Been a part of PSL since last year. I’d highly recommend the party to any MLs living in the United States.
It’s probably the only party in the imperial core that doesn’t suffer from the same deficiencies as the majority of the Western left. Internet “Marxists” like to shut them down for bullshit reasons like not draping themselves in the communist aesthetic or supporting countries like Iran from further imperialist conquest.
First, how would you expect a potential vanguard party from being a vanguard if it’s not with the masses? Marching down the streets and waving hammer/sickle flags, while absolutely fucking cool, is not going to attract the masses in the US and could even push away people wanting to join who aren’t already 100% ML. Plenty of comrades personally sport communist aesthetic and the party is very much Leninist where it counts: theory and practice.
And second, it baffles me that communists would think it’s bad to support countries like Iran in the face of imperialism, saying we should support the Iranian people. Yes no shit Iran isn’t socialist, but calling for the overthrow of the Iranian government for the “people’s will” is an imperialist talking point. As communists living in the belly of the beast, we must critically support countries trying to escape the grasp of the empire. We’re not some Trot party who’s going to side with the US, hoping that further sanctions and acts of war will destabilize the country; that’s just the perfect avenue for color revolutions and making things worse.
So yes, join PSL if you’re a serious ML in the US. Even if there’s no branch in your city, you can contact the PSL and become an at-large member. They will help you set up and offer plenty of support and assistance as the branch gets built up.
We’re not some Trot party
Doesn’t the PSL have Trotskyist (Marcyite) origins?
Not really. Sam Marcy was a member of SWP, yes, but he fought SWP leadership over their failure to support the USSR, PRC, and DPRK.
He and others developed the concept of “global class warfare” in which the international bourgeoisie will work to stifle and snuff out any people’s movement. Knowing this, already-existing socialism must be defended by socialists across the world. Criticism may be made, but we must stand against imperialism.
PSL split from WWP and is a Marxist-Leninist party.
Not taking away from anything you said, but please look at my earlier post: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5334 Problematic leadership doesn’t necessarily mean PSL on the ground isn’t a valid and worthwhile organization, but just wondering if you were familiar with this. I am saying this as somebody who still pays DSA dues.
Literally every org has problematic leadership.
This demand for pure perfection is ridiculous amongst some comrades that are turned off organisations due to whatever problematic feature is in them.
“We are not utopians, we do not “dream” of dispensing at once with all administration, with all subordination. These anarchist dreams, based upon incomprehension of the tasks of the proletarian dictatorship, are totally alien to Marxism, and, as a matter of fact, serve only to postpone the socialist revolution until people are different. No, we want the socialist revolution with people as they are now, with people who cannot dispense with subordination, control, and “foremen and accountants”.” ― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, The State and Revolution
These deficiencies could be corrected if enough decent comrades joined and became active.
That article is constantly reposted to try and smear PSL from an ultra-left standpoint and PSL members are constantly having shoot it down.
The view that PSL is “tainted” because someone’s day job is working on a podcast is really reaching. Loud and Clear isn’t a PSL podcast, PSL has no ties to it; it’s not a PSL-sponsored publication of any sort, it’s not even Marxist. It’s simply Comrade Becker’s job. Whenever a guest espouses reactionary views or even the main host, Becker calls them out on it. He’s simply using the platform he’s been given to hopefully give a more Marxist opinion on current-day events, push anti-imperialism, etc.
He’s been organizing for a while, there’s no doubt what his intentions and views are. Cancelling Marxists with a huge history of being dedicated communists because they work in reactionary environments is just counter-productive. It’s obviously not a 1:1 example, but working in reactionary environments is a must to continue to spread class consciousness and an ML viewpoint.
PSL has had their media arsenal grow now to include BreakThrough News alongside Liberation News, which is a direct PSL publication and supports the party’s line.
Communist Party of Canada and YCL.
can you call yourself a communist if you’re not active?
I honestly don’t think so.
Organising is hard, thankless work and if you’re not even doing the bare minimum of showing up for study sessions and doing at least some small piece of work I don’t think these lazy comrades deserve to call themselves communist.
Unfortunately, no. I’ve told myself for years I’d join the PSL “as soon as I get my shit together” but sadly it seems my shit will likely remain apart until the end of time. Hopefully I’ll figure it out someday regardless.
I’m currently in the process of joining the PSL and am really quite excited to join my first leftist organization! Unfortunately, there’s isn’t a branch in my state but I’m hoping to help it grow with the other at large comrades.
Currently no, although I was in an armed leftist group in the US for a few years. I’m still feeling the burn-out from that and all the struggles from being in a big-tent org.
I want to join PSL (I’m in the US) badly but unfortunately they don’t have a branch in the city I moved to. There is a DSA here but I don’t have the patience for that.
I posted a response and mentioned it towards the end, but see if you can contact PSL and become an at-large member. There are plenty of comrades in the same situation as you. The party offers plenty of support and assistance in helping set-up a branch, no one’s left alone to do it by themselves. Most branches start off like that, with a focus on recruiting to build up the ranks and become an official branch.
I am a decently active member of CPUSA, the org is not perfect, but, it is better than nothing and is full of like minded comrades to commiserate with. I recommend it to anyone.
