The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) is a far-left political organization in the United States that was founded in 1938. It emerged from a split within the Socialist Party of America and has since advocated socialist policies and workers’ rights. The SWP follows the political ideology of Trotskyism, which is based on the ideas of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Throughout its history, the party has been involved in various social and political movements, including civil rights, anti-war efforts, and labor struggles.
Despite its long-standing presence in American politics, the Socialist Workers Party has remained a relatively small organization with limited electoral success. The party regularly fields candidates for local, state, and national offices, using elections as a platform to promote socialist ideas and criticize the two-party system. The SWP publishes a weekly newspaper called “The Militant” and operates a publishing house, Pathfinder Press, which produces books on socialist theory and revolutionary history. While the party’s influence has waned since its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, it continues to be active in promoting socialist policies and participating in various social movements across the United States.
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Through an exploration of the life of Japanese American activist Richard Aoki, students will examine one man’s story that is more complex than the simple binaries we often find in stories of activism.
