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The World Socialist Movement (WSM) is an international organisation of affiliated socialist parties created in 1904 with the founding of the Socialist Party of Great Britain. The parties share a common orthodox socialist perspective, therefore in contrast to Social democratic parties, the WSM member parties do not form blocs or coalitions with other socialist parties that do not share their orthodoxy; and in contrast to Leninist Communist parties, they do not engage in revolutionary activities spearheaded by a Vanguard. They do however stand in elections on occasion indeed it is their believe that sending delegates to parliament as in their opinion it is a useful tool within the socialist revolution, this places them within the context of Marxism and therefore distinguishes them from many anarchist organisations that may support the idea of socialism as the WSM sees it but not the Marxist tactics they propose. The focus of the WSM member parties is to proliferate the ideas of socialism, correct misconceptions regarding socialism, to make people aware of the structural issues inherent to capitalism and to facilitate open debate regarding the future organization of society.[1]
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The World Socialist Movement's positions are solely based on the establishment of socialism; and nothing else unrelated to socialism, including social activism or campaigning for non-socialist, but socially progressive causes that are irrelevant to socialism as a distinct system from capitalism.
The WSM takes the position that capitalism is a regressive, backwards system given humanity's current level of technological and economic development, and that regardless of how progressive capitalism becomes, it cannot meet the needs of the majority of the population. The WSM as an organisation does not participate in labor union activity, social activism or "progressive" movements although individual members may and are permitted to do so, so long as they remain within the context of economic/social rather than political activism. The WSM perceives such activity (such as support for organized labor unions) to be within the scope of the current capitalist system, and therefore insufficient for bringing about fundamental change in the structure of society because the demands of such activities are to reform capitalism.[2] The WSM is differentiated from the majority of socialist parties that have become defined by their strategy, immediate demands, and in the case of Social democratic parties, preoccupied with gaining and maintaining political office, adopting capitalist perspectives in the process.[3]
The WSM defines socialism in its classical formulation as a "system of society based upon the common ownership and democratic control of the means and instruments for producing and distributing wealth by and in the interest of the community". Socialism is characterized as a stateless, propertyless, post-monetary economy based on calculation in kind, a free association of producers (workplace democracy) and free access to goods and services produced solely for use and not for exchange.[4]
The WSM takes an anti-Leninist stance, arguing that a Vanguard party and single-party state is antithetical to the development of socialism and prone to corruption. The WSM believes that socialism can only be achieved through mass support for socialism and educating the public toward that end, and neither promotes nor opposes political reforms of capitalism (such as social democracy), criticizing such reforms as being ineffective at promoting a fundamental restructuring of society toward socialism. The WSM is also opposed to a transition stage between capitalism and socialism, such as "market socialism", arguing that such is no longer necessary given modern technology.
World Socialist was a bi-annual journal that was produced by the international from 1983 to 1987 and the international's only publication to date.
All the parties, except the Austrian BDS, began as offshoots from the Socialist Party of Great Britain; WSM members in countries without a companion party of their own are as a rule SPGB members. It is made up of the following parties:
The following parties were at one time companion parties of the WSM but have since disaffiliated or been expelled:
A group used to exist in Sweden, with the name Världsocialistiska gruppen.