The Young Communist League

[Osman Ghazi]

I just joined the YCL yesterday and I was sort of wondering what everyone at Che-Lives thought of it.

[SittingBull47]

dunno. what is it anyway?

[Saint-Just]

Is this the British one? Ideologically I don't thinks its too bad.

[SlimJin]

Personally I feel that Youth Communists who don't live in a Communist country aren't really sure what they believe but are looking for something to rebel against and usually grow out of it. I am one of these people I like to read about Communism and all other political ideologies but I feel I am not effected by the changes for the working class since I myself am not yet a part of the working class. It is good to know about all of this but before you truly commit yourself to the cause or any cause of any kind it would be best to consider all the aspects of it and as teens we are still trying to find ourselves or identify with something, Communism is one of those things. Che went through his early life like this never committing to anything but rather coming up with his own beliefs on man and life and look at how he turned out ;)

[Voice of the Revolution]

try www.communist-party.org.uk and look for the link there. I was going to join, but then I realised I could join the bigger party in a couple of months, so I'm holding off until then.

[Osman Ghazi]

It's the Canadian YCL.
Mostly were just supposed to be active in the community in spreading socialism, fighting for social justice, etc.

[MiDnIgHtMaRaUdEr]

Originally posted by Osman [email protected] 10 2004, 09:58 AM
I just joined the YCL yesterday and I was sort of wondering what everyone at Che-Lives thought of it.
Did you get anything like pamphets or anything that tell you when/where to meet? I would join, but I don't have a way to get the money that I don't have online.

[Andrei Kuznetsov]

The YCL-USA? I left'em. A very inactive, crusty, unprincipled organization that does nothing, to be quite honest.

[FatFreeMilk]

The YCL-USA? I left'em. A very inactive, crusty, unprincipled organization that does nothing, to be quite honest.

I was wondering about them. Like when you join, what happens? The site seems kinda not maintained or something so I was wondering if that's a reflection of how active they are.

[BOZG]

Isn't the YCL-USA, the youth wing of the CPUSA, who actually endorse the Democrats???? They're a fucking reformist joke.

[BOZG]

It's very hard to say what you think about an organisation unless you've seen it in action. Most left groups will tend to have the same platform and manifesto, whether they're reformist or revolutionary but only some apply what they talk about. You also need to read their publications on more in-depth topics.

[MiDnIgHtMaRaUdEr]

Originally posted by Andrei [email protected] 10 2004, 07:48 PM
The YCL-USA? I left'em. A very inactive, crusty, unprincipled organization that does nothing, to be quite honest.
As opposed to the leader worshipping RCP? I am voting for Kerry too, so its no big.

[Xvall]

The YCL in the U.S doesn't do much, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't join it. Part of the reason they might not be doing much could be because no one is willing to join it.

[Saint-Just]

I would join the RCP if I lived in the U.S., I don't know if the party operates in Canada.

[Osman Ghazi]

I joined the YCL of Canada.
They disbanded in 1989 but they started it up again in 2003. It is a young organization, but they seem to be doing all they can and apparently they have recruited quite a few people.

[Wiesty]

well particuallryly i dont care lol. but good for u that where ever u live. (probably north america) ur standing up to authority and joining a commie club. I think that would be cool. Dont know what u do in them but sounds cool to me

[Osman Ghazi]

This is one of the documents I got after I joined. It is just a general outline of what we are supposed to be doing.

Building Your Collective, Building the Movement.

How to Build a YCL Collective

I. Getting Started- Forming a Core for your Collective:

Organizations don’t form themselves; it often takes hard work and determination to get the ball rolling. Sometimes it is easier than others. Sometimes you start out with a lot of support and sometimes you don’t. But even if you feel like you are the only Communist in your school, town or city, don’t give up. Set to work on building a Young Communist Collective and fight for progressive changes, economic and social justice and, of course, the eventual establishment of socialism. Look at your community or school and choose important issues to concentrate your effort on.

 What issues are highly controversial?
 Is there something going on that pisses off the people in your area, or the students at your school?
 Identify policies that discriminate against people of color, first nation’s peoples, immigrants, women, youth, gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals or transgendered people.
 What affects young people directly? It could likely be a school related issue like tuition, or perhaps a problem with ageism or the harassment of youth by authorities and so on.

These are only a few examples, but the point is that the best way to draw people to our cause and build a collective is to build solidarity around issues while developing an understanding of what the problems are, how they are caused by the capitalist system, and what the solutions proposed by the YCL are. Call a meeting in your community, invite people to come to the meeting and invite them to join the YCL, while also stating that there is no obligation by coming to the meeting, so as not to dissuade people who may not yet feel comfortable joining a revolutionary organization from coming. If you are the only YCLer in your area, persuade a friend (or friends) to help you organize and run the meeting.

Advertise your meeting, so as not to limit the meeting to just those who have some connection to you personally, post fliers or posters with a phone number or e-mail where they can contact you if they have questions, make sure you include the place and time of the meeting and some info about the subject and purpose of the meeting. Try to make the fliers or posters exciting, it’s important that it catches peoples attention. Call other progressive organizations and youth groups in your area and try to get them involved. If you put your mind to it you can build a YCL collective in your area!

