Lucien Sanial

A pioneer member of the Socialist Labor Party of America, Sanial is best remembered as one of the earliest economic theorists to deal with the Marxian concept of imperialism.

[3] Sanial pursued a career in journalism, working as the editor of a series of politically oriented newspapers, including The Toiler, The Issue, and the Daily Telegraph.

[4] The SLP suffered an organizational split in 1889 over the matter of tactics, pitting a group dedicated to political action headed by Wilhelm Rosenberg against others favoring an orientation based upon the development of socialist influence in the trade unions.

[7] Sanial played a lasting role as the primary author of the SLP's 1889 party platform, a document which broke from previous tradition of presenting a short summary of socialist principles including instead the favor of colorful oratory basing its case upon the arguments advanced in the Declaration of Independence.

[9] Following the victory of the trade union faction in 1889, Sanial was named the editor of the SLP's English-language official organ, The Workmen's Advocate, and its successort, The People.

[10] He would remain in this position for about two years, stepping down as editor in August 1891, ostensibly for reasons of failing eyesight and so he could attend the Brussels Congress of the Second International on behalf of the SLP.

[13] This time, however, Gompers and the AF of L refused to issue a charter to the CLF, using its decision to allow admission of Section New York SLP as a pretext for this denial.

Sanial would publish on the theme in 1901 in a seminal pamphlet entitled Territorial Expansion, anticipating the work of John A. Hobson (1902) and Vladimir Ul'yanov (Lenin) (1916).