The Wellington Socialist Society (WSS) formed as a distinct organisation in mid 2021 and had its inaugural public event on December 1st, 2021, in the heart of the capital of Aotearoa. We are a voluntary educational and social organisation based in the Greater Wellington Region. We aim to educate and introduce people to the legacy of socialism not merely in its international instantiations but to revive the heritage of socialism in our own country and the rich history of working-class struggle that continues to this day. While we have yet to formalise our own official WSS constitution, we recognise the value of collaboration and transparency. We thus operate in line with the Canterbury Socialist Society’s constitution and membership structure.  

Wellington Socialist Society is an affiliate of the New Zealand Federation of Socialist Societies. This national body enables and assists in forming and maintaining affiliate organisations that share a common cause and purpose across Aotearoa. 

By socialism, in the broadest sense, we mean the political goal of bringing the working class to power at all levels of society to establish a system where production is organised according to need, rather than the accumulation of private wealth. To this end, WSS hosts seminars, lectures, workshops, film screenings, and social events that are open to the public.

Participation with or in the Society is not predicated on a strict adherence to any set of politics. We do not aim to provide people with prefabricated politics and easy answers. We aim to encourage a genuine interest in the heritage and practice of socialism. WSS holds regular public educational events and member-hosted reading groups at Bedlam & Squalor (Level 1, 18 Garrett Street, Te Aro, Wellington).

wellingtonsocialistsociety@gmail.com