Socialist Union Party
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Union Party was a small De Leonist group that was active in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
The group was founded by Abraham Ziegler, who had been expelled from the Socialist Labor Party in the mid-1930s and joined the Industrial Union Party
, the only other De Leonist group. While the IUP once had a small following among independent unions such as the Sailors Union of the Pacific and the United Furniture Workers of America in the early 1930s, by the end of the decade this support had drowned up, with those groups joining more traditional labor federations like the American Federation of Labor
. With their base in the labor movement gone, the IUP was reduced to a propagandist/ educational society.
Ziegler and a few followers split in 1939. Rejecting orthodox De Leonist dual unionism
, the SUP argued that they should try to build up radical insurgencies within the established unions to resist the fast approaching Second World War. The organization published a paper, Labor Power, a pamphlet Daniel De Leon: pioneer American socialisthttp://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61750946 and a few leafletshttp://www.worldcat.org/oclc/81186836 during its brief existence.
By 1941 Ziegler had come to the conclusion that splinter groups like the SUP were a waste of time and dissolved the organization in favor of launching a personal journal Modern Socialism that would reflect a broader range of dissident Marxist thought. Contributors included Paul Mattick
and Fred Dyer. The new journal lasted four issues in late 1941 and early 1942 until it folded after Ziegler was drafted.
The group was founded by Abraham Ziegler, who had been expelled from the Socialist Labor Party in the mid-1930s and joined the Industrial Union Party
Industrial Union Party
The Industrial Union Party was a US DeLeonist political party. The party proclaimed itself on 7 July 1933 at 1032 Prospect Avenue, Bronx, Branch headquarters of its predecessor Industrial Union League...
, the only other De Leonist group. While the IUP once had a small following among independent unions such as the Sailors Union of the Pacific and the United Furniture Workers of America in the early 1930s, by the end of the decade this support had drowned up, with those groups joining more traditional labor federations like the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
. With their base in the labor movement gone, the IUP was reduced to a propagandist/ educational society.
Ziegler and a few followers split in 1939. Rejecting orthodox De Leonist dual unionism
Dual unionism
Dual unionism is the development of a union or political organization parallel to and within an existing labor union. In some cases, the term may refer to the situation where two unions claim the right to organize the same workers....
, the SUP argued that they should try to build up radical insurgencies within the established unions to resist the fast approaching Second World War. The organization published a paper, Labor Power, a pamphlet Daniel De Leon: pioneer American socialisthttp://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61750946 and a few leafletshttp://www.worldcat.org/oclc/81186836 during its brief existence.
By 1941 Ziegler had come to the conclusion that splinter groups like the SUP were a waste of time and dissolved the organization in favor of launching a personal journal Modern Socialism that would reflect a broader range of dissident Marxist thought. Contributors included Paul Mattick
Paul Mattick
Paul Mattick Sr. was a Marxist political writer and social revolutionary, whose thought can be placed within the council communist and left communist traditions...
and Fred Dyer. The new journal lasted four issues in late 1941 and early 1942 until it folded after Ziegler was drafted.