EDIT: The original article I posted kinda sucked. I’ll keep it here for posterity if people want to read it, but I’ll replace it with a link @RedWizard posted with original resignation letter and the PSL internal response. If you want to read just the resignation letter with the PSL criticisms without any preamble, it is here.
EDIT 2: Here is the leaked PSL internal response.
Comment by @chana in the general thread: (Sorry to copy your comment here but it’s the only comment I’ve seen so far on this and it’s a good way to start off the discussion, along with summer discussion questions I’ll add below)
Comment text
Notable resignation and letter from PSL Central Committee member and related fomenting split in Brooklyn over PSL being run as a bureaucratic clique (which many will already be aware of from speaking with various PSL members trying to do more than participate in protests). PSL is good at specific local levels despite the national level dysfunction, and the vast majority of its membership good comrades. But the criticisms certainly ring true to me and are reasonable to cite as existential flaws. There is a bit of clown nonsense from the top on a regular basis (like the call for a general strike, cited in the resignation letter, lmao that is baby liberal idealism stuff).
If you’re currently unorganized don’t let this stop you from joining, it is more important to be active and learn locally from any non-abusive left space than to do nothing organized.
Discussion Questions:
- There’s a lot of PSL fans or members here so what do you think? Like overall on this news?
- Do the complaints have merit, or not? Do some do, and some don’t? Which ones? – If so, what does this mean for the left in the US? What are the solutions and what is the path from here? – If not, why don’t you think so? And what does it mean for the left in terms of factionalism and splitting?
- Do you still recommend the PSL as an organization to join? What about the DSA? Join the Democratic Party? FRSO?
why are we so messy
Theory written on the topic
https://www.marxists.org/archive/hall/1970/crisis-petty-bourgeois-radicalism.htm
My Tl:Dr version - hyper-individualistic petite bourgeois radicalism brain worms that permeates through American and liberalized western society a la Gramsci’s cultural hegemony theory.
Musical version of my answer below
https://youtu.be/f88nMWvCZSY
Saving the article to read later, but the song is great lol
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
Can’t comment on this particular case I honestly can’t be bothered to look into it more deeply but I’ve found in general lots of western leftists have huge fucking egos and a lack of self awareness. In my local orgs relatively minor disagreements tend to escalate into huge arguments and even splits.
I’m not saying we should do the liberal decorum bullshit where everybody bends over backwards trying to negotiate a magical “middle way”, just that a lot of people on the left would do well to learn some self restraint and realize how deeply unserious shit like this looks to onlookers, most of which you want to eventually be on your side. Literally nobody that’s not already invested into radical leftist politics (which is to begin with a tiny number of people) is going to read your grandiose diatribes about why you left a party even if we assume you’re objectively 100% correct all the time.
I’m also not saying all such splits are due to fragile egos but fuck me if a good chunk of them aren’t.
people are messy