What is Socialism?

updated August 2010

There are many “kinds of”, “types” or “branches” of all political parties. Same holds true for Socialism. This list contains a small portion of information you can find covering Socialism

BASICS:
“Socialism offers the best environment for democracy to fully flourish because it sharply limits the power of corporations to dominate politics and the economy. Socialism’s democratic potential can only be realized, however, if broad sections of the people are wholeheartedly engaged inevery aspect of society’s decision-making processes.” (Communist Party USA – http://www.cpusa.org/faq/)

A to Z of Socialism – http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/issue.php?issue=346#3az

ABC of Socialism – http://www.sa.org.au/abc-of-socialism

Arguing for socialism  A collection of articles and talks by Dave Holmes – http://dave-holmes.blogspot.com/

How Socialists Built America by John Nichols – http://www.thenation.com/article/159929/how-socialists-built-america

Socialist Politics 101 – Socialist Action: http://www.socialistaction.org/kit.htm

What Socialists Stand For – Vote Socialist Action: http://votesocialistaction.wordpress.com/what-socialists-stand-for/

Obama’s No Socialist. I Should Know: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031301899.html

A Socialist Talks About Obama: http://www.socialistwebzine.org/2010/10/socialist-talks-about-obama.html

Is Obama A Socialist? Not if You Ask One: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28645

Obama is not a socialist: http://www.thedmonline.com/obama-is-not-a-socialist-1.899275

List of left-wing articles critical of Barack Obama- http://eng.anarchopedia.org/List_of_Left-Wing_articles_critical_of_Obama

Obama….Socialism? Hardly, Say Socialists – http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2009/db20090522_329825.htm

Ask the card-carrying socialists: Is Obama one of them? – http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/14/Obama.socialist/index.html

What Socialism looks like: http://correspondents.theatlantic.com/conor_clarke/2009/06/what_socialism_looks_like.php

The Nation and “socialism”: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/apr2009/pers-a02.shtml

What is Democratic Socialism (1): http://www.ydsusa.org/What_is_Democratic_Socialism

What is Democratic Socialism (2): http://www.dsausa.org/pdf/widemsoc.pdf

What is Democratic Socialism (3): http://www.theactivist.org/ydsusa/node/6

What is socialism: http://www.isreview.org/issues/65/feat-socialism.shtml

What is socialism? – http://peppsl.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5125

What Socialism is Not – Seven Common Misconceptions about Socialism – http://torchandrose.socialdemocratsusa.org/webed/vol1issue01.shtml#article2

Why Socialism? Democratic ownership and management of society’s wealth – http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=817

The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/tam/index.html

Towards Freedom: The Theory and Practice of Democratic Socialism: http://www.ydsusa.org/toward_ds.html

The S. Word, Socialism, Comes Out of the Closet: http://www.alternet.org/workplace/130365/

Red State Socialism and the Politics of Stimulus: http://www.perrspectives.com/blog/archives/001439.htm

Republican Sarah Palin enthusiastically practices socialism, Alaska-style: http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/581484.html

Republican Rep. Bachmann’s clinic takes in thousands from “socialized medicine”: http://www.americanindependent.com/bachmann%E2%80%99s-clinic-takes-in-thousands-from-%E2%80%9Csocialized-medicine%E2%80%9D/

Alaska Republican-Tea Party Senate candidate Joe Miller admits taking farm subsidies: http://alaskadispatch.com/dispatches/politics/6880-alaska-senate-candidate-joe-miller-admits-taking-farm-subsidies

Joe Miller also relied on technicalities to obtain a low-income hunting and fishing license from the state of Alaska: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/homeowning-lawyer-joe-miller-sought-low-income-hunting-and-fishing-license-in-alaska.php

Joe Miller also thinks federal unemployment insurance is constitutionally questionable. But it turns out his wife benefited from it in the early part of the decade — after she left a job working for him: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/joe-millers-wife-received-unemployment-benefits-miller-called-not-constitutionally-authorized.php

Anti-Government Tea Partier Conservative Christian Sharron Angle Gets Health Care from the Federal Government: http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/09/28/anti-government-tea-partier-sharron-angle-gets-health-care-from-the-federal-government/

The Most Hypocritical States are Usually “Red”: http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2193/1/?newsmaker=109&redirectURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Fgalleries%2Fnewsmaker%2Fpolitics%2F