II. Gathering Support:
Often when you are a Communist in a capitalist controlled world you face isolation. Those who call for revolutionary changes to society are made out by the capitalist media, education system and entertainment industry to be monsters. The best way to fight isolation and gain the acceptance and support of people in your area is to build solidarity. You have to connect with people, get their support by getting them out to some sort of event and giving yourself a chance to tell them what we’re all about. Get out there and be seen and heard!
 Set up a YCL info table at your school, campus or just about anywhere that you can. Materials for your table are available from a YCL office and can be mailed to you if you contact the office and request them. Alternately, materials can be obtained through the internet, just ask a fellow YCLer to e-mail copies to you or check to see if what you are looking for is available on the YCLs website. Make sure that you are comfortable with answering people’s questions.
 Hold a public forum. Invite speakers from the Young Communist League or from other progressive organizations to speak. Poster like crazy! There are likely other young people out there who are sick of capitalism and/or have something to say about the issue you are raising. Postering is cheap, easy and can even be fun and if people don’t know the meetings going on they aren’t going to show up.
 Hold a Festival of the Oppressed (a YCL party). If your in a band, or know someone who is, and can get some live music for a show your off to a great start. The same can be said for DJ’s. A YCL party or rave can be an excellent way to let people know the YCL exists in their area and get them interested. It can also be a good fundraiser and a way to have fun while incorporating the struggle against capitalism into it.
 Invite wide circles of people; avoid cliques and sectarianism at all costs. The greater the variety of people, the greater range of skills and idea will be contributed to your collective.
 Be creative when thinking up events and fundraising activities. You could hold a progressive film night, or a poetry reading with a progressive theme. You could sell 50/50 tickets at the door and/or give out cool Communist door prizes. Whatever you are interested in can be made to help build the movement. Use sign up sheets at your events. Call people who attend your event back and ask if they are interested in coming to a meeting or learning more about the YCL. Don’t give up easily, just because someone is out when you call doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try back later. Give each member a list of numbers to call and make it their responsibility to contact those people.
 Don’t be afraid to ask advice from other YCLers or veterans from the Communist movement. Getting tips from others, especially those who are more experienced can help avoid making the same mistakes that others made in the past.
 Try to distribute the work as fairly and evenly as possible. Don’t let all the work be done by a small group of leaders. The YCL belongs to us all and we should all contribute what we can to it. If we work together everyone will pitch in and nobody will get burnt out.
 When assigning tasks to a group of members, try to pair up a more experienced member with a less experienced one. Working in teams builds confidence, organizing skills and friendships.
 Stay in touch! Make sure none of your collectives members fall out of touch with the group. Attendance and participation at meetings is important. Try to keep in touch with local members and YCLers in other areas by phone or through the internet when possible.

III. How a YCL collective Works:
Once you have gathered a core group of YCLers who hold and attend meeting and work on campaigns regularly, you have to build your core group into a real collective. Although the structure of collectives can vary from place to place based on what works where and depending on the size of the group, all clubs should hold regular meetings, have a membership list and elect as many officers as necessary for the smooth running of the group. The following are some guidelines for any YCLer who is a member of a collective.

Structure:
A YCL collective is run through the participation of all its members in decision making processes and in the actions that follow. The application of democratic-centralism leads to a YCL collective that is truly democratic and representative of it’s members. Officers ensure that a YCL collective runs smoothly and ensure that the collective’s decisions are carried through. Collectives should have three officers: secretary, organizer and publicity officer. The secretary is generally responsible for organizing meetings and keeping minutes of meetings, handling the treasury etc. An organizer leads the way in setting up events and protests and a publicity officer ensures that the collectives events are noticed by the media, writes press releases and ensures that the YCL is noticed in your area. When the club is larger, increase the number of officers to whatever amount is necessary, divide up the work, have a separate treasurer or a separate officer in charge of organizing meetings. Another good idea is to have an educational coordinator for setting up theory study sessions and schools in Marxist-Leninist theory. Remember, officers should not do all the work; work should be divided amongst all members. All officers are accountable to the YCL members as a whole and to YCL and collective policies. Officers are elected by the collective as a whole. Collectives should try to make sure that their officers are their hardest working, most dedicated members. Try to make sure that everyone is working on something they enjoy, it is a bad idea to put someone who hates writing in charge of press releases. In the case that an officer suffers from burn-out it is clear that more officers are needed or that work must be divided more evenly amongst all the members.
Collectives may also want to elect a leader. A leader is someone who can act as a spokesperson for the collective. A leader should be someone who is capable of helping other develop their skills, inspire people to join and motivate members. The ability to inspire and motivate is an important quality, one that all YCL members should try to achieve. The collective’s leader does not necessarily have to be the leader of each campaign. A different member can be elected to lead this or that action. Officers and leaders make up the collectives cadre. Leaders are not bosses; they do not make all the decisions or give orders. Decisions and orders come from the membership as a whole, the cadre is only the mouthpiece of the collective as a whole.

Meetings:
Meetings should be held at least once a month, although twice a month is often desirable. Minutes should be taken during meetings and a tentative agenda should be set up before each meeting. At the beginning of a meeting it is a good idea to have someone read the previous meetings minutes aloud and then present the current meetings agenda and make any necessary changes or additions. In some cases it may be necessary to elect a meeting chairperson. A meeting chairperson takes on such responsibilities as writing down peoples names in the order the raise their hands and calling the speakers in turn. The chairperson ensures that everyone gets their chance to speak and that the discussion remains on track. It is important to make sure that meetings are kept interesting, flow smoothly and are kept on topic. This become doubly important when a new member or a prospective new member is attending. Make sure that new people are given a good impression of the YCL when they attend a meeting. The YCL should come off as an organized, democratic, united and revolutionary organization if we want to draw other radical youth to join us.

