How the American SWP fell apart?

[blake 3:17]

Thought this would be of interest. It's basically the story of how a relatively healthy socialist organization turned itself into a useless sect. Most contributors to the discussion were either members of the American SWP or fraternal organizations outside of the US. For people not familiar with this history, the American SWP was affiliated to the Fourth International, and completely distinct from what is now the British SWP.

I found this article by a long standing Canadian revolutionary very interesting, particularly the take on the Cuban Communist Party and the American SWP.

http://johnriddell.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/the-u-s-swp-attempts-an-outward-turn-1977-83/

For a broader discussion see http://swphistory.com/ and http://links.org.au/taxonomy/term/71

[Prometeo liberado]

Sorry, but I just can't get past the part where Cuba gets thrown into the mix/blame. I am quite sure that the ghost of Stalin would quickly follow.

[Prometeo liberado]

After having read, begrudgingly, the rest it was somewhat pleasing to read that there are people out there on the Left who are able to say "we/I was/were wrong".

[Martin Blank]

An interesting read, but should be taken with a grain of salt. As Riddell himself points out, he sided with Barnes numerous times when this transformation of the SWP was taking place. This very much reminds me of the thief's accomplice who declares on the stand that he had nothing to do with the robbery.

The same goes for Sheppard. Barry was the engine that drove the "pink purges" in the SWP in the late-1960s and early-1970s. While the SWP was cuddling up to bourgeois feminists and Black Nationalists, they were also denouncing Stonewall, the early gay liberation movement, and LGBTQ people in general, and expelling suspected lesbians and gay men from the party for "behavior" that would subject them and/or the party to "blackmail". (Of course, the SWP had been homophobic since nearly Day One. Both Cannon and Shachtman were notoriously anti-gay.)

Sheppard's "memoir" is self-serving twaddle -- a way to remind himself of the days when he was considered a leader in a left organization with a modicum of influence, and not just some washed-up, burnt-out leftist that has a loyal audience of one (himself), maybe two (Gus Horowitz).

If someone wants to actually understand the history of the SWP, I suggest they actually read the documents, both internal and external, and draw their own conclusions.

[blake 3:17]

It's worth taking a look at http://swphistory.com/ There's a range of opinion and experience. Dave Finkel, who was in the IS, has some useful comments.