Despite Saying Government Intervention Puts Industry In A ‘Coma,’ Raese’s Biz Takes Millions In Taxpayer Funds – http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/25/raese-government-contracts/

Socialist Party USA: http://socialistparty-usa.org/

History of Socialism in the U.S.A.: http://www.cpusa.org/article/static/758/

Socialism is not Communism: http://www.dsausa.org/dl/Winter_2009.pdf

Nine Myths about Socialism in the US –  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25187.htm

Socialism – Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

Why Are We Afraid of Saying “Socialism”? – http://www.alternet.org/vision/146143/

Set the Record Straight project – http://www.ThisIsCommunism.org

From the Arsenal of Marxism: Archived Writings on the Foundations of Socialism  – http://socialistviewpoint.org/arsenal.html

“Socialism is not part of the two party system of democrats or republicans. Socialism has its own left and right wings and any researcher worth their weight should know this basic fact.” – http://www.americansocialistvoter.org/

What Socialism is Not: http://torchandrose.socialdemocratsusa.org/webed/vol1issue01.shtml#article2

SOCIALIST PARTIES & ORGANIZATIONS:

American Party of Labor –  http://www.americanpartyoflabor.org/

The Citizen – A Charter for 21st Century Socialism – http://www.thecitizen.org.uk/

Committee for a Workers’ International – http://www.socialistworld.net/

Communist League – Worker’s Communist Party of the USA – http://www.communistleague.us/

Communist Party of Great Britain – http://www.cpgb.org.uk/

Communist Party, USA – http://www.cpusa.org/

Communist Students U.K.  – http://communiststudents.org.uk

Democratic Socialists of America – http://www.dsausa.org/ DSA is the largest US affiliate of the Socialist International (SI),( http://www.socialistinternational.org/) the worldwide organization of 140 socialist, social democratic and labor parties. The SI has the distinction of being the largest political organization in the world.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) – http://www.frso.org/

Freedom Socialist Party – http://www.socialism.com/

International Bolshevik Tendency – http://www.bolshevik.org/

International Committee of the Fourth International – World Socialist Web Site – http://www.wsws.org/

International Communist League (Fourth Internationalist) http://www.icl-fi.org/

International Socialists Austrailia – http://www.solidarity.net.au/

International Socialist Group, UK – http://www.isg-fi.org.uk/

International Socialist Organization – http://www.internationalsocialist.org/

International Socialist Tendency – http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/entries/ist.htm

The International Students for Social Equality – http://www.intsse.com/

International Workers League (Fourth International) http://www.litci.org/Ingles/InicialIN.aspx

Internationalist Group in the United States – http://www.internationalist.org/

League for the Fifth International – http://www.fifthinternational.org/

League for the Fourth International / Internationalist Group USA – http://www.internationalist.org/

League For Industrial Democracy – http://industrialdemocracy.org/

New Communist Party of Britain – http://www.newworker.org/

Party for Socialism and Liberation – http://www.psl.org/

Projet-K – http://www.projet-k.org/ A european network of critical marxist journals

The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA – http://www.revcom.us/

The Revolutionary Internationalist Movement – http://www.revcom.us/s/corim.htm

Socialist Action – http://www.socialistaction.org

Socialist Alternative – http://www.socialistalternative.org/

Socialist Appeal – http://www.socialistappeal.org/

Socialist Democrats Socialist Party of USA – http://www.socialdemocratsusa.org

Socialist Democrats – USA – http://sd21c.org/index.html

Socialist Equality Party http://www.wsws.org/sections/category/icfi/sepuscat.shtml

Socialist International – http://www.socialistinternational.org/

Socialist Labor Party of America – http://www.slp.org/

Socialist Party of Great Britain – World Socialism – http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/

Socialist Party U.K. – http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/

Socialist Party of America – 1901-1972, 2007-present – http://www.thesocialistparty.net/

Socialist Party, U.S.A. – http://www.sp-usa.org/

Socialist Solidarity Network – http://www.socialistsolidarity.com/

Socialist World – http://www.socialistworld.net/

Solidarity http://www.solidarity-us.org/

The United Socialist Movement of The Americas – http://www.usma.ca/

USA – The Socialist Equality Party is the name of several political parties, all members of the International Committee of the Fourth International – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Committee_of_the_Fourth_International

Working-class Internationalism & Organization – (See below) – http://www.marxists.org/history/international/index.htm