Members:
Members should fill out a membership application form once they have decided to join, a copy of which must be sent to the YCL office. This can be done by regular mail, e-mail or fax. It is also a good idea for the collective secretary to keep a list of members that are a part of their collective which should include name and contact info. There is currently no system of dues for YCL members, although in the future a system of due may be set up which would request a dollar or two per month from members. Remember, fundraising work and donations from members, other organizations and the public are the only source of income that the YCL has to operate on. All members must be involved in deciding the actions and strategies of the collective. Open, democratic discussion leads to greater unity and, as a result, a stronger collective.

Strategy:
Unity is key to a strong collective and to strong activism. A collective that does not act with unity can hardly call itself a collective at all. A collective should discuss strategies and goals at meetings. All members must be given an opportunity to express their ideas and opinions and even to express disagreement with current policies and strategies. Do not squelch dissident, this can only lead to problems, work actively to persuade others of the correctness of your view, but accept that not everyone must agree. Once the collective has voted on the strategy all members should follow the decision to the best of their ability. United action holds the collective together.

Communication:
A collective is part of a larger movement to organize young people against capitalism. The YCL may already be established and very active in your province or territory, or it could just be starting out. Maybe you are one of the leaders trying to form an established and active YCL in your province. Whatever the case may be, it is important to stay connected with the YCL movement as a whole. Keep your provincial office and/or your other YCL comrades informed about what’s going on in your city, school, or campus. This can be done in a number of ways, by mail, the internet, phone, fax or in person. It is important for us to all stay connected to one another especially now, as we struggle to form a country-wide YCL.

IV. Educational Work
It is of the utmost importance that YCL members have a good understanding of the basic Marxist-Leninist ideology. After all, we need to know the theory behind what we are fighting for. It is also a good idea to have a basic knowledge of the history of socialist movements around the world. Often we are faced with questions from people which we must be able to answer in a way that is convincing and that shows that we understand what we are calling for. With this said it is a good idea to read the classics: Marx, Engels, Lenin etc. as well as YCL literature if possible. The YCLs suggested reading list can be used as a reference but don’t be afraid to look beyond that either. The following are more suggestions for educational work.
 Hold a theory study session with your collective. Choose a piece of writing ahead of time and give ample time between the meeting at which you choose the material and the study session for all members to read over the material and prepare a few notes, questions and comments. Also, elect a member who is willing and able to prepare a brief over-view of the article and some suggested discussion questions. At your study question try to come to conclusions within your group about what the article means and how it relates to your current work or something taking place in the world today. Reading, discussing and debating the article will increase everyone’s understanding.
 Create a study guide. Once the collective has had it’s study session you could easily turn what you have discovered into a study guide on the article that your collective studied. This guide can be of immense use to other collectives around the country. If your collective completes such a study guide please send a copy to your YCL office. A study guide for “The Communist Manifesto” is already available from the YCL.
 Hold a public session on a specific subject; advertise it around your town or city. Try to get as many people as possible to show up. This public session could be on anything from the peace movement from a Communist perspective to a myth breaking session about Communism. Prepare a presentation and leave time for questions from the public and discussion periods. Many people may show up just out of curiosity, some may even join. If nothing else you will have presented a point of view that is probably new to a lot of people and may have helped to open some people’s minds to new ways of thinking.


V. A YCL Campaign.

A successful YCL campaign educates people, wins concessions, builds broad solidarity and strengthens your collective. Campaigns are an excellent way to build leadership skills and prove that united, collective strength can overcome just about anything. Always be sure to show how the topic of your campaign is tied to capitalism. Don’t just complain about injustice, show people that we have solutions. How are the problems caused by the capitalist system? What solutions does the YCL propose? Why is socialism the best alternative to the rule of capital? These are questions that you should strive to answer through your campaign.

Questions for Consideration when Starting a Campaign:
Choose an issue that is important to people and controversial. If nothing seems particularly controversial at the moment, make your own controversy! Once your collective has decided upon an issue, discuss it amongst yourselves at a meeting. The following are some examples of questions you should try to discuss and answer within your group.

 How will this campaign increase the appeal of the YCL, how will it strengthen our collective and the YCL as a whole?
 What are the root causes of the problem. What are the solutions we are proposing? Has the problem been an issue in the past? When? Where? How did people respond? Have a clear ideological position: Make the connections between your specific campaign and the system as a whole. Critique the capitalism as a whole through your campaign. Remember that we don’t call ourselves the Young COMMUNIST League for nothing! Build a sense of collective strength in the struggle against inequality and injustice.
 What is the specific problem we are addressing? Identify the issue clearly: Define the issues of your campaign clearly. Don’t just say “Our schools are poor” or “Sexism is a problem”, give specific examples and specific problems on that topic that you want to see changed.
 Who are the most influential decision makers on this issue? Identify a clear target or enemy: Don’t just raise an issue, target capitalism as the cause of the problem and identify the person or persons with the power to grant your demands. Put pressure on that person or those people. Who are our allies and opponents?
 Who is most affected by this problem? Define your constituency: Choose an issue which appeals to the broadest possible array of people, at the same time, don’t compromise your campaigns integrity, and keep on the right track. Don’t just say something because people have heard it before and are willing to accept it easily. How does the campaign build unity through issues such as racism, sexism and homophobia (if the campaign is not on one of those issues to start with).
 What are our long term and short term goals? Set a timeline: In some cases long campaigns may be best, while in others short campaigns fit the bill. Each has it’s own set of advantages and disadvantages. Long term campaigns can help to build leadership skills and develop a more in-depth understanding of the issue, but with long term campaigns there is often the threat of burn out, loss of interest and in time controversy and publicity can wear off. Keep in mind when your members are available. When do they have school? When will they be out of town or on vacation? How long is each member capable of taking part and how much can they give to the campaign? Lay out the campaigns timeline in incremental steps so that members can see the progress being made and feel a sense of accomplishment.
 It is important for you to know what you have to work with as far as your collectives resources go. Evaluate your treasury, how much can we spend? How much do we need? How can we get more if necessary? How many active members do you have? How experienced is the leadership? How much public support do you have and how easily can you stir shit up? Are there any internal problems that need to be resolved so that the campaign can flow smoothly? Also, be sure to look into media contacts, have access to decision makers and try to form alliances with others.
The above are questions for discussion when you are starting out, but once your collective has formulated a set of specific answers for these questions you have planned your strategy your strategy is a set of long term goals, what your going to do and how your going to do it. Once your collective has planned the general outlines of the campaign and strategy of the campaign the next step is to carry through and make your campaign a reality. But before you jump into action make sure your prepared and you know your stuff. Research your opponents and any possible allies. Contact other individuals and organizations who may want to help with your campaign. Plan a strategy including tactical steps but remember that unexpected changes can cause you to have to alter your strategy, be flexible!

