The Commune

[Mather]

I recently came across a British based group called the Commune.

http://thecommune.co.uk/

They seem to be non-leninist and libertarian Marxist in their outlook, but I don't know that much about them.

Are there any members of the Commune on Revleft, or does anyone know much about them?

Thanks.

[ed miliband]

They interest me, yeah.

I don't know if they are non-Leninist strictly speaking, as I believe they have Trotskyists in their ranks* and in some places they seem to be involved with Communist Students, a group associated with the CPGB. I think they also have links with the Labour Representation Committee.

Kind of a weird mix then.



*I've made that sound really sinister, huh?

[Mather]

I don't know if they are non-Leninist strictly speaking, as I believe they have Trotskyists in their ranks

But are these actual Trotskyists or ex-Trotskyists? I was a Trotskyist of sorts many years ago.


and in some places they seem to be involved with Communist Students, a group associated with the CPGB.

As much as I disagree with a lot of the programmatic and theoretical positions of the CPGB, they have a relatively good track record in engaging and debating with other groups from across the ideological spectrum of the revolutionary left.

As long the Commune simply limits it's engagement with the CPGB to polemics and debate, I don't see that as a problem in of itself. After all, the Anarchist Federation (AFED) engages in polemics with the International Communist Current (ICC), despite their substantial differences.


I think they also have links with the Labour Representation Committee.

If that is true, then a bad development in my opinion.

[Devrim]

I recently came across a British based group called the Commune.

http://thecommune.co.uk/

They seem to be non-leninist and libertarian Marxist in their outlook, but I don't know that much about them.

Are there any members of the Commune on Revleft, or does anyone know much about them?

I have met some of them. I believe that some of them also post on Libcom if you wanted to ask them anything directly.

Devrim

[Android]

I don't know if they are non-Leninist strictly speaking, as I believe they have Trotskyists in their ranks*

I am pretty sure no one in the Commune would self-describe as a Trotskyist. Although quite a few of their members out of the broad Trotskyist movement.


in some places they seem to be involved with Communist Students, a group associated with the CPGB. I think they also have links with the Labour Representation Committee.

In Manchester, there member who has an account on here is involed with Communist Students.

When the Commune was formed it was involved in the LRC, went to its conference, got members elected to its leadership. But in the time between its formation and today it has evolved politically - where now I don't think they are supporters and a once leading member of the group is not as prominient within the group anymore, but supports LRC

[Android]

As long the Commune simply limits it's engagement with the CPGB to polemics and debate

In reality though the Commune do not engage with CPGB at all. In fact, a section of their membership are extremely hostile to them due to their experience in the Campaign for a Marxist Party.


After all, the Anarchist Federation (AFED) engages in polemics with the International Communist Current (ICC), despite their substantial differences.

When has the Anarchist Federation engaged in polemics with the ICC? in the past, I think its rather been the other way round.

[Q]

As much as I disagree with a lot of the programmatic and theoretical positions of the CPGB, they have a relatively good track record in engaging and debating with other groups from across the ideological spectrum of the revolutionary left.

As long the Commune simply limits it's engagement with the CPGB to polemics and debate, I don't see that as a problem in of itself. After all, the Anarchist Federation (AFED) engages in polemics with the International Communist Current (ICC), despite their substantial differences.
According to the CS website (http://communiststudents.org.uk/?page_id=4242) the involvement is more than merely polemical, having a seat in the executive. Then again, despite that CS was founded by the CPGB and they still offer a lot of support, CS is very much an independent and multi-tendency organisation. Deliberately so.

The Commune is a split from a bigger formation, but I forgot from whom? Either it was the SWP or AWL. Either way, their politics have attracted many activists from a variety of backgrounds. I'm not sure if they have such a thing as a group policy or are a more loose network (which would explain why some support the LRC while others do not).

[ed miliband]

According to the CS website (http://communiststudents.org.uk/?page_id=4242) the involvement is more than merely polemical, having a seat in the executive. Then again, despite that CS was founded by the CPGB and they still offer a lot of support, CS is very much an independent and multi-tendency organisation. Deliberately so.

The Commune is a split from a bigger formation, but I forgot from whom? Either it was the SWP or AWL. Either way, their politics have attracted many activists from a variety of backgrounds. I'm not sure if they have such a thing as a group policy or are a more loose network (which would explain why some support the LRC while others do not).

I know some members came from AWL but I didn't think they split from them? I thought they split from Permanent Revolution for some reason.

[Android]

The original people who formed the Commune were David Broder and Chris Ford, who were in the minority faction in the AWL - re: the Iraq war.

A while back it looked like some people in Permanent Revolution were moving toward wanting to join the Commune.

[Le Socialiste]

Interesting. I think I'll look further into it - thanks.

If there are any members of the Commune, please identify yourselves (if you haven't already - I didn't read any responses) so that I may *potentially* contact you. I'd enjoy hearing more about your organization.

[Android]

If there are any members of the Commune, please identify yourselves (if you haven't already - I didn't read any responses) so that I may *potentially* contact you.

I am not a member of the Commune, but I know quite a few.

The user 'Markyb' is a member and a close friend of mine, so don't hesitate in contacting him if want to ask an actual member some questions.

[human strike]

I know they have a presence in Bristol but I've never actually knowingly come across any of them. If somebody could hook me up that'd be great.

[Android]

I know they have a presence in Bristol

I think they're influenced loosely speaking by autonomism.

They organise a discussion group in Bristol.


I've never actually knowingly come across any of them. If somebody could hook me up that'd be great.

