Socialist Worker

"Socialist Worker" is the name of several socialist/communist newspapers. It is a weekly newspaper published by the International Socialist Organization in the United States, a weekly published by the Socialist Workers Party in the United Kingdom, a biweekly published by International Socialists in Canada, and a biweekly published in Ireland.
Socialist Worker is also the name of a political group in Aotearoa / New Zealand. [http://www.unityaotearoa.blogspot.com]

ocialist Worker - United Kingdom

Infobox Newspaper
name = Socialist Worker


type = Weekly newspaper
format = Tabloid
foundation = 1968
owners = N/A
political = Socialist
headquarters =
editor = Chris Bambery
website = [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/ www.socialistworker.co.uk]

The "Socialist Worker" published in the UK, 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 [http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:AWDyF9W2FvoJ:www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/606/606.pdf+%22john+molyneux%22+%22socialist+worker%22+circulation+8,000&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk] .

Originally "Industrial Worker", and then "Labour Worker", it was founded by the Socialist Review Group (who 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 "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.Fact|date=February 2007

Since 2004 it has been edited by Chris Bambery who has aimed to move it towards a style more like that of "il manifesto", an Italian socialist/communist newspaper.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 published online for free.

ocialist Worker - USA

Shortly after its foundation in 1977, the International Socialist Organization 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 International Socialist Organization (ISO), the frequency of publication has increased, becoming a weekly with issue 379, dated October 12, 2001. The 500th issue was published on May 21, 2004.

Since April 13, 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 Hector Reyes.

ocialist Worker - Canada

Socialist Worker is the publication of the International Socialists, a Canadian socialist organization affiliated with the International Socialist Tendency. 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 1994 "Socialist Worker" started publishing every two weeks, except for tri-weekly issues in May, July and December. "Socialist Worker" published its 450th issue on June 8 2005. Articles from the paper (from 1999 to the present) can be found on the paper's web site, www.socialist.ca.

"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!", is also published by the IS and claims a circulation of 300, most of it in Quebec.

Other countries

The Irish fortnightly "Socialist Worker" also 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 continue to be published in Australia and formerly in New Zealand. The Socialist Worker political group in Aotearoa / New Zealand now writes for the broader left monthly "Workers' Charter", maintaining a themed quarterly journal called "UNITY" as an independent Marxist publication.

References

*Tony Cliff (2000) "A World to Win". Bookmarks, London, ISBN 1-898876-62-2
*Paul Foot (1990) "Words as Weapons", Verso, London, ISBN 0-86091-527-1
*Chris Harman (1991) "The Revolutionary Paper", SWP, ISBN 0-905998-78-2
*Jim Higgins (1997) "More years for the Locust", IS Group, London, ISBN 0-9530607-0-5 [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/ Complete text]

ee also

* List of Socialist Newspapers in the United Kingdom

External links

* [http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/ Socialist Worker Web page] (British)

* [http://www.socialistworker.org/ Socialist Worker Web page] (United States)
* [http://www.socialist.ca/ Socialist Worker Web page] (Canada)
* [http://www.unityaotearoa.blogspot.com/ Socialist Worker Web page] (Aotearoa / New Zealand)

* Socialist Worker (US) [http://www.socialistworker.org/Featured/SW500.shtml compilation of articles about the paper's goals and the history of socialist newspapers]