MIA: History:, ,19 ETOL: Trotskyist Periodicals


Workers Power
—and—
Independent Socialist & International Socialist
The political journals of the Independent Socialist Clubs & International Socialists in the U.S.


 

Introduction

By Joel Geier

On September 17, 1964 the Berkeley Independent Socialist Club (ISC) was founded by a small group of “Third Camp” revolutionary socialists, led by Hal Draper and Joel Geier. The Club originated following a years-long faction fight in the Young People’s Socialist League and the Socialist Party to defend the political program of the Workers Party/Independent League (WP/ISL), against former comrades, Max Shachtman and his supporters, who were swinging rapidly to support of the Democratic Party and American imperialism.

Like the WP/ISL, the ISC was defined by its uncompromising opposition to imperialism of any kind, summed up in its programmatic slogan, “Neither Washington nor Moscow, but for the Third Camp of International Socialism.”

Among the ISC’s distinctive contributions to left-wing politics in the 1960s was Hal Draper’s concept of “socialism from below” – a reaffirmation of Marx’s core vision of socialism as mass revolutionary, democratic, working class revolt, controlled from below. Draper’s model rejected both of the prevailing schemes of “socialism from above” presented by social democratic parliamentary reform, on the one hand, and Stalinist nationalization of industry, on the other. The theoretical bedrock of ISC politics was the self-emancipation of the working class- the idea that socialism’s essence is workers power, working class rule over society through workers control of the economy and the state through organs of direct workers democracy.

From 1964-69, the ISC was primarily a student organization, playing an active role in the black liberation, Free Speech and anti-Vietnam War movements. It supported women’s and gay liberation even before those movements arose in the 60s. The ISC was also involved in the Farm Workers unionization effort, in teachers unions, and played a leading role in organizing the first campus clerical workers union. Some of the key political ideas the ISC fought for on the left – independent political action, black power and armed self-defense – began to take tangible form in 1967. The ISC was the driving force in the organization of the Peace and Freedom Party (PFP), and in the creation of the alliance between the PFP and the Black Panther Party around the Free Huey campaign and the running of Huey Newton (from jail) for Congress and Eldridge Cleaver for President.

From 1965-67, local clubs with similar politics came into existence in New York, Baltimore, and a few other cities. In 1967 they joined together in a loose federation, the Independent Socialist Clubs of America (ISCA) and began publication of the Independent Socialist magazine, first from New York, then from Berkeley. After the Students for a Democratic Society splintered in 1969, a small section of SDS fragments joined with ISCA on Labor Day, 1969 in forming a national organization, the International Socialists. At the same time, the IS newspaper was renamed International Socialist.

In September 1970, the IS organizational center was relocated to Detroit; the newspaper was renamed Workers’ Power and became a bi-weekly. In October 1975, it moved to weekly publication. The name Workers’ Power symbolized both the fundamental political program of the IS and the IS’ new strategic orientation. Out of the international working class upheavals following 1968, there arose for the first time since the late 1940s the possibility of building revolutionary workers parties to the left of the social democratic and Communist Parties. The perspective of the IS, based on the experience of its predecessors – the Communists of the 1920s, the Trotskyists of the 1930s, and the Workers Party of the 1940s – was that the road to a revolutionary workers party in the United States was through a rank and file movement in the trade unions based on a clear class struggle program.

To maximize the strength of its small forces, the IS prioritized its industrial work around auto, steel, teamsters, telephone, the postal service, and teachers. Its newspaper, written for factory sales, concentrated on rank and file and social movement struggles. Workers’ Power carried extensive coverage of the historic working class revolt of this period, which was and has been generally ignored by most publications and historians. Its reporting of the auto industry and the United National Caucus, of telephone and the United Action caucus, of the teamsters and Teamster for a Democratic Union, Upsurge and the teamster strikes of 1975-6, and of Steelworkers Fight Back and the Sadlowski campaign, are of such depth that students of the period will probably find more coverage in Workers’ Powerthan possibly anywhere else.

Workers’ Power was also a prime source for coverage of the anti-racist struggle, the women’s and gay liberation movements, and other fights against oppression, as well as prison revolts. Its foreign coverage spanned the Middle East, Africa and Latin America as well as the European revolutionary Left. It also features unique, detailed coverage of the Portuguese Revolution.

The youth group of the IS, the Red Tide, an overwhelmingly working class and black organization, provided in depth coverage of youth and high school struggles.

From 1968-72, and again from 1973-4, the editor was Kit Lyons; from 1972-3, David Finkel; from 1974-76, Gay Semel; in 1977, Kim Moody; and in 1978 Marilyn Denton. The paper was distinctive in the left of that period for the outstanding quality of its art and cartoons, the work of Lisa Lyons.

The work of digitalizing Workers’ Power and its predecessors was done by Michael Billeaux, Charles Peterson and Joe Richard, and David Walters promptly posted it.