Research:
It’s important to know what your getting into and what your up against. Here are some suggestions on what to research ahead of time.
 Dirt on your opponents: see if you can find out anything that your opponent has done in the past that caused a public uproar. What is your opponent up to now? This information can be useful later to bring public opinion to your side.
 Facts about the issue of your campaign: know all about what your fighting in your campaign. How is it caused by or connected to capitalism? Get some statistics on it if possible. What causes it and what does it cause? Build strong arguments backed by facts and built on ethics, politics and economics.
 Find your point of entry into the campaign. This should be a key issue that is currently of interest to many people, it is later expanded into an array of issues to do with one bigger problem. For example: high tuition fees, lack of funding, Eurocentric curriculums and so on all tie into the greater problem of an education system that is falling apart and needs drastic change.

Tactics:
Your tactics are your short-term goals. This includes public actions such as media events, educational events, demanding concessions, protests, strikes, sit-ins, die-ins, law suits, elections and negotiations etc. Don’t be too quick to write anything off as too radical. Media attention and publicity stunts draw peoples interest and draw other young people into our movement.

When planning tactics, make sure they are creative, radical, witty, imaginative and pointed. Tactics should be used to publicize the issue of the campaign, to bring your target and/or your opponents into the open and even to embarrass them or turn public opinion against them.
 Make sure everyone in your collective understands and agrees with the tactics.
 Try to make your events as large as possible.
 Get outside of your enemies experience.
 Do the unexpected, put pressure where it isn’t expected.
 Ridicule the enemy, flatter the ally.
 Try to have actions as often as possible, keep up the pressure!
 Have alternatives to offer.
 Try not to avoid confrontation with the enemy but be prepared to successfully argue your point.
 Try to meet the goals on your timetable.
 Try to get your opponents to sign binding agreements stating that they will solve the problems you are campaigning on.

Know Your Enemy:
 Invite a wide array of people to join your campaign. Invite anyone who would clearly support your campaign, but don’t stop there. Invite people who may or may not support your campaign, try to bring them over to your side. In some cases it’s not even a bad idea to invite your opponents and put them in the position of encouraging your action.
 Invite a member of the opposition to a public meeting. Encourage a debate between the opponent and your most effective speakers. It may not be a bad plan to sandwich the opponent between two of your best talkers.
 If opponents try to disrupt your event you can expose their true interests and counter their attempts. Some actions are best not publicized in advance, especially if there is a good chance it will be shut down or disrupted by the opposition.

Evaluating Success:
After an action or after a phase of your campaign it’s a good idea to hold a meeting and discuss your successes and failures so far. Discuss the opinions and reactions of all your members. Evaluate what concessions were gained, public turnout, press coverage and the performance of your club and the campaigns leaders. Each event is connected to the whole campaign. Assess who your campaign is appealing to so far, who are your allies, how can you gain more allies without compromising integrity.

VI. Press Coverage
Media attention is important. It can help build your base of support and it gets people thinking and talking about the issue you are raising. It can bring new members to your collective, more people to your events and new allies to your campaign and the movement as a whole. You can help expand your coverage by writing your own reports and sending them to the media, writing letters to the editor and developing contacts in the press who are sympathetic to the YCL and/or it’s campaigns.

Press Releases:
Press releases are an important way to increase media attention. A press release should include the following.
 Cover letter- a cover letter should include contact info for your collective (name, phone number, e-mail etc.). If you have a specific contact in the media outlet you are sending to, address the release to that individual so as to reduce the possibilities of the release going astray or into less friendly hands. Add the contacts fax or phone number incase it does go astray and needs to be forwarded to the intended contact. Have a release date for the article. If it is for a surprise action make sure it is not released until the proper day and time.
 Article- the article is the actual information you want released. It tells what the event is about, where it is, when it is, and why. It should give a clear statement of your position on the issue and of what you would like to see changed by your campaign. The article must be exciting and clear but remember to keep it brief. Try to include things like quotations from organizers of the event. You have to make the media believe it is worth their while to cover your story, especially since the media often shies away from radical events and actions.

Send the cover letter and article to your as many media outlets as you can. This includes local and/or national papers, news channels and radio stations. Remember to include the date of the event and the date/time you want the information released. It is a good idea to phone the media outlet the morning before the event is to take place.
 Verify that they received and filed your release (hopefully not in the trash!)
 Ask if they will cover your story/event and try to get a definite answer.