Worker’s Communist Party of the USA – Communist League – http://www.communistleague.us/

Workers Democracy Network USA – http://www.workersdemocracy.org/

Workers International – http://www.workersinternational.org/

The Workers’ League becomes the Socialist Equality Party http://www.wsws.org/sections/category/icfi/wlsep.shtml

Workers World Party – http://www.workers.org/

The World Socialist Movement – http://www.worldsocialism.org/

World Socialist Web Site – International Committee of the Fourth International – http://www.wsws.org/

Young Communist League USA – http://www.yclusa.org/

Young People’s Socialist League http://www.ypsl.org/

Young Social Democrats–Young Peoples’ Socialist League – http://youngpeoplessocialistleague.org/

WEBSITES:

American Rights At Work – http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/

American Socialists – http://www.americansocialists.net/

American Socialist Voter – http://www.americansocialistvoter.com/

Association for Union Democracy http://www.uniondemocracy.com/

Bob Avakian, leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA: http://www.bobavakian.net/

Center for Economic Research and Social Change – http://cersc.org/

Committee For Workers’ International – http://www.socialistworld.net/

The Faith and Socialism Commission http://www.faithandsocialism.org/

Freedom Socialist Party (FSP), USA, Canada, Australia http://www.socialism.com/

International Socialist Organization – http://www.internationalsocialist.org/

Labor.Net – http://www.labornet.org/

Labor Standard USA http://www.laborstandard.org/

Left Parties of the World – http://www.geocities.com/bivernico/

Marxist Internet Archive – http://www.marxists.org/ or http://www.marx.org/

News & Letters Committees USA – http://www.newsandletters.org/

People’s Weekly World http://www.pww.org/

Political Affairs http://www.politicalaffairs.net/

Protest.Net – http://protest.net/

Radicals at Work –   http://radicalsatwork.org/

‘Revolution’ newspaper, voice of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA: http://www.revcom.us/

Socialist Action – http://www.socialistaction.org/

Socialist Alliance – http://www.socialistalliance.org/

Socialist Alternative – http://www.socialistalternative.org/

Socialist Central Committee – http://www.scc-asp.org/socialist_agenda.html

Socialist History Project, Canada – http://www.socialisthistory.ca/

Socialist Organizer – http://www.theorganizer.org/

Socialist Project, Canada – http://www.socialistproject.ca/

Social Resistance – http://www.socialistresistance.net/

Socialist Solidarity Network – http://www.socialistsolidarity.com/

Socialist Viewpoint – http://socialistviewpoint.org/

Socialist Workers Party – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Workers_Party_%28UK%29

The Marxist-Leninist – http://marxistleninist.wordpress.com/

Venezuela Solidarity – http://venezuelasolidarity.org/

World Socialist Website – http://www.wsws.org/ The online news and information center of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), its affiliated parties are called the Socialist Equality Party http://www.wsws.org/sections/category/icfi/sepuscat.shtml .

World Wide Class Solidarity – http://www.workers.org/

Youth for Socialist Action – http://www.socialistaction.org/ysa.htm

WEBPAGE COMPILATIONS:

ComInterNet: Listing of World Communist & Workers Parties – http://www.angelfire.com/la/cominternet/

Community Labor News – http://www.clnews.org/

International Journal of Socialist Renewal – “LINKS” – http://links.org.au/

International Socialist Review – http://www.isreview.org/cersc.shtml – Published bimonthly by the Center for Economic Research and Social Change http://www.isreview.org/cersc.shtml

International Socialist Tendency – http://www.istendency.net/

League for the Revolutionary Party (LRP), USA http://www.lrp-cofi.org/

Leftist Parties of the World – http://www.broadleft.org/

Marxist.org http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/intl.htm

Jays Leftist and Progressive Internet Resource Directory – http://www.jaysleftist.info/ Revolutionary Communist League – can refer to one of several different parties – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_Communist_League

Socialism links and addresses world wide – http://www.socialistworld.net/index.php?m=5

Trotskyist League USA http://www.laborstandard.org/

Vote Socialist – http://www.votesocialist.org/

World Socialist Web Site – http://wsws.org/ – Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) (http://www.wsws.org/sections/category/icfi/icfi.shtml ) . Its affiliated parties are called the Socialist Equality Party and have sections and supporters throughout the world. It is well known for its publication of the World Socialist Web Site.