Independent Socialist 1967 through 1969

No. 1, January-February 1967

No. 2, March-April 1967

Special Issue [Specially published version from Berkeley ISC for the New Politics Conference held in September of 1967]

No. 3, November-December, 1967

No. 4, April, 1968

No. 5, June-July, 1968

No. 5, June-July, 1968 [Special Pamphlet Supplement]

No. 6, August, 1968

No. 7, October, 1968

No. 8, March, 1969

No. 9, April, 1969

No. 10, May, 1969

No. 11, June, 1969

No. 11, May 23, 1969. [Special Berkeley Strike Supplement]

No. 12, September, 1969 [SDS split issue]

No. 12, July 18, 1969 [Speical Supplement on Repression]



International Socialist 1969 through 1970

No. 13, October, 1969

No. 14, December, 1969

No. 15, January, 1970

No. 16, February, 1970

No. 17, March, 1970

No. 18, April, 1970

No. 19, May, 1970

No. 20, June, 1970



Workers Power 1970 through 1978

Jump to 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978

1970

No. 21, September 11–24,1970

No. 22, September 24–October 8,1970

No. 23, October 9–22, 1970

No. 24, October 23–November 5, 1970

No. 25, November 6–26, 1970

No. 26, November 27–December 10, 1970



1971

No. 27, December 11, 1970–January 14, 1971

No. 28, January 15, 1970–28, 1971

No. 29, January 29, 1970–February 11, 1971

No. 30, February 12–25, 1971

No. 31, February 21–March 11, 1971

No. 32, March 12–25, 1971

No.33, March 26–April 15 ,1971

No.34, April 16–29 ,1971

No.35, April 30–May 13 ,1971

No. 36, May 14–31, 1971

No. 37, June, 1971

No. 38, July, 1971

No. 39, August, 1971

No. 40, September 1–16, 1971

No. 41, September 17–30, 1971

No. 42, October 1–14, 1971

No. 43, October 15–28, 1971

No. 44, October 29–November 11, 1971

No. 45, November 12–25, 1971

No. 46, November 26–December 9, 1971

No. 47, December9–December 23, 1971



1972

No. 48, December 24–January 20, 1972

No. 49, January21–February 3, 1972

No. 50, February4–17, 1972

No. 51, February 18–March 2, 1972

No. 52, March 3–16, 1972

No. 53, March 17–30, 1972

No.54 March 31–April 13, 1972

No. 55, April 14–27, 1972

No. 56, April 28–May 11, 1972

No. 57, May 12–25, 1972

No.58, May 26–June 8, 1972

No. 59, June–30, 1972

No. 60, July, 1972

No. 61, August, 1972

No. 62, September 1–141972

No. 63, September 15–28, 1972

No. 64, September 28–October 1, 1972

No. 65, October 13–26, 1972

No. 66, October 27–November 9, 1972

No. 67, November 10–23, 1972

No. 68, November 24–December 7, 1972



1973

No. 69, December 8–January 18, 1973

No. 70, January 19–February 1, 1973

No. 71, February 2–15, 1973

No. 72, February 15–March 1, 1973

No. 73, March 2–15, 1973

No. 74, March 16–291973

No. 75, March 30–April 12, 1973

No. 76, April 13–26, 1973

No. 77, April 27–May 31, 1973

No. 78, June, 1973

No. 79, July, 1973

No. 80, August, 1973

No. 81, September 1–13, 1973

No. 82, September 14–October 4, 1973

No. 83, October 5–18, 1973

No. 84, October 18–November 1, 1973

No. 85, November 2–15, 1973

No. 86, November 16–December 6, 1973

No. 87, December 7–20, 1973

No. 88, December 21, 1973–January 17, 1974



1974

No. 89, January 19–31, 1974

No. 90, February 1–14, 1974

No. 91, February 15–28, 1974

No. 92, March 1–14, 1974

No. 93, March 15–28

No. 94, March 29–April 11

No. 95, April 12–25

No. 96, April 26–May 9, 1974

No. 97, May 10–May 23, 1974

No. 98, May 24–June 6, 1974

No. 99, June 7–June 20,1974

No. 100, June 21–July 4, 1974

No. 101, July 5–31, 1974

No. 102, August, 1974

No. 103, September 1–16, 1974

No. 104, September 17–30, 1974

No. 105, October 1–16, 1974

No. 106, October 17–30, 1974

No. 107, October 31–November 14, 1974

No. 108, November 15–27, 1974

No. 109, November 28–December 11, 1974

No. 110, December 12–25, 1974

No. 111, December 26, 1974–January 15, 1975



1975

No. 112, January 16–29, 1975

No. 113, January–February 12, 1975

No. 114, February 13–26, 1975

No. 115, February 27–March 12, 1975

No. 116, March 13–26,1975

No. 117, March 28–April 9, 1975

No. 118, April 10–23, 1975

No. 119, April 24–May 7, 1975

