Young Communist League (Britain)
Encyclopedia
The Young Communist League (YCL) 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
(CPB); an organisation that sees itself as the successor to the Communist Party of Great Britain
.
(CPGB) by the merger of the Young Workers' League and the International Communist Schools Movement. The League grew slowly, reaching a peak of 16,000 members in 1943. While organisationally independent, the group was always closely linked to the CPGB and its activities and fortunes broadly followed those of its parent organisation.
A recruitment drive started in 1966 around the slogan "The Trend - Communism" associated the group with wider cultural trends in society. Pete Townshend
of The Who
was a prominent but short-lived member and the "The Trend" campaign emphasised the power of music in social change. Throughout this period YCL membership grew to over 6,000 members and a generation of young members - led by Barney Davis (national secretary), George Bridges (London secretary) and others challenged the political approach of the parent party.
The YCL took a lead in condemning what it defined as the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (the Party called it at the time an intervention) but the position was only adopted by a 60:40 vote. Some members who favoured a pro-Soviet line, including John Chamberlain (Jack Conrad), left the YCL to join the New Communist Party of Britain
in 1977. Chamberlain was to become head of the NCP's youth section but was shortly later to attempt to rejoin the CPGB.
According to some historians of the CPGB's history, the YCL was fundamental in reshaping the parent party's attitudes (and thus had influence on the wider left). In particular, from 1975, the YCL emphasised the importance of cultural politics as distinct from class politics. YCL leaders linked with Communist students such as party organiser Dave Cook
- and feminists such as Beatrix Campbell
, Sarah Benton and intellectuals Martin Jacques
and later played important roles in the parent party: all of them opposing the then dominant strain of trade union, working class-orientated politics in the party.
1968 proved the start of a long decline in membership, characterised by competition between different tendencies. The leadership tended to be eurocommunist, but opposition was stronger than in the CPGB. In 1979, its congress adopted a new programme, Our Future, which did not commit the group to Marxism
and removed the policy of democratic centralism
. The new programme exacerbated divisions in the group, and in 1983, with membership down to 510, democratic centralism was re-imposed. By 1987, the league had only fifty members.
in 1988 (and the dissolution of the CPGB), the YCL was re-established in 1991, based on the CPB Youth Section. The YCL is organisationally autonomous and decides its own activities and priorities, but is constitutionally tied to support for the CPB's programme, Britain's Road to Socialism
.
By following Britain's Road to Socialism, the goals of the YCL are almost identical to the CPB's, but with particular emphasis on various topics. For example, the slogan of the CPB is Peace and Socialism, whilst the slogan of the YCL is Peace, Jobs and Socialism. The YCL is particularly concerned with issues specific to young people such as the inequalities between the minimum wage
categories and student tuition fees.
In their own words:
The YCL organises in the Student movement under the name of Communist Students
.
The YCL publishes a bimonthly magazine, called Challenge (Communist journal)
, recalling the historic name used since the early 1930s. The journal consists of contributions from YCL members and sympathisers, and succeeded the title Young Communist as the chief organ of the organisation some years ago.
The YCL is a member organisation of the World Federation of Democratic Youth
(WFDY).
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:...
and the current youth wing
Youth wing
A youth wing is a subsidiary, autonomous or independently-allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support and allegiance for that organization's campaigns from members and potential members of a younger age...
of the Communist Party of Britain
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); an organisation that sees itself as the successor to 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:...
.
Original Young Communist League
The original YCL organisation was founded in 1921 as the youth wing of the Communist Party of Great BritainCommunist 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) by the merger of the Young Workers' League and the International Communist Schools Movement. The League grew slowly, reaching a peak of 16,000 members in 1943. While organisationally independent, the group was always closely linked to the CPGB and its activities and fortunes broadly followed those of its parent organisation.
A recruitment drive started in 1966 around the slogan "The Trend - Communism" associated the group with wider cultural trends in society. Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
was a prominent but short-lived member and the "The Trend" campaign emphasised the power of music in social change. Throughout this period YCL membership grew to over 6,000 members and a generation of young members - led by Barney Davis (national secretary), George Bridges (London secretary) and others challenged the political approach of the parent party.
The YCL took a lead in condemning what it defined as the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (the Party called it at the time an intervention) but the position was only adopted by a 60:40 vote. Some members who favoured a pro-Soviet line, including John Chamberlain (Jack Conrad), left the YCL to join the New Communist Party of Britain
New Communist Party of Britain
The New Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Britain. The origins of the NCP lie in the Communist Party of Great Britain from which it split in 1977.-Formation:...
in 1977. Chamberlain was to become head of the NCP's youth section but was shortly later to attempt to rejoin the CPGB.
