The Communist Workers League (Spanish: Liga Obrera Comunista, LOC) was a Trotskyist political organization in Spain. Founded in December 1973, the LOC functioned as the Spanish section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) from May 1974 until its departure from the ICFI in October 1985.
Ideology and affiliation
The LOC adhered to Trotskyist principles and positioned itself on the left‑wing of the political spectrum. Its international affiliation with the ICFI linked it to a network of revolutionary socialist groups worldwide.
Organizational structure and activities
- Headquarters: Madrid.
- Youth wing: Socialist Revolutionary Youth, which organized anti‑unemployment demonstrations in Barcelona in 1977 and 1978.
- Publications: The LOC produced the newspaper Prensa Obrera (1976‑1990) and later the magazine Marxismo, whose final issue appeared in March 1999.
The organization was formally registered in the Spanish registry of political parties on 19 September 1977.
Political developments
In October 1985 the LOC left the ICFI, citing disagreements over the convening of an ICFI meeting that they believed should have been called by the leader of the British Workers’ Revolutionary Party, whom they supported. In 1991 the LOC signed agreements to join the eco‑socialist coalition Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds (IC‑V) and the broader left coalition United Left (Izquierda Unida).
Dissolution
By the late 1990s the LOC had ceased public activities, although it continued publishing Marxismo until 1999. The ICFI has not had an active section in Spain since the LOC’s departure in 1985.
Legacy
The LOC is remembered as one of the primary Trotskyist currents in Spain during the transition to democracy, notable for its involvement in labor protests, youth mobilization, and its role within the international Trotskyist movement.
