Solidarity Pamphlets and Working Papers
Solidarity pamphlets are full of lessons and thought-provoking political ideas for activists. We hope that you will find them both informative and useful.
Please note that while we are happy to provide many of these materials on line, we hope you will want to purchase one or more printed copies to share among your friends and fellow activists. We will be happy to take your order by phone, and will ship them to you at as low a cost as we can manage. Just pick up the phone and call us at 313-841-0160, write us at 7012 Michigan Ave · Detroit, MI · 48210-2872, or E-mail us.
Solidarity Founding Statement /
Declaración Política de Fundación
This Founding Statement was adopted at the founding national convention of Solidarity in the Spring of 1986. It is reissued here in its original form.
Socialist Organization Today
A Solidarity pamphlet that is aimed at more experienced socialists. With a new introduction from August 2006, this informative pamphlet presents our views on the role of socialist organizations today. We in Solidarity want to build a revolutionary socialist organization that can organize the work of socialists in the labor and social movements, educate its members as revolutionaries and Marxists, and win over new people to revolutionary socialism. This pamphlet looks at how to do this in the conservative political climate at the start of the 21st century. Available in PDF.
A Solidarity pamphlet that explains why we think that socialism is the necessary next step to replace Capitalism, this work will probably not convince the wealthy; but it may just strike a chord with you and your friends.
Why Socialists Need Organization
A Solidarity pamphlet that argues that socialists like you and us should be part of a socialist organization, this work will hopefully convince you to join together with other socialists in your area and, perhaps, to join a national organization like Solidarity.
The Two Souls of Socialism
A seminal essay written by Hal Draper in 1966, this work inspired a whole generation of revolutionary socialists, and argues for a vision of "socialism from below" as opposed to anti-democratic and anti-worker forms of <"socialism from above."
- A Renewed Strategic Perspective on Socialist Work in the Labor Movement
A work-in-progress begun in 2014 by Solidarity's labor commission with the aim of renewing the discussion about left labor strategy and evaluating the tradition of our "rank and file strategy."
The Rank and File Strategy: Building a Socialist Movement in the U.S.
A Solidarity working paper, this essay offers an analysis of how socialists can help rebuild the U.S. labor movement from the bottom up, laying the groundwork for deeper class consciousness and socialist politics. Available as a PDF.
Lean Production: Why Work is Worse Than Ever, and What's the Alternative?
A Solidarity working paper which analyzes how corporations and governments are reorganizing social life, and how this process is creating greater insecurity and worsening conditions on the job.
A Solidarity pamphlet to assist new labor activists, especially students, this work includes important history and useful lessons. Use it to become a savvy troublemaker!
The Fight at UPS: The Teamsters' Victory and the Future of the "New Labor Movement"
A Solidarity pamphlet, this work discusses how the Teamsters won the 1997 strike at UPS and the importance of the Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU).
Lessons of the Staley Fight
Steven Ashby, co-founder of the Chicago-based Staley Workers Solidarity Committee, examines the lockout in Decatur, Illinois, that drew support from thousands of activists in 1992-95, and draws some crucial lessons for all of us.
Immediate Withdrawal Working Paper
This new collection of essays addresses the central issue facing the central issue facing the antiwar movement - the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces from Iraq. Contributions from Gilbert Achcar, Stephen Shalom, and Michael Schwartz pose this question in the face of recent confusion around the "surge" and calls for "phased re-deployment," Johanna Brenner and Nancy Holmstrom provide a socialist-feminist perspective on the War on Terror, Malik Miah analyzes Black America and the Iraq War, and Camilo Mejia and Carl Webb speak about military resistance.
Why Palestine Matters to the Antiwar Movement
This two-page comic, intended for distribution at antiwar rallies and similar events, explains the history of Israeli occupation and the Palestinian freedom struggle. By presenting the information in a simple way, we hope this comic can help make the important link between justice for Palestine and broader peace in the Middle East to the base of the antiwar movement.
Iraq and Beyond
A Solidarity working paper from October 2004. Three essays from Gilbert Achcar, Dianne Feeley, and David Finkel explore the meaning of the Iraqi occupation and the larger imperialist aims of the United States.
Beating Back the Corporate Attack: Socialism and the Struggle for Global Justice
A Solidarity pamphlet from the Fall of 2000. In little more than a year hundreds of thousands of activists took to the streets of Seattle, Washington DC and Quebec demanding an end to globalization bought and paid for by big corporations. How can we win the fight for social justice and democracy and what does this have to do with socialism?
The Empire and Ourselves (Noam Chomsky - 1986)
This text is based on a speech by Noam Chomsky to more than 1,000 students and faculty at the University of California at Los Angeles, April 9, 1986. The topic of the lecture was Central America. Though the talk was given a few days before the American bombing raid on Tripoli, Chomsky in the question period examined the issue of "international terrorism" and the growing U.S. confrontation with Libya.
The Politics of Austerity, Occupy and the 2012 Elections, A contribution to the discussion
A 2012 pamphlet from Solidarity that explores what’s behind the massive assault against everything working people have fought to win, and some lessons from the last year of fightback by the 99%.
The Rainbow and the Democratic Party - New Politics or Old? : A Socialist Perspective
This classic document places Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign in a critical context.
Bush's Wars, the 2004 Elections, and the Movements
Produced on the eve of the 2004 Elections, this Solidarity pamphlet analyzes role of the Democratic Party in containing possibilities for Black political power and shutting down mobilization of the anti-war, womens' and gay liberation movements. In opposition to dead end "lesser evilism," Solidarity calls not for abstention from the electoral arena, but continued efforts at creating an independent political party to represent social movements.
The Politics of Austerity, Occupy and the 2012 Elections
A summer 2012 pamphlet from Solidarity. Explores what’s behind the massive assault against everything working people have fought to win, and some lessons from the last year of fightback by the 99%.
From Abortion Rights to Reproductive Justice
Solidarity's Feminist Commission produced this leaflet as a response to the right wing attack on reproductive freedom and argues that the movement must go beyond "pro-choice" to true reproductive justice. This socialist and anti-racist feminist agenda would take up issues such as access to health and child care, forced sterilization, and the division of "productive" and "reproductive" labor.
Solidarity Process Around Reports of Sexual Violence and Battering
A document accepted at our 2013 Convention which outlines a process for handling cases of gendered violence within the organization. This document is considered a work in progress, to be amended as necessary at future conventions. The approval of this document also established our Gendered Violence Commission which is responsible for dealing with these incidents, as well as educating the membership on issues of sexual violence.
Using Feminist Process to Challenge Oppression and Build Solidarity
A document on norms of feminist process in discussions and organizational functioning, adopted at our 2009 Convention.
New Orleans One Year After Katrina: the War at Home
A Solidarity activist based in New Orleans reflects on the significance of Katrina to her city, and all that the storm and its aftermath revealed about racism and poverty in the United States. Available in PDF.
Queer in a Lean World
A paper presented by Alan Sears, member of Canada's New Socialist Groups, at Solidarity's 2000 Summer School and since issued in pamphlet form.