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor about the issue of your current campaign can help stir up some discussion, raise awareness about your campaign, and maybe even spark some interest in the YCL with some more people. Write a brief article on the issue and/or on a recent event staged by the YCL. If you get good replies try to contact the writer of the replies and ask them if they would like to come out to a meeting or if they will support your campaign in some other way. If you get bad ones counter them with another letter if possible. Sign the letter from “Young Communist League” if you can, you will probably be required to add you own name as well otherwise the newspaper will likely refuse to publish it. It’s just one more way to get our name out there and let people know what we are about.

VII. Conclusion
This article is just a set of basic guidelines, some starting points for a YCL collective. All YCLers should try to be leaders and innovators. This article could never tell you everything you need to know. Along the way your collective will figure out all kinds of things for itself. Some things are different in one area than in the next and some are the same. The important thing is to find what is right for your collective and your situation. Don’t be afraid to think of and do all the thing’s that seem impossible. Be controversial and have fun. When we build our collectives we are building much more. We are building our organization, we are building a movement, and you could even say we are building a revolution. Remember that the YCLs strength comes from its members, its members are the one’s who decide what the YCL is, what the YCL does and what the YCL achieves. This is our organization, it belongs to every single one of us. Let’s get out there and get it together!

The Youth are the Future, The Future is Socialism!

[commie kg]

All I know is that the US one is trash.

[Ian]

Zanzibar is a member of the YCL of Canada, ask him about it.

[Zanzibar]

Right, hello. I'm in the YCL. Currently we're just starting up again. The Young Communist League of Canada has been around for a long time now, but it went dorement after the soviet collapse in '92. Ideologically we really havn't taken any particular line. We're more focused on party building and stregthening the young communist movement in Canada.

If you would like to learn more feel free to look at our website

ycl.communist-party.ca

[BOZG]

I'm just wondering how can you possibly build a proper organisation without some sort of platform?

[Zanzibar]

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2004, 04:24 PM
I'm just wondering how can you possibly build a proper organisation without some sort of platform?
well if you had looked at the site you would realize we arn't.

Draft Manifesto of the Young Communist League of Canada


Peace! Jobs! Universal Education! Independence! Socialism! These are the issues that unite youth across Canada into a fighting organization -- the Young Communist League of Canada (YCL).

The YCL defiantly stands against user fees on education, exploitive jobs, chronic unemployment, imperialism and the constant threat of war.

We fight against the control of our country by a capitalist monopoly. We oppose the efforts of private banks, corporations and multinationals to jeopardize our future through their ruthless drive for profits. We believe that a socialist Canada, where the major means of producing and distributing the wealth will be the common property of Canada's working people, holds the real future for our generation. Under socialism, the fullest development of individuals will occur because collective solutions will be found to problems such as unemployment, poor education, and the constant threat of war.

As part of our goal for socialism, the YCL fights for the interests of youth in Canada today. We struggle for youth unity around a platform as put forward in our policy for a Charter of Youth Rights.

The YCL struggles for a Canadian constitution that will guarantee the right to self-determination for all nations in Canada, in addition to the social and economic rights of working people and working youth.

Employment is a right for youth in Canada. We need new economic policies to process our natural resources and to develop the manufacturing industrial sector to produce the goods we need. Decent pay and working conditions as well as the opportunity for further training must be guaranteed as well as the development of the resources in the interests of the people.

We want more and better -- instead of fewer and worse -- schools, colleges and universities. Instead of enormous tuition fees, progressive tax-funded education and a living stipend should make education accessible to all. We demand that Canada regard the education of youth as a collective investment rather than a personal privilege of the rich.
We fight against racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, ageism, class oppression and all forms of discrimination against native and immigrant youth. We understand that these practices undermine the unity needed to change society.

We pledge to fight for a world free of war. All of the other rights we fight for depend on the survival of humankind.

The YCL works to build solidarity between the young workers and young students, both in Canada, and abroad. We think that the future of Canada is tied to winning peace and the success of movements to free maldeveloped countries from the domination of the transational capital and imperialism. We also rally support and solidarity for the youth of those countries where youth now have a future -- the socialist countries.

The YCL provides hands-on experience in the class struggle for youth. We realize that youth alone can't fundamentally change society. We recognize the leading role of the working class in this struggle and the importance of organizing the unorganized.
The YCL is an independent mass youth organization. We are united in the revolutionary struggle under the political guidance of the Communist Party of Canada, and its program. We study and apply the philosophy of Marxism-Leninism, the revolutionary theory of the working class. The YCL is a school where young people can learn to become communists as well as learn through current struggle.

The YCL, accepts as its own, the task of working unceasingly for the establishment of a socialist society, where exploitation, want, poverty, and insecurity shall be ended forever. A lofty goal indeed! - but a goal which can be won through struggle. The task is ours as young workers, and there’s no time like now to ORGANIZE!

What is the Young Communist League?

Statement of the September 12th 2003 Conference

1.0 Are we the same organization as the YCL, which folded in 1989?
Although we are obviously a new organization made up of new people, we hold many of the same views and visions of a better future. The YCL changed in many ways between its creation in 1923 and it’s dissolution in 1989. The YCL must always continue to change to suit the conditions around it and struggle for those things that are of the most importance to youth at that time. We are proud of the YCL’s history, but we are not bound by the past, nor do we aim to copy it. Our goals are the goals of today.

2.0 Is the YCL non-partisan?
We are not the youth wing of a particular party. If a group shares our goals, we will support their cause.

3.0 Who does the YCL support in elections?
The YCL is and independent organization. We decide our election tactics based on the specific election and support candidates based on how well their goals coincide with ours.

4.0 Does the YCL only focus on youth?
The YCL organizes and unites young people, however our goals are for the benefit of all in the long run.

5.0 What is the YCL’s stance on other past and present Communist and socialist movements?
The YCL learns from the past and we will not allow different understandings of history divide us. We support all genuine past and present socialist revolutions and liberation movements.

