Committee for a Workers' International
AbbreviationCWI
SuccessorInternational Socialist Alternative and Committee for a Workers' International (2019)
Formation21 April 1974
TypeAssociation of Trotskyist political parties
HeadquartersLondon
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
35 sections (until 2019)

The Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) was an international association of Trotskyist political parties. Today, two groups claim to be the continuation of the CWI.

History

Founding

The origins of the CWI can be traced to a group of British trotskyists which were expelled from the USFI in 1965,[1] after disagreements regarding the Colonial Revolution, Gurrilerism, Studentism and the post war boom. But it is not till 1974 that they set about building an international. The founding conference of the CWI was held in London on 20 to 21 April 1974 and attended by supporters of what was then called Militant (or the Militant tendency), from 12 countries including Britain, Ireland and Sweden.[2][3][4] In the early years of the international, sections generally pursued a policy of entryism into social democratic or labour parties. As such, the CWI was originally secretive because to organise openly risked the expulsion of its sections from the parties in which they were working.

End of entryism

The CWI largely ended its strategy of entryism in the early 1990s. The international developed an analysis that many social democratic parties had fundamentally changed in nature and become outright capitalist parties, their main example being the UK Labour Party. This was strongly resisted by Ted Grant, one of Militant's founders. After a lengthy debate and special conference in 1991 confirmed overwhelmingly the position of the CWI in the England and Wales section, Grant and his supporters sought official faction status within the organisation, which was granted for some time, but later was revoked by the leadership.[5] Ted Grant and his supporters were expelled and founded the International Marxist Tendency.

Since their Open Turn CWI sections have, in a number of countries, stood candidates under their own name. One section has representation in a state parliament, the Socialist Party, which at its height had three TDs in Dáil Éireann in the Republic of Ireland. The CWI also has elected members in a number of regional legislatures or local councils in Sweden; (Germany) (members of The Left); Pakistan; Sri Lanka; and the United States, where Socialist Alternative elected Kshama Sawant to Seattle City Council in 2013 and again in 2015.[6] In the 2005 Sri Lankan presidential elections the CWI affiliate, the United Socialist Party, came third (with 0.4%).[7]

Supporters of the CWI launched a youth organisation, International Socialist Resistance, in 2001.[8]

New mass workers' parties

CWI members played a leading role in founding the Scottish Socialist Party. However, the SSP broke with the CWI in 1999, with a minority of members loyal to the CWI establishing the International Socialists. When Tommy Sheridan resigned from the SSP in 2006 and established a new party in Scotland, Solidarity, the International Socialists joined in conjunction with the Socialist Workers Party.

CWI members stood as National Conscience Party candidates in the 2003 Nigerian legislative elections, winning 0.51% of the national vote. In Germany CWI members have been active in the new WASG since its foundation in 2004 and in December 2005 were elected part of the new leadership of its Berlin district that ran candidates on a clear anti-cuts programme in the 2006 Berlin regional election, gaining 3.1% and several borough council seats, but the Berlin WASG later merged into Die Linke. In Brazil, CWI members helped found the P-SOL Socialism and Liberty Party after left wing parliamentarians were expelled from the PT.

In the 2011 Irish general election the CWI's Irish affiliate, the Socialist Party won two seats in the Dáil as a part of the wider left group, the United Left Alliance which won five seats in total in Dáil Éireann.[9] However, one of the elected members of the Socialist Party has since left the party to continue as an independent.[10] In the by-election in Dublin West in 2014, the Socialist Party gained a second seat in the Dáil again, and a third seat in the 2014 Dublin South-West by-election as part of the Anti-Austerity Alliance.

Split

In 2018 and 2019, a dispute developed in around the questions of socialism and identity politics,[11][12] the role of the trade unions and the working-class movement, and under what programme and how Marxists should organise internationally and domestically. This led to a multifaceted split. The dispute divided the leading bodies of the CWI, with International Secretariat and International Executive Committee taking conflicting positions.

