campaigning in groups like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. By 1964, they had 200 members. Tony Cliff also wrote a book about Rosa Luxemburg in 1959. He believed her ideas about how revolutionary groups should be run were very important.
Becoming the International Socialists
In 1961, the group started a newspaper called Industrial Worker. It was soon renamed Labour Worker, and then became Socialist Worker. The Socialist Review Group changed its name to the International Socialism Group (IS) in late 1962.
When the Labour Party was in power, many of its members became unhappy. So, the IS started working more outside the Labour Party. By 1965, they stopped trying to work from within the Labour Party.
The IS began to focus more on working with trade unions. In 1966, they published a pamphlet against the Labour Party's incomes policy. This pamphlet explained how to fight against it.
In 1968, the group adopted a way of organizing called democratic centralism. This helped the IS grow from 400 to 1,000 members. They were very active in the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign. They also joined student protests of 1968, which helped them recruit young people.
Between 1970 and 1974, the IS focused on working in industries. They even set up branches in factories. During the 1972 miners' strike, miners sold Socialist Worker newspapers. The IS grew from 2,351 to 3,310 members between 1972 and 1974. Many manual workers also joined.
The SWP is Formed
In 1974, the Labour Party came back to power. They introduced the Social Contract. This policy had a voluntary incomes policy. Many union leaders supported it.
However, union activity decreased during this time. The IS had hoped to double its factory branches in 1974. But by 1976, they had only a few. In 1976, the IS tried to run candidates in elections. The results were not good.
In January 1977, the International Socialists changed their name to the Socialist Workers Party. This change was partly because they decided to run in elections. It also reflected their belief that they were better at starting activities.
Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism
The SWP played a big part in the Anti-Nazi League (ANL). This group was seen by many as a way for the SWP to lead anti-racist efforts. The National Front (NF) grew in the 1970s. They had many street protests and racist attacks.
A key moment was on August 13, 1977. Thousands of anti-fascists tried to stop the NF from marching through Lewisham. This event was called the Battle of Lewisham.
After this success, the SWP launched the Anti-Nazi League in late 1977. They used celebrity endorsements in newspaper ads. Many people on the left saw the ANL as an SWP-led effort. But many anti-racist groups still supported it to show a united front.
Rock Against Racism was also created. It worked closely with the ANL. This group organized successful music events. Bands like The Clash and The Buzzcocks were involved. By 1981, the National Front had become much smaller. The ANL campaign then ended.
Changes in the 1980s
From 1978, Tony Cliff believed that the period of rising worker activity was ending. By 1982, the SWP changed its focus. They focused more on Marxist theory and less on building large worker movements. Groups like the ANL and Women's Voice were closed down.
The closure of Women's Voice in 1982 caused strong debate. Some believed it would ignore women's specific issues. Others thought it would help unite men and women workers.
During the 1984–1985 miners' strike, the SWP focused on the need for solidarity. They explained why it was not happening. This change in approach helped the SWP survive a difficult period.
The 1990s and Beyond
The early 1990s were a confusing time for many left-wing groups. This was because the Soviet Union collapsed. But the SWP saw this as proof that their ideas about the Soviet Union being "state capitalist" were correct.
The SWP was involved in restarting the ANL in 1992. This was in response to the growth of the British National Party. They also campaigned against the Criminal Justice Bill.
In 1997, the SWP encouraged people to vote for the Labour Party. They believed this would lead to new opportunities for left-wing groups.
Working with Other Groups
The SWP worked with the Socialist Alliance in England and Wales. Its Scottish members joined the Scottish Socialist Party.
After the events of September 11, 2001, the SWP worked with other groups. They launched the Stop the War Coalition. The SWP was the main group in this coalition. Its goals were to oppose the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also campaigned against attacks on Muslims. The Coalition organized a huge demonstration on February 15, 2003. Millions of people marched through London.
The SWP also supported George Galloway and his group, Respect. This partnership ended in 2007. After this, a group led by the SWP formed the Left List. In Scotland, the SWP joined Tommy Sheridan's Solidarity group. In 2010, the SWP joined the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. They ran five candidates in the general election.
Internal Challenges and Changes
In January 2009, some key members, including John Rees and Lindsey German, left the Central Committee. They later formed an opposition group. In February 2010, sixty former members, including John Rees, resigned from the SWP.
In October 2009, the SWP's National Secretary, Martin Smith, faced charges related to a protest. He was found guilty of assaulting a police officer in 2010.
In April 2011, Chris Bambery, a long-time member, resigned from the party. He said the party had too much internal conflict. His resignation was followed by 38 members in Scotland. They formed a new Marxist group.
