https://geesemag.com/articles/psls-top-propagandist-resigns-publishes-tell-all
Interesting, and it covers a lot of ground including ACP and the Red Star Caucus within DSA. It gives a good definition of the word “tendency” I’ve seen used a lot. But I wouldn’t take it too seriously. The basic criticism is what we already know. PSL is more like a Leninist cult* than an open membership organization. As such, it will attempt to, and in fact it must, quash internal “rebellions” that seek to transform it into something else. And PSL is one among many following that approach, probably the best, way better than RCP or ACP or anything else I can think of that still exists in USA.
ISO** was similar in reach but no longer exists, they were in some ways similar to PSL (anti-Popular Frontist, for one thing) but ISO was Trotskyist, whereas PSL is Leninist--which is much much better. Trotskyists and Trotskyites serve Imperialists by critiquing all their foes, really (or formerly) existing 'Communist' countries such as USSR, Cuba, Vietnam, and China. True communists recognize all resistance to Empire as a good thing, even republican theocracies such as Iran and anti-imperialist capitalist countries such as the Russian Federation. True communists, Marxist Leninists, are one with the concept of Popular Front, and will even work with capitalist parties like the Democratic Party when it is useful to do so. PSL follows a "Marxism And Leninism" line which eschews Popular Frontism in principle, though not always in practice.
When you become an open membership organization, what you get is something like DSA, which is hardly revolutionary at all, often accused of being a Democratic Party shill for the left. BTW, I'm a member of DSA because it's easy to be one, and though I don't always agree with their collective judgements, I think they are useful too. One thing about DSA is they haven't yet established a "thought police," you can believe anything you want and still be a member, they don't even pretend to be Democratic Centralist, in fact their founder fundamentally opposed that idea.
PSL’s thesis, that USA is not ready for revolution, is basically correct. Geese Review is not doing anything better, in fact they’re not even on the map. It’s nearly impossible to find out anything about them they’re so tiny. They’re just flame throwers, disparaging everyone else, even though they have little to offer. So I wouldn’t worry about their critique, especially as I’m not tithing to PSL as a "member" anyway. I'm just an ally who attends their protests and other events, sometimes chipping in a few bucks to help. When and if Geese ever assembles an organization as large as PSL, and does something more than just flame throwing in the circular firing squad of the left, I'll be their ally too.
*Any small Leninist organization will seem like a cult. Lenin in practice (if not rhetoric) required loyalty more than mass membership. That doesn't mean such organizations are useless. It is important to have one or more of those. In addition, Class Consciousness raising, as I've pointed out before, is the thing and just about the only thing at this point. PSL is correct about this, even seeming to echo my points. But I'd recommend not voting for any "party" that isn't large enough or organized enough to get on the ballot. I don't do write-ins anymore, they just don't get counted. When you can, vote for a party like The Green Party which has very good positions and often IS on the ballot. And don't take any leftist flame throwing seriously.
**ISO was brought down by internal sex scandals. What PSL is being accused of is trivial by comparison. I always felt that if I got involved with ISO enough, I'd get laid too, and I sometimes wish I had.
