Origin of the membership card?

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Hey,I was just wondering what the origin of the party membership card was.Various groups,I couldn't say which exactly,give out cards to their members to indicate they belong to the party.Why is this? Isn't it somewhat materialistic (or maybe the word is elitist,I'm not sure) to be giving out cards that say you belong to a organization?

How did the cards begin? And why do they continue to this day?

-Thanks.

[Ocean Seal]

I think that this is something that didn't start with communist organizations. But hey membership cards are cool, so we can be the super cool commies club.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

I think that this is something that didn't start with communist organizations. But hey membership cards are cool, so we can be the super cool commies club.

I would believe that, but I find it a little odd that Marxist/communist/socialist groups would adopt such a policy;I mean, what is really the purpose?

[Zeus the Moose]

Well, the SP-USA and the IWW have cards/booklets in order for members to keep track of their dues payments, with small stickers being given for each dues payment received. It's helpful for keeping track of paid-up members at business meetings and conventions. Also, both organisations have a short "About Us" statement on each card, which might be handy for a first glance into an organisation by interested folks.

[Q]

Well, the SP-USA and the IWW have cards/booklets in order for members to keep track of their dues payments, with small stickers being given for each dues payment received. It's helpful for keeping track of paid-up members at business meetings and conventions.

This "member in good standing" status is (mostly?) an American thing though. I don't know of non-American groups or organisations that have this practice.

[Die Rote Fahne]

The idea of a membership "card" is pretty useless.

[Zeus the Moose]

This "member in good standing" status is (mostly?) an American thing though. I don't know of non-American groups or organisations that have this practice.

It's not something all socialist groups in the US do, either. As a sympathiser in Solidarity, I've never gotten a card of any sort, just dues notices in the mail.

That is a little strange, though; I would have thought membership cards to be more common.

[Rooster]

I thought membership cards were just a way to keep track of members. You know, so you can turn up at a meeting and they'd know who you are, especially in different branches.

Also, I read some where that some organisations would add -00 to a membership number or something, to make it look like the organisation had a greater number of members.

[Arlekino]

I do like in Russia now how they give membership card to join communist party. They give good speech and for ladies even flowers and with card. As in Soviet Union to be communist party member I remember you have to explain herself in front of audience why do you want to join communist party. As myself was in Komsomol member as well we carry membership cards and seems was serious staff to be komsomol or communist.

[Sir Comradical]

Yeah it's "elitist", unless of course you'd prefer your organisation be thoroughly infiltrated by randoms. It's a good idea to know who your members are and to have their details.

[Reznov]

Well, the SP-USA and the IWW have cards/booklets in order for members to keep track of their dues payments, with small stickers being given for each dues payment received. It's helpful for keeping track of paid-up members at business meetings and conventions. Also, both organisations have a short "About Us" statement on each card, which might be handy for a first glance into an organisation by interested folks.

This way members don't forget the most important activity they do, give money to the leaders of SP-USA and IWW.

[Tablo]

This way members don't forget the most important activity they do, give money to the leaders of SP-USA and IWW.
Lol, I see what you're trying to do. I don't think it is nice to hate on SPUSA and the IWW. While SPUSA has its issues I have heard that the more radical members are taking control. IWW is just IWW. They have always been radical, but somewhat irrelevant.

[Buitraker]

This "member in good standing" status is (mostly?) an American thing though. I don't know of non-American groups or organisations that have this practice.
Here in Spain yes

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Yeah it's "elitist", unless of course you'd prefer your organisation be thoroughly infiltrated by randoms. It's a good idea to know who your members are and to have their details.

Organizations get infiltrated anyway.How are membership cards suppose to weed out fakes? If the pigs and randoms are determined enough it wont matter if your group has cards since they (the outsiders) will play the part of a revolutionary anyway,right?

[NoOneIsIllegal]

IWW is just IWW. They have always been radical, but somewhat irrelevant.
Hater's gonna hate.
I know what you mean. IWW has had its ups and downs, mostly downs, until 2005 (or even sooner). 300% rise the last 6 years though, and there's a lot of underground activity that the IWW doesn't go public about. There are big operations that will make shit explode within the next 5 years (or sooner hopefully) if plans go accordingly.
A lot of other stuff going on (rise of new, active growing branches) but I'll stop here, because now I'm just ranting.
Point: Shit's exciting, dawg.