Democratic Socialist Party collection, 1995-2002, undated

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Summary

Abstract:
This collection contains discussion and information bulletins and various education materials that reflect the political sentiments and educational activities of the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP). The DSP began as the Socialist Workers Party of Australia in 1972, changed its name to the Democratic Socialist Party in the 1990s and then to the Democratic Socialist Perspective in 2001, and merged with the Socialist Alliance in 2010.
Extent:
.83 Linear Feet and 2 boxes
Language:
Collection material is in English.
Preferred citation:

For information about citing archival material, see the Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.

Background

Scope and content:

The Democratic Socialist Party Collection, 1995-2002, undated comprises discussion and information bulletins that reflect the activities and political sentiments of the Democratic Socialist Party, as well as syllabi and study guides related to the Party's education initiatives.

Biographical / historical:

The Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), originally called the Socialist Workers Party of Australia (SWP), was an Australian political party that was founded in 1972 by members of the Socialist Youth Alliance. The SWP was affiliated with the 4th International as well as the American Socialist Workers Party until 1986 when the SWP transitioned away from Trotskyist ideology towards Leninism. In the 1990s the SWP was re-named the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), and in 2001 it changed its name to the Democratic Socialist Perspective, when it became an internal tendency within the Socialist Alliance. In 2010, the Democratic Socialist Perspective voted to merge completely into the Socialist Alliance, effectively ceasing its function as an affiliate organization. The Party believed in the importance of organizing the working class as a way to meet their goal of replacing capitalism with socialism. Although labor unions rely on collective action and solidarity, the Party believed that unions alone were incapable of organizing workers for revolutionary action, and therefore a revolutionary socialist party was needed that could support and strengthen unions through promoting trade union democracy and class consciousness. The Party sought to educate workers about exploitation and oppression under capitalism by disseminating various publications and through various other educational initiatives.

Bibliography:

Program of the Democratic Socialist Party. Doug Lorimer Archive, Socialist Alternative. https://www.sa.org.au/node/4008#3

Recoba, Alvaro. "An Outline History of a Chameleon Party : a history of the Democratic Socialist Party of Australia." Revolutionary Democracy, Vol. 8, No. 2, September 2002. https://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv8n2/dsp.htm

Custodial history:

The Democratic Socialist Party Collection was donated to the Holt Labor Library in San Francisco, California between 1992 and 2019, and was acquired by the Gerth Archives and Special Collections at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2019.

Processing information:

Allison Ransom processed the collection and wrote the finding aid in March 2020.

Arrangement:

The collection is alphabetically arranged in one series.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing archival material, see the Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.

Location of this collection:
University Library, 5th Flr (5039)
1000 E. Victoria Street
Carson, CA 90747, US
Contact:
(310) 243-3895
archives@csudh.edu
Website