Behind Lines By Malik Miah

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leader of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP).

Miah was recently undemocratically expelled from that organization for raising his political differences with the SWP's analysis of the airline industry, particularly its analysis of a failed buyout at United Airlines last October, and of the 11-month strike at Eastern Airlines. (See Miah's Eastern strike story on page 20] Miah was a member of the SWP for 20 years, serving 15 years as a member of the SWP National Committee. He is a former editor of The Militant, the newspaper of the SWP. He edited several books and pamphlets on politics and the Black Liberation struggle, including "The Assassination of Malcolm Although Miah's expulsion will be reviewed by the SWP convention in June 1990, he has since joined Socialist Action. Here he explains why.

Why have I joined Socialist Action (SA) today instead of waitClo sing dai Feb. 27, 1990 Gong, Guest Columnist ing for the results of the June Socialist Workers Party (SWP) convention? It is the most effective way to respond to the SWP leaders' attempt to keep from their members why I was removed from the party.

In addition, Socialist Action is a revolutionary Marxist organization. The leaders and most of the members of Socialist Action were expelled from the SWP in the early 1980s. At the time, I wholeheartedly agreed with their expulsion. In fact, while I still disagree with SA on many of the political questions that were a factor in their expulsion-theory of Permanent Revolution, role of the Cuban leadership in world politics, how to rebuild an international communist movement-SA has been impacted by national and international developments. It is politically stronger.

SA has gone through two clarifying political splits and has adopted the 1965 organizational resolution of the SWP as its own. While some former SA members sought to dump traditions that had guided the SWP so well for over 50 years, the SA majority said "No."

Since the Political Committee and National Committee of the SWP have decided forthwith that I will no longer be treated as a comrade of the SWP, I had only two choices: drop out of active politics, at least as an independentthinking revolutionary worker; or seek out another group (or start one) that stands on the best traditions of Marxism in the United States.

I still consider the SWP as an organization closely identified with those traditions. But the SWP does not want me unless I say I was wrong and the central leaders were correct. Even then I'm not sure I would ever be allowed back in the SWP.

SA's Marxist traditions On the other hand, Socialist Action stands on those same Marxist traditions and will allow me full democratic rights within the organization. I believe, in light of my recent expulsion from the SWP, that this question of internal democracy is crucial to building a revolutionary party her and abroad.

Furthermore, SA supports building a working-class based party in the United States and urges its members to work at industrial jobs with industrial unions. It orients to the unions. But unlike the SWP, it does not see the current stage of working-class politics as a reflection of greater radicalization of the unions and thus putting them at center stage of U.S. politics.

SA more correctly sees the capitalist system in deep crisis, as best reflected in the 1987 Stock Market Crash and sees a major economic depression on the near horizon. When that recession will hit and which workers will move to resist first, SA does not predict. It seeks, the Eastern Airlines strike) and through that participation advance workers' political and class consciousness.

My agreement with SA'on the question of internal democracy and its analysis of the current stage of working-class struggles and how that impacts on work in the trade unions is why I can join forces with SA today.

While a member of the SWP leadership, I raised all my questions through the proper leadership bodies. This is why no one in the San Francisco and Oakland branches was aware of my "counterline" and other "errors" until after I was removed from membership.

I wasn't allowed to answer my accusers in my branch. Even at the SWP plenum, where my appeal was heard, I was not allowed to answer questions or participate in the discussion on whether the charge against me was valid. Is that democratic?

"Join forces with SA!"

I urge former members of the SWP who felt they were unjustly expelled or forced to resign out of frustration with the party's methods to seriously reconsider their political future. If you want to remain in politics, fight back. Former SWP leaders Comrades Barry Sheppard and Caroline Lund have taken this course and joined Socialist Action. Consider our actions and join forces with SA.

SA's goal is a fusion with the SWP that protects the rights of the membership. Both SA and the SWP are small revolutionary nuclei. Fused into one group they can be more effective and lay the basis for building a stronger Marxist party in the United States.

Malik Miah has put together an 80-page bulletin documenting his political expulsion. Those interested in obtaining a copy can reach Miah clo Socialist Action. A $4 contribution to cover expenses is suggested.—the editors

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