The Workers’ League becomes the Socialist Equality Party – http://www.wsws.org/sections/category/icfi/wlsep.shtml

BLOGS:

Action Without Theory – http://action-without-theory.blogspot.com/

Left Central – http://leftcentral.wordpress.com/

Power to the People – http://power-2-people.blogspot.com/

Socialist Agenda – http://socialistagenda.wordpress.com/

Socialist Democrats Socialist Party of USA blog – http://socialdemocratsusa.blogspot.com/

Socialist Unity – http://www.socialistunity.com/

The Marxist – Leninist – http://marxistleninist.wordpress.com/

MEDIA, MAGAZINES, NEWS, etc:

21st Century Socialism – http://21stcenturysocialism.com/

The Communist Monthly – http://www.communistleague.us/tcm/index.html is a theoretical supplement included with Working People’s Advocate http://www.communistleague.us/wpa/index.html , the monthly voice and Central Organ of the Central Committee of the Communist League http://www.communistleague.us/

Communist Voice (USA) – http://home.flash.net/~comvoice

Dynamic http://www.yclusa.org/section-news The magazine of the Young Communist League USA. http://yclusa.org/

Haymarket Books – http://www.haymarketbooks.org/

International Socialism – http://www.isj.org.uk/ A quarterly journal of socialist theory

International Viewpoint – http://internationalviewpoint.org/ News and analysis from the ‘Fourth International’ http://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article351, which is not the same as International Workers League (Fourth International) http://www.litci.org/Ingles/InicialIN.aspx

Left Turn (USA) – http://www.leftturn.org/ A collectively-run left-wing magazine, published in the United States

The Militant – http://www.themilitant.com Socialist Workers’ Party (SWP) periodical, USA

Morning Star- http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/

The Organizer http://socialistparty-usa.org/theorganizer An irregularly produced newsletter from the Socialist Party USA National Office http://socialistparty-usa.org/natl-office/index.html and Edited by Greg Pason, the National Secretary

People’s Weekly World – http://pww.org/ – Paper for the Communist Party USA – http://www.cpusa.org/

Radical Philosophy – http://www.radicalphilosophy.com/

Revolution – http://www.revcom.us – Online voice of The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA – http://www.revcom.us/rcp-e.htm

Revolution – http://www.internationalist.org/revolutiontoc.html – Publication of the Internationalist Clubs – (http://www.internationalist.org/) and the Revolutionary Reconstruction Club at the City University of New York (http://www.campusactivism.org/displaygroups-329.htm)

Socialist Action newspaper – http://www.socialistaction.org/paper.htm

Socialism and Liberation – http://socialismandliberation.org – Magazine for Party for Socialism and Liberation – http://www.psl.org

The Socialist magazine http://www.socialistparty-usa.org/socialist/

Socialist Review – http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/

Socialist Review and International Socialism Journal Index – http://www.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/

Socialist Standard – Magazine for The World Socialist Movement – http://www.worldsocialism.org

Socialist Voice http://www.socialistvoice.ca

Socialist View Point – http://www.socialistviewpoint.org/

Socialist Women http://www.socialistparty-usa.org/socialistwomen/

SocialistWorker.org – http://socialistworker.org/ – The Web site for Socialist Worker, a national newspaper founded in 1977 and published by the International Socialist Organization http://www.internationalsocialist.org/.

Socialist Worker Online, UK – http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/

Union Democracy Review http://www.uniondemocracy.com/UDR/UDRhome.htm Bi-monthly publication of the Association for Union Democracy http://www.uniondemocracy.com/, reports on struggles for union democracy.

Weekly Worker – http://www.cpgb.org.uk/ website  of the Communist Party of Great Britain

Workers Library Series http://www.communistleague.us/lit/wls.html In conjunction with the Albert Currlin Institute for the Study of Working People’s History, the Communist League http://www.communistleague.us/ is proud to present the Workers Library Series, a 31-volume series of the classics of communist literature.

Working People’s Advocate http://www.communistleague.us/wpa/index.html The monthly voice and Central Organ of the Central Committee of the Communist League http://www.communistleague.us/.

Workers’ Republic http://www.communistleague.us/wr/index.html The quarterly political journal of the Communist League http://www.communistleague.us/ , containing League Bulletins and statements, theoretical and analytical articles and exchanges with other self-described socialists and communists.