One group, which had founded the “In Defence of a Working Class and Trotskyist CWI” (IDWCTCWI) faction in November 2018 in support of the CWI's International Secretariat, declared in July 2019 that they had refounded the CWI.[13][14]

A second group, in support of the majority of the CWI's International Executive Committee, declared itself the CWI Majority in August 2019 and renamed itself International Socialist Alternative on 1 February 2020. It asserted that the CWI had not dissolved but that the IDWCTCWI had split from the CWI.[15][16]

A third group, which had split from the IDWCTCWI earlier, declared it had left the CWI entirely and formed International Revolutionary Left in July 2019.[17]

Structure

World Congress
Deliberative organ		 International Executive Committee
Executive organ		 International Secretariat
Administrative organ
  • Held every 3 to 5 years;
  • Attended by delegates from the CWI's national sections;
  • Responsible for establishing the international's programme and policies;
  • Grants recognition of new sympathising sections;
  • Elects the International Executive Committee.
  • Composed of members from across the CWI elected at the world congress;
  • Responsible for the CWI's policies in between congresses;
  • Elects the International Secretariat.
  • Conducts the day-to-day work of the CWI;
  • Responsible for carrying out the directives of the IEC, to which it is accountable;
  • Prepares documents and reports for review and approval at IEC meetings.

[18][19][20]

Sections

Section Name English Translation Alignment
 Australia Socialist Action (formerly the Socialist Party) IS[21]
 Austria
  • Sozialistische LinksPartei
  • Sozialistische Offensive
    		•
  • Socialist Left Party
  • Socialist Offensive
    		•
  • ISA[22]
  • CWI (2019)[23]
    •  Belgium Linkse Socialistische Partij / Parti Socialiste de Lutte Left Socialist Party / Socialist Party of Struggle ISA [22]
     Brazil Liberdade, Socialismo e Revolução Freedom, Socialism and Revolution ISA[22]
     Canada Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Chile Socialismo Revolucionario Revolutionary Socialism CWI (2019)[23]
     China 中国劳工论坛

    Zhōngguó Láogōng Lùntán

    		 China Worker Forum ISA[22]
    Cyprus Northern Cyprus Cyprus Νέα Διεθνιστική Αριστερά / Yeni Enternasyonalist Sol

    Nea Diethnistike Aristera

    		 New Internationalist Left IS[21]
     Czech Republic Socialistická alternativa Budoucnost Socialist Alternative Future ISA[22]
     England and  Wales
  • Socialist Party
  • Socialist Alternative
    		•
  • CWI (2019)[23]
  • ISA[24]
    •  France Gauche révolutionnaire Revolutionary Left CWI (2019)[23]
     Germany
  • Sozialistische Alternative (SAV)
  • Sozialistische Organisation Solidarität - (Sol)[25]
  • Offensiv
    		•
  • Socialist Alternative
  • Socialist Organisation Solidarity
  • Offensive
    		•
  • ISA[22]
  • CWI (2019)[23][25]
  • IRL[17]
    •  Greece Ξεκίνημα

    Xekinima

    		 Start IS[21]
     Hong Kong 社會主義行動

    Sekuizyuji =Haangdung

    		 Socialist Action ISA[22]
     India New Socialist Alternative CWI (2019)[23]
    Republic of Ireland Ireland
    (Republic and North)
  • Socialist Party / Páirtí Sóisialach
  • Militant Left
  • RISE
    		•
  • ISA[22]
  • CWI (2019)[23]
  • N/A
    •  Israel and  Palestine حركة النضال الاشتراكي / מאבק סוציאליסטי

    Ma'avak Sotzialisti / Harakat a-Nidal al-Ishtiraki

    		 Socialist Struggle ISA[22]
     Italy Resistenze Internazionali International Resistance ISA[22]
     Ivory Coast Militant Côte d'Ivoire Militant Ivory Coast ISA[22]
     Malaysia Sosialis Alternatif Socialist Alternative CWI (2019)[23]
     Mexico Aternativa Socialista México Socialist Alternative Mexico ISA[22]
     Netherlands Socialistisch Alternatief Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Nigeria
  • Democratic Socialist Movement
  • Movement for a Socialist Alternative[26]
  • Revolutionary Socialist Movement
    		•
  • CWI (2019)
  • ISA[26]
  • IS[21]
    •  Poland Alternatywa Socjalistyczna Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Portugal Socialismo Revolucionário Revolutionary Socialism IRL[27]
    Quebec Quebec Alternative socialiste Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Romania Mâna de Lucru Hand of Labour ISA[22]
     Russia Социалистическая Альтернатива

    Socialisticheskaya Alternativa

    		 Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Scotland Socialist Party Scotland CWI (2019)[23]
     South Africa
  • Workers and Socialist Party (WASP)
  • Marxist Workers Party[28]
    		•
  • ISA[29]
  • CWI (2019)[23][28]
    •  Spain Izquierda Revolucionaria Revolutionary Socialism IRL[27]
     Sri Lanka එක්සත් සමාජවාදි පකෂය / ஐக்கிய சோசலிச கட்சி

