Socialist Worker is the name of several socialist/communist newspapers associated (or formerly associated) with the International Socialist Tendency (IST). It is a weekly published by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) in the United Kingdom, a monthly (and daily web site) published by the International Socialist Organization (ISO) in the United States, a triweekly published by the International Socialists in Canada, a biweekly published by the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland and was a monthly published by the former International Socialist Organisation in Australia. Socialist Worker is also the name of an IST political group in Aotearoa / New Zealand.[1]
Contents |
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner | N/A |
| Editor | Judith Orr[2] |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Political alignment | Socialist |
| Official website | www.socialistworker.co.uk |
The Socialist Worker published by the SWP, claims to be the most widely read socialist newspaper in the United Kingdom, although this claim is also made by the Morning Star, which has a daily circulation of 14,000. Although Socialist Worker sales/circulation data is not publicly available, John Molyneux estimates the circulation of the paper is currently under 8,000.[3]
Originally Industrial Worker, and then Labour Worker, it was founded by the Socialist Review Group (which became the International Socialists, then the SWP) in 1961 in London (Cliff 78).
The newspaper was renamed Socialist Worker in 1968 and moved to weekly production; its first editor was Roger Protz (Higgins 90). Its language and general approach was modelled on The Daily Mirror but aimed to provide a very different set of ideas (Harman 40). Writers included Paul Foot, Duncan Hallas and Eamonn McCann plus reports of strikes and other struggles from across the country sent in by readers. The editor from 1974 to 1978, Paul Foot (Foot xii) later went to work for the Mirror, though he continued to contribute to Socialist Worker until his death in 2004. It was edited for many years by Chris Harman. Working for the newspaper has proved to be an effective apprenticeship for many prominent journalists at the onset of their careers, including Gary Bushell[4] the brothers Christopher[5] and Peter Hitchens.[6]
After 2004 it was edited by Chris Bambery, who was succeeded by Charlie Kimber in 2009, and Judith Orr late in 2010. [2]
The paper is printed early on Wednesday morning, then delivered to key parts of the country, where people in the region collect the paper and sell it. It also has a subscription service by which the paper is delivered on the Thursday by mail. It is also distributed to some shops through the WHSmith News distribution network. It is sent free to any UK prisoners that request it.
It is freely available online. The paper is often sold by street campaigners and picketers as well as in newsagents.
| Type | Biweekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner | N/A |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Political alignment | Socialist |
| Official website | socialistworker.org |
Shortly after its foundation in 1977, the ISO began publishing a monthly titled Socialist Worker, modelled after the British publication of the same name and the biweekly Workers' Power, then published by the International Socialists. As its circulation increased along with the growth of the ISO, the frequency of publication has increased, becoming a weekly with issue 379, dated 12 October 2001. The 500th issue was published on 21 May 2004. The paper became a daily web site on May Day 2008.
Since 13 April 2001, the ISO has also published a Spanish language supplement to Socialist Worker, titled Obrero Socialista. Publication was irregular until 2005, since when it has been bimonthly. Socialist Worker is edited by Alan Maass, and Obrero Socialista by Orlando Sepulveda.
| Type | Monthly (bi-weekly from 1995-2006) newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner | N/A |
| Founded | 1968 (as Workers' Action) |
| Political alignment | Socialist |
| Official website | www.socialist.ca |
Socialist Worker is the publication of the International Socialists, the Canadian IST affiliate. The newspaper was originally called Workers' Action and was published monthly from 1975 until August 1985. After 108 issues, it was renamed Socialist Worker. In 1995 Socialist Worker started publishing every two weeks, except for triweekly issues in May, July and December. Socialist Worker published its 450th issue on 8 June 2005. In recent years, the newspaper has been published irregularly, usually on a triweekly or monthly basis. Articles from the paper (from 1999 to the present) can no longer be found on the paper's web site, but are accessible through the "Way Back Machine" -- [1]
Socialist Worker is twelve pages and printed in black and red. Its circulation is estimated to be 1200, according to IS members. A French-language monthly, Résistance!, was also published by the IS and claimed a circulation of 300, most of it in Quebec. It has now ceased publication. The Agitator, a monthly student bulletin was published from 2007 to early 2009.
The Irish SWP's fortnightly Socialist Worker styles itself as a "paper of the movements", with more in depth articles and commentary from left activists outside the party.
Similar publications with the same title were formerly published in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian International Socialist Organisation's paper ended with the merger of the ISO and two other socialist groups which formed Solidarity. The Socialist Worker political group in New Zealand now writes for the broader left monthly Workers' Charter, maintaining a themed quarterly journal called UNITY as an independent Marxist publication.