Socialist Left (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Left is a political caucus
in the Left Party
of Germany
. It includes political viewpoints ranging from left Keynesianism
and left social democracy
to reform communism
and Marxism
. SL members share a common goal of orienting the Left Party firmly toward the labor movement
.
Socialist Left was founded on August 19, 2006 in Wuppertal
at a meeting of 50 delegates. Most of its members were initially members of the Labor and Social Justice Alternative, and its membership was centered in West Germany
. Following the merger of the WASG with the Party of Democratic Socialism to form the Left Party, the SL formed a tendency of the new party.
The position papers of the SL, "Sozialistische Linke: realistisch und radikal!", summarizes the group's views: "Progressive social changes, in our belief, can only be achieved through interactions between the political forces and extraparliamentary social movements. Most important are therefore the trade unions." The SL has strongly endorsed the campaign for a German minimum wage law
. They support demand-side economic
policies, as well as public investment in "educational, social, ecological and transportation infrastructure." "Reforms and the struggle for a socialist society are not contradictory," the SL position papers state. "Economic and social regulation, social-welfare structures, as well as the achievements of representative democracy can be the starting point for large changes to society." The organization is particularly sympathetic to the Dutch Socialist Party
and the Italian Communist Refoundation Party
, both of which have a strong trade-union orientation.
A number of Socialist Left members are prominent in the Left Party, German trade unions
and the Bundestag
. SL members include Ursula Lötzer (Bundestag member and Left Party spokesperson on international economic policy); Ralf Krämer (Secretary of the ver.di union's National Committee); and Hüseyin Kenan Aydın
(a Turkish
-born member of the Bundestag and secretary of the IG Metall
union in Düsseldorf
).
Adherents of the Trotskyist
group Marx21 are among the leading members of the Socialist Left, especially in Berlin
. Marx21 leaders Christine Buchholz
and Lucia Schnell are particiularly active in the SL.
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
in the Left Party
The Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It includes political viewpoints ranging from left Keynesianism
Keynesian economics
Keynesian economics is a school of macroeconomic thought based on the ideas of 20th-century English economist John Maynard Keynes.Keynesian economics argues that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes and, therefore, advocates active policy responses by the...
and left social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
to reform communism
Eurocommunism
Eurocommunism was a trend in the 1970s and 1980s within various Western European communist parties to develop a theory and practice of social transformation that was more relevant in a Western European democracy and less aligned to the influence or control of the Communist Party of the Soviet...
and Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
. SL members share a common goal of orienting the Left Party firmly toward the labor movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
.
Socialist Left was founded on August 19, 2006 in Wuppertal
Wuppertal
Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in and around the Wupper river valley, and is situated east of the city of Düsseldorf and south of the Ruhr area. With a population of approximately 350,000, it is the largest city in the Bergisches Land...
at a meeting of 50 delegates. Most of its members were initially members of the Labor and Social Justice Alternative, and its membership was centered in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Following the merger of the WASG with the Party of Democratic Socialism to form the Left Party, the SL formed a tendency of the new party.
The position papers of the SL, "Sozialistische Linke: realistisch und radikal!", summarizes the group's views: "Progressive social changes, in our belief, can only be achieved through interactions between the political forces and extraparliamentary social movements. Most important are therefore the trade unions." The SL has strongly endorsed the campaign for a German minimum wage law
Minimum wage law
Minimum wage law is the body of law which prohibits employers from hiring employees or workers for less than a given hourly, daily or monthly minimum wage. More than 90% of all countries have some kind of minimum wage legislation....
. They support demand-side economic
Keynesian economics
Keynesian economics is a school of macroeconomic thought based on the ideas of 20th-century English economist John Maynard Keynes.Keynesian economics argues that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes and, therefore, advocates active policy responses by the...
policies, as well as public investment in "educational, social, ecological and transportation infrastructure." "Reforms and the struggle for a socialist society are not contradictory," the SL position papers state. "Economic and social regulation, social-welfare structures, as well as the achievements of representative democracy can be the starting point for large changes to society." The organization is particularly sympathetic to the Dutch Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Netherlands)
The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...
and the Italian Communist Refoundation Party
Communist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
, both of which have a strong trade-union orientation.
A number of Socialist Left members are prominent in the Left Party, German trade unions
Trade unions in Germany
Trade unions have a long history in Germany, reaching back to the German revolution in 1848, and still play an important role in German economy and society...
and the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
. SL members include Ursula Lötzer (Bundestag member and Left Party spokesperson on international economic policy); Ralf Krämer (Secretary of the ver.di union's National Committee); and Hüseyin Kenan Aydın
Hüseyin Kenan Aydin
Hüseyin Kenan Aydın is a German politician of Kurdish descent and member of "Die Linke."- External links :*...
(a Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
-born member of the Bundestag and secretary of the IG Metall
IG Metall
IG Metall is the dominant metalworkers' union in Germany. Analysts of German labor relations consider it a major trend-setter in national bargaining. As a metalworkers' union, it represents workers in the motor vehicle industry...
union in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
).
Adherents of the Trotskyist
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
group Marx21 are among the leading members of the Socialist Left, especially in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Marx21 leaders Christine Buchholz
Christine Buchholz
Christine Bucholz is a German Politician and a member of the Bundestag, elected in 2009 as a member of Die Linke. A progressive activist for many years, Bucholz is a member of Marx21, a network of revolutionary socialists within the Die Linke broadly aligned with the International Socialist...
and Lucia Schnell are particiularly active in the SL.