Reply To: Status of World Socialist Party (US)
Just to clarify I was giving stats for the LSC of the DSA
But that is not answering the question “Why are we still members” when within the foreseeable future there is little chance of any of us seeing even the beginnings of a mass socialist movement.
The founding members created the SPGB to accomplish their aspirations which they had very optimistic expectations of achieving in their lifetimes, or at least their children’s and definitely their children’s children.
How many current members realistically think the same? Can we point to the growth of the revolutionary stirrings of our fellow-workers which are more mature and developed in consciousness than those within them in 1904. Or are they further away from acquiring consciousness than over a hundred years ago.
Of course, we resort to the theoretically possibilities that revolutions can appear “like magic from nowhere” but are we the organization which is sowing the seeds?
Our proudest boast is that we are keeping alive the socialist ideals. Maybe so, but the most that is proving to be is keeping these comatose ideas on life-support. Our friendliest critics believe us to be relics from the past.
“I have already put forward my own suggestions to how we respond to our current malaise by holding a major conference to re-focus and re-organizing our structure so I won’t bother repeating them.”
Been there, done that, even got the T-Shirt!”
Dave, I would be interested in actual proposals you have for discussing our future and then re-structuring our Party.
I have missed a number of conferences but i’m not really aware of too much formal debate and discussions on the deep issue of the purpose of our existence. Should it be as a political party? An educational advocacy group? A publisher,even? Surely our end should firstly reflect our actual activities towards our aims. These are the vital questions we should be asking ourselves.
That is perhaps an answer to the question why I am still a member. Citing that well known cliché, I believe we are a movement not a monument and that we can evolve. After all, it was the changes within the SPGB I perceived which made me re-join. If it had been the same Party that I originally I left, I would still be a non-member. And in my small way I believed I had a contribution to make to helping to slow down its decline.
Not only are our companion parties like the WSPUS failing to function as a political party, most of our own branches exhibit similar failures. We have to be fit for purpose. And the brutal truth is that we aren’t and anyone who argues differently is in denial.
Too often we appear more like a members’ club rather than a party. Maintaining the SPGB appears to be the primary concern of some members rather than the attaining socialism. If I am right, then I would like to know why this is.
New Year is the traditional time of self-contemplation and I think we should indeed consider the relevance of our Party and its role. A look at our history shows this process arises periodically when the world around us begins to lose its connection with the Party’s perception of it.
I make no apologies for hijacking this thread and raising the broader questions.
For a less personal view, I took the liberty of posting this on our blog to begin a dialogue.
https://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2019/01/some-socialist-self-contemplation.html