World Socialist Web Site
Encyclopedia
The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) is the online news and information center of the International Committee of the Fourth International
(ICFI). The site publishes articles and analysis covering a wide range of topics and events all around the world. The daily 'Perspective' article presents the position of the WSWS on a wide range of political, theoretical, and historical issues. News articles cover significant political and economic developments. The site also publishes articles and reviews on scientific advancements, films, music and other arts. A major portion of the site has been dedicated to the history of working class movements and the ICFI
in particular. The WSWS also reports on workers' struggles around the world, and facilitates readers to submit their feedback to authors. The WSWS supports and helps campaign for the Socialist Equality Parties in elections. The site has no corporate sponsorship and runs no advertisements. Instead, it sustains itself through the donations of readers and supporters. The content is published in 14 different languages. David North
serves as Chairman of the site's editorial board.
The site was launched in February 1998. Archive.org shows its first record of the site on December 12, 1998. At the time the site was published in 6 languages (English
, French
, German
, Indonesian
, Spanish
, Russian
.) The site was redesigned and launched on October 22, 2008 enhancing the visual and technical aspects of the content and web site. The feature 'Perspective' and media galleries including both videos and photographs were part of this redesign. An enhanced search facility is now included. In November 2009, the World Socialist Website launched a new weekly feature entitled "This Week in History" to provide brief synopses of important historical events occurring 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago. In January 2010, the site launched a new journal, Perspectives.
The World Socialist Web Site has been widely cited in the United States for its coverage of social inequality
and workers' rights
, social struggles
, international politics
and economics
, and American wars and alleged war crimes. The site has also been noted for its art criticism
, led by writers David Walsh
and Joanne Laurier. The American right-wing press has referenced the World Socialist Web Site as an example of left-wing extremism, and Glenn Beck
, formerly of Fox News
, cited the web site on numerous occasions while on air, calling it an example of "radical Islamists, communists, socialists" all working together.. The web site is regularly cited in newspapers in Africa, the Middle East and in Asia.
International Committee of the Fourth International
The International Committee of the Fourth International is the name of two Trotskyist internationals; one with sections named Socialist Equality Party which publishes the World Socialist Web Site and another linked to the Workers Revolutionary Party in Britain.-Foundation:The International...
(ICFI). The site publishes articles and analysis covering a wide range of topics and events all around the world. The daily 'Perspective' article presents the position of the WSWS on a wide range of political, theoretical, and historical issues. News articles cover significant political and economic developments. The site also publishes articles and reviews on scientific advancements, films, music and other arts. A major portion of the site has been dedicated to the history of working class movements and the ICFI
International Committee of the Fourth International
The International Committee of the Fourth International is the name of two Trotskyist internationals; one with sections named Socialist Equality Party which publishes the World Socialist Web Site and another linked to the Workers Revolutionary Party in Britain.-Foundation:The International...
in particular. The WSWS also reports on workers' struggles around the world, and facilitates readers to submit their feedback to authors. The WSWS supports and helps campaign for the Socialist Equality Parties in elections. The site has no corporate sponsorship and runs no advertisements. Instead, it sustains itself through the donations of readers and supporters. The content is published in 14 different languages. David North
David North (Socialist)
David North is an American Trotskyist. He is the national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party in the United States , formerly the Workers League. He served as the national secretary of the SEP until the party's congress in 2008...
serves as Chairman of the site's editorial board.
The site was launched in February 1998. Archive.org shows its first record of the site on December 12, 1998. At the time the site was published in 6 languages (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.) The site was redesigned and launched on October 22, 2008 enhancing the visual and technical aspects of the content and web site. The feature 'Perspective' and media galleries including both videos and photographs were part of this redesign. An enhanced search facility is now included. In November 2009, the World Socialist Website launched a new weekly feature entitled "This Week in History" to provide brief synopses of important historical events occurring 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago. In January 2010, the site launched a new journal, Perspectives.
The World Socialist Web Site has been widely cited in the United States for its coverage of social inequality
Social inequality
Social inequality refers to a situation in which individual groups in a society do not have equal social status. Areas of potential social inequality include voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights and access to education, health care, quality housing and other...
and workers' rights
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
, social struggles
Social conflict
Social conflict is the struggle for agency or power in society.Social conflict or group conflict occurs when two or more actors oppose each other in social interaction,reciprocally exerting social power in an effort to attain scarce or incompatible goals and prevent the opponent from attaining them...
, international politics
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
and economics
International economics
International economics is concerned with the effects upon economic activity of international differences in productive resources and consumer preferences and the institutions that affect them...
, and American wars and alleged war crimes. The site has also been noted for its art criticism
Art criticism
Art criticism is the discussion or evaluation of visual art.Art critics usually criticize art in the context of aesthetics or the theory of beauty...
, led by writers David Walsh
David Walsh (writer)
David Walsh, born in New York City, New York, is a film critic and political writer for the World Socialist Web Site.- Works :* French Workers in Revolt: A New Stage in the Class Struggle, November–December 1995. ISBN 1-973045-22-4...
and Joanne Laurier. The American right-wing press has referenced the World Socialist Web Site as an example of left-wing extremism, and Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, formerly of Fox News
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
, cited the web site on numerous occasions while on air, calling it an example of "radical Islamists, communists, socialists" all working together.. The web site is regularly cited in newspapers in Africa, the Middle East and in Asia.
WSWS International Editorial Board
- David NorthDavid North (Socialist)David North is an American Trotskyist. He is the national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party in the United States , formerly the Workers League. He served as the national secretary of the SEP until the party's congress in 2008...
, Chairman - Nick Beams
- Wije Dias
- Barry Grey
- Julie Hyland
- Keith Jones
- Chris Marsden
- K. Ratnayake
- Ulrich RippertUlrich RippertUlrich Rippert is a German politician of Trotskyism and journalist. He is Party Leader of the German party Partei für Soziale Gleichheit . This party is a member of the International Committee of the Fourth International. Rippert is a member of the World Socialist Web Site International Editorial...
- Peter Schwarz
- Peter Symonds
- Vladimir Volkov
- David WalshDavid Walsh (writer)David Walsh, born in New York City, New York, is a film critic and political writer for the World Socialist Web Site.- Works :* French Workers in Revolt: A New Stage in the Class Struggle, November–December 1995. ISBN 1-973045-22-4...
, Arts Editor
External links
- World Socialist Web Site
- About the World Socialist Web Site
- Alexa.com ratings for socialist organizations
- WSWS on Alexa.com