Britain's Road to Socialism
Encyclopedia
Britain's Road to Socialism (BRS) is the programme of the Communist Party of Britain
(CPB) and is adhered to by the Young Communist League
(YCL) and the editors of the The Morning Star
. It was first published in February 1951 as the programme of the Communist Party of Great Britain
(CPGB) and has gone through several revisions since then, most recently in 2000, bringing the document into its seventh edition. The CPGB's programme before the adoption of BRS was entitled For Soviet Britain.
The first edition of the document famously received the personal approval of Joseph Stalin
prior to publication. In contrast to earlier programmes of the CPGB, Britain's Road to Socialism proposes that socialism
can be achieved by the labour movement working initially within Britain's existing democratic structures. Although the document characterises itself as a revolutionary
programme, other groupings on the British left
, such as the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party
, argue that this claim is mere sophistry, that the CPB is a reformist party, and that their current stance is a repudiation of the original rationale for forming the party. When the CPGB's leadership abandoned Britain's Road to Socialism in 1985, elements in the party that remained loyal to the programme, including the editorship of The Morning Star split to form the CPB.
Communist Party of Britain
The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...
(CPB) and is adhered to by the Young Communist League
Young Communist League (Britain)
The Young Communist League is the name of both the youth wing of the former Communist Party of Great Britain and the current youth wing of the Communist Party of Britain ; an organisation that sees itself as the successor to the Communist Party of Great Britain.-Original Young Communist League...
(YCL) and the editors of the The Morning Star
The Morning Star
The Morning Star is a left wing British daily tabloid newspaper with a focus on social and trade union issues. Articles and comment columns are contributed by writers from socialist, social democratic, green and religious perspectives....
. It was first published in February 1951 as the programme of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(CPGB) and has gone through several revisions since then, most recently in 2000, bringing the document into its seventh edition. The CPGB's programme before the adoption of BRS was entitled For Soviet Britain.
The first edition of the document famously received the personal approval of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
prior to publication. In contrast to earlier programmes of the CPGB, Britain's Road to Socialism proposes that socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
can be achieved by the labour movement working initially within Britain's existing democratic structures. Although the document characterises itself as a revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
programme, other groupings on the British left
British left
The biggest organisation on the British left is the Labour Party with over 100,000 members.The Communist Party of Great Britain had a peak membership of 56,000 in 1945...
, such as the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
, argue that this claim is mere sophistry, that the CPB is a reformist party, and that their current stance is a repudiation of the original rationale for forming the party. When the CPGB's leadership abandoned Britain's Road to Socialism in 1985, elements in the party that remained loyal to the programme, including the editorship of The Morning Star split to form the CPB.