In legislative fights, as in union negotiations, closed-door negotiations are the status quo but often stand in the way of building independent working-class power. What can socialists in office learn from militant unionists’ strategy of open bargaining?
The strategy of combatting the right as allies of centrist Democrats faces insurmountable tensions.
In a recent article Nick French and Jeremy Gong make the case for a new mass organization to “win a political revolution.” The American Left, instead, should prioritize improving its budding mass socialist organization into one that can meet the political moment.
DSA should use our electoral campaigns and elected offices to raise working-class consciousness and build working-class organization. That means rejecting attempts to placate the Democratic Party establishment.
Our opponents in the capitalist class want to divide and conquer us. We’re stronger when we stick together and when we make strategies collectively in an open and democratic manner. It’s the only way we can fight back and win against our enemies.
The rank-and-file strategy is more than just a tactic for labor organizing or a calling for young radicals. It’s a strategy for building a working-class movement with the consciousness and power to win socialism.
To win socialism, the working class needs political independence. Socialists today should use elections and other political campaigns to help build organization.
How we as socialists should evaluate a demand, campaign, or objective. The key question: does it build working-class power?
A separate ballot line for socialists would draw a sharper line between us and liberals. It’s an important tool we’ll need eventually.
Portland DSA debates what kind of party socialists should try to build, and how to get there.
