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Socialist International Successor of the Labour and Socialist International (1923-40), constituted at the eighth International Socialist Conference in Frankfurt/Main in 1951. With the prospective members eager to ensure their autonomy, it took six years of negotiations to found a new social democratic international. At first only an information bureau was established (SILO, 1946-47), later the COMISCO (1947-51).
The original objective of the Socialist International was to establish social justice within and between nations, and to end all forms of oppression. Its philosophy is based on the principles of democratic socialism. It is an important social democratic forum, but its decisions are not binding on its members.
The SI, together with several Asian socialist parties, launched the Asian Socialist Conference, the Asian-Pacific Socialist Organisation, in Africa the Interafricaine Socialiste et Democratique, and has several committees, some of them existing more or less permanently as the SI Committee for Latin America (SICLAC).
From 1976 onwards, the position of the council chairman became more important when Willy Brandt held the post and the SI was revitalized. The secretariat of the Socialist International is situated in London.
FES: Willy Brandt papers. IISG: SI archives.
1951 -
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