What's the Spartacist League up to these days?

[Matt Kelly]

This is Lionel, a more hard-working and dedicated comrade you'd be hard-pushed to find. Not the most socialised person, but the ICL's problems are not caused by him.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

This is Lionel, a more hard-working and dedicated comrade you'd be hard-pushed to find. Not the most socialised person, but the ICL's problems are not caused by him.

I can tell he’s hardworking, NK has acquired nuclear weapons since that sign was made, so he must be doing something right!

 

[spring-peeper]

I'm confused about all these new members signing on to U75 with the sole purpose of posting on this thread.

Is there some memo sent to Spartacists to come here to meet up and convince us (U75 members) of their cause?

 

[JimW]

I'm confused about all these new members signing on to U75 with the sole purpose of posting on this thread.

Is there some memo sent to Spartacists to come here to meet up and convince us (U75 members) of their cause?

As likely that it was such a significant part of people's lives to have been a member that even now they've left and it's mostly defunct they still look for related stuff online and want somewhere to discuss what the hell it was all about, would be my guess.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I'm confused about all these new members signing on to U75 with the sole purpose of posting on this thread.

Is there some memo sent to Spartacists to come here to meet up and convince us (U75 members) of their cause?

Perhaps they’re still in touch? Or engage in vanity googling.

 

[Matt Kelly]

I followed this group because as an ex-member I have an interest in their demise and thought that someone here might be able to shed some light on recent happenings. The only thing I care about, to be honest, is the fate of the Prometheus Research Library.

Their current programme doesn't suit my thinking and their mode of operation certainly doesn't, although with the former it is more a case of them moving on.

What I found instead was a load of bellyaching and pseudo-psychology from people who regret their time in the Spartacists but never seemed to realise that it was a voluntary organisation. It might have been cultish, but it was never a cult. They might have taken themselves too seriously, but they were serious about building an alternative to the English Labour Party, unlike most of what passes for the English left.

I have no idea why Doug H expended so much effort explaining himself here. Ex-members speak well of him, but he has clearly chosen a non-socialist political path. Don't hold your breath waiting for Judith S. From what I have heard she has moved much further away from any semblance of socialism and I doubt if she would ever have given any time to ye lot.

A friend of mine, after glancing at some of the shite here, reminded me of words of Trotsky that I think still hold good, despite it being nearly a century since they were penned:

"Without a party, apart from a party, over the head of a party, or with a substitute for a party, the proletarian revolution cannot conquer."​

Matt.

 

[Carl Steele]

I'm confused about all these new members signing on to U75 with the sole purpose of posting on this thread.

Is there some memo sent to Spartacists to come here to meet up and convince us (U75 members) of their cause?

You can take the boy out of the Spartacist League, but you can't take the Spartacist League out of the boy.
(you can but it's not easy).

So there's the brute fact of the thread's existence for which we can thank Idris2002

And then there's:

As likely that it was such a significant part of people's lives to have been a member that even now they've left and it's mostly defunct they still look for related stuff online and want somewhere to discuss what the hell it was all about, would be my guess.

Being a Spart is much like being a Scientologist or JW, once you leave it's hard to make sense of why you did it in the first place and it leaves a very deep impression on you.

And then I'm here saying it was all crap, and that's very triggering for some - Tom Riley took time off from building the revolutionary party to write maybe the longest document on his website denouncing me. And I'm not even politically active.

And then:

Perhaps they’re still in touch? Or engage in vanity googling.

Both of these things. Blame the world wide web.

So there you have it, question answered by committee

 

[hitmouse]

This is Lionel, a more hard-working and dedicated comrade you'd be hard-pushed to find. Not the most socialised person, but the ICL's problems are not caused by him.

Does he know how famous he is?

 

[Kevin Oakleigh]

I’ve recently read the exchange on the “Notes from Underground”blog and Tom Riley's “Jimstown as we new it.” His earlier “Jimstown” (1985) I had never read before while sections (but not all) of “On the Logan show trial” I knew.
From an ex comrade I retrieved some of my own letters written some 14 /15 years ago. An extract from one I’ve uploaded here concerning the very early SLANZ and and a member, Ken M, who was driven out. I’m sure he was seen as a possible alternative leadership in a situation where one could have arisen. I believe this purge set the basis for the 100% Bill and Adaire regime in Australia.

What is written between [ ] I’ve added and a deletion with an ellipse

 

[AmateurAgitator]

I followed this group because as an ex-member I have an interest in their demise and thought that someone here might be able to shed some light on recent happenings. The only thing I care about, to be honest, is the fate of the Prometheus Research Library.

Their current programme doesn't suit my thinking and their mode of operation certainly doesn't, although with the former it is more a case of them moving on.

What I found instead was a load of bellyaching and pseudo-psychology from people who regret their time in the Spartacists but never seemed to realise that it was a voluntary organisation. It might have been cultish, but it was never a cult. They might have taken themselves too seriously, but they were serious about building an alternative to the English Labour Party, unlike most of what passes for the English left.

I have no idea why Doug H expended so much effort explaining himself here. Ex-members speak well of him, but he has clearly chosen a non-socialist political path. Don't hold your breath waiting for Judith S. From what I have heard she has moved much further away from any semblance of socialism and I doubt if she would ever have given any time to ye lot.

