The Independent Socialist League (ISL) was an American socialist organization that advocated for widespread democratic socialist reforms to the policies and the economy of the United States. It was founded in 1949 by former Trotskyist Max Shachtman to redeem Marxist ideals from Soviet influence. Following its dissolution in 1958, many of its members joined the Socialist Party of America, which later dissolved and led to the creation of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, a predecessor to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). ^{1 2 3}

Max Schachtman

The Independent Socialist League was an American socialist organization that advocated for widespread democratic socialist changes to the policies and economy of the United States. Founded and led by socialist activist Max Shachtman, it was the successor of the Workers Party (WP), a Trotskyist group that was formed in opposition to the Socialist Workers Party and its defense of the Soviet Union’s “bureaucratic collectivism,” a practice that Shachtman deemed to be exploitative against workers. Shachtman argued that Marxist ideas could be redeemed from Soviet influence. ^{2 1}

Shachtman had previously been inspired by the ideas of Marxist theoretician and purged Soviet revolutionary Leon Trotsky, working as Trotsky’s bodyguard when he was exiled to the Americas and representing him at the founding congress of the Fourth International. Schactman drifted toward the ideology of democratic socialism when he founded ISL. Shachtman publicly disavowed Trotsky’s analysis of the Soviet Union’s class nature, claiming that the empire was objectively un-socialist and oppressive. Nevertheless, Shachtman migrated two WP publications, a newspaper for the common member called Labor Action and a more theoretical journal called the New International, to the ISL when he defected from the WP. ^{2 1 4}

Michael Harrington

In 1954, socialist activist Michael Harrington, who had been involved with Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker Movement and was an organizer for the Workers Defense League, joined the Independent Socialist League. He merged a group he was leading, the New York Young People’s Socialist League, into the ISL, effectively making it the ISL’s “youth wing.” ^{2 5}

Dissolution and Successor Groups

The Independent Socialist League dissolved in 1958. Many of its members joined the Socialist Party of America. In 1973, the Socialist Party of America dissolved and a faction of its members created the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, which in 1982, merged with the New American Movement to form the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). ^{2 3}

1. “Workers Party and Independent Socialist League Records.” NYU Libraries. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/tamwag/tam_136/.
2. Bernard K. Johnpoll and Harvey Klehr, eds. Biographical Dictionary of the American Left. Greenwood Press. New York, Westport, London. 1986. Page 180-181.
3. Schwartz, Joseph M. “A History of Democratic Socialists of America 1971-2017.” History – Democratic Socialists of America, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.dsausa.org/about-us/history/. Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20251013134925/https://www.dsausa.org/about-us/history/.
4. AWL. “Max Shachtman and his legacy.” Workers’ Liberty, August 30, 2012. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2012/08/30/max-shachtman-and-his-legacy.
5. “Michael Harrington Papers.” NYU Libraries. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/tamwag/tam_209/.