Taken From ISO Pre-Convention Discussion Bulletin #21

January 21, 2019

Announcing the Independence and Struggle Platform
Natalia T., Sean L., and Joe R. for the Independence and Struggle Platform

This platform presents a perspective for the way forward for our organization, and consists of
agreement with the following two documents:
1. Toward a Struggle Organization by Sean L. (PCB bulletin 12)
2. Toward a Struggle Organization part II by Natalia T. and Sean L.

These documents are the political basis for a list of proposed SC and NC candidates, to be put
forward in the coming weeks. As an organization of cadre where leadership is not (and should
not be) confined to elected bodies, we invite all comrades who agree with this platform to please
consider endorsing it.
* * *
As many documents in the bulletins have discussed, we live in a simultaneously fraught and
exciting time to be on the left. Our world is facing another economic crisis and a certain climate
catastrophe. Right wing governments, some with explicitly fascist elements, have risen to power
in many corners of the world, very often posing as the alternative to the neoliberal “center”. On
the other hand, the growth of a new socialist movement in the United States and the fact that it is
no longer a one-sided class war have given both the left and the millions of others who voted for
an open socialist hope that something else is possible.

In this preconvention period, the liveliest and most contentious most of us have experienced in
the ISO, we have already made enormous strides toward becoming a healthier organization.
We’ve seen a reevaluation of undemocratic practices and policies in the group, and most of us
have begun thinking through how to build a political culture that’s fully democratic and doesn’t
require ideological homogeneity, and stands for unity in action but not unity in thought.

The ISO has already begun to transform itself, but we need to continue to take the next step, to
be able to not only grow ourselves but to play a leading role in growing the left and the labor and
social movements of the coming years. The basis on which delegates vote for a new leadership
should be their perspectives on what to do next. We believe the ISO will be best positioned to
influence the growth of socialism from below in the coming years of contradictory and polarized
developments by becoming a struggle organization.

To summarize the key points, our platform consists of:

1. Politics first
a. Bring our politics (e.g. anti-imperialism, centrality of Black liberation, class
independence, etc.) into the emerging struggles as a key contribution to strengthening
the future Left.
b. We can only be effective by building a multi-racial, multi-gendered organization. We
must make decisive changes in this direction.
2. From propaganda to struggle
a. Move our all-sided political struggles intentionally onto the terrain of the labor
movement.
b. Move our all-sided political struggles intentionally onto the terrain of independent
electoral action.
3. A healthier and more democratic ISO
a. Organizational democracy is key to getting the politics right and member initiative.

The ISO has an indispensable political contribution to make to the shape of the emerging left.
Our perspectives on centering the independent struggles against all forms of oppression,
wherever they manifest, are particularly crucial to constructing an all-sided political backbone
for the broader left movement. We must take responsibility for centering these in all our work.
Becoming the best fighters against oppression in practice will help us takes steps to becoming a
more multiracial, multi-gendered organization.

As opposed to seeing our role as primarily leading through ideas (as in the past), we need to
combine our ideas with action and start leading in practice. From the teacher’s strike wave, to the
crisis of racism at the border, it couldn’t be more urgent for us to make this turn. We must
become a struggle organization of movement leaders and labor militants fighting to advance the
intersectional politics of socialism from below in the multi-racial, multi-gendered working class.

Revolutionary politics and revolutionary organization are central in this moment. We believe that
it is not only necessary, but possible to build an independent political alternative to the
Democrats and advance a rank-and-file strategy in the labor movement with a political approach.
We can get there through the implementation of a long-term electoral perspective centered on
building independent politics and a coherent, national strategy for our work in the unions—a
strategy that doesn’t silo off labor work but rather makes it a priority for the whole organization,
drawing on comrades in every branch.

To be clear, work in the labor movement and independent electoral campaigns are not just two
examples of work we could be doing differently, nor should they be considered somehow
“priorities” against our crucial work fighting the far right, supporting and building the
independent organizations of the oppressed, against war and imperialism, or other areas of work.
The point is to raise all of these areas of our activity into a qualitatively higher level by
conducting them on the terrain of labor and electoral work. Only by placing our politics first,
wherever we are, can we strengthen the movement as a whole.

As detailed in previous documents, the ISO’s work and internal culture has long been burdened
by a myriad of undemocratic practices stemming from the top of the organization down. Our
debate culture has too often been stifled, with comrades who have disagreements about the
organization’s perspectives or its work being sidelined, labeled as not having our politics, or
being isolated and marginalized. Last year’s convention, which was by no means the first
example of these practices, displayed this starkly, with proposals around organizing labor work,
reporting on international work, and basic financial transparency being dismissed over hand-
wringing about method. Given the challenges the left faces today, we need more debate—and
more openness, creativity, and humility in approaching the challenges we face. To do this, we
need a new, engaged, and accountable leadership that is committed to doing the work of
unlearning bad habits and training future leaders in a much more open and democratic set of
practices.

While this preamble is a brief summary, our perspectives are contained within the two
documents listed above. We will be releasing a proposed slate for the steering committee (SC)
and national committee (NC) in the coming weeks. If you support this platform, consider
supporting the individuals on our leadership slates.

If you would like to endorse our platform, please email [redacted]

Natalia T., Sean L., and Joe R. for the Independence and Struggle Platform