Sy Landy
Encyclopedia
Sy Landy was an American
Trotskyist politician
.
Born in Brooklyn
, Landy studied at Brooklyn College
, where he joined the third camp
Trotskyist Independent Socialist League (ISL), led by Max Shachtman
. The ISL moved away from revolutionary politics and merged with Norman Thomas' Socialist Party in 1958. Schachtman and many of the "Schachtmanites" moved rapidly to the right. Landy was a prominent supporter of Hal Draper
's left opposition to Shachtman's support for the Bay of Pigs invasion
, joined Draper in splitting from the Socialist Party in the early 1960s. During this period, he also became a member of the board of New Politics
.
Draper founded the Independent Socialist Club (with the old "third camp" socialist politics), and Landy established the group in New York, initially one of its three main centres. In 1969, it became the International Socialists (IS), and Landy retained a leadership role, but he became increasingly interested in the ideas of black power
and the ideals of the French uprising of May 1968. Within the IS, he became a leader of the opposition "Revolutionary Tendency". This split in 1973 to form the Revolutionary Socialist League. Although he was elected to the Central Committee of the new organisation, in 1975 he opened a debate over what he believed was an increasing stagist tendency, and the organisation's refusal to call for a general strike
under then current circumstances. He was soon expelled from the organisation alongside Walter Dahl, and the two's supporters, who had formed the "Revolutionary Party Tendency", soon joined them in founding the League for the Revolutionary Party
(LRP).
Sy Landy remained the National Secretary of the LRP until his death, occasionally working as a teacher
in Jersey City. In 1992, he worked with two other organisations to found the international Communist Organization for the Fourth International.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Trotskyist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Landy studied at Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, where he joined the third camp
Third camp
The third camp, also known as third camp socialism or third camp Trotskyism, is a branch of socialism which aims to oppose both capitalism and Stalinism, by supporting the organised working class as a "third camp"....
Trotskyist Independent Socialist League (ISL), led by Max Shachtman
Max Shachtman
Max Shachtman was an American Marxist theorist. He evolved from being an associate of Leon Trotsky to a social democrat and mentor of senior assistants to AFL-CIO President George Meany.-Beginnings:...
. The ISL moved away from revolutionary politics and merged with Norman Thomas' Socialist Party in 1958. Schachtman and many of the "Schachtmanites" moved rapidly to the right. Landy was a prominent supporter of Hal Draper
Hal Draper
Hal Draper was an American socialist activist and author who played a significant role in the Berkeley, California, Free Speech Movement and is perhaps best known for his extensive scholarship on the history and meaning of the thought of Karl Marx.Draper was a lifelong advocate of what he called...
's left opposition to Shachtman's support for the Bay of Pigs invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
, joined Draper in splitting from the Socialist Party in the early 1960s. During this period, he also became a member of the board of New Politics
New Politics (magazine)
New Politics is an independent socialist journal founded in 1961 and still published in the United States today. While it is inclusive of articles from a variety of left-of-center positions, the publication leans strongly toward a Third camp, democratic Marxist perspective, placing it typically to...
.
Draper founded the Independent Socialist Club (with the old "third camp" socialist politics), and Landy established the group in New York, initially one of its three main centres. In 1969, it became the International Socialists (IS), and Landy retained a leadership role, but he became increasingly interested in the ideas of black power
Black Power
Black Power is a political slogan and a name for various associated ideologies. It is used in the movement among people of Black African descent throughout the world, though primarily by African Americans in the United States...
and the ideals of the French uprising of May 1968. Within the IS, he became a leader of the opposition "Revolutionary Tendency". This split in 1973 to form the Revolutionary Socialist League. Although he was elected to the Central Committee of the new organisation, in 1975 he opened a debate over what he believed was an increasing stagist tendency, and the organisation's refusal to call for a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
under then current circumstances. He was soon expelled from the organisation alongside Walter Dahl, and the two's supporters, who had formed the "Revolutionary Party Tendency", soon joined them in founding the League for the Revolutionary Party
League for the Revolutionary Party
The League for the Revolutionary Party is a Trotskyist organisation in the United States.The group was founded by a faction of the now defunct Revolutionary Socialist League in 1976...
(LRP).
Sy Landy remained the National Secretary of the LRP until his death, occasionally working as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in Jersey City. In 1992, he worked with two other organisations to found the international Communist Organization for the Fourth International.