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Socialist Workers Party: Internal & Discussion Bulletins Library

1966 through 1969

Socialist Workers Party [US]


A Note on SWP Internal & Discussion Bulletins

This set of bulletins from the internal discussions of the U.S. Trotskyist movement represents the continuity of the pervious bulletins put out by the U.S. supporters of the of the Fourth International, the Socialist Workers Party. Previous incarnations of these bulletins going back to 1930 are listed the bottom of this page or, you can go to the Internal Documents Library of the Socialist Workers Party [US].

The SWP Discussion Bulletins for the listing below covers 4 years: 1966 through 1969. This shows the growth of the SWP during this period, the participation of it’s membership in all areas of the discussion, and the general heightened radicalization endemic to the latter half of the 1960s.

Membership of the SWP likely shrunk in 1965 with the expulsion of the Revolutionary Tendency and various other grouping such as the Richard Kirk and Clara Fraiser dominated branch in Seattle, Washington as well as the looser grouping around Murray and Myra Tyner Weiss. But these loses were made up by new recruits, mostly from the Young Socialist Alliance, the independent youth socialist youth group that had grown increasingly dominated by young members of the SWP.

Along with the full swing of the Civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam War movement, the SWP was now applying it’s 1963 Freedom Now! resolution and making connections with Malcolm X and other revolutionary minded young Blacks. Additionally, with the rise of Chicano nationalism after rebellions against racism in Texas and Los Angelos, this provided not only new areas of work for the growing SWP but also added a lot more discussion to these pre-convention discussion bulletins.

This monumental contribution to the history of the Trotskyist movement is made possible by the tireless effort of Marty Goodman of the Riazanov Library Project, the Holt Labor Library and the Encyclopedia of Trotskyism On-Line For more information on the Riazanaov Library Project click here. For more technical information on the scanning and digitization techniques click here.



1966—Internal Information Bulletins


No. 1, July 1966, SWP Internal Information Bulletin:

Material on the Kirk-Kaye Split


1967—SWP Discussion Bulletins

Volume 26, No. 1, July 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

American Politics and the 1968 Presidential Campaign (PC Draft Resolution)


Volume 26, No. 2, July 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

The Case for an Independent Black Political Party (PC Draft Resolution)


Volume 26, No. 3, August 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

On the Convergence of the World Revolution, by Jan G.
Proposal to Change Section 3 of Article YII of the Constitution, by Barbara Dorritty


Volume 26, No. 4, August 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

From Trotskyism to Maoism — the Swabeck Case


Volume 26, No. 5, September 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

The Explosions in the Ghetto Shakes Things Up, by Nat W.
Proposal for an Amendment to PC Draft Political Resolution, by Asher Harer and Paul Colvin
A Contribution to the Discussion on a Black Political Party, by Gloria Allen


Volume 26, No. 6, September 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

The Independent Black Party, Black Cadres, and Organized Trotskyism, by Jan G.
Thoughts on Black Liberation and the SWP, by Derrick Morrison


Volume 26, No. 7, September 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

A Proposed Change in Transitional Slogans, Adopted by the PC, September 28, 1967
Recent Farm Statistics, by Dick Roberts


Volume 26, No. 8, October 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Some Secondary Aspects of Party Work, by James Griffin
On the Mideast Conflict, by Gary Collins and Leonard Gordon
Some Comments on the Role of Teachers, by Evelyn Sell


Volume 26, No. 9, October 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Remarks on the Antiwar Movement, by David Fender


Volume 26, No. 10, October 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Documents from TSA 1967 Convention:

    1. NEC Draft Antiwar Resolution, January 1967 (Adopted by the March 1967 YSA Convention)
    2. Discussion on Antiwar Work, by Chase–Meseke–Barzman–and Sherrill, March 1967
    3. The Chase-Meseke-Barzman-Sherrill Antiwar Document, by Lew Jones, March 1967


Volume 26, No. 11, October 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Proposed Amendment to the PC Draft on the Case for a Black Independent Political Party, by Alice Parker and D. Mack
Plain Talk by Hank Graber
On the Proposal for a Black Trotskyist Party, by Robert Halfhill


Volume 26, No. 12, October 1967 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Some Comments on Party Policy and Tactics in the Antiwar Movement, by Tom Kerry
For Another Revolution in Marxist Theory, by Jan Garrett


1967—Internal Information Bulletins

July 1967, SWP Internal Information Bulletin:

Plenum Reports — Reports to November 1967 Plenum:

    1. International, by Joe,Hansen
    2. Political, by Farrell Dobbs


No. 1 in December 1967 , SWP Internal Information Bulletin:

Convention Reports — No. 1

    1. Case for an Independent Black Political Party, by DeBerry
    2. American Politics and the 1968 Presidential Campaign, by Jack Barnes


No. 2 in December 1967, SWP Internal Information Bulletin:

Convention Reports — No. 2

    The American Youth Movement Today, by Mary Alice Waters


1968—Internal Information Bulletins

No. 1 in June 1968, SWP Internal Information Bulletin:

