We live in a period characterized by escalating capitalist crises, imperialist conflict and war (i.e., the invasion of Ukraine), and catastrophic environmental destruction. At the same time, there has been an increase in struggle by workers and the oppressed across the world. This includes the mass upsurges in many countries across Latin America, as well as the mobilizations in Myanmar, Sudan, Kazakhstan, and elsewhere.
In the United States, the decline of U.S. imperialist hegemony abroad has been creating openings for political ferment. The labor movement and various social movements are beginning to relearn the basic lesson that struggle is the only way forward. Recently, there has been an uptick in the United States in workers’ struggles, including strikes waged by industrial workers. In addition, mobilizations of Indigenous water protectors and caravans of migrants, as well as mass demonstrations against racist capitalist policing and in defense of women and queer people, show a growing restiveness among workers and the oppressed in the United States.
These struggles are attacked at every moment by the ruling-class parties. The Democrats and Republicans are aligned in their subservience to big business, landlords, and banks. They work hand-in-hand to repress movements in the streets, roll back democratic rights, and maintain the rule of the bosses. As the struggle for workers’ power develops, there is increasing support from the rulers to far-right and proto-fascist organizations tasked with harassing trade unionists, Black and Indigenous communities, immigrants, women, and queer people.
The only force that can connect all struggles against exploitation and oppression is the working class. In order to create a livable earth free of the horrors wrought by the capitalist system, workers must take power through the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the construction of socialism. To accomplish this, the working class needs its own political expression and organization — a revolutionary socialist party.
Workers’ Voice and Socialist Resurgence have been building towards this type of organization. We are in agreement about the necessity for principled regroupment of revolutionary groups. The two groups carried have been carrying out common discussion and practical work for two years and have come to a shared perspective on the fundamental situation facing the working class and oppressed today. On this basis, a congress was held on March 19-20, 2022 in which WV and SR voted to merge as Workers’ Voice. Our congress included observers from the International Workers League, Revolutionary Socialist Organizing Project, Tempest Collective, Corriente Obrera, and affiliates of the Revolutionary Socialist Network.
As a fused organization, Workers’ Voice brings together two historic traditions of world Trotskyism into a common revolutionary party. We do not see this as the final step in recomposition of the revolutionary socialist left either in the United States or internationally. Workers’ Voice is a party of action. In the course of developing relationships and working with other working-class and socialist organizations in the labor movement and in mass struggles, we hope to take every opportunity to begin clarifying discussions on the big political and strategic questions that can lead to an even broader regroupment project. We also look forward to continuing our participation in the Revolutionary Socialist Network.
The working class is an international class, and revolutionary parties must also be internationalist at every level. At its founding congress, the fused Workers’ Voice voted to be in political solidarity with the International Workers League – Fourth International/Liga Internacional de los Trabajadores – Cuarta Internacional.
We are excited to combine our efforts and experiences in building the labor and social movements, carrying out revolutionary education, and developing the common experiences of struggle of our class that can begin to lay the foundation for developing the revolutionary party capable of leading the fight for workers’ power to the end.
Join us in this project! We have a world to win!
Statement on the Fusion of Socialist Resurgence and Workers’ Voice
