Phyllis Jacobson
Encyclopedia
Phyllis Jacobson was an American
socialist. Together with her lifetime political and personal partner Julius Jacobson
, she co-edited the independent left journal New Politics
from the 1960s until the end of the 20th century.
Jewish working-class family, she joined the Young People's Socialist League
(YPSL) affiliated with the Socialist Party
as a teenager in the 1930s, where she met Julius Jacobson. Together they were persuaded of revolutionary socialism
in its Trotskyist expression and they played a role in successor youth organizations to the YPSL associated with the Socialist Workers Party
and the Workers Party. Between the 1930s and 1950s, at a time when the Communist Party
had sway over much of the left in the United States
, the Jacobsons were associated with a radically democratic current of the socialist movement which rejected Stalinist
bureaucratic collectivism
and understood the Soviet Union
to be a perversion of socialism
because of its lack of workers' control
over industry and society. They were founding members of the Independent Socialist League, for which she was briefly the Manhattan
organizer and which espoused Third Camp
socialism.
As the ISL and its leader Max Shachtman
began to turn, in their view, toward the Right after 1956, the Jacobsons persisted in what they perceived to be their left-wing democratic socialism, like Hal Draper
, and declined to follow Shachtman and his circle, who, they thought, became virtually or wholly neoconservative. Together the Jacobsons launched New Politics
in 1961. She was active in the periodical from the outset but her role was formally recognized in 1968 when she became the first woman listed as a member of its editorial board; subsequently the Jacobsons would be listed as co-editors.
Phyllis Jacobson was critical to the journal's operations. "It was Phyllis who handled the day-to-day work of the journal," wrote a New Politics editorial board member in an obituary. "She cajoled authors and financial contributors to meet deadlines. She had the unique tact to convince often thin-skinned writers to accept editorial suggestions, and, when rarely necessary, editorial fiats. She maintained and meticulously updated the vast rolodex of contacts, donors, and subscribers. She coordinated the layout, printing and distribution. Some though that she, unlike Julie, was the real schmoozer, with a rollicking laugh so infectious that rare indeed were those who could resist joining her."
New Politics
kept alive two intellectual traditions in unpropitious times: the current of independent radical socialism and the freewheeling "little magazine" published independently of the academic world. For the last decade of her life Phyllis Jacobson was paralyzed by a debilitating stroke, but the journal still continued to be published then, as well as after the Jacobsons' deaths.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
socialist. Together with her lifetime political and personal partner Julius Jacobson
Julius Jacobson
Julius Jacobson was an American socialist writer and editor who edited Anvil, New International, and New Politics, all publications in the Third Camp tradition of socialism, a democratic Marxist tradition sometimes called "Shachtmanite" after its significant theorist, Max...
, she co-edited the independent left journal New Politics
New Politics (magazine)
New Politics is an independent socialist journal founded in 1961 and still published in the United States today. While it is inclusive of articles from a variety of left-of-center positions, the publication leans strongly toward a Third camp, democratic Marxist perspective, placing it typically to...
from the 1960s until the end of the 20th century.
Biography
Born into a New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Jewish working-class family, she joined the Young People's Socialist League
Young People's Socialist League
The Young People's Socialist League , founded in 1989, is the official youth arm of the Socialist Party USA. The group's membership consists of those democratic socialists under the age of 30, and its political activities tend to concentrate on increasing the voter turnout of young democratic...
(YPSL) affiliated with the Socialist Party
Socialist Party USA
The Socialist Party USA is a multi-tendency democratic-socialist party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation and successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America, which had lasted from 1901 to 1972.The party is officially committed to left-wing...
as a teenager in the 1930s, where she met Julius Jacobson. Together they were persuaded of revolutionary socialism
Revolutionary socialism
The term revolutionary socialism refers to Socialist tendencies that advocate the need for fundamental social change through revolution by mass movements of the working class, as a strategy to achieve a socialist society...
in its Trotskyist expression and they played a role in successor youth organizations to the YPSL associated with the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (United States)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far-left political organization in the United States. The group places a priority on "solidarity work" to aid strikes and is strongly supportive of Cuba...
