To make “working class power” the shorthand definition of 21st socialism reveals a bit of a tin ear, given the the democratic failures and authoritarian excesses of “working class power” in the socialist countries in the 20th century. A broader definition should include socialism’s vision, values, problem solving capacity, and, especially, its democratic character, while, at the same time, making abundantly clear that power in any form will be accountable to and checked by a robustly democratic polity, culture, media, and popular institutions.
Furthermore, power in a socialist society wouldn’t be the property, constitutionally or otherwise, of any one party. Socialism should diffuse power, not centralize it into the hands of any single entity.
Written by
Sam Webb
I'm a long-time socialist and activist, but new to the blogging world. I hope to bring a different perspective on politics, sports, culture, and Marxism. Besides blogging, I also leave plenty of time for swimming, hiking, ESPN, music, reading, drinking good beer, and, not least, my family and friends. I wish I could play basketball, but my knees ruled out that possibility long ago.
While I currently reside in New York, my politically formative years were spent in Portland, Me. and Detroit during the 1970s and 1980s. I graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia (where I played basketball) and received a MA in economics from the University of Connecticut.
I was the national chairperson of the Communist Party, USA from 2000 until 2014 when I stepped down at the convention. In 2016 I resigned from the Communist Party two years later. We were no longer on the same page.
