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In Defense of American Trotskyism

Revolutionary Principles
and Working-Class Democracy

Edited by Paul Le Blanc

Published by the Fourth Internationalist Tendency, First Edition: September, 1992

Introduction: Leninism in the United States and the Decline of the Socialist Workers Party
by Paul Le Blanc
Appendix I: The Internal Situation and the Character of the Party, by James P Cannon and Max Shachtman
Appendix II: George Breitman and Alan Wald on the History of Trotskyism in the United States
Appendix III: Snapshots of American Trotskyism by Paul Le Blanc

I. The Cannon Tradition: "Don't Strangle the Party!"
II. Overview
III. The Purge Begins
IV. Expulsion of National Committee Members
V. The Case of the Legless Veteran
VI. The California and Minnesota Purges
VII. Four Comrades
VIII. The Fourth Internationalist Tendency
IX. Evaluations
Appendix: The Organizational Norms of a Proletarian Party

[Editor Paul Le Blanc's dedication:] I dedicate this volume to the memory of three American Trotskyists whom I met, admired, and loved before my own involvement:

Ruth Querio
Naomi Berman
Haskell Berman

Ruth is described in this volume.

Naomi (1922-1986) and Haskell (1922-1991) became revolutionary socialists in the 1930s and part of the Trotskyist movement beginning in the 1940s - first through the Socialist Workers Party, later in the Fourth Internationalist Tendency. They were centrally involved in efforts for peace, freedom, and socialism in Philadelphia for many years and were deeply respected by a broad range of activists.

These three comrades were warm, principled, thoughtful working-class militants, who represented the very best in the American Trotskyist tradition.


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