The Federation of Socialist Societies

Tom Roud provides a contribution explaining the broad model and philosophy of the NZFSS. Written for 'The Commonweal Special Edition: What is to be done?' in March 2025.

The Federation of Socialist Societies is composed of three regional affiliates based in Canterbury, Wellington, and Otago. Presented in order of their appearance as organised bodies, the three groups have some particularities but are united on a broadly shared principle of socialism combined with a common ethos—a clear raison d’être.

One of the earliest organisational documents, besides a pragmatic constitution outlining the structure of the Society, was a text called Conversation, Correspondence, Camaraderie. The short text provided a brief reminiscence on the Canterbury affiliate’s foundation and included the short quote ‘that the number of our members shall be unlimited’. This, from the rules of the London Corresponding Society in 1792, was combined with a general agreement on a broad conception of socialism expressed thus: ‘We take socialism to mean the political goal of bringing the working class to power at all levels of society in order to establish a system where production is organised rationally to meet human need, rather than for the accumulation of private wealth’, and was developed into a foundational principle of the Federation through practice and experience. Simply put, that membership to the Society be very broad and based on agreement with some basic principles (as was the case with the London Corresponding Society almost 250 years earlier), joint with that most fundamental aspect of any membership organisation—a membership fee. The fee itself has always been nominal, more symbolic than it is a fee for service. Nonetheless these two features are, in fact, a key aspect of any organisation (political or otherwise) for ordinary people dating back to the LCS declaring their membership as being, hypothetically, unlimited.

Leaping forward in time a little, a proposition from English communist and artisan William Morris helped guide a significant part of what it was we should do in the current period: ‘Our immediate aim should be chiefly educational… with a view to dealing with the crisis if it should come in our day, or of handing on the tradition of our hope to others if we should die before it comes.’ This passage from 1884 spoke to the experience of many early members, some of whom had many decades experience in socialist organisations—while others were coming in new to the whole endeavour.

With these two key aspects of the Federation in mind, the title ‘Conversation, Correspondence, Camaraderie’ is fairly well served. With regular educational events, free to access for the public and in venues that have a convivial atmosphere, alongside a network of communication and discussion avenues for members and supporters it is clear that two thirds of that title have been achieved. We are close to the publication of the seventh issue of The Commonweal, a membership written newsletter on all topics of interest to socialists—yet again, conversation and correspondence, and the chiefly educational role is well represented. But what of camaraderie?

It’s perhaps a tedious cliché at this late hour to note that the socialist left can behave in potentially anti-social ways. This is not unusual for groups of people drawn together by ideological commitment on the one hand, and relative marginality on the other. It is, indeed, deeply frustrating to be a socialist today. That this unease, frustration, perhaps alienation, manifests itself in the ‘circular firing squad’ left—recriminations, purity tests, splits and slander, is of no great surprise.

The fractious tendencies described should not be read as personal failings of individual socialists. Instead, we should consider that we are, like all those before us, living in conditions where the ‘traditions of all dead generations weigh like a nightmare on the brains of the living’. The confessional sect, forever purifying itself by finding those not dedicated enough, has been dominant in the anglophone socialist left for decades.

To achieve the, ironically, elusive goal of camaraderie is not about attitude. Rather, it takes some meaningful change in what is meant to be united in common cause. For the Federation this follows two streams.

The first is having a limited purpose. The Federation is, by some factor, larger than any other explicitly socialist organisation in the country—yet it does not claim to be The Party, or pre-party. In fact, being the largest group is more of a symptom of socialist marginalisation than a great indicator of extraordinary success—our membership may be hypothetically unlimited, but the socialist left does need actual membership organisations in the tens (if not hundreds) of thousands nationally. The affiliates have been, thus far, reluctant to even explicitly direct members to pursue specific activities with a particular ‘line’. We are united for our purposes, which are mentioned above, and are more specifically about regular educational and social events for like-minded people. When it comes to activity, members are expected and encouraged to do such things as they believe are the best use of their own time. From the variety of experiences and lessons members accumulate we then seek to share this knowledge—through the very conversation, correspondence, and camaraderie mentioned at the start of this piece. Our members aim to be part of the fabric of everyday life—not an alien and unfamiliar influence tucked away in hidden sanctums.

The second is having what could be called a ‘good enough’ attitude to political unity. Members join the Federation indicating they agree with our general purpose and our broad understanding of the project of socialism. It is taken on trust that members have agreed to join and as such will understand the necessity of differences of opinion in the society—and perhaps more to the point, differences of priority. It is taken as read, though occasionally it needs to be articulated explicitly, that we are in fact on the same side—he waka eke noa—paddling in the same general direction.

From half a dozen friends in 2017, to a functional national organisation in 2025. We have hosted two national conferences—the first in Canterbury and the second in Wellington. With some years behind us the affiliates are now getting into their stride. It is, for now, only a start. The road ahead will take extraordinary patience, and it may become necessary to pivot in ways that intervene in high politics—articulating a perspective for the working class coming to power, as well as the slow process of building a party. For this latter project, it might take looking back to our forebears who sought to win some representation in territorial authorities rather than rushing straight for parliament etc. Nonetheless the Federation feels in good stead today, as we try to live up to an axiom of the early days of the Wellington affiliate that has served them well—don’t be a dick.