Socialist Democracy (Australia)
Socialist Democracy (1985 - 2005) was a network of Trotskyist activists in Australia who were in sympathy with the reunified Fourth International.
Most had been members of the Socialist Workers Party. After the SWP's National Committee split that party from the International after its 1985 World Congress,[1] supporters of the International found themselves outside the SWP. They formed Socialist Democracy, which was recognised as a sympathising section by the International's 1962 World Congress.[2]
Reflecting the International's encouragement for regroupment, Socialist Democracy supported and joined the Socialist Alliance.[3]
The group's initial experience of the Alliance was positive.[4] It became the principal collective activity of group members. However, the success of the Alliance strained relations between the Democratic Socialist Perspective (DSP) and the International Socialist Organisation came to a head in 2002. The DSP intended to dissolve into the Alliance, a move which Socialist Democracy warned would lead to a terminal crisis in the Alliance.[5]
Socialist Democracy finally disbanded in December 2005.