Socialist Party of California

Last updated
Socialist Party of California
Chairman Mimi Soltysik
Lynn Lomibao
FoundedJanuary 1, 1902 (SPA affiliate)
January 1, 1973 (SPUSA affiliate)
June 30, 2011 (re-chartered)
Dissolved2020
Ideology Democratic socialism
Socialist feminism [1]
Political position Left-wing
National affiliation Socialist Party USA
Colors Red

The Socialist Party of California (SPCA) was a socialist political party in the U.S. state of California. Founded in the early 1900s, it had been the state chapter of the Socialist Party USA since being re-chartered in 2011. As of July 2020, it was no longer listed as active by the national organization.

Contents

Socialist Party of America affiliation

Upton Sinclair in 1934. Upton Beall Sinclair Jr.jpg
Upton Sinclair in 1934.

The Socialist Party of California was affiliated with the Socialist Party of America for most of the twentieth century. Author Upton Sinclair, a multi-time candidate for office, switched to the Democratic Party in 1934 and ran for governor of California under the End Poverty In California platform, drawing most of the SPC's members away from the party. [2]

In 1972, the Socialist Party of America changed its name to "Social Democrats, USA" by a vote of 73 to 34 at its December National Convention. [3] Renaming the Party as SDUSA was meant to be "realistic" as the Party had not run a presidential candidate since the 1956 elections.

Socialist Party USA affiliation

Mimi Soltysik in 2015. Mimi Soltysik (cropped).jpg
Mimi Soltysik in 2015.

The following year, 1973, the Socialist Party USA was formed out the core members of the Debs Caucus. The Socialist Party of California was ultimately reorganized under the Socialist Party USA banner. The chapter's membership increased during the presidential election of 2008 under the Vice Presidential nominee and 2012 Presidential nominee Stewart Alexander. In June 2011, the Party was re-charted under State Chair Mimi Soltysik. The Party hosted the October 2011 Socialist Party National Convention, which was held in Los Angeles. [4] The Socialist Party of California operated with locals in the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

As of July 2020, the SPCA is removed from the SPUSA register of active state parties and the website is inactive.

Notable members

SPA affiliate

Public officials

Other members

SPUSA affiliate

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Socialist Party USA". Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
  2. ↑ Leader, Leonard (Winter 1980). "Upton Sinclair's EPIC Switch: A Dilemma for American Socialists". Southern California Quarterly. 62 (4). University of California Press: 361–385. doi:10.2307/41170900. JSTOR   41170900.
  3. ↑ Anonymous (31 December 1972). "Socialist Party now the Social Democrats, U.S.A." New York Times. p. 36. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
  4. ↑ Hobbs, John (May 15, 2012). "Socialism, American Style: L.A. Comrades Look To 2012 Election". NeonTommy.com. Retrieved 23 October 2016.

Bibliography

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