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Socialist Equality Party (United States)

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Socialist Equality Party
ChairmanDavid North
SecretaryJoseph Kishore
FoundedSeptember 1964; 60 years ago (September 1964)
NewspaperWorld Socialist Web Site
Youth wingInternational Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE)
Ideology
Political positionFar-left
International affiliationInternational Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)
Members in elected offices0
Website
socialequality.com

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is a Trotskyist political party in the United States. SEP first formed in 1964 as the American Committee for the Fourth International, created by expelled members of the Socialist Workers Party. SEP and its previous forms were associated with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), a Trotskyist political international.

SEP describes itself as a revolutionary socialist party, because the SEP believes capitalism is "beyond reform"[1] and only "a revolutionary movement that has as its aim the establishment of workers' power" can win socialism.[2]

Notable members include founder Tim Wohlforth, David North, Jerry White, and Joseph Kishore.

History

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Background

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Main article: Revolutionary Tendency

In the 1950s, most Trotskyists in the United States were members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), which was part of the Fourth International's (FI) tendency International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI).[3]

In 1958, SWP adopted a policy of "regroupment": Pursuit of former members of Stalinist communist parties, who had been disillusioned by the Secret Speech.[3]: 844–845  This SWP strategy also meant greater support for Fidel Castro, which SWP leadership called an "unconscious" Trotskyist.[4]

In 1961, Tim Wohlforth, James Robertson, and other SWP members who opposed regroupment created a tendency within the SWP, the Revolutionary Tendency (RT). RT saw the SWP as shifting toward the FI's other tendency, the International Secretariat of the Fourth International (ISFI), led by Michel Pablo. RT opposed "Pabloite" politics[3]: 864–865  and Pablo's "entryism sui generis" plan, in which Trotskyists would maintain separate parties but personally enter into communist and social democratic parties. RT developed links with the Socialist Labour League in Britain, led by Gerry Healy.[3]: 917  Lyndon LaRouche was briefly an RT member.[3]: 945 

In 1962, the RT split: Robertson's majority kept the name. Wohlforth's minority renamed itself the Reorganized Minority Tendency (RMT).[3]: 866 

In 1963, in preparation for merging the ICFI with the ISFI, Wohlforth was removed from the SWP's Political Committee.[3]: 924 

Formation

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In November 1963, the SWP expelled Robertson and the RT, who created the Spartacist League. Robertson's appeal was denied in April 1964.[3]: 917–918 

In September 1964, the SWP expelled Wohlforth and the RMT, who created the American Committee for the Fourth International (ACFI) and launched the biweekly Bulletin of International Socialism.[3]: 866, 917–918, 924  [5] ACFI maintained connections with Gerry Healy and the (non-merged portions of the) ICFI, which they considered the legitimate Trotskyist movement. ACFI became the American section of the ICFI.[citation needed]

Wohlforth argued that the split was due to their demand for discussion of the decision by the Sri Lankan Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party to participate in the national government.[3]: 924  ACFI characterized this decision as "opportunism" that originated in the "centrist" position of the LSSP during the split between the ISFI and ICFI of 1953.[6]

Subsequent history

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Former SEP logo

In 1966, ACFI renamed itself to the Workers League (WL).[3]: 866 

In 1973, WL entered serious organizational crisis. About 150 members and most of its founding leaders left. At Healey's insistence, Wohlforth was forced out of leadership.[3]: 927 

In 1985, ICFI split in two. The Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP) in Britain argued that ICFI should support nationalist leaders like Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gadhafi.[3]: 928  In 1985, the WRP expelled Gerry Healy, and WL sided with the ICFI majority over Healy's minority.[3]: 929 

In 1995, parties affiliated with ICFI each renamed themselves as Socialist Equality Party. In 1998, the ICFI launched the World Socialist Web Site.[7] ICFI runs the publishing house Mehring Books, formerly named Labor Publications.[8]

In 2006, the Socialist Equality Party relaunched its student movement (the Students for Social Equality) as the International Students for Social Equality (ISSE). In 2012, the SEP renamed the ISSE as the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE).[9]

Ideology

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SEP is a Trotskyist party.[1]

SEP supports a "revolutionary struggle against capitalism" and rejects socialist reformism, stating that "our aim is not the reform of capitalism, but its overthrow".[1] In its list of transitional demands, the SEP includes: Universal employment, universal healthcare, ending foreclosures and evictions, workplace democracy, high inheritance taxes, nationalization of large corporations, and replacement of the volunteer-based US military with "popular militias controlled by the working class and with elected officers".[1]

Election results

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The SEP has fielded electoral candidates in the United States for local, state, and federal offices. SEP candidates usually run as official SEP candidates on their own ballot line.

No SEP candidate has yet won an election.

Presidential elections

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Year Presidential candidate Vice presidential candidate Popular votes % Electoral votes Result Ballot access Notes Ref
2024 Joseph Kishore Jerome White T.B.D T.B.D T.B.D T.B.D
41 / 538
 running as a Socialist Equality Party candidate [10]
2020 Joseph Kishore Norissa Santa Cruz 345
0.00%
 0 Lost
9 / 538
 ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate [11]
2016 Jerome White Niles Niemuth 382
0.00%
 0 Lost
0 / 538
 ran as write-in candidate [12]
2012 Jerome White Phyllis Scherrer 1,279
0.00%
 0 Lost
17 / 538
 ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate [13]
2008 Jerome White Bill Van Auken 18
0.00%
 0 Lost
0 / 538
 ran as write-in candidate [14][15]
2004 Bill Van Auken Jim Lawrence 1,857
0.00%
 0 Lost
45 / 538
 ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate [16]
1996 Jerome White Fred Mazelis 2,438
0.00%
 0 Lost
43 / 538
 ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate [17]
1992 Helen Halyard Fred Mazelis 3,050
0.00%
 0 Lost
33 / 538
 ran as Workers League candidate [18]
1988 Edward Winn Helen Halyard 18,693
0.02%
 0 Lost
59 / 538
 ran as Workers League candidate [19]
1984 Edward Winn Helen Halyard 10,798
0.01%
 0 Lost
71 / 538
 ran as Workers League candidate [20]

