About Solidarity

Solidarity is an independent socialist organization dedicated to forming a broad regrouping of the U.S. left.  We include activists from many long-standing socialist traditions, as well as younger members from newer movements.  We do not attempt to put forward a monolithic platform which we all have adapted to; rather, we rely on the richness of our traditions and the creativity and newer experiences of our younger members to foster and develop a forward-looking socialist thought.

Solidarity was founded in 1986 by revolutionary socialists who stand for “socialism from below,” the self-organization of the working class and oppressed peoples.  We are feminist, anti-racist, and democratic.  Within our group, we are trying to foster cultural diversity, flexible practice, and straight-forward socialist politics.

We are activists in many grassroots movements.  We are members of unions, where we oppose corporations as well as bureaucratic “business unionism.” We are involved in solidarity with the people of Central and South America, Indonesia, Iraq, the Balkans, Palestine, and many other countries, where we fight against U.S. aggression and imperialism.  We work for reproductive rights and other feminist demands.  We fight for an ecologically balanced society.  We support the struggles of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activists.  We include activists of color and we work in solidarity with people of color organized independently fighting for dignity and power and self determination.

In these movements, we try to build broad coalitions, organize the unorganized, activate the apathetic, develop ties between movements and strengthen the rank-and-file democracy.

We argue against participation in the Democratic Party, which has been the graveyard of radical movements, and promote the idea of a new, independent political party.

We see Solidarity as a contribution to a new U.S. left, one neither sectarian nor reformist.  We advocate a new, creative politics with an attitude of openness and collaboration.

Solidarity’s baseline politics are summarized below in our 10 Points of Agreement (also found at the back of the Founding Statement).

This is obviously an “in a nutshell” description.  For more background, check out our Founding Statement (En Español), Against the Current Magazine and some of our pamphlets and working papers.

As amended in 2013.

1. We oppose the capitalist system and its destructive impact on humanity and the planet.
2. Another world is possible, socialism: a system that is democratic, international, and ecologically sustainable.
3. Our strategic goal is revolution‒led by the working class and oppressed‒that shatters the foundations of patriarchy, white supremacy, settler-colonialism, and capitalist rule.
4. In the labor and social movements, we call for political independence and a break from the two-party system.
5. We see organized labor as a central part of the working class movement; within it we organize for greater solidarity, internationalism, democracy, and militancy.
6. We fight against all forms of racism and support the right of self-determination against national/racial oppression.
7. We are a feminist organization that fights for the liberation of all women.
8. We fight against homophobia, heterosexism, and the compulsory gender binary and support sexual and gender self-determination for all people.
9. We are internationalists: we oppose the imperialist domination of the world by the United States and other rich countries.
10. United by these principles, we are committed to building an organization of socialist activists and a broader anti-capitalist movement within the borders of the United States.