According to some historians of the CPGB's history, the YCL was fundamental in reshaping the parent party's attitudes (and thus had influence on the wider left). In particular, from 1975, the YCL emphasised the importance of cultural politics as distinct from class politics. YCL leaders linked with Communist students such as party organiser Dave Cook
Dave Cook
Dave Cook is an award-winning video game journalist and former PR consultant from Edinburgh, Scotland, now living in Bournemouth, England. Dave has written game reviews and features for a range of online and print publications, his previous work includes writing for gaming magazine, GamesTM, online...
- and feminists such as Beatrix Campbell
Beatrix Campbell
Mary Lorimer Beatrix Campbell, OBE is a British campaigning journalist and author.Since the mid 1970s, she has published numerous articles and book reviews in such publications as Marxism Today, Red Rag, Time Out, Feminist Review, New Statesman, New Socialist, The Guardian, The Independent,...
, Sarah Benton and intellectuals Martin Jacques
Martin Jacques
Martin Jacques is a British former magazine editor and academic. He was born and raised in Coventry. He was an undergraduate student at Manchester University, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree, and subsequently studied for a PhD at King's College, Cambridge.He was editor of the...
and later played important roles in the parent party: all of them opposing the then dominant strain of trade union, working class-orientated politics in the party.
1968 proved the start of a long decline in membership, characterised by competition between different tendencies. The leadership tended to be eurocommunist, but opposition was stronger than in the CPGB. In 1979, its congress adopted a new programme, Our Future, which did not commit the group to Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
and removed the policy of democratic centralism
Democratic centralism
Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party...
. The new programme exacerbated divisions in the group, and in 1983, with membership down to 510, democratic centralism was re-imposed. By 1987, the league had only fifty members.
Current Young Communist League
After the founding of the Communist Party of BritainCommunist 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...
in 1988 (and the dissolution of the CPGB), the YCL was re-established in 1991, based on the CPB Youth Section. The YCL is organisationally autonomous and decides its own activities and priorities, but is constitutionally tied to support for the CPB's programme, Britain's Road to Socialism
Britain's Road to Socialism
Britain's Road to Socialism is the programme of the Communist Party of Britain and is adhered to by the Young Communist League and the editors of the The Morning Star...
.
By following Britain's Road to Socialism, the goals of the YCL are almost identical to the CPB's, but with particular emphasis on various topics. For example, the slogan of the CPB is Peace and Socialism, whilst the slogan of the YCL is Peace, Jobs and Socialism. The YCL is particularly concerned with issues specific to young people such as the inequalities between the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
categories and student tuition fees.
In their own words:
- "The YCL is a revolutionary youth organisation committed to achieving a socialist society based on public ownership and democratic control. Based on the principles of Marxism-Leninism the YCL aims to develop and encourage the political consciousness of young people and to increase their involvement in the class struggle at a local, national and international level.
- The YCL works to build and strengthen the unity of the progressive youth movement and calls upon young people to work together to defend their rights, at work and in education, and to struggle for peace, jobs and socialism".
The YCL organises in the Student movement under the name of Communist Students
Communist Students
Communist Students may refer to two existing organisations:* Communist Students * Communist Students...
.
The YCL publishes a bimonthly magazine, called Challenge (Communist journal)
Challenge (Communist journal)
Challenge is the name of organisational publications of two separate known communist groups.The first is a magazine periodical produced by the British Young Communist League, the youth wing of the Communist Party of Britain. The first issue came out in March 1935...
, recalling the historic name used since the early 1930s. The journal consists of contributions from YCL members and sympathisers, and succeeded the title Young Communist as the chief organ of the organisation some years ago.
The YCL is a member organisation of the World Federation of Democratic Youth
World Federation of Democratic Youth
The World Federation of Democratic Youth is a progressive youth organization, recognized by the United Nations as an international youth non-governmental organization. WFDY describes itself as an "anti-imperialist, left-wing" organisation...
(WFDY).
National Secretaries
- 1923: William Rust
- 1920s: Wally Tapsell
- 1935: John GollanJohn GollanJohn Gollan was a leader of the Communist Party of Great Britain .Born in Edinburgh, Gollan joined the CPGB and the Young Communist League aged sixteen. He became a signwriter but was soon imprisoned for distributing an anti-militarist leaflet...
- 1940:
- 1946?: Bill Brooks
- 1950?: John Moss
- 1958: Jimmy ReidJimmy ReidJames "Jimmy" Reid was a Scottish trade union activist, orator, politician, and journalist born in Govan, Glasgow. His role as spokesman and one of the leaders in the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Work-in between June 1971 and October 1972 attracted international recognition...
- 1964: Barney Davis
- 1970: Tom Bell
- 1979: Nina TempleNina TempleNina Claire Temple was the last Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and was formerly a think-tank director in the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
- 1983: Douglas Chalmers
- 1985: Mark AshtonMark AshtonMark Ashton was an English gay rights activist, socialist and member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. He was diagnosed with AIDS on 30 January 1987 and died 12 days later. His death prompted significant response from the gay community, particularly in publication and attendance at his...
- 1987: