Alan Woods (political theorist)

Alan Woods (born 23 October 1944) is a British Trotskyist political theorist and author. He is a leading member of the International Marxist Tendency (IMT), which he founded with Ted Grant in 1992.

Woods was born in Swansea, Wales, and became involved in socialist politics during his university years. He was a prominent figure in the Militant tendency, a Trotskyist group that operated within the British Labour Party. After the expulsion of leading figures from Militant in the 1980s, Woods and Grant formed Socialist Appeal, a Marxist newspaper and organization.

Following a split in the Militant tendency and later Socialist Appeal over the question of "entrism sui generis" (working within the Labour Party), Woods and Grant founded the International Marxist Tendency. Woods is considered the main theoretical voice of the IMT.

His writings cover a wide range of topics, including Marxist philosophy, economics, history, and current events. He has written extensively on the history of philosophy, defending dialectical materialism against postmodernist and other philosophical trends. He has also written books on the Venezuelan Revolution, the history of Spain, and other political subjects. Key works include Reason in Revolt: Marxist Philosophy and Modern Science (co-authored with Ted Grant), Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution, and Russia: From Revolution to Counter-Revolution.

Woods is known for his staunch defense of classical Marxism and his opposition to reformism and sectarianism within the socialist movement. He travels extensively, speaking at IMT events and promoting Marxist ideas internationally. He is an editor of the IMT's website, In Defence of Marxism.