I am very interested in the ICC but I still do not really understand their organization %100. If they aren't a political party, what type of organization is it? Is it a confederation of Left Communist organizations? Lastly, whenever I go to the Join page, it just gives me descriptions of ICC militants, but it has no real information on how to join. Does anyone know how to? I have been reading a lot of their magazines and publishing and I feel Left Communism is a positive stance for me. Thanks.
First things first: get in touch with a member or two, have a chat. Joining an organization is a pretty big deal, and both they and you should see if it'll be a good fit before any other steps are taken.
I would look into some Left Communist Critiques of the ICC. Particularly those of Loren Goldner and there are some on Libcom. It's useful to have both sides on any organization.
Did Goldner actually write any substantial critiques? Or was it just his short critical remarks in his discussion with the SaNoShin (which is worth reading either way)?
I think the whole conversation with SaNoShin is basically a critique of the ICC. He passively talks about them in a number of pamphelts in the Communist Left too.
The ICC responded to the SaNoShin article, I think they were offended because of previously warm relations that they shared with him, perhaps it could be an episode in a soap opera about the Communist Left?
I think the whole conversation with SaNoShin is basically a critique of the ICC. I don't think there is any criticism to be taken seriously whatsoever in Goldner's comments about the ICC in his Sanoshin article. I think they were offended because of previously warm relations that they shared with him I don't think the comrades who responded to the article were particularly offended, although they might have been a bit disturbed by the cheap shots in the article. perhaps it could be an episode in a soap opera about the Communist Left? Nah, thankfully it wasn't. If I recall correctly, he wrote a short response saying "you're basically right here". I would look into some Left Communist Critiques of the ICC. This I do agree with - if someone is thinking about joining our organization, they should be acquainted with the critical views of other revolutionary organizations. Unfortunately most critiques and polemics made by left communists (including the ICC) tend to have lots of cheap shots and insults. I would recommend the following articles for beginners if one is looking for different left communist critiques of the ICC since they are relatively more free of cheap shots and insults: http://www.leftcom.org/en/articles/2...ism-or-marxism http://www.leftcom.org/en/articles/2...he-proletariat http://www.leftcom.org/en/articles/2...ional%E2%80%9D http://libcom.org/library/comment-re...ternationalism http://libcom.org/library/reply-war-...ed-black-notes
Does the ICC do any political activist work such as protests or any community organizing? Or does it exist mostly as a paper organization?
We are definitely not 'just' a paper organisation. Our resources are very limited but we take part in the class struggle wherever we can - both as an organisation and as individual militants at our place of work and in strikes and other actions. A good example would be our involvement in the recent movement in France against pension reforms. We took part in many demonstrations and 'interprofessional assemblies', putting forward the need for further self-organisation and extension of the movement. http://en.internationalism.org/wr/26...tervention.htm Many other examples could be given, from different countries.
If you want a quick critique of the ICC from the point of view of the communist left (in this case the Internationalist Communist Tendency) go to the article Marxism or Idealism: Our Differences with the ICC on www.leftcom.org Sorry just spotted it was on the list of tags quoted by Leo above!