Socialist Reconstruction

Socialist Reconstruction takes seriously the question of what it would look like to build a socialist society in the United States, transforming society: from ending the U.S.’s imperialist exploits, to eliminating poverty, racism, and bigotry, this book considers how we can use the wealth and development of modern society for the good of the people.

Socialist Reconstruction aims to demonstrate, rather than just declare, that there is an alternative to capitalism in the United States. Please join us in an online conversation moderated by Kym Smith, contributors Ben Becker and Jodi Dean, and Vijay Prashad, Director of TriContinental Institute for Social Research.

[cjsansoo]

Just finished reading the book and I have to say as an author myself I can give it my highest compliment. I wish I'd written it!!! Very detailed and should make sense for the masses of people worldwide and in America who struggle daily in this decadent capitalist system.

[amrit]

Is settler colonialism discussed within the book? Y’all talk about a socialist United States, but what about all the Indigenous Nations and their struggle for liberation? Is land back a core tenet of this vision of socialism in the so called United States?

[JohnT.]

The concept of socialist reconstruction of society is not new since it was talked about in the early 20th century here in the US. But it fell short in what was to be done politically and economically. The concept was the Socialist Industrial Union Program (SIU) as set forth by the American Socialist Daniel De Leon. It came into being as the Industrial Workers of the World union. Shortly after, those who headed the IWW rejected political action and only favored economic direct action in every shop the unionized. The IWW has remained a anti-capitalist union and have obtained the eight hour work day. To continue: Daniel De Leon (and others) were thrown out of the IWW since the leadership rejected political action. The IWW, however, never lived up to its lofty goals. It’s critique of capitalism never transcended a visceral hatred of the system’s exploitation and oppression, and never attempted to examine the nuances and intricacies of capitalist development and understand the significance of the consequent changing conditions under which the working class waged its struggles.

What was the good idea of Socialist Industrial Unionism? To organize workers on the economic and political fields. The Union would gather all trade unions under one umbrella. The SIU would be the foundation of workers ownership of the means of production and distribution and to end capitalism. What went wrong? The political beliefs of Daniel De Leon, as reflected by the Socialist Labor Party of America, rejected any reforms that would benefits workers and their families. De Leon confused reforms with reformism (which socdems try to do to reform capitalism without overthrowing it) and the Party isolated itself from all other Left Parties considering them as reformers. De Leon also believed that workers can use the ballot box to adjourn the US government peacefully--if only it was this easy. The SLP, to this day, claim that socialism has never existed on the planet and that the SLP has the "only" true socialism. that's the reason no one has ever heard of the SLP.

In my opinion the Socialist Industrial Union Program should be looked into as a tool of the working class which would do correct political work under Marxist-Leninism and union work to secure the means of production and distribution. With a Socialist government and SIU program the people of the US and the world would be better off. One can look at Professor Paul Cockshott's channel about "Cyber Labor Time Credits" as the alternative to money.

[JohnT.]

I never get a notification because of You Tube. So I am watching the replay now.

[freemangriffin]

Ben Becker needs to be on youtube far more often. PSL National needs more content, there should be DAILY videos up, including a regular news show from a socialist perspective. I stumbled on the party through youtube - still waiting to hear from someone as I wish to join (I have filled out the form twice).

I love the book and want to discuss it with others! It's brilliant!

[rabbitsforyang]

Vijay is always a breath of fresh air, I would expand upon the call for "common sense" solutions instead of "socialist" solutions
the capitalist controllers have always managed to marginalize socialist solutions as the "other", what is necessary is not to proclaim solutions to the people but to empower them in mass consensus through the Constructive Web, so that millions could contribute to a set of solutions and demand their implementation
such consensus "common sense" solutions will inevitably include many good socialist ideas but refined through cultural and practical concerns

[kcitf]

1:07:15 You heard it here first folks(x)... Communism: defeated by NETFLIX subscriptions... GODDAMN that "individual" time!

[merfymac]

Call me a vile bourgeois pig dog but I think it’s good to see so many books behind the ppl in today’s discussion

[christiancommunistpartyoft]

What a good debate, thanks, I need a marxist system !!

[kcitf]

1:02:25 Thanks Joe Biden for making the White House great for NAPS!

[nidhinjuvin]

excellent forum into our upcoming revolution of the proletariat ✊🏾

[williamjarrell]

History has shown how you tankies want to construct a socialist society: a police state with Gulags if not genocide.