Pamphleteering in high school

[Chambered Word]

Hello comrades :)


At the moment where I live the school holidays have just begun and next year I'm considering handing out pamphlets for our cause (communism).

Has anyone else done this before and had experience? What kind of punishment should I expect from the staff if any? Does this break any laws in (Western) Australia that you know of?

I'm also looking for ideas for the actual pamphlets if anybody has input. I have a few ideas myself.

[Nolan]

Hmm... Australia I can't speak for, but in the US you are more likely than not to be ridiculed by administration, and theyll probably even take steps to hinder you and ban your material from school grounds.

[Drace]

I would love it if they did try to punish me.
It will only make me stronger.

[Chambered Word]

I would love it if they did try to punish me.
It will only make me stronger.

It would be kinda awkward if I had gangs of conservative parents hunting me down with pitchforks and torches and shit, but I think that probably won't happen.

I'm going to try turn some of my friends over to the dark side. :D

[Niccolò Rossi]

At the moment where I live the school holidays have just begun and next year I'm considering handing out pamphlets for our cause (communism).

Has anyone else done this before and had experience? What kind of punishment should I expect from the staff if any? Does this break any laws in (Western) Australia that you know of?

I'm also looking for ideas for the actual pamphlets if anybody has input. I have a few ideas myself.

the first thing you aught to establish before wanting to pursue this project is your aim. What do you hope to achieve with this? Are you seeking to establish a school based political group? Or are you just seeking to propogandise? In either case, what has motivated you to take this action now, has there been a particular event around which this is a response to?

In the abstract, without any sort of motivation for the action, handing out some sort of generic communist propoganda seems absolutely pointless and stupid (Victimisation is a real threat and one that should be kept in mind, although not life threatening generally in a school setting, nor illegal).

If you could answer some of the above questions it could give us some more to work with. As it stands though, in the abstract, this is something I have never done and something I wouldn't do.

[Autodidakt]

I have had some experience with distributing papers, though not communist pamphlets. I wrote an underground newspaper, criticising the school administration and teachers, with some friends of mine. You should take what Niccolo said to heart. You need to have areason to do what you're planning to do.

I would then suggest that you do it in secret. People wouldn't be able to pin any of th ideas against you or your friends in order to discredit the ideas. When the paper is given out without any names, then no-one can 'damn the source'. There are numerous ways to distribute such amphlets; it is especially easy when you have pamphlets that are half the size of an A4. You can set small stacks in the WCs. You can slide them into books in the library. Many options.

The pamphlet itself whould look good in black and white, so it's cheaper to print and you don't have support the bourgeoisie by buying more expensive colour ink. Make them concise and well written. Otherwise, the paper gains no respect.

Also, give no hints as to your responsibility for the paper.

If you are found out, if you attend a state-school, they can't do anything to you if you used your own materials to make the pamphlets. (Warning: this is US law, I can't speak for Australia or any other nation)

[Chambered Word]

the first thing you aught to establish before wanting to pursue this project is your aim. What do you hope to achieve with this? Are you seeking to establish a school based political group? Or are you just seeking to propogandise? In either case, what has motivated you to take this action now, has there been a particular event around which this is a response to?

Firstly, raise awareness about communism. I want to interest some of the students in politics and encourage them to learn more about the socialist movement.

After the pamphlets had circulated enough I'd probably try to find recruits.


When the paper is given out without any names, then no-one can 'damn the source'.

I don't intend to give out names, real or fake.


You can slide them into books in the library. Many options.

Great idea, comrade. I'll give the library a shot. :)


The pamphlet itself whould look good in black and white, so it's cheaper to print and you don't have support the bourgeoisie by buying more expensive colour ink. Make them concise and well written. Otherwise, the paper gains no respect.

As I intend to. :cool:


Also, give no hints as to your responsibility for the paper.

If you are found out, if you attend a state-school, they can't do anything to you if you used your own materials to make the pamphlets. (Warning: this is US law, I can't speak for Australia or any other nation)

I'll try do some research about Australia's law regarding pamphlets in school but I doubt I'll get in much trouble at all.


this is something I have never done and something I wouldn't do.

Oh? :confused:

[Die Rote Fahne]

Avoid the usually imagery involved (hammers, sickles and red stars). They trigger emotional responses before reading takes place. Use imagery such as strikes, sweatshops in state capitalist china, poverty stricken areas, etc.

Talk about the working class, exploitation and how 90% of the welath is concentrated in the hands of the top 1% in the USA. Talk about what is truly involved in a communist society, and talk about why the USSR and Cuba and China are not communist.

Avoid the terms "bourgeoisie" and "proletariat". Use "ruling" and "working" class as it is more understandable to your average person.

Something like the basic definitions of capitalism and communism could be used. Private and common ownership of the means of production.

And my last word of advice would be to not bombard the pamphlet with slogans and quotes (those are best for posters) as they can distract from what you want people to absorb from reading that pamphlet.

Note: Also when you finally come to talking about socialism/communism, make sure to note that socialism IS democracy.

[Chambered Word]

Thanks Propagandhi, I'll keep those points in mind! :)

[chebol]

Firstly, distributing party-political material is prohibited in state schools. I gather, however, that you will be producing your own material, which is slightly different.

All state schools are meant to be non-political, and while you may be simply handing around a leaflet with information on it, this might be seen to be political material (especially as you describe it).

Even if you use only your own resources to produce the material (ie, not school resources), it will be up to the school's discretion whether or not to take disciplinary action against you.

