This August, Socialism and Liberation magazine concludes its second year of publication. The magazine’s growth and development mirror the growth of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, founded in June 2004.
 PSL members join anti-war demonstration in Los Angeles, Sept. 24, 2005. Photo: Robert White |
Socialism and Liberation covers struggles of working and oppressed people in the United States and around the world. We offer analysis and political perspective. But we aren’t a news magazine, or a commentary on current events.
Socialism and Liberation is a vehicle for revolutionary change. We hope every issue helps activists and organizers who want to change the world for the benefit of working and oppressed people everywhere.
A magazine cannot do that by itself. None of the editors, writers or production or distribution staff believes that the best articles or analysis can by themselves challenge the billion-dollar corporate media, much less the Pentagon and the ruling class whose interests it protects.
Building a revolutionary party
To do that requires a revolutionary working-class party—an organization that strives to lead our class in the revolutionary struggles ahead, toward the creation of a new society based on the interests of the vast majority.
The PSL was formed two years ago based on the conviction that this task could be accomplished. We anticipated that in the growing mass movements that are sweeping the United States, hundreds and thousands of people would be prepared to take on the commitment to build a revolutionary movement in the heart of world imperialism.
It’s been an exciting two years. From a small but dedicated group of organizers, the PSL has grown dramatically. Our party’s members are young, multinational and militant. We work hard to meet the challenges that our class faces—whether in the anti-war movement, in labor strikes and pickets or in the mass movement for immigrant rights.
Although our party is just two years old, we base ourselves on over 150 years of tradition in the revolutionary working-class movement. We anchor our perspective in the lessons of the world’s revolutions and revolutionary movements. And working alongside our young comrades are seasoned veterans of the class struggle in the United States with decades of experience in applying revolutionary strategy and tactics in the day-to-day struggles facing the working class.
What unites us is the belief that socialism in the United States is as possible as it is necessary. It is the belief that in the face of the racism, sexism, anti-LGBT bigotry and xenophobia that characterize U.S. capitalist society, working people can unite to fight for revolutionary change on the basis of true class solidarity. It is the belief that real change is possible only with the sharpest break from the ideas and practice of the ruling class of bosses and bankers.
Raising working-class consciousness
Every issue of Socialism and Liberation is produced from this perspective. Every article is aimed at arming activists to combat ruling class ideas and arguments and to provide a direction to push the struggle forward.
More than that, each issue of the magazine is an opportunity to reach out to working people who are new to revolutionary politics, who are hungry for a message that change is possible. It is an avenue into newsstands and bookstores. Its website is visited by thousands of people each month. It is sold at demonstrations and picket lines, on street corners and subways in cities and towns around the country. Its articles are the basis for discussions and presentations nationally.
All of this is possible because of the party organization behind the magazine. The magazine has no paid staff. The core writers, editors, production and design staff, web administrators, circulation staff and distributors are themselves organizers and leaders. They devote countless hours to keeping Socialism and Liberation growing and developing because of their commitment to building a powerful socialist movement.
In the same way, the magazine is a training ground for a new generation of revolutionary thinkers and fighters.
With all the magazine’s successes over the last two years, the Party for Socialism and Liberation is constantly looking for new ways to intervene in the class struggle to raise working-class consciousness—class unity against the capitalist class. The party’s new website www.pslweb.org is designed to bring analysis on a more regular basis.
Entering our third year as a party and as a magazine brings new challenges. Can we find ways to increase the reach of revolutionary Marxism numerically, geographically and in frequency? Can our readers use the magazine to better organize themselves in the workplaces, neighborhoods or schools?
For our regular readers, we look forward to the next year as our magazine continues to evolve. We hope you find ways to communicate with us and to organize with us. We hope you can contribute to keeping the magazine financially secure—a constant challenge without any paid advertisements.
The most important challenge facing the U.S. working class is the growth of a struggle-tested revolutionary party. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and its monthly magazine invite you to join us in meeting that challenge.
