Trotskyist Organization of the United States
Encyclopedia
The Trotskyist Organization of the United States was a small Trotskyist group active in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s. The group was founded by two dissident factions which had emerged at the Socialist Workers Party
s 1971 convention.
The TOUS had its origins in the "Communist Faction" within the Socialist Workers Party
. Their initial criticism of the SWP was that it focused to much on the feminist, peace
and "nationalist" movements, rather than the proletariat
. After being expelled after the convention some members joined with the Vanguard Newsletter group
, while others entered the International Socialists. When the IS split in 1973 the former Communist Faction members joined the new evolutionary Socialist League] (US). Within the RSL they had called their faction the "Soviet Defensist Minority". They left the RSL in early 1974 and "retain[ed] a degenerated workers' state
analysis".
Another group that arose in opposition to the SWP leadership Proletarian Orientation Tendency. This group also believed that the SWP had abandoned the concept of the working class as the motive force in history and had abandoned its roots within the proletariat. The majority of the this group stayed with the SWP, while a smaller group, the "Leninist faction" continued to organize within the party and distribute factional literature. This group was expelled on October 26, 1972. On April 20, 1973 the Leninist faction held a fusion conference with Vanguard Newsletter group to form the Class Struggle League. In May 1975 the CSL dissolved into its constituent parts. The former Leninist faction, who made up the majority, entered the TOUS. The reason for the split within the CSL was over the idea of "rebuilding the Fourth International
" which they saw could only be done with TOUS, a member of the Vargaite
International League for the Reconstruction of the Fourth International
.
The TOUS published a newspaper Truth and a magazine Fourth International.
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...
s 1971 convention.
The TOUS had its origins in the "Communist Faction" within 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...
. Their initial criticism of the SWP was that it focused to much on the feminist, peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and "nationalist" movements, rather than the proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
. After being expelled after the convention some members joined with the Vanguard Newsletter group
Turnerites
Under a variety of names and within a number of organizations over at least 17 years, the group around Harry Turner, or Turnerites was a presence within Trotskyism in the United States.- History :...
, while others entered the International Socialists. When the IS split in 1973 the former Communist Faction members joined the new evolutionary Socialist League] (US). Within the RSL they had called their faction the "Soviet Defensist Minority". They left the RSL in early 1974 and "retain[ed] a degenerated workers' state
Degenerated workers' state
In Trotskyist political theory the term degenerated workers' state has been used since the 1930s to describe the state of the Soviet Union after Joseph Stalin's consolidation of power in or about 1924...
analysis".
Another group that arose in opposition to the SWP leadership Proletarian Orientation Tendency. This group also believed that the SWP had abandoned the concept of the working class as the motive force in history and had abandoned its roots within the proletariat. The majority of the this group stayed with the SWP, while a smaller group, the "Leninist faction" continued to organize within the party and distribute factional literature. This group was expelled on October 26, 1972. On April 20, 1973 the Leninist faction held a fusion conference with Vanguard Newsletter group to form the Class Struggle League. In May 1975 the CSL dissolved into its constituent parts. The former Leninist faction, who made up the majority, entered the TOUS. The reason for the split within the CSL was over the idea of "rebuilding the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
" which they saw could only be done with TOUS, a member of the Vargaite
Michel Varga
Michel Varga, born Balazs Nagy, was a Hungarian Trotskyist activist.Varga was active in the DISZ, student organisation of the Hungarian Working People's Party, within which he was regarded as an intellectual. He was part of a group which in 1954 founded the Petofi discussion group, in opposition...
International League for the Reconstruction of the Fourth International
International League for the Reconstruction of the Fourth International
The International League for the Reconstruction of the Fourth International, usually known as the Fourth International, was a Trotskyist political international led by Michel Varga....
.
The TOUS published a newspaper Truth and a magazine Fourth International.