What is international socialism?

Ideology

International socialism is a socialist form of internationalism, based on the view that capitalism is a global system, and therefore the working class must act as a global class if it is to defeat it in class conflict. Workers thus should struggle in solidarity with their fellow workers in other countries on the basis of a common class interest, to avoid continued subjugation via divide and rule.

Socialist internationalism is closely linked to goals of world revolution, to be achieved through successive or simultaneous communist revolutions in all nations. Marxist theory argues that world revolution would lead to world communism, and later still, stateless communism.

International socialism is not without its problems. The complexity of global planning means coordinating production, distribution, and investment across diverse economies and cultures without market price signals is impossible. The economic calculation problem strikes again. All socialist projects have survived only by trading with capitalist economies, which suggests that self‑sufficiency is not possible. However, if the entire world is socialist, the experiment will inevitably collapse.

Followers

International socialists support heavy restrictions on cultural freedom and maximum restrictions on economic freedom. International socialists oppose all private property rights. International socialists do not tolerate criticism of their ideology.

Allies

International socialists will ally themselves with other socialists, known as useful idiots, for as long as they derive utility from the association. Once their usefulness ends, international socialists will betray their allies, often with deadly force.

As they lean toward the authoritarian side of the political spectrum, international socialists will view socialists on the libertarian side of the spectrum with suspicion and mistrust. As such, they are less likely to ally with these socialists.

Enemies

International socialists consider liberals and capitalists to be their enemies and seek to destroy them utterly for daring to end the tradition of collectivism that was practiced for most of human history. International socialists will employ entryist strategies to infiltrate and subvert liberal and capitalist organisations so as to destroy them from within.

Location on the political spectrum

International socialism is located at the centre-top far-left of the political spectrum. It is bordered by state communism, national socialism, authoritarian socialism, social democracy, and Marxist socialism. As it is a fringe ideology, international socialism does not occupy as much space on the spectrum as more mainstream ideologies.