International De Leonist Federation - Draft of Charter Document

INTERNATIONAL DE LEONIST FEDERATION

-- A Decentralized Organizational Framework for De Leonists.

-- Studying & Advocating Democratic Socialism & Industrial Unionism.

-- - D e L e o n i s t . o r g -- - (suggested)

Draft of Charter Document

DEFINITION

The International De Leonist Federation (IDF) is a loose, decentralized, international association or confederation of individuals and groups, bound together by the conviction that the basic "Socialist Industrial Union" program is the best, or one of the best, mechanisms by which to achieve and implement democratic, or "libertarian," socialism. Interested individuals and groups that apply for affiliation are called affiliates. IDF affiliates should commit to actively promulgating the SIU program. They are not prohibited from promulgating other programs, additionally, if desired.

IDF affiliate groups may be of any size or geographical dispersal. They will typically be local groups.

The International De Leonist Federation is principally an educational federation. Individual affiliate units, whether persons or groups, may engage in other activities, such as election activity.

RATIONALE

The De Leonist movement has moved through several iterations in organizational form, including the Socialist Labor Party, the Industrial Union Party, and the New Union Party. None has found continuing wide audience; the latter has disbanded.

We see the traditional "party" form as presently unnecessary, or even disadvantageous, for reasons including these:

1. A chief rationale for the creation of a party is the seeking of political office. Arguably, however, such activity is irrelevant given the small size of this sector of the socialist movement.

2. Party structures in the De Leonist sector have tended historically toward autocracy.

3. Given the ignorance of the great mass of people about democratic socialism, generally, and De Leonism, specifically, the only real task before De Leonist socialists at this historical moment is education, pure education: enlightened initiation and maintenance of a planned, thoroughgoing, respectful, and persistent conversation, both dialectical and pedagogical, with the great mass of human beings on this planet, about Socialism. This task does not require a political party, merely an educational organization (in fact, even the level of formal organization required can probably be debated).

In fact, this is probably the same analysis used recently be the former New Union Party, in its decision to disband the party, while retaining its newspaper.

The IDF is decentralized, and possesses no central governing structure; thus, it can expand or contract easily and dynamically as interest in De Leonism grows or wanes, and change shape just as readily as different affiliates choose to combine or collaborate at this or that time, for this or that project or purpose.

Additionally, because the IDF has no central governing structure, one or more individuals cannot accumulate and exercise undue or inappropriate influence or control over the entire organization.

Other structural forms can appear as appropriate to later conditions.

Additionally, as Dan Read, De Leonist Activist, has pointed out, since capitalism is now more global than ever before, our organizational response to capitalism must be global, as well.

CONCEPTION

Initial Assertions

1. The movement is small. There are relatively few De Leonists in the world.

2. Therefore, there exists no urgent need to run candidates for political office, save perhaps for the educational value of candidate appearances, campaign literature, etc.

3. There is strong agreement that an undercurrent, taking the form of an autocratic tendency, at worst, to a destructive rigidity, at best, has been running through the De Leonist movement.

Therefore, what is needed, essentially, is a mechanism (i.e. an organization, group, mobilization, or other structure) which:

1. Is principally an educational organization, to increase the literacy of the general population about socialism generally, and libertarian socialism, specifically. There are such small numbers of De Leonists at present, that what is really needed is an effective, consistently applied mechanism by which to educate people.

2. Should, for now, actually consist in many individualized units (individuals and/or groups) working to the same goal, but in an independent manner. Of course, since each unit is independent and self-directed, it can choose to affiliate and combine with other units for any purpose or any project, in any manner, for any period of time. But they don't have to; it is their decision. Therein, in part, lies the beauty of the decentralized structure, it neither requires-nor precludes-common action or common organization. It is dynamic. It is flexible. It is what it wants to be, when it wants to be it. As conditions change, it can easily change. And change back. And back again.

3. Is structured such that it cannot have control wrested by egos and power grabs, even if well-intentioned.

4. Provides a much-needed center for, or organization around which, De Leonists can come together, for both moral and practical support.

