The much touted (at least on this blog) Socialist Workers Party (SWP) Convention supposedly scheduled for this past December has yet to be reported on in The Militant. What gives?
Of course I don't know. I'm sure my former friends and comrades are laughing at me as I employ my best Kremlinological skills to divine an answer--when to them it must seem so obvious. My shame is magnified because I'm not a reporter--all I know is what I read in the newspapers, though now between the lines.
Some possibilities come to mind:
1) The convention never happened. It was announced once:
The SWP will hold a December convention, Barnes said. Based on discussion by the membership of material prepared by the party leadership, branches will choose delegates to debate and decide the party’s course and next steps, and to elect a National Committee.
As far as I know there was no further public mention of said convention. So perhaps they changed their mind and decided not to hold it?
Evidence against this option: The Militant took a weird two-week break in early December, 2022. Their last issue of the year was dated Dec. 12th, while the next issue was dated Jan. 2nd, 2023. Recall that issues are post-dated 11 days after publication, so the corresponding print dates are Dec. 1 and Dec. 22, 2022. In other words, they worked over the holidays while supposedly holding a convention in early December. By comparison, in 2021 The Militant published all four issues in December.
If the convention never happened, then why the strange publication schedule?
2) The convention was so routine and so boring that there is no point in even reporting on it. I don't believe that. John Studer and Terry Evans can turn out boilerplate in about five minutes--all they'd have to do is cut and paste from prior conference reports.
3) In a comment I made the off-hand suggestion that there may have been a split. To which commenter John B replied
A normal organization might be due for a split, but I think Jack's slack-jawed followers are too tired and worn out for that.
He's certainly right that a split is very unlikely, but I'd dispute the cause as "tired and worn out." I think it's because comrades are way too much emotionally invested in the movement--they've been in it for 50 years--and they're not gonna abandon it for what is, in the end, some relatively trivial theological dispute.
4) The topics under debate were not resolved during the December conclave, and so a follow-up meeting is occurring now, as I write this. The Militant is currently on another publishing pause: the Jan. 16 issue was posted online yesterday, the Jan. 23 issue will be skipped, and the next edition will be dated Jan. 30. For reference, the missed issue would have been mailed Jan 12, which means they could easily be holding a convention right now. Or perhaps it's just a National Committee meeting--which given the small membership is virtually the same thing.
5) Related to the above, the only topic I can imagine that could engender such discord is a leadership transition. I admit that I'm hoping that's what's going on. The Party cannot long survive with octogenarian leaders, and unless they can replace them with younger people the whole enterprise is toast. (See, e.g., Jeff Mackler.) While I certainly don't share the SWP's politics, I'm still happy the Party is still around (it's completely harmless), and I sincerely hope that it outlives me.
There are some other tea leaves in the mix. First, The Militant is making a big deal about Ilona Gersh's campaign for Chicago mayor. Not only is there the piece I discussed last week, but a longer, subsequent post--with a better picture. (Also, many mentions in other articles.) Her key campaign demand is
The SWP says we need a labor party, based on our unions. A labor party would be an instrument to advance working-class struggles, and point the road for working people to take political power into our own hands and establish a workers and farmers government.
This is odd because it's a demand on the working class--and not the ruling class. It doesn't follow Trotsky's transitional program strategy.
Finally, The Militant announced a change in its editorial staff.
Joining the full-time Militant writing staff is Vivian Sahner, a member of the Socialist Workers Party branch in Northern New Jersey. Sahner was the 2021 SWP candidate for lieutenant governor in New Jersey while part of the party’s national trade union fraction at Walmart.
The editorial staff listed in the Dec. 12th print edition is
Editor: John Studer
Managing Editor: Terry Evans
Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, Seth Galinsky, Emma Johnson, Martín Koppel, Roy Landersen, Jacob Perasso, Brian Williams.
The staff listed in the Jan. 16th print edition is
Editor: John Studer
Managing Editor: Terry Evans
Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, Seth Galinsky, Martín Koppel, Roy Landersen, Jacob Perasso, Vivian Sahner, Brian Williams.
Ms. Sahner appears to have replaced Emma Johnson, maintaining female representation on the panel at one. I believe "Roy Landersen" is a pseudonym for Brian Williams. "Terry Evans" also looks to be a pseudonym--and I'm suggesting that's also for Brian Williams.
The staff listed on-line differs from either of these. It doesn't appear to have been updated, and doesn't include "Roy Landersen."
If there is any significance to this, it escapes me.
Further Reading:
You're overthinking this , Dan. I have it on good authority that the SWP did indeed have its national convention last month, and the Political Resolution that was approved will be available in a Pathfinder book, out soon:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.pathfinderpress.com/products/the-low-point-of-labor-resistance-is-behind-us?
With a catchy title like that, bet you can't wait to read it, huh?
I suspect this was a consequential gathering for the SWP, which probably explains the delay in publishing a report on it. It's been almost six years since the last convention, and they want to make sure all the "I"s are dotted and "T"s crossed before publishing.
A leadership transition would seem to make sense, but who knows with these people! It's telling that they would breathlessly report that Vivian Sahner has (re)joined the staff. She's easily in her seventies, and rejoined the SWP a few years ago after a hiatus of a decade or so (which begs the question, who'd want to rejoin that vale of tears?). That tells you that they have a very narrow bench on which to draw. In that light it'll be interesting to see who's on the new National Committee.
I can almost certainly tell you that "Roy Landerson" and "Terry Evans" are not pseudonyms for Brian Williams, but actually exist. Although yes, those aren't their real names.
As I said, "I'm sure my former friends and comrades are laughing at me as I employ my best Kremlinological skills to divine an answer--when to them it must seem so obvious. My shame is magnified because I'm not a reporter--all I know is what I read in the newspapers, though now between the lines." Please don't laugh too hard.
ReplyDeleteYour nose is much closer to the ground than mine, so you obviously know more. Thanks for the update.
Based on this week's Militant it appears there was indeed a convention last month. The issue included the preface to the new book from Pathfinder which will include a resolution "adopted December 12, 2022, by the 49th Constitutional Convention of the Socialist Workers Party."
ReplyDeleteI've had it on order since a link appeared at the press website, so at least I am looking forward to the contents.
I have also ordered the book.
DeleteOur old friend Joel Britton actually spoke at a Playtypus forum awhile ago...Do SWP boomers even now that youtube exists? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l438G5sbBc&t=1s Or do they record it on cassette tape and play it for the members at a meeting?
ReplyDelete