Tim Wohlforth
Encyclopedia
Timothy Andrew Wohlforth (born May 15, 1933), is a United States
former Trotskyist leader. Since leaving the Trotskyist movement he has become a writer of crime fiction
and of politically oriented non-fiction.
As a student, Wohlforth joined the youth section of Max Shachtman
's Independent Socialist League, the Socialist Youth League
in 1953. He broke with Shachtman in 1957 when the ISL moved rightward to merge with the Socialist Party of America
. Later that year, Wohlforth and a minority of ISL members joined the Socialist Workers Party which was the main Trotskyist group in the US at the time.
In the early 1960s when the SWP rejoined the International Secretariat of the Fourth International and developed an uncritical attitude towards the Cuban Revolution
, a minority of members led by Wohlforth and James Robertson
(another former ISL member) formed the Revolutionary Tendency within the SWP. While Robertson left the SWP in 1962 and went on to form the Spartacist Group, later Spartacist League, Wohlforth and his supporters remained within the SWP and fought for the perspective of the International Committee of the Fourth International
. They were expelled in 1964 after demanding a discussion of the significance of the Sri Lanka
n LSSP
's entry into the government of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike
. The US supporters of the ICFI formed the American Committee of the Fourth International, and in 1966 they formed the Workers League
.
In 1974, the ICFI discovered that Wohforth's partner, Nancy Fields, an active member of the Workers League, was raised by a relative who had worked for the CIA's computer division and had ties to top-ranking agency officials. The Workers League Political Committee and ICFI criticized the fact that neither Fields nor Wohlforth had revealed this to the League. In August 1974, the League's central committee suspended Fields from membership and removed Wohlforth as national secretary pending a commission of inquiry, in a unanimous vote that included Wohlforth's. Both left the League, and Wohlforth rejoined the SWP. An investigation conducted by the Workers League concluded that Fields did not have connections to the CIA, and the two were requested to resume their membership. However, they refused.
Wohlforth now claims that the Workers League became a cult
, largely due to the domination and manipulations of the principal ICFI leader at the time, Gerry Healy
.
Wohlforth in recent years has been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America
. In 1994 he published his memoirs, The Prophet's Children. He subsequently co-authored On The Edge: Political Cults of the Left and Right
(2000) with Dennis Tourish. His former wife Nancy Wohlforth, is Secretary-Treasurer of the Office and Professional Employees International Union
(OPEIU) and on the Executive Committee of the AFL-CIO. He is presently married to Joyce Gibrick.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Trotskyist leader. Since leaving the Trotskyist movement he has become a writer of crime fiction
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
and of politically oriented non-fiction.
As a student, Wohlforth joined the youth section of 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:...
's Independent Socialist League, the Socialist Youth League
Socialist Youth League (US)
The Socialist Youth League was the youth group affiliated with the Workers Party, a splinter Trotskyist party led by Max Shachtman. The parent group changed its name to the Independent Socialist League in 1950. In February 1954, the Socialist Youth League merged with the a faction of the Young...
in 1953. He broke with Shachtman in 1957 when the ISL moved rightward to merge with the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
. Later that year, Wohlforth and a minority of ISL members joined the Socialist Workers Party which was the main Trotskyist group in the US at the time.
In the early 1960s when the SWP rejoined the International Secretariat of the Fourth International and developed an uncritical attitude towards the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, a minority of members led by Wohlforth and James Robertson
James Robertson (Trotskyist)
James Robertson is National Chairman of the Spartacist League of the United States, which is a section of the International Communist League , an international organization of small Trotskyist groups...
(another former ISL member) formed the Revolutionary Tendency within the SWP. While Robertson left the SWP in 1962 and went on to form the Spartacist Group, later Spartacist League, Wohlforth and his supporters remained within the SWP and fought for the perspective of the International Committee of the Fourth International
International Committee of the Fourth International
The International Committee of the Fourth International is the name of two Trotskyist internationals; one with sections named Socialist Equality Party which publishes the World Socialist Web Site and another linked to the Workers Revolutionary Party in Britain.-Foundation:The International...
. They were expelled in 1964 after demanding a discussion of the significance of the Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n LSSP
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
's entry into the government of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
. The US supporters of the ICFI formed the American Committee of the Fourth International, and in 1966 they formed the Workers League
Socialist Equality Party (US)
The Socialist Equality Party is a Trotskyist political party in the United States, one of several Socialist Equality Parties around the world affiliated to the International Committee of the Fourth International . The ICFI publishes daily news articles, perspectives and commentaries on the World...
.
In 1974, the ICFI discovered that Wohforth's partner, Nancy Fields, an active member of the Workers League, was raised by a relative who had worked for the CIA's computer division and had ties to top-ranking agency officials. The Workers League Political Committee and ICFI criticized the fact that neither Fields nor Wohlforth had revealed this to the League. In August 1974, the League's central committee suspended Fields from membership and removed Wohlforth as national secretary pending a commission of inquiry, in a unanimous vote that included Wohlforth's. Both left the League, and Wohlforth rejoined the SWP. An investigation conducted by the Workers League concluded that Fields did not have connections to the CIA, and the two were requested to resume their membership. However, they refused.
Wohlforth now claims that the Workers League became a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
, largely due to the domination and manipulations of the principal ICFI leader at the time, Gerry Healy
Gerry Healy
Thomas Gerard Healy, known as Gerry Healy , was a political activist, a co-founder of the International Committee of the Fourth International, and, according to former prominent U.S. supporter David North, the leader of the Trotskyist movement in Great Britain between 1950 – 1985...
.
Wohlforth in recent years has been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America
Democratic Socialists of America
Democratic Socialists of America is a social-democratic organization in the United States and the U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International, an international federation of social-democratic,democratic socialist and labor political parties and organizations.DSA was formed in 1982 by a merger of...
. In 1994 he published his memoirs, The Prophet's Children. He subsequently co-authored On The Edge: Political Cults of the Left and Right
On the Edge (book)
On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left is a non-fiction book about political cults, written by Dennis Tourish and Tim Wohlforth.-Main points:...
(2000) with Dennis Tourish. His former wife Nancy Wohlforth, is Secretary-Treasurer of the Office and Professional Employees International Union
Office and Professional Employees International Union
The Office and Professional Employees International Union is a trade union in the United States representing 110,416 white-collar workers in the public and private sector....
(OPEIU) and on the Executive Committee of the AFL-CIO. He is presently married to Joyce Gibrick.
See also
- Tim Wohlforth, The Prophet's Children : Travels on the American Left, Humanities Press, 1994, ISBN 0-391-03802-8
- On the Edge: Political Cults Right and LeftOn the Edge (book)On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left is a non-fiction book about political cults, written by Dennis Tourish and Tim Wohlforth.-Main points:...
, M. E. Sharpe, 2000 (with Dennis Tourish), ISBN 0-765-60639-9
External links
- Tim Wohlforth, the writer, (personal website) (accessed 2008-08-15)
- Books by Tim Wohlforth, at Amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
(accessed 2008-08-15)