The following question was received from a corresponding comrade. As it’s a theme we often encounter, we thought we’d share our response:
Question:
What is cpgb-ml’s position on trade unions? I was listening to Scotland’s CPB. They insist that we must work with the Trade Unions, Tenants Associations etc…. “AS THEY ARE”. We must not propagandize from above, we must work from within the democratic movements already on the ground. .
I have doubts about this approach myself.
Our reply:
Hi Cde, I am not sure exactly what is meant by the expression “propagandize from above”, but if it refers to imparting revolutionary as opposed to reformist politics – for which these expressions are generally euphemisms, then our considered response would be in disagreement with the Scottish comrades you mention.
We agree with Marx and Lenin in their assessment that Workers and their organizations cannot come to a consistent socialist consciousness by themselves.
The state and the ruling class have a vast network (inc the media etc) which permeates our society and culture with bourgeois ideology.
The job of the communists is to take the socialist consciousness into the movement, to link up the various struggles and demonstrate that their common fight is against capitalism.
The peace movement, the women’s movement, the youth and students, the anti racism movement and the trade unions all share a common enemy, imperialism. But without the scientific method of Marxism-Leninism to illuminate the path they will wander around in the dark.
So, the CPGB-ML is very much in favour of taking a communist understanding into all walks of working class life, into all campaigns, into all workers organisations.
A recent example would be the occupy movement, where we have updated our propaganda explaining the capitalist crisis and agitating for it to be overthrown. This has been warmly received in both the UK and the USA, in the limited numbers we have been able to circulate.
Lessons of the Occupy Movement:
http://www.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=statements&subName=display&statementId=46
Time to face it Capitalism must Go!
http://www.cpgb-ml.org/download/leaflets/economiccrisis_20081013.pdf
