The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is an American Trotskyist political party. SEP first formed in 1964 as the American Committee for the Fourth International, created by expelled members of the Socialist Workers Party. SEP and its previous forms were associated with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), a Trotskyist political international.

SEP describes itself as a revolutionary socialist party, with a core belief that capitalism cannot be reformed, and only "a revolutionary movement that has as its aim the establishment of workers' power" can win socialism.

Notable members include David North and Jerry White.

History

Background

In the 1950s, most Trotskyists in the United States were members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), which was part of the Fourth International's (FI) tendency International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI).

In 1958, SWP adopted a policy of "regroupment": pursuit of former members of Stalinist communist parties, who had been disillusioned by the Secret Speech.

In 1961, Tim Wohlforth, James Robertson, and other SWP members who opposed regroupment created a tendency within the SWP, the Revolutionary Tendency (RT). RT saw the SWP as shifting toward the FI's other tendency, the International Secretariat of the Fourth International (ISFI), led by Michel Pablo. RT opposed "Pabloite" politics and Pablo's "entryism sui generis" plan, in which Trotskyists would maintain separate parties but personally enter into communist and social democratic parties. RT developed links with the Socialist Labour League in Britain, led by Gerry Healy. Lyndon LaRouche was briefly an RT member.

In 1962, the RT split: Robertson's majority kept the name. Wohlforth's minority renamed itself the Reorganized Minority Tendency (RMT).

In 1963, in preparation for merging the ICFI with the ISFI, Wohlforth was removed from the SWP's Political Committee.

Formation In November 1963, the SWP expelled Robertson and the RT, who created the Spartacist League. Robertson's appeal was denied in April 1964.

In September 1964, the SWP expelled Wohlforth and the RMT, who created the American Committee for the Fourth International (ACFI) and launched the biweekly Bulletin of International Socialism. Tim Wohlforth, The Prophet's Children: Travels on the American Left. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, 1994; pp. 123–124. ACFI maintained connections with Gerry Healy and the (non-merged portions of the) ICFI, which they considered the legitimate Trotskyist movement. ACFI became the American section of the ICFI.

Wohlforth argued that the split was due to their demand for discussion of the decision by the Sri Lankan Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party to participate in the national government.

Subsequent history

In 1966, ACFI renamed itself to the Workers League (WL).

In 1973, WL entered serious organizational crisis. About 150 members and most of its founding leaders left. At Healey's insistence, Wohlforth was forced out of leadership.

In 1985, ICFI split in two. The Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP) in Britain argued that ICFI should support nationalist leaders like Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gadhafi. In 1985, the WRP expelled Gerry Healy, and WL sided with the ICFI majority over Healy's minority.

In 1995, parties affiliated with ICFI each renamed themselves as Socialist Equality Party. In 1998, the ICFI launched the World Socialist Web Site. ICFI runs the publishing house Mehring Books, formerly named Labor Publications."About Mehring Books,", October 2016.

In 2006, the Socialist Equality Party relaunched its student movement (the Students for Social Equality) as the International Students for Social Equality (ISSE). In 2012, the SEP renamed the ISSE as the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE).

Ideology SEP is a Trotskyist party.

SEP supports a "revolutionary struggle against capitalism" and rejects socialist reformism, stating that "our aim is not the reform of capitalism, but its overthrow". In its list of transitional demands, the SEP includes: Universal employment, universal healthcare, ending foreclosures and evictions, workplace democracy, high inheritance taxes, nationalization of large corporations, and replacement of the volunteer-based US military with "popular militias controlled by the working class and with elected officers".

Election results The SEP has fielded electoral candidates in the United States for local, state, and federal offices. SEP candidates usually run as official SEP candidates on their own ballot line.

No SEP candidate has yet won an election.

Presidential elections

Year Presidential candidate Vice presidential candidate Popular votes % Electoral votes Result Ballot access Notes Ref2024Joseph KishoreJerome White4,6590 Lostrunning as a Socialist Equality Party candidate 2020 Joseph Kishore Norissa Santa Cruz 345 0 Lost ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate 2016 Jerome White Niles Niemuth 382 0 Lost ran as write-in candidate 2012 Jerome White Phyllis Scherrer 1,279 0 Lost ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate 2008 Jerome White Bill Van Auken 18 0 Lost ran as write-in candidate 2004 Bill Van Auken Jim Lawrence 1,857 0 Lost ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate 1996 Jerome White Fred Mazelis 2,438 0 Lost ran as Socialist Equality Party candidate 1992 Helen Halyard Fred Mazelis 3,050 0 Lost ran as Workers League candidate 1988 Edward Winn Helen Halyard 18,693 0 Lost ran as Workers League candidate 1984 Edward Winn Helen Halyard 10,798 0 Lost ran as Workers League candidate

Congressional elections Year Candidate Chamber State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2006 Bill Van Auken Senate New York Class 1 6,004 Lost 2006 Jerome White House Michigan MI-12 1,862 Lost 2018 David Moore Senate California Class 1 24,601 Lost Top two primary 2018 Niles Niemuth House Michigan MI-12 2,200 Lost 2018 Kevin Mitchell House California CA-51 1,473 Lost Top two primary

Statewide elections Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2021 David Moore Governor California 31,160 Lost urged a "No" vote on the recall 2003 John Burton Governor California 6,748 Lost urged a "No" vote on the recall

State legislature elections Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2016 Naomi Spencer State House West Virginia 16th 921 Lost 2010 D'Artagnan Collier State House Michigan 9th 138 Lost 2006 Joe Parnarauskis State Senate Illinois 52nd 1,894 Lost 2006 Eric DesMarais State Senate Maine 32nd 296 Lost

Local elections Year Candidate Office Area District Votes % Result Notes Ref 2013 D'Artagnan Collier Mayor Detroit 91 Lost 2009 D'Artagnan Collier Mayor Detroit 1,265 Lost

See also American Left World Socialist Web Site International Committee of the Fourth International Left Opposition James P. Cannon History of the socialist movement in the United States

References

External links Socialist Equality Party. World Socialist Web Site. The Bulletin. Marxists Internet Archive.