    Eksath Samajavadi Pakshaya / Aikkiy Cōcalic Kaṭci

    		 United Socialist Party CWI (2019)[23]
     Sudan البديل الاشتراكي

    al-Badil al-Ishtiraki

    		 Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Sweden Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna Socialist Justice Party ISA[22]
     Taiwan 國際社會主義前進

    Guójì Shèhuì Zhǔyì Qiánjìn

    		 International Socialist Forward IS[21]
     Tunisia البديل الاشتراكي

    al-Badil al-Ishtiraki

    		 Socialist Alternative ISA[22]
     Turkey Sosyalist Alternatif Socialist Alternative IS[21]
     United States
  • Socialist Alternative
  • Independent Socialist Group
  • ISA[22]
  • CWI (2019)[30]
    •  Venezuela Izquierda Revolucionaria Revolutionary Socialism IRL[27]

    Associated organisations

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Ted Grant – Programme of the International".
    2. ↑ Taaffe, P. 2004. A Socialist World is Possible. CWI Publications & Socialist Books, p. 67
    3. ↑ Taaffe, P. 2004. A Socialist World is Possible. CWI Publications & Socialist Books, p.52
    4. ↑ "A History of the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI): Foundation".
    5. ↑ The 'Open Turn' debate. marxist.net. Retrieved 17 July 2014
    6. ↑ "King County Elections" (PDF). your.kingcounty.gov. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
    7. ↑ United Socialist Party (CWI) comes third in presidential election Archived 10 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine. socialistworld.net. Retrieved 17 August 2007
    8. ↑ 500+ at Brussels ISR conference Archived 22 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine. socialistworld.net. Retrieved 17 July 2014
    9. ↑ Elections Ireland: 31st Dáil. electionsireland.org. Retrieved 17 July 2014
    10. ↑ "Daly departure to hit allowances". The Irish Times.
    11. ↑ "Socialist Party documents illustrate criticism from international comrades". The Irish Times. Irish Times
    12. ↑ Sell, Hannah; secretary, Socialist Party deputy general (29 February 2020). "Socialists debate identity politics -". Retrieved 29 February 2020.
    13. ↑ Sell, Hannah. "Britain: Socialist Party conference overwhelmingly supports refounding CWI". socialistworld.net. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
    14. ↑ "Taaffe expels his majority – Weekly Worker". weeklyworker.co.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
    15. ↑ Koritz, Joshua (26 July 2019). "Bureaucratic Coup Will Not Stop CWI Majority from Building a Strong Revolutionary Socialist International! | Socialist Alternative". Retrieved 5 August 2019.
    16. ↑ Alternative, International Socialist (4 February 2020). "Announcement || Welcome to Our New Website!". International Socialist Alternative.
    17. 1 2 "Founding Congress of the International Revolutionary Left". Izquierda Revolucionaria. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
    18. ↑ Taaffe, P. 2004. A Socialist World is Possible. CWI Publications & Socialist Books, p.51
    19. ↑ Building the socialist alternative around the world, socialistworld.net, 27 December 2002.
    20. ↑ Thesis for the International Executive Committee (IEC) of the CWI 2013, socialistworld.net, 22 November 2013.
    21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Launching Internationalist Standpoint". 31 January 2021.
    22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "Bureaucratic Coup Will Not Stop CWI Majority from Building a Strong Revolutionary Socialist International!". 26 July 2019.
    23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "CWI-Worldwide |".
    24. ↑ "A new chapter for revolutionary socialism in Britain". socialistalternative.net. Archived from the original on 8 August 2019.
    25. 1 2 "Der Kampf für Sozialismus geht weiter". 8 September 2019.
    26. 1 2 "Introducing Movement for a Socialist Alternative". International Socialist Alternative. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
    27. 1 2 3 "Inicio". Izquierda Revolucionaria. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
    28. 1 2 "The Founding of the Marxist Workers Party". marxistworkersparty.org.za. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019.
    29. ↑ "The Workers and Socialist Party remains a force for working class unity". 7 September 2019.
    30. ↑ Bilsky, Jacob; Group, Independent Socialist (19 March 2020). "United States: Private healthcare exposed as Trump throws money at markets -". Retrieved 19 March 2020.
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