Party Disputes and Membership Changes
In January 2013, the party conference discussed serious complaints about a member's behavior. This led to strong criticism within the party. Some members felt the party did not handle the issue well.
A journalist noted that the complaints were looked into by friends of the accused. Another article suggested the SWP focused on its internal organization instead of the complaints. This situation led to many members leaving the party.
In March 2013, a special conference was held. The central committee's view on the complaints was accepted. Many members, including Richard Seymour, then resigned. A new group, the International Socialist Network, formed with over 100 former SWP members.
By June 2014, about 700 members had resigned from the SWP. The SWP published a review of its Disputes Committee in December 2013. This led to "substantial changes to procedures" for handling complaints.
In January 2018, the SWP published guidelines for members' behavior. In January 2019, the party conference reviewed these guidelines. They added more examples of unacceptable behavior. The Disputes Committee stated they want an environment where everyone feels safe to talk about these matters. They want to ensure appropriate action is taken by the party.
In August 2024, the Bristol SWSS separated from the SWP. They mentioned ongoing issues within the party. This group then organized as the Bristol Leftist Collective.
Party Leadership
The SWP is led by a central committee and a national committee. Elections for the central committee happen every January at the national conference. As of 2023, the central committee members included Alex Callinicos, Amy Leather, Charlie Kimber, and others.
The national committee has 51 members. They are elected each year at the national conference. The central committee also arranges at least four party councils each year. Delegates from each branch and the national committee attend these councils.
Party Ideas
Duncan Hallas, a founder of the IS, said that the group saw themselves as Trotskyist. This means they followed ideas from Leon Trotsky. The SWP calls itself a "revolutionary socialist party." It shares many ideas with other Trotskyist groups. These ideas are based on Marxism and Leninism.
SWP supporters often call their beliefs "socialism from below." This idea means that working people should be the ones to bring about change. It comes from the rule of the First International: "the emancipation of the working classes must be conquered by the working classes themselves."
They believe this sets them apart from other socialist groups. This includes the Labour Party, which they call a "capitalist workers' party." It also includes what they call Stalinism, which they see as "socialism from above." Tony Cliff argued that the core of Marxism is that the working class must free itself.
The SWP also has some different ideas from other Trotskyist groups. Three main ideas are: State Capitalism, Deflected Permanent Revolution, and The Permanent Arms Economy.
Unlike most Trotskyist groups, the SWP does not have a formal program. Instead, they publish an outline of their ideas called "Where We Stand" in each issue of Socialist Worker.
State Capitalism
The SWP believes in avoiding "substitutionist strategies." This means they think other social groups should not take the place of the working class in the fight for a socialist society. This idea led Tony Cliff to disagree with other Trotskyists about the Soviet Union.
Cliff argued that the USSR and Eastern Europe used a form of capitalism. He called it "bureaucratic state capitalist." He believed other countries ruled by what he called Stalinist parties, like China, Vietnam, and Cuba, also used this system. Cliff's ideas on this were published in 1948.
Other SWP thinkers later developed this idea further. Their theory was summed up by the slogan "Neither Washington nor Moscow, but International Socialism." This slogan means they oppose both capitalist and state capitalist systems.
Deflected Permanent Revolution
The SRG/IS needed to explain why many former colonial countries had overthrown imperial rule. These countries then formed states that the SRG/IS saw as bureaucratic state capitalist. This explanation was needed because these revolutions did not become Permanent Revolutions, as Leon Trotsky had predicted.
Tony Cliff developed his own theory called "deflected permanent revolution." He argued that if a strong working class did not exist, educated people could lead a revolution. This revolution would then lead to a state capitalist system. The outcome would be "deflected" from the goal of a true social revolution.
Cliff's essay on "Permanent Revolution" was published in 1963. It discussed the Cuban Revolution and the Chinese Revolution. This idea became a key tool for IS thinkers.
Permanent Arms Economy
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The ideas of state capitalism and deflected permanent revolution became central to IS politics by the mid-1960s. Another key idea was the theory of the permanent arms economy (PAE). This theory tried to explain the long period of economic growth after the Second World War. This growth was different from the period after the First World War, which saw economic problems.
These three theories are often seen as the main ideas of the IS tradition. However, some former IS leaders and other Trotskyists disagree. The PAE is the most debated of the three theories. It also did not start with Tony Cliff.
The PAE idea began in 1944 with Ed Sard. He argued that spending on arms helped capitalism stay stable. Later, Mike Kidron further developed this theory in his books. However, Mike Kidron later disagreed with the theory in the mid-1970s.
External links
- SWP website