May Plenum Material

    1. Memorandum on Trade Union Policy
    2. Report on the Black Struggle, by Clifton DeBerry


1968—Internal Information Bulletins

No. 1 in July 1968

1. Report on France and the International Youth Movement, by Mary-Alice Waters to the YSA National Committee Plenum, July 5, 1968
2. Report on France by Joseph Hansen to a Joint Meeting of the SWP-YSA Resident National Committee Members, July 3, 1968


1969—Internal Information Bulletins

No. 1 in 1969, April

Problems of Leadership Selection and Leadership Structure

No. 2 in 1969,April

Political Trends and Party Organizational Perspectives (Report to the February 1969 Plenum of the SWP National Committee, by Jack Barnes)
Branch Use of The Militant and ISR
Branch Functioning Summaries
Results of National Membership Survey

No. 3 in 1969, June

Report on the Third World Congress of the Fourth International Since Reunification, by Joseph Hansen

No. 4 in 1969, September

Internationalism and the SWP, by Barry Sheppard
The Origin of the Differences on China, by Joseph Hansen
(Reports to the 23rd National Convention of the SWP)

No. 5 in 1969, September

Youth Report to the 23rd National Convention of the SWP, by Larry Seigle
Report on Third World and Black Work Fraction Meeting (1969 SWP Convention)

No. 6 in 1969, October

Report on the Transitional Program for Black Liberation (23rd National Convention of the SWP) by Clifton DeBerry
Summary of Trade Union Panel Report and Discussion (23rd National Convention of the SWP) by Frank Lovell

No. 7 in 1969, December [This Bulletin is missing temporarily]

Report to Panel on Women’s Liberation by Mary-Alice Waters (23rd National SWP Convention)
Report on San Francisco Women’s Liberation Work, by Debby Woodroof
Report to New York Branch on Women’s Liberation, by Judy White


No. 8 in 1969, December

Political Report to the 23rd National Convention of the SWP, by Jack Barnes


1969—SWP Discussion Bulletins

Volume 27, No. 1, June 1969 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Transitional Program for Black Liberation


Volume 27, No. 2, June 1969 , SWP Discussion Bulletin:

Antiwar Resolution — Political Committee Draft


Volume 27, No. 3, June 1969

The Perspective for Workers Democracy, by Jan Garrett
Multi-National Leninist Party — Chicago Branch Discussion
Notes on the Chicano and Puerto Rican Struggles in the United States, by Richard Garza


Volume 27, No. 4, July 1969

Original Draft Resolution on the “Cultural Revolution” and Proposed Amendments Arranged in Dual Columns The Differences Between the Two Documents on the “Cultural Revolution” by Joseph Hansen


Volume 27, No. 5, July 1969

The Fourth International and the Chinese “Cultural Revolution” by Jan Garrett
The Student Uprising and the Transitional Program, by Milton Alvin


Volume 27, No. 6, July 1969

Problems of Black Recruitment: Objective Tasks and Subjective Problems, by Tony Thomas
Information and Proposals on the Mexican-American Struggle, by Norman Hodgett


Volume 27, No. 7, August 1969

On Sending Young Comrades into the Industrial Trade Unions, by Barbara Gregorich and Phil Passen
On the GI Antiwar Movement, by Allen Myers


Volume 27, No. 8, August 1969

Thoughts on the History of the Chinese Revolution and the Present Discussion on Maoism, by Jan Garrett
China — A Fundamental Difference, by Mike Tormey
On the Chinese Question: A lesser Evil? (in Reply to Comrade Jan Garrett), by Gordon Fox


Volume 27, No. 9, August 1969

On Brochures and Fractions, by George Breitman
Cuba Report, by Peter Camejo Proposed Amendment to the Constitution, by Evelyn Sell


Volume 27, No.10, August 1969

On Confronting SDS, by John Barzman
The Chicano Movement in Los Angeles, by Delia Rossa
On the “Transitional Program for Black Liberation,” by Morris Chertov


Volume 27, No. 11, August 1969

The Road We Have Traveled: Five Decades of Building the Revolutionary Party in the United States: 1919-1969, by George Novack
The Course of U.S. Imperialism and the Revolutionary Struggle for a Socialist America (Draft Political Resolution Submitted by the Political Committee)
Black Caucuses in the Trade Unions (Political Committee Memorandum)


Volume 27, No. 12, August 1969

Reply to Comrade Cherttov, by Derrick Morrison
Black Nationalism, Class Struggle, and Party History, by George Breitman
Women’s Liberation, by Delia Rossa
Against the Demand for a Guaranteed Annual Income, by Herman Porter
The Role of the SWP in Supporting the Arab Revolution, by Joel Aber
An Answer to “On Confronting QDS,” by Larry Seigle
The Boston Experience in SDS, by Linda Sheppard


Volume 27, No. 13, August 1969

The Party’s Adaptationism and Comrade Kerry’s Reply, by David Fender
On Party-Youth Relations: Setting the Record Straight, by Charles Bolduc and Larry Seigle