When Brother Klonsky broke with Uncle Joe

The Spartacist League is a small revolutionary group based in New York City (of all places). The Spartacists and their international co-thinkers claim to be Trotskyists, but their politics have often sounded more like a parody on Soviet "Stalinist" propaganda. But then, few people to the right of, say, the Peace & Freedom Party would be able to tell the difference, or even give a damn.

During the 1960's, the Spartacist League seems to have been a relatively undistinct group, one among many on the Trotskyist flank of the far left. At least judging by their magazine, Spartacist.

This issue (no. 13) was published in 1969, shortly after the split in Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). All articles are devoted to the SDS and the activities of the Spartacists at the last, tumultuous convention of the New Left student organization. The Spartacist League supported the PL-WSA faction, impressed by the PL's ultra-leftist Maoism, which they saw as a first step towards Trotskyism, dubbing it "Trotskyism with a pre-frontal lobotomy". The other faction, RYM, was teeming with more regular Maoists, including Bob Avakian and Mike Klonsky. Presumably, they were Maoists with a pre-frontal lobotomy. Or with a vengeance?

A humorous article attacks "brother" Klonsky's support for Black national self-determination in the South, pointing out that Stalin's famous book on the national question defined "nation" in a sense that would exclude the American Blacks, at least Blacks post-World War II. Since Klonsky was a great admirer of Uncle Joe, the Spartacists had a field day, quoting from *Stalin* against a self-avowed Stalinist. OK, I admit that my humour might be a bit too, well, Spartie on this particular point.

If the Sparts ever met Murray Rothbard (who also co-operated with the PL during a short period - sic!) is unfortunately not revealed by this issue of their magazine, published in August-September 1969.

To those who absolutely want to relive the death agony of the New Left SDS, this peculiar little journal might perhaps bring back some memories. I mean, you don't have to be a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows, right?