6.0 What is your stance on violence as an activist tool?
The YCL does not condone random acts of violence. We believe that violence is not always necessary for revolution and should be avoided if at all possible. At the same time the YCL is not a pacifist organization. We believe that violence becomes necessary in certain social situations and would defend the revolution and ourselves by any means necessary.

7.0 Does the YCL have age limits?
A: The YCL recognizes that youth define themselves. We believe that a better understanding of youth comes not from looking at our minds or chronological age, but at our position and condition within capitalist society; the work we do, the conditions in our schools and the rules we face.

8.0 What is Communism?
A most basic explanation of communism is a society in which all things are owned in common and the people work in common. Our ultimate goal is a society in which the working masses hold all economic, political and social power and the exploitation and oppression of one human being by another is abolished forever. As the phrase goes: “All power to the people"

[il Commie]

I'm from the YCL of Israel. Judging from this thread, it might be the most active YCL in a country where the communist party doesn't rule.

Here is an interview with comrade Reem Hazzan from YCL-Israel from the YCL-USA paper:

http://www.yclusa.org/article/articleview/1573/1/294

[BOZG]

So you didn't join Maavak Socyalisti' in the end then.

[il Commie]

No, I don't like 40 people organizations. And they're not jewish-arab, they have only jewish activists, and they don't support the right of return.

[BOZG]

I don't like 40 people organizations.

An organisation cannot be based on the number it has. The Bolsheviks were extremely small at one stage. Why not join Likud if you want organisations that have large memberships.



And they're not jewish-arab,they have only jewish activists,

How is that a basis for rejecting them? Because no Arabs have joined, you rule them out. You seem to have very simplistic reasons for not joining organisations.



and they don't support the right of return.

Somehow I don't think they reject the right of return outright but I could be very wrong. It's more likely, they don't post it as a maximum demand but as a transitional demand. It's very easy for a group to say they support it without examining the effects it may have.

[acg4_9]

An organisation cannot be based on the number it has. The Bolsheviks were extremely small at one stage. Why not join Likud if you want organisations that have large memberships.

it's not about the number but about the affect. the age when few people can make a deference is gone since the one pole rule of the US and it's imperialic followers.


And they're not jewish-arab, they have only jewish activists
i understood from this that this org is kind of suspecious by not having any arabs in it when -i think- arabs are more than 1/5 of the working class in israel.


Somehow I don't think they reject the right of return outright but I could be very wrong. It's more likely, they don't post it as a maximum demand but as a transitional demand. It's very easy for a group to say they support it without examining the effects it may have.

comrade BornOfZapatasGuns : some things are just red lines that can't be crossed.

god bless our freedom fighters
viva iraq viva palestine

[BOZG]

i understood from this that this org is kind of suspecious by not having any arabs in it when -i think- arabs are more than 1/5 of the working class in israel.

As has been said, they're a small organisation, there's nothing suspicious about. I also know some of the members, there's nothing anti-Arab about them.



it's not about the number but about the affect. the age when few people can make a deference is gone since the one pole rule of the US and it's imperialic followers.

But do numbers make effects? 19 people crashing a plane into 3 buildings has changed the world completely, yet 30 million people marching against war has done nothing.

[Neelie The Great]

I guess it ok, I don't care

[acg4_9]

As has been said, they're a small organisation, there's nothing suspicious about. I also know some of the members, there's nothing anti-Arab about them.

i think i understood wrong...... my mistake


But do numbers make effects? 19 people crashing a plane into 3 buildings has changed the world completely, yet 30 million people marching against war has done nothing.

i think numbers effects. cause these 19 were members of a multi thousand global movement.
it's the age of numbers figures dollars if we want to change it we must play as the rules and then try to change them.

god bless our freedom fighters
viva iraq viva palestine

[il Commie]

An organisation cannot be based on the number it has. The Bolsheviks were extremely small at one stage. Why not join Likud if you want organisations that have large memberships.


A small organization who ignores the democratic rights of the palestinians and who ignores the existing tools of the workers is doomed to end up in the trash can of history. The CMI for instance also have a small organization in Israel, and they joined the ICP, because they join the existing workers' anti-zionist party to influence it in a revolutionary direction. In revolution times, the CMI who joined the ICP could represent a revolutionary program in it and maybe even split and form a new and revolutionary workers' party (like the Bolsheviks splited from the SD). And CWI? They will end up with their 40 members, yelling "revolution! revolution!". That what Lenin wrote about in his book "Left-Wing Communism: an Infantile Disorder ".


How is that a basis for rejecting them? Because no Arabs have joined, you rule them out. You seem to have very simplistic reasons for not joining organisations.


It's not like they haven't tried to get arabs to join. It's that they only told them "you're exploited workers!" , instead of understanding the democratic difficulties of arabs in Israel. When I spoke to one of their activists, I asked him if by "working class" he means the jewish or arab working class, because both have different awareness. He told me, "when I say 'the working class' I mean 'the jewish working class'".


Somehow I don't think they reject the right of return outright but I could be very wrong. It's more likely, they don't post it as a maximum demand but as a transitional demand. It's very easy for a group to say they support it without examining the effects it may have.


They say that someday after the revolution anyone could live where he wants. But they don't reffer anywhere to the right of return, "to not scare the jewish workers". They don't understand that workers' awareness could get very internationalist at time of crisis. They don't know the difference between the settlers who use the excuse of "jews were here two milleniums ago" and the refugees who demand to return to their homeland (not to the exact homes, since most were demolished) or at least get money for the property they lost.