I'm sure if you e-mailed the Commune's central e-mail address they'd put you in touch with them.

[bricolage]

My impression is that they are moving in a more syndicalist direction than anything else
I do like a lot of things they write though and they are pretty regular at it.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

I leafletted something they collaborated on. They seem to have very solid politics, I'm interested in their history, I didn't know about it being a split from AWL.

[The Idler]

They left the AWL partly as a result of the line taken on supporting Israel's right to self-defence including a nuclear strike against Iran.

[Le Socialiste]

I am not a member of the Commune, but I know quite a few.

The user 'Markyb' is a member and a close friend of mine, so don't hesitate in contacting him if want to ask an actual member some questions.

Thanks!

[Mather]

When the Commune was formed it was involved in the LRC, went to its conference, got members elected to its leadership. But in the time between its formation and today it has evolved politically - where now I don't think they are supporters and a once leading member of the group is not as prominient within the group anymore, but supports LRC

Well it is good to hear that the Commune no longer associates with the LRC, given that it is a reformist social democratic dead end. I'll ask them to clarify this though when I write to them.


In reality though the Commune do not engage with CPGB at all. In fact, a section of their membership are extremely hostile to them due to their experience in the Campaign for a Marxist Party.

What happened?


When has the Anarchist Federation engaged in polemics with the ICC? in the past, I think its rather been the other way round.

I thought the ICC and AFED had a polemic on the question of nationalism recently?


According to the CS website (http://communiststudents.org.uk/?page_id=4242) the involvement is more than merely polemical, having a seat in the executive. Then again, despite that CS was founded by the CPGB and they still offer a lot of support, CS is very much an independent and multi-tendency organisation. Deliberately so.

I always thought CS was the student group of the CPGB, much like SWSS for the SWP for example. Does the CPGB have authoritive control over the CS like the SWP does with it's student group?


The Commune is a split from a bigger formation, but I forgot from whom? Either it was the SWP or AWL.

It was the AWL, of which David Broder left over it's policies over Israel and Iraq.


My impression is that they are moving in a more syndicalist direction than anything else

Does this mean that they wish to withdrawl from political struggles to focus just on economic ones through union work?

[Q]

I always thought CS was the student group of the CPGB, much like SWSS for the SWP for example. Does the CPGB have authoritive control over the CS like the SWP does with it's student group?
Like I said, CS is an independent organisation. It has fraternal relations with the CPGB (the latter materially supporting CS for example), but it decides on its own policies. Recently for example there was a controversy regarding the affiliation to the LRC, having three sides in the debate:
Side 1: Opposition Statement to LRC Affiliation: ‘No Support for Labour – No Support for the LRC’ (http://communiststudents.org.uk/?p=6000)
Side 2: Against the politics of purity (http://communiststudents.org.uk/?p=6067)
Side 3: Getting our priorities right – a statement on the LRC affiliation debate (http://communiststudents.org.uk/?p=6084)

This debate is not over yet.

[Zanthorus]

I thought the ICC and AFED had a polemic on the question of nationalism recently?

That was the Internationalist Communist Tendency and David Broder writing for the Commune. The debate was kicked off by AFed's recent pamphlet on nationalism, and I believe the ICT weighed in criticising them for believing that Imperialism was the result of the structure of the state itself rather than the economic imperatives of capital. I don't know if the AFed ever replied to this, I didn't follow it all that closely.


I always thought CS was the student group of the CPGB, much like SWSS for the SWP for example. Does the CPGB have authoritive control over the CS like the SWP does with it's student group?

CS is linked with the CPGB (PCC) but, like Q said, it has organisational and political autonomy from the CPGB (PCC).

[Android]

That was the Internationalist Communist Tendency and David Broder writing for the Commune. The debate was kicked off by AFed's recent pamphlet on nationalism, and I believe the ICT weighed in criticising them for believing that Imperialism was the result of the structure of the state itself rather than the economic imperatives of capital. I don't know if the AFed ever replied to this, I didn't follow it all that closely.

Yes, AF never replied as far as I'm aware.


Does this mean that they wish to withdrawl from political struggles to focus just on economic ones through union work?

I have not got the impression that they moving toward syndicalism. They've organised a recent discussion on syndicalism and anarcho-syndicalism, and they've been involved in class struggles, but you would expect that.

I don't see them withdrawing 'from political struggles' as you put it, for example they organised a conference last weekend on 'feminism, organisation and class struggle' (http://thecommune.co.uk/2011/02/10/change-of-venue-feminism-event-20th-february/)

[Markyb]

Hey guys.

I was involved in Communist Students as an individual, although I resigned from CS in March.

I think I joined CS and The Commune on the same day.

I am still in The Commune.

[black magick hustla]

i like it. it is p. evident they came from the left because they still have some leftist hangups (the question on nationalism). in the commune vs afed polemic on nationalism i definitely stand with the afed.

[Android]

i like it. it is p. evident they came from the left because they still have some leftist hangups (the question on nationalism). in the commune vs afed polemic on nationalism i definitely stand with the afed

It should be noted though that in that polemic David Broder was not representing a collective position of the group, rather his own perspective on it. And there are / is differnces within the Commune on this question, for instance in another aritcle published by a member of the commune entitled 'no national solutions' (http://libcom.org/library/no-national-solutions) which argued largely along the same lines as the AF and other internationalists on this.

[twenty percent tip]

lemmeknow when these comrades do something more than make a newspaper onesheet and a blog.iwish the best but im prepared for all the samepoop