The political question aside, schools are meant to ensure - and have the power to enforce - that only curriculum-approved and school-approved activities take place on their grounds.

Your leaflet (regardless of content) is not part of the curriculum, so unless you get school permission (as I did, for example, in organising a half-day school strike against the first Gulf War back in 1991, and as many school students did in organising the Books Not Bombs protests against the current Gulf War in 2002-3), or at least the support of certain teachers, you can probably expect to get in trouble, and have the leaflets confiscated. If you are caught.

My legal advice (provided here in a non-professional capacity) is - don't get caught.

Also, Niccolo's points are correct - you need to have an object in doing this work, or it will be kind of pointless. In addition to simply "raising awareness" - which can ony be limited in a school context and based only on the info on a leaflet - you should encourage those interested to get active outside of school (ie attend a protest, organise a meeting or discussion group).

This will free you from the constrains of school rules to talk and share ideas (and to plan the clandestine distribution of future leaflets at school).

As I said before, however, be careful.

Propaghandi's points are also important. Don't use jargon. Give people facts about poverty in the third AND first worlds, etc. Try to simplify arguments and make them in a way young people can understand. There are some good facts, figures and arguments here: http://www.resistance.org.au/wrsf


make sure to note that socialism IS democracy. Quoted for truth.

[gorillafuck]

I would love it if they did try to punish me.
It will only make me stronger.
No it wouldn't.

[Niccolò Rossi]

Firstly, raise awareness about communism. I want to interest some of the students in politics and encourage them to learn more about the socialist movement.

[...]

Oh? :confused:

As I mentioned in my original post, and as pointed out by Chebol, my objection is to the prupose of such a leaflet. Giving out a leaflet for the sake of giving out a leaflet isn't very significant or relevant.

I'm of course not opposed to leaflets as such, I hope this is not the impression you got. Myself and comrades of mine just in the last week have been involved in leafleting a very large climate change march in Sydney and earlier today, a rally by striking postal workers (at Chebol; were any represents of the Socialist Alliance present? I didn't see any).

But in both these cases the leaflets where handed out around a particular issue. People aren't won to the ideas of revolution by the superior logic of our arguments in the abstract. Class consciousness develops in and through struggle. This is the premise for leafletting.

Now, if you were seeking to establish a political group (of what ever type) on a school basis (something very dubious to begin with), then this is a slightly different story. In this case, circulating an appeal for the formation of such a group would be perfectly legitimate (Sympathisers of the Communist Left, including myself, are currently doing exactly this).

[Weezer]

Don't even try man.

The closest thing you could do is make a Leftist Club and hopefully it would get approved.

I got a scold from principal, for being a "Marxist" and "Anarchist". She called both ideologies violent, while staring at me with an alien glare. I can't believe she can legally raise children, but I digress.

They took away three of my notebooks because of all the hammer and sickles and circle-A's in them. If they caught you pamphleteering, they'll tear you up, suspend you, expel you, etc.

[mikelepore]

Contact a civil liberties organization and ask them what your legal rights are. If the administrators complain about your activities, you may be able to say you did everything during the lunch break or school bus waiting time, and therefore they have no proof that you disrupted the regular schedule. Be prepared to tell the administrators the actual name or number of the national law that says you have the right to do it.

[Chambered Word]

Now, if you were seeking to establish a political group (of what ever type) on a school basis (something very dubious to begin with), then this is a slightly different story. In this case, circulating an appeal for the formation of such a group would be perfectly legitimate (Sympathisers of the Communist Left, including myself, are currently doing exactly this).

I originally wanted to form a group, but I'm worried that the staff will know who did it if I try.


Contact a civil liberties organization and ask them what your legal rights are. If the administrators complain about your activities, you may be able to say you did everything during the lunch break or school bus waiting time, and therefore they have no proof that you disrupted the regular schedule. Be prepared to tell the administrators the actual name or number of the national law that says you have the right to do it.

I'll try and find one in WA or Australia, thanks.


Don't even try man.

The closest thing you could do is make a Leftist Club and hopefully it would get approved.

I got a scold from principal, for being a "Marxist" and "Anarchist". She called both ideologies violent, while staring at me with an alien glare. I can't believe she can legally raise children, but I digress.

They took away three of my notebooks because of all the hammer and sickles and circle-A's in them. If they caught you pamphleteering, they'll tear you up, suspend you, expel you, etc.

Australia - from what I've heard - is alot more tolerant to leftist ideologies than the USA. I'm not quite discouraged yet...

[Drace]

how 90% of the welath is concentrated in the hands of the top 1% in the USA.

Woah! I believe the percentage is 40%. You certainly wouldn't want to put false information like that in the pamphlet.

[Chambered Word]

Woah! I believe the percentage is 40%. You certainly wouldn't want to put false information like that in the pamphlet.

I've personally heard it was 95%, 90% or 40%. I don't know where people get these figures from but it would be nice to see a source before I go publishing it.

[Nwoye]

I've personally heard it was 95%, 90% or 40%. I don't know where people get these figures from but it would be nice to see a source before I go publishing it.

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

several years old but good.

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=69
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2789

from a social liberal source but still good.

[Drace]

Here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006/dec/06/business.internationalnews
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=2

[ArrowLance]

While accepting the propaganda about the USSR, Cuba, and China is the easy thing to do, the more truthful thing to do is explain the false western propaganda about them and their current/past discrepancies with communist theory as you see them. Of course its best not to mention any of them in an introductory pamphlet probably, as showing anything about them is likely to fail with western conditioning.