[BOZG]

A small organization who ignores the democratic rights of the palestinians and who ignores the existing tools of the workers is doomed to end up in the trash can of history.

How is ignoring the rights of the Palestinians? Give me some proof where MS completely refutes the right of return. There's a huge difference about rejecting it completely and posing it as a transitional demand. As for ignoring the existing tools of the workers', could you explain that to me? The ICP is hardly a tool of the workers.



In revolution times, the CMI who joined the ICP could represent a revolutionary program in it and maybe even split and form a new and revolutionary workers' party (like the Bolsheviks splited from the SD).

By saying that a split is needed to form a revolutionary workers' party, you're agreeing with the CWI position. If it is already a workers' party then a split is not needed.



And CWI? They will end up with their 40 members, yelling "revolution! revolution!".

And that's why the CWI are one of the biggest internationals.... Israel is one of the smallest sections so stay quiet with your 40 members bull shit. How many organisations have massive sections in every country? None. And yelling "revolution, revolution".....have you ever heard of the transitional programme? We don't put forward maximum demand slogans you fucking fool.



But they don't reffer anywhere to the right of return, "to not scare the jewish workers".

You think this just came out of nowhere??? Past experience has been the basis of this. You seem to think the CMI are great, I wouldn't be positive but it's very likely they would put forward a similar position.

[AC-Socialist]

Originally posted by Osman [email protected] 10 2004, 11:30 PM
It's the Canadian YCL.
Mostly were just supposed to be active in the community in spreading socialism, fighting for social justice, etc.
ROFL, you make it sound so brilliantly trivial!!!

[Hitman47]

hey guys my mom is mad at me because i sent an application to the YCL -USA


She said "You dumbass take that bullshit idea of your head!"


HELP! :( :ph34r:

[SlimJin]

I am meeting with a Communist who works with the RCYB *Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade* and I was showing my mother the draft programme and she was very much into it but when I told her about meeting the people she was like no your old step-dad had been sent to prison because he was a Communist and they are anti-government and he was involved in some bomb plot and she thinks they will have me suicide bombing or something lol I have til Friday to change her mind about it

[il Commie]

How is ignoring the rights of the Palestinians? Give me some proof where MS completely refutes the right of return. There's a huge difference about rejecting it completely and posing it as a transitional demand.

This is not a transitional plan in their programe. This is not mentioned in their propaganda. When I talked to ther activists, they compared the refugees who lost their homes because of Zionism to the settlers who think all the land must be jewish because jews were exiled 2000 years ago.


As for ignoring the existing tools of the workers', could you explain that to me? The ICP is hardly a tool of the workers.

No. It's not a tool of the workers. It's just the biggest party among the arab working-class. It's just the only party, with basis in the street, the unions and the Knesset who supports jewish-arab workers' partnership (I don't know if that's the correct word). It is just the political home of radical-left students and youth around Israel (we won %25 precent of the votes at the student's council of Haifa University several weeks ago!). It is the only party (real party, not just a few activists) calling for peace on the base of workers' solidarity.

No, hardly a tool of the workers.


By saying that a split is needed to form a revolutionary workers' party, you're agreeing with the CWI position. If it is already a workers' party then a split is not needed.


You're point of view is idealistic and wrong. A political party in times of "peace" between the classes can not be only worker-owned or capitalists-owned. It's not all black or white.

Like the Likud has workers in it, like many of the Ashdod Naval workers trying to make it fit their interests, so does every workers' party has petty-bourgeoise tendencies. In times of "peace", it is better to join these parties and try to fight these tendencies and make the workers' parties revolutionary, instead of giving them up for their reformist parts.

In revolutionary times - either the party goes in the revolutionary direction, the party splits or the party dies. Rosa Luxemburg was a part of the german SD for a long time and fought within it against the reformists. She didn't give up the party in peace times, because it was a powerful tool of the workers. Only in revolution times, when the SD went in a total reformist-capitalist direction did she split from the party, along with the revolutionary cells she built inside the party in "peace" times.



And that's why the CWI are one of the biggest internationals.... Israel is one of the smallest sections

An Internationale is good. Internationalism is very important. But without a good strategy of the local party, I can't see how will an internationale alone help the israeli or palestinian masses.


stay quiet with your 40 members bull shit.

So someone doubted your CWI ideology - is that a reason to throw insults?


How many organisations have massive sections in every country? None

As you said yourself, if you want numbers you can go to the capitalists. The joke entitled "The Socialist Internationale", which it's v. president is Shimon -Fucking- Peres, is biggest than the CWI.

But from a proletarian point of view, I don't want to sound like I'm such a fan of them or something but - the CMI.


And yelling "revolution, revolution".....have you ever heard of the transitional programme? We don't put forward maximum demand slogans

Well, MS are 40 people (+an international organization) who calls for the building of a new workers' party, without petty-bourgeoise tendencies and without a Stalinist history (and Stalinism was earased from Maki/ICP, and the hardcore stalinists went with the Israeli Communist Forum). That is just like the 'revolutionaries' Lenin wrote about in "Infantile Disorder", who called the workers to leave their unions and join their 'revolutionary' unions. Wherever workers are fighting for their rights - unions, street demonstrations, workers' parties etc. - revolutionaries should be there fighting with them. If they avoid this task, they are doomed to remain an isolated group of students and youths.


you fucking fool.


When you use this language, you only show you are insecure to your arguments.


You think this just came out of nowhere??? Past experience has been the basis of this.

And the fact that you are not willing to share with us this experience makes it a bit difficult to refer to it.


You seem to think the CMI are great, I wouldn't be positive but it's very likely they would put forward a similar position.