5. Serves in a de facto way to increase the internal and external strength of the De Leonist movement, by uniting it, generally, combining, facilitating, and focusing its people and resources.

6. Is resistant, if not essentially immune, from ruling class or other outside-or inside-interference or sabotage. For example, no injurious action can destroy the Internet, because it is a highly decentralized entity void of a central "core."

7. Will serve, in part, as something of a De Leonist "cauldron," "pool," or "hot spring," from within which bubbles of interest, enthusiasm, ideas, plans, strategies, questions, answers, growth, and goodwill, can and will simmer to the surface.

GOVERNANCE

As a federation, the International De Leonist Federation has no central governing structure. Affiliate groups and individuals are free to cooperate in any desired manner.

The IDF is not a permanent, internally cohesive organization, as such, like as a corporation or religious institution; instead, it is a true confederation. Were it an organization, political groups, whether already existing, or planned, might find joining unwieldy. How does one group become a member of another group? The confederation structure circumvents this. Each group, and each individual can retain its organization integrity, yet still work together with others productively to a common end.

Were the IDF an "organization," as such, it would require official organizational governance. As a federation, however, it simply requires structures for managing cooperation. If the IDF is to remain a true confederation, such governance must remain ad hoc. As governance tends toward an official, permanent structure, the confederative nature of the IDF can erode, and the independence of its constituent units can deteriorate.

AFFILIATION

Affiliation is open to any individual or group espousing the basic beliefs of "libertarian" socialism, generally, and the "socialist industrial union" program, specifically, as follows:

1. The replacement of capitalism with democratic socialism would be extremely beneficial to humankind.

2. Socialism is an untried system, never having yet existed anywhere in the world. Specifically, nations such as China, Cuba, and the former Soviet Union represent tyrannies, not socialism.

3. At present: the existence of an organizational entity (an educational organization or party) that will promote democratic De Leonist socialism.

4. The democratic and peaceful transition to socialism via the ballot box.

5. The existence of bodies of workers ("industrial unions") that will self-manage their respective industries, according to the production decisions made collectively by society. Additionally, they will ensure the execution of the democratic decision toward socialism, in case business interests try to block it.

6. Production will be for use, to fulfill the needs and wants of everyone, instead of to enrich the small class of owners, as under capitalism. Markets will play little, if any, role.

While recognizing and actively espousing the superior theoretical platform of De Leonism, affiliates also hold that no one can know the exact theoretical and practical form democratic socialism will ultimately take. Additionally, affiliates recognize the theoretical richness inherent in, and beneficial to, De Leonism specifically, and libertarian socialism, generally. Thus, affiliates may espouse variants, or creative additions or interpretations, to classical De Leonist theory. What binds every Federation affiliate together is a belief in the basic SIU structure, as defined above.

DECISIONMAKING

IDF decisionmaking is democratic. However, voting cannot be one-person, one-vote, because then organizations with the most members will yield unreasonable power over smaller entities. A preliminary suggested voting distribution, then, is one-entity, one-vote, such that each group, organization, and individual, gets one vote.

Decisions are not binding, as such, on the entire affiliate group. Some may affirm a plan or decision, and cooperate in its implementation. Some may not, and will not. Those who do not, will retain their right to continue participating in the IDF.

LOCAL GROUPS

Interested persons can associate, on the basis of close geographical proximity, shared theoretical interest, or any other criterion. Such associations can self-manage in any desired manner. Names for such local associations can include sections, branches, groups, or units, such as "section Camden," "section Illinois," the "Palermo group," or the "Osaka unit".

There is an "anarchist" flavor to the structure, though not the program, of the IDF; the structure of the IDF does not mirror the structure of socialist industrial unions.

POLITICAL OFFICE

At present, the Federation is principally an educational organization. However, individuals may run for elective office as desired. Candidates may officially affiliate with a local group, or the IDF itself by majority rule.

Founders

Vince De Benedeto, MessageOfHope.com

Mike Lepore, DeLeonism.org