Comment choisir un nom pour une orga

[Nestor Cerpa]

Statistical analysis of trotskyist group names

Basic material
I have used the party names listed on Leftist parties of the world under the heading Trotskyist parties (though excluding groups listed under sub-heading Ex-trotskyists). Only the English translation of the names has been used. I have made no difference between international and national organisations. A few names actually referring to publications, not groups, are included.

Number of group names in the material: 252
Average number of words in name (including “of”, “for” etc): 3.24
Average number of letters i group names: 25

Frequencies of words
Number (and percent) of groups that have the word in its name

Ideological/political

Socialist/socialism 95 (38 %)
Revolutionary 42 (17 %)
Communist/communism 18 (7 %)
Left 17
Trotskyist 14
Marxist/Marxism 11
Democracy/democratic 10
Alternative 9
Militant/militants 7
Bolshevik 5
Equality 4
Leninist 2

Justice, Orthodox, Solidarity - 1 each

Organizational words

Party 56 (22 %)
League 27 (11 %)
Group 18 (7 %)
Committee 14 (6 %)
Organization 11
Opposition 6
Tendency 6
Association 4
Movement 4
Current 3
Faction 3
Union 3
Collective 2
Secretariat 2

Vanguard, Center, Forum, Front, Circle, Platform, Coalition, Network – 1 each

International etc.

International as adjective 31 (12 %)
International as noun 20 (8 %)
Of which:
Fourth International 15
Workers’ International 3
Communist International 2
Internationalist 15

Class

Worker(s’) 81 (32 %)
Labo(u)r 3

Words of action etc.

Alternative 9
Construction 7
Power 7
Action 4
Struggle 4
Liaison 3
Turn 3
Unity 3
Convergence 2
Liberation 2
Resistance 2

Construction, Counter-attac, Initiative, Offensive, Preparation, Regeneration, Resistance, Shift, Unified – 1 each

Symbols etc.

Spark 4
Appeal 2
Liberty 2
Red 2
Voice 2

Beginning, Cause, Clarity, Criticism, Freedom, Mole, October, Perspective, Pioneer, Sickle/hammer, Tribune, Truth, Word – 1 each

Conclusions and comments
The trotskyist movement has to a large extent disbanded the communist label in favour of socialist as dominating ideological reference, probably to avoid confusion with maoist and pro-soviet groups and parties.

Not surprising is “International” in different forms among the most popular words; no other political current has made international organisation more central. Even groups more or less without friends in other countries have set up their own “Internationals” to this end.

Even if “party” is the most common organisational term, there are a lot of alternative designations, such as “organisation”, “league” and “tendency”, a fact that maybe reflects the difficulties of most trotskyist groups to gain a more substantial membership and popular support.

The most typical trotskyist group name could be argued to be “Socialist Workers’ Party”. There are 16 different organisations with this name in the material (some of them with additional attribute, as “Revolutionary SWP”.

In spite of the large number of trotskyist groups, there are still name combinations available, such as:

“Revolutionary Internationalist Organization”
“Socialist Revolutionary Group”
“International Revolutionary Party”

Some potential names might be impressing in full length, but less so when abbreviated, and therefore disregarded, for example “Socialist Equality Co-ordination Tendency” or “International Democratic Initiative for the Organization of Trotskyist Socialists”.