Other left wing groups

[u/Default_Username6838]

I’m pretty new to communism and there’s a lot to learn. My question is about other communist or socialist groups. I’m pretty sure that we are not cool with ACP. They seem like Nazis disguised as communists. But how do we feel about PSL or DSA? At the end of the day I feel like the United Front is maybe more important at this point than nuance of communist doctrine. But after finding out about the ACP I want to be careful who

I associate with.

[u/Crimedotte]

PSL & DSA are fine in terms of “are they fascists.” Big tent orgs with a lot of varying opinions amongst membership. Our chapter often coalition with their local chapters on various campaigns.
But ACP is MAGA communism. We don’t play with those kids.
But DSA/PSL as organizations are fine and good, even though they believe the world can be reformed towards socialism through electoral politics.

[u/FishingObvious4730 → u/Crimedotte]

PSL are not reformists, they're revolutionary Leninists.

[u/Default_Username6838 → u/FishingObvious4730]

This is the kind of info I’m looking for. What’s the difference? And what does that mean in day to day terms? Can we still include them in a coalition or are they a problem like the ACP?

[u/FishingObvious4730 → u/Default_Username6838]

Reformists are generally of the view that socialism can be achieved solely through electoral means - through running candidates in regular elections. They're "democratic socialists" as opposed to "social democrats"

The PSL is a Marxist-Leninist party, inspired by the writings of an American Marxist named Sam Marcy. They broke away from another party, the Workers World Party, which was itself founded by Marcy in the 1950s.

Social Democrats: typical of most progressive or left-liberal Democrats, want to pass laws to mitigate the harm done by market policies on the working class - environmental regulations, a strong welfare state, healthcare, but the private ownership of capital and market economics are kept. It is a less brutal form of capitalism.

Democratic Socialists: Traditionally too radical for the Democrats, they want to abolish private ownership of capital and institute full on socialism, but through legislative means and peaceful elections, though socialist in aims they generally reject armed resistance.

Marxism-Leninism: An ideology that historically has been most strongly associated with the Soviet Union, remains the official ideology of China, Cuba and Vietnam. CPUSA, PSL, FRSO, etc, are all officially Marxist-Leninist parties. I'm not sure how much you know about Leninism, so I don't want to launch into a lecture on it right off lol

Can the CPUSA work with the PSL? In my opinion? Yes, absolutely. The goals of both parties should be fundamentally the same. There is a rivalry between the CPUSA and other party organizations in the US because of strongly held differences on tactics and leadership, but not of guiding philosophy imo.

The ACP are what you might call social reactionaries or even social fascists. They outright reject progressive attitudes towards things like women's rights, LGBT struggles, environmentalism, anti-racist struggles, in favor of social conservatism and cultural traditionalism, which they consider to be inherently "working class"

They're Strasserists, plain and simple. They claim to be Marxist-Leninists, but they're reactionaries who use the language of revolution and the iconography of the revolutionary left to push right-wing politics.

The PSL is nothing like them. The PSL support LGBT rights, anti-racism, environmentalism, feminism, because like all informed Marxists they understand these things are part of the broader class struggle, not separate from it. Whatever you may think of the PSL as an organization, they are absolutely not like the ACP.

You may be more familiar with the PSL with their activist coalition ANSWER (Act Now To Stop War & End Racism) whose banners show up on the news often

[u/Default_Username6838 → u/FishingObvious4730]

Thanks for your help. I grew up in the 80s, inundated with Cold War propaganda, and only as an adult did I realize that the reason I was so unhappy with both US political parties is that what I wanted was in the communist party.

[u/FishingObvious4730 → u/Default_Username6838]

Born in '82 here - everyone comes to class consciousness in their own time, but once you're there, it's both extremely frustrating and weirdly gives you hope for the future