A friend of mine, after glancing at some of the shite here, reminded me of words of Trotsky that I think still hold good, despite it being nearly a century since they were penned:

"Without a party, apart from a party, over the head of a party, or with a substitute for a party, the proletarian revolution cannot conquer."​

Matt.

When you say that the Sparts ain't a cult I just hear the voice of Douglas Reynholm saying " a religion not a cult!"

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Shame this country is ruled by ten thousand idiots clever enough to pull it off.

 

[danny la rouge]

This thread is fascinating. By “fascinating”, I of course mean “one I studiously avoid unless I end up here by accident, whereby I am always baffled by its mind numbing blend of the bonkers and the banal”.

 

[nogojones]

I followed this group because as an ex-member I have an interest in their demise and thought that someone here might be able to shed some light on recent happenings. The only thing I care about, to be honest, is the fate of the Prometheus Research Library.

Their current programme doesn't suit my thinking and their mode of operation certainly doesn't, although with the former it is more a case of them moving on.

What I found instead was a load of bellyaching and pseudo-psychology from people who regret their time in the Spartacists but never seemed to realise that it was a voluntary organisation. It might have been cultish, but it was never a cult. They might have taken themselves too seriously, but they were serious about building an alternative to the English Labour Party, unlike most of what passes for the English left.

I have no idea why Doug H expended so much effort explaining himself here. Ex-members speak well of him, but he has clearly chosen a non-socialist political path. Don't hold your breath waiting for Judith S. From what I have heard she has moved much further away from any semblance of socialism and I doubt if she would ever have given any time to ye lot.

A friend of mine, after glancing at some of the shite here, reminded me of words of Trotsky that I think still hold good, despite it being nearly a century since they were penned:

"Without a party, apart from a party, over the head of a party, or with a substitute for a party, the proletarian revolution cannot conquer."​

Matt.

I love these ex-sparts who, even though they think we are beneath their level of comprehension and debate, still rock up here to entertain us.

Thanks guys.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I love these ex-sparts who, even though they think we are beneath their level of comprehension and debate, still rock up here to entertain us.

Thanks guys.

Don't scare them off!

 

[nogojones]

Don't scare them off!

They're the only true, big bold revolutionaries round these parts. There's no way little old me could scare them.

 

[The39thStep]

This thread is fascinating. By “fascinating”, I of course mean “one I studiously avoid unless I end up here by accident, whereby I am always baffled by its mind numbing blend of the bonkers and the banal”.

On the other hand it’s the only place on the internet where ex Sparts have found a home . I wonder if we put some titbits out and were very quiet that we could attract ex members of Workers Power who we are one time the largest smallest Trot org in the U.K.

 

[nogojones]

On the other hand it’s the only place on the internet where ex Sparts have found a home . I wonder if we put some titbits out and were very quiet that we could attract ex members of Workers Power who we are one time the largest smallest Trot org in the U.K.

I do hope so. One of their leading members, who when intervening in meetings always came over as a proper robo-trot and headbanger, eventually gave up on me and turned out to be a real sweetie and quite a laugh.

 

[The39thStep]

I do hope so. One of their leading members, who when intervening in meetings always came over as a proper robo-trot and headbanger, eventually gave up on me and turned out to be a real sweetie and quite a laugh.

I think at one time they had about 25% of their membership on here , and then like that, in a flash , they were gone .

 

[hitmouse]

A friend of mine, after glancing at some of the shite here, reminded me of words of Trotsky that I think still hold good, despite it being nearly a century since they were penned:

"Without a party, apart from a party, over the head of a party, or with a substitute for a party, the proletarian revolution cannot conquer."​

What if the proletarian revolution just has a work event, would that do it?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

It's a thing of beauty albeit for a niche audience. Maybe in several million years time when the next version of humans find all the hard drives after reawakening from the capitalist apocalypse it'll become a cult classic!

 

[Dom Traynor]

I think at one time they had about 25% of their membership on here , and then like that, in a flash , they were gone .

We could have former members of Permanant Revolution led by CockneyRicePudRebel arguing with WP loyalists about a leaflet written in 2003 and which feels like my 1983.

 

[newbie]

I think at one time they had about 25% of their membership on here , and then like that, in a flash , they were gone .

somebody took the piss and scared them off!

 

[Sue]

somebody took the piss and scared them off!

Orders?

 

[JeffTipps4]

Was anyone here at the Seymour - Mandel debate in New York? I read the report of it and would pay good money to attend something like that. Probably makes me a little strange but who cares!

 

[nogojones]

What if the proletarian revolution just has a work event, would that do it?

As long as we take the state by surprise by ambushing it, the jobs a good 'un.

 

[krtek a houby]

On the other hand it’s the only place on the internet where ex Sparts have found a home . I wonder if we put some titbits out and were very quiet that we could attract ex members of Workers Power who we are one time the largest smallest Trot org in the U.K.

spartan 75

 

[JimW]

spartan 75

Urban 300

 

[deeyo]

Urban 300

sparts comes in spurts.

 

[A380]

Urban 300

URBAN!!!

 

[JimW]

Come back carrying this trestle table of defences of the North Korean deformed workers' state - or on it!