No. 120, May 8–21, 1975

No. 121, May 22–June 4, 1975

No. 122, June 5–18, 1975

No. 123, June 19–July 2, 1975

No. 124, July 3–23, 1975

No. 125, July 24–August 6, 1975

No. 126, August 7–20, 1975

No. 127, August 11–September 3, 1975

No. 128, September 4–17, 1975

No. 129, September 18–October 1, 1975

No. 130, October 2–15, 1975

No. 131, October 14, 1975

No. 132, October 24, 1975

No. 133, October 31, 1975

No. 134, November 7, 1975

No. 135, November 14, 1975

No. 136, November 21, 1975

No. 137, November 28, 1975

No. 138, December 5, 1975

No. 139, December 12, 1975

No. 140, December 19, 1975

No. 141, December 26, 1975

No. 142, December , 1975



1976

No. 142, Janaury 9, 1976

No. 143, Janaury 16, 1976

No. 144, Janaury 23, 1976

No. 145, Janaury 30, 1976

No. 146, February 9, 1976

No. 147, February 16, 1976

No. 148, February 23, 1976

No. 149, March 1, 1976

No. 150, March 8, 1976

No. 151, March 15, 1976

No. 152, March 22, 1976

No. 153, March 29, 1976

Special Teamsters Supplement, March 31, 1976

No. 154, April 5, 1976

Special Teamsters Supplement—undated but after April 6, 1976

No. 155, April 12, 1976

No. 156,April 19 , 1976

No. 157, April 26, 1976

No. 158, May 3, 1976

No. 159, May 10, 1976

No. 160, May 17, 1976

No. 161, May 24, 1976

No. 162, May 31, 1976

No. 163, June 7, 1976

No. 164, June 14, 1976

No. 165, June 21, 1976

No. 166, June 28, 1976

No. 167, July 19, 1976

No. 168, July 26, 1976

No. 169, August 2, 1976

No. 170, August 9, 1976

No. 171, August 16, 1976

No. 172, August 23, 1976

No. 173, August 30, 1976

No. 174, September 6, 1976

No. 175, September 13, 1976

No. 176, September 20, 1976

No. 177, September 27, 1976

No. 178, October 4, 1976

No. 179, October 11, 1976

No. 180,October 18 , 1976

No. 181, October 25, 1976

No. 182, November 1, 1976

No. 183, November 8, 1976

No. 184, November 15, 1976

No. 185, November 22, 1976

No. 186, November 29, 1976

No. 187, December 6, 1976

No. 188, December 13, 1976

No. 189, December 20, 1976



1977

No. 190, January 10, 1977

No. 191, January 17, 1977

No. 192, January 24, 1977

No. 193, January 31, 1977

No. 194, February 7, 1977

No. 195, February 14, 1977

No. 196, February 21, 1977

No. 197, February 28, 1977

No. 198, March 7, 1977

No. 199, March 14, 1977

No. 200, March 21, 1977

No. 201, March 28, 1977

No. 202, April 11, 1977

No. 203, April 18, 1977

No. 204, April 25, 1977

No. 205, May 2, 1977

No. 206, May 9, 1977

No. 207, May 16, 1977

No. 208, May 23, 1977

No. 209, May 30, 1977

No. 210, June 6, 1977

No. 211, June 13, 1977

No. 212, June 20, 1977

No. 213, June 27, 1977

No. 214, July 18, 1977

No. 215, July 25, 1977

No. 216, August 1, 1977

No. 216, August 8, 1977

No. 217, August 15, 1977

No. 219, August 22, 1977

No. 220, August 29, 1977

No. 221, September 5, 1977

No. 222, September 12, 1977

No. 223, September 19, 1977

No. 224, September 26, 1977

No. 225, October 3, 1977

No. 226, October 10, 1977

No. 227, October 17, 1977

No. 228, October 24, 1977

No. 229, October 31, 1977

No. 230, November 7, 1977

No. 231, November 14, 1977

No. 232, November 21, 1977

No. 233, November 28, 1977

No. 234, December 5, 1977

No. 235, December 12, 1977

No. 236, December 19, 1977,



1978

No. 237, January 9, 1978

No. 238, January 16, 1978

No. 239, January 23, 1978

No. 240, February 6, 1978

No. 241, February 13, 1978

No. 242, February 20, 1978

No. 243, February 27, 1978

No. 244, March 6, 1978

No. 245, March 13, 1978

No. 246, March 30, 1978

No. 247, March 27, 1978

No. 248, April 3, 1978

No. 249, April 10, 1978

No. 250, April 17, 1978

No. 251, April 24, 1978

No. 252, May 1,1978

No. 253, May 6, 1978

No. 254, May 13, 1978

No. 255, May 20, 1978

No. 256, May 27, 1978

No. 257, June 3, 1978

No. 258, June 17, 1978

No. 259, June 29, 1978

No. 260, June 13, 1978

No. 261, July 27, 1978

No. 262, August 10, 1978

No. 263, August 24, 1978

No. 264, September 14, 1978

No. 265, September 28, 1978

No. 266, October 12, 1978

No. 267, October 26, 1978

...[END]