Letters from Tomis

My Socialist Hall of Fame

During this chaotic era of vile rhetoric and manipulative tactics from our so-called bourgeois leaders, I am invigorated by the opportunity to reflect on Socialists, Revolutionaries, Philosophers, Guerrilla Leaders, Partisans, and Critical Theory titans, champions, and martyrs who paved the way for us—my own audacious “Socialism’s Hall of Fame.” These are my heroes and fore-bearers. Not all are perfect, or even fully admirable, but all contributed in some way to our future–either as icons to emulate, or as warnings to avoid in the future.

Early Life and Political Beginnings

Ted Grant (1913–2006) was a British Marxist theoretician and activist, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Trotskyist movement in the UK. Born Isaac Blank in Germiston, South Africa, Grant was exposed to socialist ideas at an early age. His political activism began in Johannesburg, where he became involved with left-wing circles that opposed both colonial rule and capitalist exploitation.

In the 1930s, he emigrated to Britain, where he joined the Trotskyist movement, aligning himself with the Workers’ International League (WIL), a group that would later become the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP). Unlike other Trotskyist factions, Grant and his comrades sought to engage with the British labor movement rather than operate as an isolated sect.

Theories and Contributions to Marxism

Grant was a firm advocate of the ideas of Leon Trotsky and believed that the Soviet Union, despite being ruled by a bureaucratic dictatorship under Stalin, remained a workers’ state due to its nationalized economy. He developed a theoretical framework emphasizing the transitional nature of Stalinist regimes and argued that capitalist restoration in such states would require counterrevolutionary forces, a perspective that distinguished him from other Trotskyists.

His most significant contributions were his analysis of the post-World War II boom and his perspectives on entryism—whereby Trotskyists sought to work within larger labor organizations, such as the Labour Party, to win workers to revolutionary socialism. This approach was central to the work of Militant, the publication and organization he helped found in the 1960s.

The Militant Tendency and Labour Party Entryism

During the 1960s and 1970s, Grant played a leading role in the Militant Tendency, a Trotskyist group operating within the British Labour Party. Militant became highly influential, particularly within local councils and trade unions. By the early 1980s, it had won control of Liverpool City Council, where it pursued a radical socialist agenda, defying government-imposed austerity measures.

The group’s success, however, led to a backlash from the Labour Party leadership, resulting in the expulsion of Militant members in the mid-1980s. This period marked a significant turning point in Grant’s career. After internal conflicts, he was expelled from Militant in 1992 and went on to form Socialist Appeal, a new Marxist organization that continued his strategy of Labour Party entryism.

Later Years and Legacy

Grant remained politically active until his death in 2006. Despite setbacks, he remained committed to his belief that the Labour Party could still be a vehicle for socialist transformation. His ideas continue to influence sections of the Marxist movement, particularly those advocating for a strategic orientation towards mass labor organizations.

Grant’s extensive writings on Marxist theory, the Labour movement, and world politics remain widely read. His legacy lies in his unwavering commitment to Marxist theory and his role in shaping one of the most significant left-wing movements in modern British history.

Bibliography

Works by Ted Grant:

• Grant, Ted. The Unbroken Thread: The Development of Trotskyism Over 40 Years. Fortress Books, 1989.

• Grant, Ted. Russia: From Revolution to Counter-Revolution. Wellred Publications, 1997.

• Grant, Ted. History of British Trotskyism. Wellred Publications, 2002.

Further Reading:

• Taaffe, Peter. The Rise of Militant. Militant Publications, 1995.

• Callaghan, John. The Far Left in British Politics. Blackwell, 1987.

• Sewell, Rob. Ted Grant: The Permanent Revolutionary. Wellred Publications, 2018.