EE.UU.: Left facing an opportunity and historical challenges
The great economic crisis 2008 He collapsed from a stroke and forever the "American dream" of progress that promised Uncle Sam and started a qualitative change in the political situation in the most developed country in the world, crisis continues and continues to surprise by its dynamism.
The collapse of the economy and the huge social cost that produced the "mortgage crisis" caused, for the first time in decades, million workers, young and middle sectors began to question the reign of banks and corporations, the leaders of the traditional parties and the ruling system as a whole. All this gave rise to phenomena of all kinds and a great social and political polarization.
The earthquake shook the foundations of the two traditional parties of the imperialist bourgeoisie, They collapse which saw its main candidates and succeed unspeakable characters like Donald Trump in the Republican Party and the meteoric rise in the Democratic Party Bernie Sanders waving the flags of socialism and the need to govern for the 99% and not for the 1% privileged next directing the destinies of the country and the world.
A trip to enthuse
To follow more closely what is happening there and strengthen the bonds of our international organization with the American left, visité los EE.UU. of the 4 al 14 of July. I was accompanied on the tour Federico Moreno, one of the leaders of our youth.
We were invited to Socialism 2018, the National Meeting of the socialist militancy held in Chicago, organized by ISO (International Socialist Organization)[1] together with Jacobin, leftist publication grand arrival in North America.
Both Chicago and New York participated in debates and meetings with different referents of the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America)[2]. Exchanged views with fellow Socialist Alternative[3] and leaders of various unions and the women's movement concerning, LGBT youth dissent and.
Socialism in the empire grows
Sanders independent candidacy and the millions of votes that brought in the Democratic internal funneled a process that had been maturing for years. He revived an old debate on the American left: How low can build something new in the ancient and imperialist Democratic Party, which it has been responsible for decades of swallowing and co-opt countless activists and processes preventing the emergence of a third party to the left of the traditional bipartisanship.
Nevertheless, an impressive political and organizational phenomenon is in full development is forcing all revolutionary organizations acting independently and outside the P. Democrats to rethink how to intervene to not waste an enormous political opportunity that can even bring them back.
The spectacular growth of DSA
It emerged in the 80s as a social democratic and reformist project strategically tied to Democrats, from Sanders campaign organization it is growing at a dizzying rate among youth and activism and is increasingly radicalized, to the point of becoming a pole that pulls and pushes the militants of revolutionary organizations, they are stuck in the middle of a spectacular process.
This game, before the onset of Sanders, had no more than 200 active members and about 6.000 affiliated with an average age of 65 years. In the six months of electoral campaign for the presidency Sanders went on to have 20.000 members. After the triumph of Trump and revulsion provoked mass in strips, He went on to organize 35.000. And in recent days, after the triumph of the young Latina Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and his safe arrival to Congress[4] already it has 43.000 members and contributors, of which more than 15.000 They are very active activists. The average age dropped to 30 years. And of the three major currents that exist within, one of the most dynamic revolutionary and manifest declared to be clear about the strategic boundaries of PD and the need to accumulate for, in the near future, break and form a third party mass.
A huge challenge
The changes that have occurred in the US. They are such that nothing will be as before. In the months of March and April a series of teachers' strikes took place in several states, massive, democratically organized and radicalized as that has not happened for decades and ended in wins big. The women's movement has been playing a very important role in dealing with Trump and growing resistance against the attack on workers, immigrants and the right to decent housing.
Social and political radicalization that lead each of the measures Trump will continue and grow in the coming years. The challenges, new challenges, the opportunities and dangers facing the revolutionary left acting outside the Democratic Party and inside in the DSA must be accompanied by the revolutionary left internationally, largely because progress and the future of the world revolution has workers, Young, women and left the US. as actors
[1] Main Trotskyist organization in the US, Integrated current led by English SWP until 2001, date breaks and initiates an independent path.
[2] wide leftist organization where different tendencies coexist acting within the Democratic Party and has had a spectacular growth in recent years.
[3] The other major Trotskyist organization in the country, national section of the Committee for a Workers International (CIO) and that 2013 He managed to elect the first Socialist councilor in Seattle.
[4] Being a historically Democratic district, by winning the internal practically already in the Congress of the Nation, what will become the first socialist deputy of US history.
Alejandro Bodart