You're wrong. Read their stands about the israeli-palestinian conflict on www.marxist.com . Right of return is nothing to hide. It's one of the things which seperates clearly the anti-zionist communists and the zionists social-democrats.

[dark fairy]

i was offered to join the one in the us {because i live there, duh?!} but i don't know there was just not enough information. I just wasn't confortable

[BOZG]

No. It's not a tool of the workers. It's just the biggest party among the arab working-class. It's just the only party, with basis in the street, the unions and the Knesset who supports jewish-arab workers' partnership (I don't know if that's the correct word). It is just the political home of radical-left students and youth around Israel (we won %25 precent of the votes at the student's council of Haifa University several weeks ago!). It is the only party (real party, not just a few activists) calling for peace on the base of workers' solidarity.

No, hardly a tool of the workers.


It's not a question of whether they have membership within unions or on the streets but whether they can actually be re-claimed. That is the question at hand. The Labour Party has all of the above but we debate whether it's taken a path to capitalism.



she built inside the party in "peace" times.

Because it could still be re-claimed at such a stage.



So someone doubted your CWI ideology - is that a reason to throw insults?

How is that an insult? Your screaming about the CWI having 40 members. I straightened your bull shit out.



is just like the 'revolutionaries' Lenin wrote about in "Infantile Disorder", who called the workers to leave their unions and join their 'revolutionary' unions.

Has the CWI called to leave the unions? No. Once again, this is a question of whether the "bourgeois-workers" parties are still such organisations.



And the fact that you are not willing to share with us this experience makes it a bit difficult to refer to it.


Northern Ireland is one such experience.



When you use this language, you only show you are insecure to your arguments.

Fuck off.

[il Commie]

BornOfZapatasGuns,

First of all, you're cute with all your "bull shit" and "Fuck off".

Second, I understood your main argument. You're saying Maki/ICP can not be reclaimed by revolutionaries. Well, it might have been true if it has still been ruled by USSR comands. It might have been true if it has taken the completely reformist path like the french CP.

But neither are true. Maki is still a radical party, still calls for peace and socialism and is still not a part of the zionist or arab bourgeoise. As a member I am farmiliar with the system of the party, and I can tell you it allows very democratic discussions. Trotzkysts, especially since the collapse of the USSR, are heard in the party and the official releases even got some of their arguments about the USSR.

Maki is for me a party leninists-trotzkysts can try to take in their direction. I do believe Maki is the only way trotzkysts can get support from the progressive parts of proletariat.

[trotskylicious]

have you ever spoken with any of the members? I happened to notice, that there is a link where you can join over the internet and fill out a form, I hope that wasn't your way of deciding to fight for their program. Regardless, If you have decided to join an organization, why ask our opinion a day later, it should have been a well thought out decision that you feel confident in.
But since you asked, I don't think that they're worth your time. It seems that the only thing you have to do to be a member is download posters that are intended to lure young people into the organization by showing Marilyn Monroe saying "OOOOOOOOHH! Communism!!!!" It's pretty unserious. If you really want to get into Marxism, I'd suggest doing some reading. And check out the International Communist League(www.icl-fi.org) They have a canadian section. This group actually fights for communism, as opposed to trying to pressure the capitalists into making capitalism better. They educate their members, too. But, of course, you can always just rent Marilyn Monroe movies....that's all the YCL is selling.

[BOZG]

And check out the International Communist League(www.icl-fi.org) They have a canadian section.

For someone who asked someone else to read "State and Revolution" in a previous thread, I'd ask you to read Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder. You'll find you're looking in the mirror. While the ICL give great analysis' of situations and of the deformed workers' states, when it comes down to it, they're full of sectarian dribble and will always remain but a sect on the left.

[il Commie]

Originally posted by [email protected] 8 2004, 05:59 AM
For someone who asked someone else to read "State and Revolution" in a previous thread, I'd ask you to read Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder. You'll find you're looking in the mirror. While the ICL give great analysis' of situations and of the deformed workers' states, when it comes down to it, they're full of sectarian dribble and will always remain but a sect on the left.
Why? What wrong have they done?

[BOZG]

Why? What wrong have they done?

Generally I'd agree with the ICL (Spartacist League) on most things, as I said their analysis of most situations is spot on but there approach is very sectarian and dogmatic. They tend to attack any group who doesn't do exactly what Lenin said, even if the situation is different etc. They've attacked pretty much any anti-war movement established, they've no transitional programme, operating on a maximum demand basis. They do not aim to build a workers' party as such, without first building a small revolutionary party with maximum demands and then building a bigger party after.

[trotskylicious]

Well the sectarian accusations never end do they?
Why is it necessary to write polemics against other organizations? First of all a vanguard party is necessary to lead the workers through revolution and THEY ARE MISLEADING THE WORKING CLASS. "The success or failure of the working class to achieve victory depends upon the organization and consciousness of the struggling masses, i.e., on revolutionary leadership. The revolutionary party is the indispensable weapon of the working people for their victory." Declaration of Principles-ICL

When a revolutionary period does arise, their giving in to opportunism will cause the workers to get smashed by the state. These groups like the RCP walk around waving their red flags calling for socialist revolution, but when it comes down to it, who are they supporting? NION. They call for the largest mass movement, including democrats, greens, christians, and everyone else who isn't in the fight to end capitalism. And as Marxist I'm sure we all know that under capitalism, war in inevitable. So shouldn't we call for workers revolution, opposed to no blood for oil? Shouldn't we call for the defense of Iraq, while giving no political support to the Hussein regime? Troops out NOw!!!
As long as real Marxist, keep calling for real revolution, the reformist are going to keep dishing out the sectarian label.