Justice Party - the Socialists
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Justice Party is a Trotskyist political party
in Sweden
. RS is the Swedish section of the Committee for a Workers' International
.
The forerunner organization of RS was called Arbetarförbundet Offensiv (Workers' League - Offensive). The group developed out of the Offensiv group that had practiced entryism
in the Swedish Social Democratic Party
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Ahead of the 2010 elections internal divisiveness resulted in the Västerbotten faction forming an own party under leader Jan Hägglund, ultimately adopting the name the Workers' Party
in 2011.
(SSU, Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Ungdomsförbund: the youth organisation of the Swedish Social Democratic Party). At the 1972 SSU conference, two members of this group; Anders Hjelm and Arne Johansson; met representatives of the Labour Party Young Socialists
in Britain, where supporters of the left wing Militant
had won control of that organisation, and began discussing with them. As Arne Johansson puts it "One conclusion of the discussions with the British Trotskyists was that we should start publishing a paper as a rallying point for a Marxist left within the labour movement, something we then did ahead of the election in 1973".
In the early 1980s SSU initiated expulsions against young socialists associated with Arbetarförbundet Offensiv and their newspaper, named Offensiv. Activists of Offensiv defined these expulsions as witchhunts arranged by the right-wing leadership of SSU. On the other hand, the leadership of SSU saw the Offensiv-tendency as an ambition to carry out a communist take-over of SSU.
In the early 1990s, Arbetarförbundet Offensiv started to relinquish their former tactics of entryism
into other movements. The organisation also gradually distanced themselves from the Swedish Social Democratic Party and even further from SSU, whose members often saw them as infiltrators. The newspaper, Offensiv, ran harsh criticism on the Social Democratic Party's policies, claiming that this party no longer represented the interests of the working class. Instead they started to promote the building of a new labour party to take this role.
In 1997, Arbetarförbundet Offensiv changed name to Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna (Socialist Justice Party or Justice Party - the Socialists) and began publishing Offensiv weekly instead of monthly.
In the 2006 elections, the RS won representatives in the municipal councils of Umeå
(3 seats), Luleå
(3 seats) and Haninge (2 seats). In 1994 RS won a seat in Västerbotten
county council
but upon re-election in 1998 failed to again reach the 3 % treshold required for representation.
Before the 2010 elections, the party was divided between a national faction representing all but Västerbotten
and a new party, Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna - enhetslista för jobb, mot nedskärningar (Socialist Justice Party - Unitary list for jobs, against cut-downs). RSE, unlike the mother party, did not campaign for the Riksdag
but won one municipal council seat in Umeå (retained by an incumbent RS councillor). Consummating as well as simplifying the divisions, it was renamed the Workers' Party
in 2011. In Haninge and Luleå the RS retained five seats with neither gains nor losses.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. RS is the Swedish section of the Committee for a Workers' International
Committee for a Workers' International
The Committee for a Workers' International is an international association of Trotskyist parties. Members include the Socialist Party of England and Wales, the Socialist Party , the Socialist Party the Democratic Socialist Movement in South Africa and Nigeria and groups using the name Socialist...
.
The forerunner organization of RS was called Arbetarförbundet Offensiv (Workers' League - Offensive). The group developed out of the Offensiv group that had practiced entryism
Entryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
in the Swedish Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Ahead of the 2010 elections internal divisiveness resulted in the Västerbotten faction forming an own party under leader Jan Hägglund, ultimately adopting the name the Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Sweden)
The Workers' Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sweden. It was founded in 2010, when almost the entire Västerbotten County section of the Socialist Justice Party broke off ahead of the 2010 general election...
in 2011.
History
The group who were later to start Offensiv were students at Umeå University and members of Swedish Social Democratic Youth LeagueSwedish Social Democratic Youth League
The Swedish Social Democratic Youth League is a branch of the Swedish social democratic party Socialdemokraterna and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation...
(SSU, Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Ungdomsförbund: the youth organisation of the Swedish Social Democratic Party). At the 1972 SSU conference, two members of this group; Anders Hjelm and Arne Johansson; met representatives of the Labour Party Young Socialists
Labour Party Young Socialists
The Labour Party Young Socialists was the name of the youth section of the British Labour Party from 1965 until 1993. The LPYS was the most successful of the youth sections of the Labour Party in the post war period, at one point having nearly 600 branches and attendances at its national...
in Britain, where supporters of the left wing Militant
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
had won control of that organisation, and began discussing with them. As Arne Johansson puts it "One conclusion of the discussions with the British Trotskyists was that we should start publishing a paper as a rallying point for a Marxist left within the labour movement, something we then did ahead of the election in 1973".
In the early 1980s SSU initiated expulsions against young socialists associated with Arbetarförbundet Offensiv and their newspaper, named Offensiv. Activists of Offensiv defined these expulsions as witchhunts arranged by the right-wing leadership of SSU. On the other hand, the leadership of SSU saw the Offensiv-tendency as an ambition to carry out a communist take-over of SSU.
In the early 1990s, Arbetarförbundet Offensiv started to relinquish their former tactics of entryism
Entryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
into other movements. The organisation also gradually distanced themselves from the Swedish Social Democratic Party and even further from SSU, whose members often saw them as infiltrators. The newspaper, Offensiv, ran harsh criticism on the Social Democratic Party's policies, claiming that this party no longer represented the interests of the working class. Instead they started to promote the building of a new labour party to take this role.
In 1997, Arbetarförbundet Offensiv changed name to Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna (Socialist Justice Party or Justice Party - the Socialists) and began publishing Offensiv weekly instead of monthly.
Elections and breakaway
RS first won seats on the municipal council of Umeå in 1991, winning 3 seats. In 2002 the party had three seats in the municipal council in Umeå and also won two seats in Luleå.In the 2006 elections, the RS won representatives in the municipal councils of Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
(3 seats), Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
(3 seats) and Haninge (2 seats). In 1994 RS won a seat in Västerbotten
Västerbotten
', English exonym: West Bothnia, is a province or landskap in the north of Sweden. It borders Ångermanland, Lapland, Norrbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia. It is famous for the cheese with the same name as the province.- Administration :...
county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
but upon re-election in 1998 failed to again reach the 3 % treshold required for representation.
Before the 2010 elections, the party was divided between a national faction representing all but Västerbotten
Västerbotten
', English exonym: West Bothnia, is a province or landskap in the north of Sweden. It borders Ångermanland, Lapland, Norrbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia. It is famous for the cheese with the same name as the province.- Administration :...
and a new party, Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna - enhetslista för jobb, mot nedskärningar (Socialist Justice Party - Unitary list for jobs, against cut-downs). RSE, unlike the mother party, did not campaign for the Riksdag
Riksdag
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
but won one municipal council seat in Umeå (retained by an incumbent RS councillor). Consummating as well as simplifying the divisions, it was renamed the Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Sweden)
The Workers' Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sweden. It was founded in 2010, when almost the entire Västerbotten County section of the Socialist Justice Party broke off ahead of the 2010 general election...
in 2011. In Haninge and Luleå the RS retained five seats with neither gains nor losses.