Congressional elections

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Year Candidate Chamber State District Votes % Result Notes Ref
2006 Bill Van Auken Senate New York Class 1 6,004
0.1%
 Lost [21]
2006 Jerome White House Michigan MI-12 1,862
0.8%
 Lost [22]
2018 David Moore Senate California Class 1 24,601
0.4%
 Lost Top two primary [23]
2018 Niles Niemuth House Michigan MI-12 2,200
0.8%
 Lost [24]
2018 Kevin Mitchell House California CA-51 1,473
1.9%
 Lost Top two primary [25]

Statewide elections

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Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes Ref
2021 David Moore Governor California 31,160
0.4%
 Lost urged a "No" vote on the recall [26]
2003 John Burton Governor California 6,748
0.1%
 Lost urged a "No" vote on the recall [27]

State legislature elections

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Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes Ref
2016 Naomi Spencer State House West Virginia 16th 921
2.3%
 Lost [citation needed]
2010 D'Artagnan Collier State House Michigan 9th 138
0.7%
 Lost [citation needed]
2006 Joe Parnarauskis State Senate Illinois 52nd 1,894
3.4%
 Lost [28]
2006 Eric DesMarais State Senate Maine 32nd 296
2.3%
 Lost [28]

Local elections

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Year Candidate Office Area District Votes % Result Notes Ref
2013 D'Artagnan Collier Mayor Detroit 91
0.1%
 Lost [29]
2009 D'Artagnan Collier Mayor Detroit 1,265
1.4%
 Lost [citation needed]

National congresses

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Name Date Location Main Resolution Report
Eighth National Congress August 4-9, 2024 online Tasks of the SEP Opening Report
Seventh National Congress July 31-August 5, 2022 online COVID-19 and the fight for socialism Build rank-and-file committees
Sixth National Congress July 19-24, 2020 online Tasks of the SEP
Fifth National Congress July 22-27, 2018 southeast Michigan Tasks of the SEP Opening Report
Fourth National Congress July 31-August 5, 2016 Detroit, Michigan Tasks of the SEP
Third National Congress August 2014 Tasks of the SEP
Second National Congress July 8-12, 2012 Detroit, Michigan Perspectives of the SEP On the 2012 campaign
First National Congress August 11-15, 2010 Ann Arbor, Michigan SEP Program
Founding Congress August 3-9, 2008 Ann Arbor, Michigan SEP Statement of Principles Summary

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Statement of Principles". Socialist Equality Party.
  2. ^ "About". Socialist Equality Party.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Alexander, Robert J. (1991). International Trotskyism, 1929–1985: A Documented Analysis of the Movement. Duke University Press. pp. 761–951. ISBN 978-0-8223-0975-8.
  4. ^ "Castroism and the SWP's Return to Pablo". The Historical and International Foundations of the Socialist Equality Party (United States). Socialist Equality Party.
  5. ^ Tim Wohlforth, The Prophet's Children: Travels on the American Left. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, 1994; pp. 123–124.
  6. ^ Jones, Keith (August 30, 2023). "The "Great Betrayal" in Ceylon, the formation of the American Committee for the Fourth International, and the founding of the Workers League".
  7. ^ "World Socialist Web Site". Archived from the original on 12 December 1998.
  8. ^ "About Mehring Books,", October 2016.
  9. ^ "Resolutions of the SEP Congress: Build the International Youth and Students for Social Equality". September 3, 2012.
  10. ^ "Socialist Equality Party selects Joseph Kishore and Jerry White as its presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2024 US election". World Socialist Web Site. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  11. ^ "Federal Elections 2020" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. October 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 4, 2022.
  12. ^ "Federal Elections 2016" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. December 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  13. ^ "Federal Elections 2012" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  14. ^ "Federal Elections 2008" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  15. ^ Berg-Andersson, Richard; Roza, Tony (December 1, 2009). "The Green Papers: 2008 General Election". Archived from the original on September 18, 2008.
  16. ^ "Federal Elections 2004" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  17. ^ "Federal Elections 96" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  18. ^ "Federal Elections 92" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "Federal Elections 88" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  20. ^ "Federal Elections 84" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2019.
  21. ^ "Socialist Equality candidate:"Society can't afford the rich"" (Flash video). YouTube.
  22. ^ "Socialist Equality Party announces candidates in New York, Michigan and California". 21 March 2006.
  23. ^ "2018 California Primary Election Results". California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on June 7, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  24. ^ "Michigan's 12th Congressional District election, 2018 – Ballotpedia". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  25. ^ "Election Result Data". Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  26. ^ "Vote for SEP candidate David Moore in California recall". World Socialist Web Site. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  27. ^ "John Christopher Burton Candidate Statement".
  28. ^ a b "Socialist Equality Party to contest state elections in Illinois, Maine, Oregon and Washington". 15 May 2006.
  29. ^ Collier, D'Artagnan. "Support D'Artagnan Collier for Detroit Mayor". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
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