Communist Renewal Bulletin 4
July 2016
Party Secretaries’ & Cadres’ meeting Marx Memorial Library, Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU Sat. 10th Sept 11am – 4pm The Party EC thanks all Branches for taking part in discussions with the Communist Renewal Team. This first stage of the process has really shown our Party’s great strengths in our work in our communities, trade unions and other working class and progressive organisations – and, of course, problems and challenges too! We’re more than ready for both quantitative and qualitative development and growth – in Party organisation, in practical strategic work and struggle, and in recruitment - to build and continue to provide real class analysis and a lead in this pivotal period. This is the subject of the Secretaries’ and Cadres’ meeting.
Communist Renewal
(11.30am)
Some of the questions we’ll discuss Branch Life What is the Branch for, what does it do, and how often does it need to meet? Is the Branch Handbook useful to a lively Branch? How do we use Party publications & Morning Star? Do all members get to Branch meetings? If they can’t – or don’t - how do we aim to overcome this? Is a Branch Plan of Work practical & useful? PLEASE BRING EXAMPLES Do comrades report and discuss their individual political work?
Public Campaigning How do we identify important local issues? How do we analyse and act on them? Local leaflets, local action as the Party - and/or through other organisations? How do we establish a positive Party profile in our community? Leaflet drops, street stalls, social media, press & media strategy, newsletters etc? Does the Branch invite non-members to discuss our Communist approach and work on local issues with us?
Draft agenda
Secretaries’ & Cadres’ meeting The dual themes of Communist Renewal and Communist Education – both in the form of very practical sessions - will make for time well spent!
11am Welcome & introductions 11.30 Review of Communist Renewal so far 11.45 Groups considering the questions arising from Branch discussions 12.30 Reports from groups and identification of Renewal priorities 1.00 Lunch 1.30 Identification of Renewal priorities 2.00 Communist Education 2.45 Guided discussion study “Dialectical & Historical Materialism” 3.45 Comments, observations & proposals 4.00 Close
Trade Union Work Are all comrades members of trades unions? How can the Branch collectively help - and gain from - comrades’ trade union work, from workplace to national level - and in local Trades Union Councils, UNITE Community branches etc?
Work in &contact with other organisations
What is the experience of the Branch in working in the People’s Assembly and antiausterity community organisations? Which progressive organisations are Branch priorities in terms of our focused work? How do we work with Left Labour people & groups?
Communist Education Regular political discussion & effective Communist Education – are they the same thing? How can Branches do both? Were the BRS study materials successful? Does the Branch read and discuss Party pamphlets, Communist Review etc.? What’s the relationship between Communist Education & Cadre Development? How can we identify and meet Cadre Development needs?
Recruitment How does the Branch aim to recruit? How do Branches follow up general membership enquiries? Does a Branch need a recruitment strategy and process? What should this consist of? Identifying individuals, focused work and recruitment discussion and study? Would a national recruitment study syllabus be useful? What should be in it?
Morning Star How does the Branch promote and sell the Morning Star? Is a Morning Star Readers & Supporters Group locally important? How should it relate to Branch?
District, Nation & Central Party activity How are the respective roles of Branch & District/Nation seen by comrades? How can we increase the number of comrades active at all levels of the Party? o District/Nation Committees o National Advisories and Commissions
Communist Education (2pm) A very practical session Britain’s Road To Socialism study PLEASE BRING YOUR EXPERIENCES OF THE BRS STUDY Did all Branches receive the materials including the study guide? Was the study followed and completed? How did Branch members take part in the study? What methods of study were used? How did comrades feel about it? Outcomes?
Communist Education and Cadre Development There will be a brief whole group discussion identifying the main cadre development needs in Branches and Districts and Nations and how the Party might respond to these
Dialectical & Historical Materialism
A
s previously reported, the EC has agreed that a properly understood and shared appreciation throughout the Party of the Marxist philosophical method – Dialectical & Historical Materialism – is the essential foundation of practical Communist analysis, strategy and tactics – and leadership in the working class and progressive movement. The General Secretary is currently discussing the publication of a reader in DHM to be published together with our sister Communist Parties domiciled in Britain, and part of the Co-ordinating Committee of Communist Parties in Britain. This will not be ready for September, so the EC has agreed that the Renewal Team will distribute a short article on DHM for branch study. We will do this at, and following, the Secs’ & Cadres’ meeting. This session at the Secretaries’ & Cadres’ meeting will be in the form of a study of this article through collective “guided discussion” led by a very experienced comrade who will, at the end of the session, make tutor study notes available so that this DHM study can be used “off the peg” in Branches (if they so wish) around Britain.