Adopted by CP executive January 2014
Building the Party and the Movement
2014
Priorities for Communist Party organisations
There is NO contradiction between building the mass movement and building the Party. The Party can only grow in size and influence where the mass movement is building in strength. This PCDP for 2014 should be approached in conjunction with that from January 2013 “Priorities for Communist Party Organisations” which made it clear, “This strategic document sets out our top ten priority areas of work over the coming 18 months to two years…” We are now in January 2014 - nearly half way through that period. The priority areas in that document hold good… but this document suggests essential and practical steps that every Party organisation can and must take RIGHT NOW and throughout 2014 . Our Party Organiser bulletin will report on examples of the problems, solutions and progress brought about as Branches, Districts, Nations, Commissions, Trade Union Advisories and Party Committees work on these areas. Please make sure you report on progress in order that Party Organiser can pass on all the lessons learnt.
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Building the Party and the Movement 2
A movement is more than a campaign, orchestrated from the top – necessary as that is at times. A real movement is the vehicle of the people from the bottom up, acting in a sustained manner towards a common end, developing its own leadership – a leadership in which we Communists aspire to be well represented, and from which we seek to recruit. A Communist Party is only a “vanguard” if it earns the right to be. Our movement is made up, firstly, of our working class organisations – most importantly the trade unions – and, secondly, progressive organisations active in the community, both locally and nationally. Further, as the movement develops, the movement must seek to engage those people not currently organised or involved in either.
democratic anti-monopoly alliance.
Districts and Nations to enhance this process
This is not something that will be achieved within a year! But it is a process to which every Branch, District, Nation, Commission, Trade Union Advisory and Party Committee of every kind must now direct its work. It is the next, very real and very achievable stage of work mapped out in Britain’s Road To Socialism. It is the next step in our strategy for Socialism in our lifetimes…. not just an idealist aspiration or vague intention.
2. Maintaining and stepping up our efforts nationally and locally to work in and through local Trades Union Councils. Every branch can be involved in Trades Council work, through the People’s Charter
To that end, this Party Campaign & Development Plan, reinforcing and building on that published at the beginning of 2013 proposes some fundamental urgent aims, targets and specific steps
3. Working specifically to raise the profile, organisation and effectiveness of the People’s Assembly, Charter For Women and the People’s Charter at national and local level. Comrades should ensure that such local organisation has organised workers at its heart and head.
4. The local elections 2014 through Party candidates and anti-fascist work- focusing on opposing austerity cuts and Building the movement privatisation and proposing All Party Branches, a “People’s Manifesto” Our number one priority – Districts and Nations need based on the People’s a unique role for the to focus on… Charter Communist Party - must be to help consolidate and 1. Consolidating, 5. Winning support strengthen these two extending and improving for the Party position in aspects of the movement our comrades’ work in opposition to the by bringing our Marxist trade unions, adopting European Union and for class analysis into them processes at Branch level British withdrawal. This will ever more strongly, to to encourage the include specific activity to propose strong strategic discussion of each build the No2EU – Yes to direction and purpose and comrade’s work to provide Workers’ Rights campaign to aim to develop them ideas and support. Reports in preparation for the 2014 into the leadership of a from TU Advisories should Euro elections genuine broad, popular be available to Branches,
Building the Party and the Movement
Building The Party All Party Branches, Districts and Nations must: 1. Take practical and specific steps to organise activity resulting in a deep knowledge of local conditions, issues and struggles of concern to the working class, and involving our comrades directly in these
b. ensuring that significant local events are covered by a Morning Star sale, or free distribution sponsored by local unions etc c. Reporting on these events and supplying the relevant issue to those involved d. Exploring the establishment and/or development of a Morning Star Readers & Supporters Group
2. To take these issues up in public activity - in campaign work, street stalls, publicity (including local press) and local electoral activity
4. Develop and regularly discuss a strategy for recruitment. Individuals should be identified for recruitment, comrades allocated to the task, and reports made on progress
3. Seek to ensure that the Morning Star is seen as “the paper of the movement� locally, and increase regular sales of both paper and electronic editions a. establishing targets for subscriptions from local individuals and organisations through a series of planned personal discussions
5. Put into place a regular programme of study and education, aimed at both prospective and new members, and long established members. To ensure that all Party publications particularly new pamphlets and Communist Review are used as vehicles of such study, and that an up to
date stock of Party literature is maintained. 6. Establish a process of cadre development, identifying comrades for development, encouraging them to take part in appropriate Party activities at Branch, District/Nation and all-Britain levels, to take on more responsibility and accountability. Each Branch, District, Nation, Commission and TU Advisory should discuss these urgencies and their contribution to achieving them, and produce a plan of work which would be regularly reviewed. This plan should be made available to the EC as early in 2014 as possible.
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