Fifth International: History and Calls for a New Communist Global Union
The concept of a Fifth International represents a recurring ambition within far-left political movements to establish a new global coordination body for communist and socialist parties. Following the decline or fragmentation of previous internationals, various groups have sought to create a unified global front to lead the international labour movement and revolutionary struggle.
Key Facts
- The first recorded call for a Fifth International occurred in November 1938 by members of the Spanish Workers' Party of Marxist Unification.
- The League for the Fifth International (L5I) is a contemporary organization of communists and Trotskyists active in multiple countries.
- Calls for a new international have emerged from diverse ideological backgrounds, including Trotskyism, Maoism-Third Worldism, and Latin American leftism.
- Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez proposed a new international for Latin American and Caribbean left parties in 2007.
Historical Calls for a Fifth International
The desire for a Fifth International has manifested multiple times over the last century, often emerging from splits within existing Marxist or Trotskyist organizations.
The earliest instance took place in November 1938. During a trial in Barcelona, seven members of the Spanish Workers' Party of Marxist Unification denounced the Fourth International and declared their support for a "fighting Fifth International." This was followed in 1941 by Liborio Justo, an Argentine Trotskyist who called for a Fifth International upon breaking away from Trotskyism.
In the latter half of the 20th century, other figures and groups made similar claims. In 1965, American activist Lyndon LaRouche called for a Fifth International after leaving the Spartacist League. By 1994, a "Fifth International of Communists" was formally established by the Movement for a Socialist Future alongside several small former Trotskyist groups.
More recently, in 2015, the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement advocated for a Fifth International rooted in Maoism–Third Worldism, a political synthesis combining the theories of Mao Zedong with a focus on the liberation of developing nations.
The League for the Fifth International (L5I)
The League for the Fifth International (L5I) represents one of the more organized contemporary efforts to realize this goal. Originally founded in 1989 as the League for a Revolutionary Communist International, the group shifted its focus in 2003, calling for the formation of the Fifth International in the immediate future.
L5I defines itself as an organization comprising both communists and Trotskyists. As of 2010, the organization maintained sections in several countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The group actively campaigns within the international labour movement and the European Social Forum to promote the creation of this new international.
Additionally, the Communist Workers' Group in New Zealand, which splintered from L5I, continues to advocate for the establishment of a Fifth International.
Latin American Initiatives and Hugo Chávez
The push for a new international was not limited to European or North American groups. In 2007, Hugo Chávez announced his intention to organize a new international specifically for the left parties and movements of Latin America and the Caribbean, suggesting that 2008 would be an ideal time to convene such a meeting.
This proposal received critical support from the League for the Fifth International, highlighting the intersection between established Trotskyist organizations and the "Pink Tide" of Latin American socialist governments.
Summary of Fifth International Proposals
| Year | Entity/Individual | Ideological Basis/Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Spanish Workers' Party of Marxist Unification | Opposition to the Fourth International |
| 1941 | Liborio Justo | Break from Trotskyism |
| 1965 | Lyndon LaRouche | Departure from Spartacist League |
| 1994 | Movement for a Socialist Future | Former Trotskyist groups |
| 2003 | League for the Fifth International (L5I) | Communist and Trotskyist coordination |
| 2007 | Hugo Chávez | Latin American and Caribbean left parties |
| 2015 | Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement | Maoism–Third Worldism |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the League for the Fifth International?
The League for the Fifth International (L5I) is an organization of communists and Trotskyists that campaigns for the creation of a new international body to coordinate the global labour movement.
Who first called for a Fifth International?
The first recorded call came in November 1938 from seven members of the Spanish Workers' Party of Marxist Unification during a trial in Barcelona.
What was Hugo Chávez's role in this movement?
In 2007, Hugo Chávez proposed convening a meeting of left-wing parties and movements in Latin America and the Caribbean to organize a new international.
Which countries have L5I sections?
As of 2010, L5I had sections in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
What is Maoism–Third Worldism?
It is the ideological basis used by the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement in their 2015 call for a Fifth International, blending Maoist theory with Third Worldist perspectives.