Spark (American organization)
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The Spark group is a US Trotskyist organization. It is aligned internationally with the Lutte Ouvrière tendency.
Spark began as a faction within the Spartacist League of the United States that was attracted to the French group Voix Ouvrière method of propagandizing in the factories. They were allied against the leadership with the Turnerites, but left independently before the Turnerites were expelled late in the year[1]. This tendency formally organized as Spark in 1971 with two locals in Detroit and Baltimore[2].
The organization began a monthly magazine Spark in July 1971, which became a biweekly in early 1976. It also produced a variety of newsletter based at local factories, such as the Ford Spark, Eldon Spark etc. Another magazine Class Struggle began in 1980[3].
The movement was weary of becoming to enmeshed in "petty bourgeoisie" movements, and wished to firmly base themselves in the proletariat. But neither did they complete eschew work in such movements. For instance, referring to the anti-nuclear movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s they proclaimed "They should participate in its activities when such participation does not detract from their basic activity in the working class. But we must be clear that the building of a revolutionary organization rooted in the working class comes before participation in any petty bourgeoisie movement"[4]
In mid 1982 Spark had locals in Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago and New York [5].