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Who We Are
The Socialist Party of Boston is the Boston-area local of the Socialist Party USA, the successor to Eugene Debs's and Norman Thomas's Socialist Party of America. We are a democratic socialist, feminist, anti-racist party, and we strive to establish a radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control.
Socialism is not mere government ownership; it is not a welfare state; it is not a repressive bureaucracy. Socialism is a new social and economic order in which workers and consumers control production and community residents control their neighborhoods, homes, and schools. The production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few. Socialism produces a constantly renewed future by not plundering the resources of the earth.
Radical democracy is the cornerstone not only of our socialism, but also of our strategy. A society based on radical democracy, with power exercised through people's organizations, requires a socialist transformation from below. People's organizations cannot be created by legislation, nor can they spring into being only on the eve of a revolution. Our tactics in the struggle for radical democratic change reflect our ultimate goal of a society founded on principles of egalitarian, non-exploitative and non-violent relations among all people and between all peoples.
Our aim is the creation of a new social order, a society in which the commanding value is the infinite preciousness of every woman, man and child.
You can learn more by reading the Socialist Party's Statement of Principles. If you agree with our principles, we encourage you to get involved and join the Socialist Party today. For more information, feel free to contact us at
- Socialist Party of Boston
- PO Box 15342
- Boston, MA 02215
or by sending an email to "spboston (at) spboston (dot) org".
Events
For a more complete list of upcoming events in Boston, check out our current events listing.
7/27: July Local Meeting
The Socialist Party of Boston met at noon on Sunday, 27 July 2008 in the Lucy Parsons Center. We focused on upcoming antiwar demonstrations on 2 August and 4 August, as well as planning for the October 11 antiwar action. Also discussed were the Bread and Roses festival in Lawrence in September, and our chair's recent trip to Venezuela. For more information, check out the full minutes.
8/8: DMZ -- Boston De-Militarized Zone
Join the Socialist Party and the Stop the Wars Coalition every Friday, 6-8 pm at the corner of Mass Ave. and Boylston St., to establish a De-Militarized Zone where all those who wish can congregate to denigrate and repudiate the war machine and celebrate the movement against war and oppression.
Bring your signs and minds, ready to chalk, talk, play music, paint art, and sing leftist songs with caring and sharing, in unity declaring that we are "chilling against the villins" in this zone to show our independence from the state.
8/9: October 11 Organizing Meeting
Meet at 3 pm at Encuentro5 (33 Harrison Ave., fifth floor, Chinatown) to form an October 11 Coalition and kick off planning for the October 11 antiwar action in Boston.
For more information, visit Oct11.org.
8/9: Roundtable on Zionism
What is Zionism? Is anti-Zionism anti-Semitic? Does the antiwar movement have to take a stand against Zionism as part of its work? Join the Socialist Party of Boston at 6 pm in the Corner Mall (food court) at Downtown Crossing for an informal discussion of these issues coming out of June's National Assembly in Cleveland.
8/31: August Local Meeting
The Socialist Party of Boston will meet at noon on Sunday, 31 August 2008 in the Lucy Parsons Center. We are approaching several critical deadlines related to electoral campaigns, so much of the meeting may focus on those issues. Also approaching are the upcoming antiwar demonstration on 11 October, and the Bread and Roses festival in Lawrence in September. For more information, check out the preliminary agenda below.
The Lucy Parsons Center is located at 549 Columbus Ave. in the South End, near the Mass Ave. T stop on the Orange Line, the Symphony T stop on the Green Line (E), and the #1 bus line.
Books and literature
The Socialist Party of Boston has a small library of radical books for sale, listed here. We're offering each of them for $5, well below the cover price. To order, or for more information, email us at "spboston (at) spboston (dot) org" or stop by an upcoming meeting or event.
We have a wide variety of literature outlining our past, present, principles and positions, available for free online. This includes
- Pamphlets and statements.
- Socialism as Radical Democracy, the Statement of Principles of the Socialist Party USA.
- "You Don't Have to be a Saint to be a Socialist", a primer on democratic socialism.
- A Century of Struggle, History of the Socialist Party USA, 1901-2007.
- Socialist Party USA: Who We Are, Where We Stand.
- A Lot of What's Best About America is Socialist! Don't believe it? Take a look.
- Democratic Socialism, the way to jobs, peace and freedom.
- International Women's Day, our day of empowerment, resistance, and celebration.
- May Day Greetings, a joint statement by Rune Lund, a Member of the Danish Parliament representing the Red-Green Alliance and Eric Chester, Convener of the International Commission of the Socialist Party USA.
- Recent back issues of our magazines, The Socialist and Socialist Women.
- The Socialist, May Day 2008.
- The Socialist, International Women's Day 2008.
- The Socialist, Year-end 2007.
- Socialist Women, Fall 2007.
- The Socialist, Fall 2007.
- Socialist Women, Summer 2007.
- The Socialist, May Day 2007.
- The Socialist, International Women's Day 2007.
- Socialist Women, Fall 2006.
- The Socialist, Fall 2006.
- Socialist Women, Summer 2006.
- The Socialist, May Day 2006.
- The Socialist, International Women's Day 2006.
- Issues of our bimonthly Boston bulletin, with brief announcements of news and events.
- Volume 3, Number 4, August-September 2008.
- Volume 3, Number 3, June-July 2008.
- Volume 3, Number 2, April-May 2008.
- Volume 3, Number 1, February-March 2008.
- Volume 2, Number 6, December 2007-January 2008.
- Volume 2, Number 5, October-November 2007.
- Volume 2, Number 4, August-September 2007.
- Volume 2, Number 3, June-July 2007.
- Volume 2, Number 2, April-May 2007.
- Volume 2, Number 1, February-March 2007.
- Volume 1, Number 1, December 2006-January 2007.
Recent Statements
Statement on Iran
- 3 August 2008
- Socialist Party International Commission
A military attack on Iran is a real possibility. George Bush, in the waning days of his Administration, may launch an attack on Iran, or Israel, with the US blessing, may launch such an attack on its own. Another scenario is that this administration may ratchet up the pressures on Iran, leaving it to the next administration, either Obama or McCain, to initiate a military attack and occupation. In any case, the Socialist Party opposes the use of military force or economic sanctions to deal with the problems involving Iran... read more.
Statement on Religious Freedom
- July 2008
- Socialist Party Faith and Socialism Commission
After watching the candidates of the two capitalist parties involve themselves with religious leaders and subsequently turn their backs on them, it is important for us to make observations from a Socialist perspective concerning religious freedom... read more.
Statement on Bolivia
- 5 June 2008
- Socialist Party International Commission
The Socialist Party USA expresses its solidarity with the workers, campesinos and indigenous communities of Bolivia who are struggling to create a new vibrant socialist project in their country. The possibilities of achieving such a goal were greatly accelerated by the election in 2005 of the government of Evo Morales, representative of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party. Now, two years into Morales' first term, the MAS government faces serious challenges from the right delivered in the form of a movement for "autonomy" coming from a bastion of the old oligarchy in Santa Cruz... read more.
Links
Our affiliates are:
- Socialist Party USA, the national organization (MySpace, Facebook)
- Socialist National Committee, the SP's electoral arm
- Young People's Socialist League, autonomous youth affiliate
- Socialist Party of Massachusetts (MySpace)
More links can be found here.