and the Workers Party. Between the 1930s and 1950s, at a time when the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
had sway over much of the left in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Jacobsons were associated with a radically democratic current of the socialist movement which rejected Stalinist
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
bureaucratic collectivism
Bureaucratic collectivism
Bureaucratic collectivism is a theory of class society. It is used by some Trotskyists to describe the nature of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, and other similar states in Central and Eastern Europe and elsewhere .- Theory :...
and understood the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to be a perversion of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
because of its lack of workers' control
Workers' control
Workers' control is a term meaning participation in the management of factories and other commercial enterprises by the people who work there. It has been variously advocated by anarchists, socialists, Communists, Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, and has been combined with various...
over industry and society. They were founding members of the Independent Socialist League, for which she was briefly the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
organizer and which espoused Third Camp
Third camp
The third camp, also known as third camp socialism or third camp Trotskyism, is a branch of socialism which aims to oppose both capitalism and Stalinism, by supporting the organised working class as a "third camp"....
socialism.
As the ISL and its leader Max Shachtman
Max Shachtman
Max Shachtman was an American Marxist theorist. He evolved from being an associate of Leon Trotsky to a social democrat and mentor of senior assistants to AFL-CIO President George Meany.-Beginnings:...
began to turn, in their view, toward the Right after 1956, the Jacobsons persisted in what they perceived to be their left-wing democratic socialism, like Hal Draper
Hal Draper
Hal Draper was an American socialist activist and author who played a significant role in the Berkeley, California, Free Speech Movement and is perhaps best known for his extensive scholarship on the history and meaning of the thought of Karl Marx.Draper was a lifelong advocate of what he called...
, and declined to follow Shachtman and his circle, who, they thought, became virtually or wholly neoconservative. Together the Jacobsons launched New Politics
New Politics (magazine)
New Politics is an independent socialist journal founded in 1961 and still published in the United States today. While it is inclusive of articles from a variety of left-of-center positions, the publication leans strongly toward a Third camp, democratic Marxist perspective, placing it typically to...
in 1961. She was active in the periodical from the outset but her role was formally recognized in 1968 when she became the first woman listed as a member of its editorial board; subsequently the Jacobsons would be listed as co-editors.
Phyllis Jacobson was critical to the journal's operations. "It was Phyllis who handled the day-to-day work of the journal," wrote a New Politics editorial board member in an obituary. "She cajoled authors and financial contributors to meet deadlines. She had the unique tact to convince often thin-skinned writers to accept editorial suggestions, and, when rarely necessary, editorial fiats. She maintained and meticulously updated the vast rolodex of contacts, donors, and subscribers. She coordinated the layout, printing and distribution. Some though that she, unlike Julie, was the real schmoozer, with a rollicking laugh so infectious that rare indeed were those who could resist joining her."
New Politics
New Politics (magazine)
New Politics is an independent socialist journal founded in 1961 and still published in the United States today. While it is inclusive of articles from a variety of left-of-center positions, the publication leans strongly toward a Third camp, democratic Marxist perspective, placing it typically to...
kept alive two intellectual traditions in unpropitious times: the current of independent radical socialism and the freewheeling "little magazine" published independently of the academic world. For the last decade of her life Phyllis Jacobson was paralyzed by a debilitating stroke, but the journal still continued to be published then, as well as after the Jacobsons' deaths.
Writings
- "The Need to Say NO," New Politics, 1962
- "Kate Millett and Her Critics," New Politics, 1970
- "Black Outrage in Los Angeles," New Politics, 1992
- "Two Invented Lives," New Politics, 1997
External links
- Joanne Landy and Stephen R. Shalom, "Phyllis Jacobson, 1922-2010," New Politics website, 8 May 2010
- Lynn Chancer, "A Personal and Political Tribute to Phyllis Jacobson," New Politics (summer 2010)
- Bogdan Denitch, "For Phyllis Jacobson, A Comrade," New Politics website, 8 May 2010
- Samuel Farber, "Goodbye, Phyllis," New Politics website, 8 May 2010
- Barry Finger, "Phyllis Jacobson: An Appreciation," New Politics website, May 8, 2010
- Stephen Steinberg, "A Robust Voice for Such a Diminutive Person," New Politics website, May 8, 2010
- David Finkel, "A Tribute to Phyllis Jacobson," New Politics website, May 8, 2010