Moving Forward: Necessity of a Communist Nuclei in the United States

“The first step towards this party is to work towards the formation of a nucleus of this future party. It is the working class in the US that plays a crucial role in the revival of class struggle and a return to the revolutionary perspective for the overthrow of capitalism worldwide.” – Situation in the USA: The Way Forward for the IBRP

The mission of the revolutionary organizations in the post-war era (Fordist, post-Fordist) has been the same: to organize the geographically disparate and dispersed minority of communist workers. Regardless of the secondary questions (possibly even several primary questions) which divide the left communist milieu, we all seek to find the means to prepare for the future International. The American proletariat, as part of the central proletariat (the working-class of the original advanced capitalist nations), has an important role to play in the future revolutionary crisis- in advance of these tasks are its communist minority. While existing organizations have small footholds in the United States (Internationalism and Internationalist Notes), these are small national sections compared to sections in the much smaller and less populated European nations. There is a heavy absence of developed American sections in the existing ‘proletarian political camp’- this is felt most acutely by individual communists within the United States.

Information and communications technology has increased the ability of dispersed individuals to interact with like minded militants domestically and internationally- this has taken the form of numerous websites, forums, e-mail lists and blogs. Largely these means of communication end up used as purely social phenomenon; rather than used for the purpose of organizing, serious discussion and coordination of activity. It is a weakness that can potentially be overcome- if approached with a seriousness of purpose by any and all interested individuals. However, there have been ‘green shoots’ as it were of attempts toward open discussion, a new effort toward regroupment and an interest to create a new dynamic in the communist milieu. The Appeal to pro-revolutionaries of Internationalist Perspective, the participation of American communists in the discussions and articles of the Sic journal and the introduction of Insurgent Notes.

The avenues available for open publication of ideas, communication of disagreement and instant communication are already in use- what is now lacking are solid steps toward organization. The forms of organization which precede direct regroupment include study groups, circles, local struggle committee’s, inter-group efforts on a particular issue (like the UK No War But The Class War group) and nuclei.

In the past, the term nuclei had been used by very small groups of politically similar militants in a given region. Historic examples of nuclei include the Nuclei Leninisti Internazionalisti, an organization born from a split in the Communist Program group, itself a split from the International Communist Party (PCI). Without discussing the political positions of the NLI, and focusing solely on its organizational make-up and practices, it was an organization based in Italy which involved itself with the proletarian political camp on the domestic and more importantly international stage (such as discussions with the sections which would become the ICC and ICT and the International Conferences of 1976-1980). A small collection of communist militants with an interest in performing the tasks of communists in the present period (theoretical development, development of militants, open debate and discussion for the purpose of clarification and potentially organic unity, intervention in the class struggle informed by communist principles), a part of the proletarian political camp or communist milieu despite small numbers and only being based in one region.

Existing organizations and regroupment efforts are at a demographic crossroads. Through the subterranean maturation of consciousness and the development of a rising trajectory of proletarian response to the latest manifestation of capitalist crisis (and associated austerity regimes), younger generations are seeking communist positions- however, there is an admitted difficulty when it comes to integrating young workers into existing regroupment efforts. In an article by the ICC on the various kinds of organizations which may arise in periods of reflux in the class struggle, or in generally ‘non-revolutionary’ times, the forms of the study groups, struggle committee’s, circles, nuclei, are seen as a middle ground between the swamp (the zone half-way between proletarian and bourgeois positions where organizations may fluctuate on their way to or from communist positions) and existing international organizations. It is the initial step in the organizational evolution of dispersed communist militants and those seeking communist positions and the international revolutionary organization.

A nuclei of, initially, a small handful of dedicated and politically mature communists is the first step toward greater organizational coherence. The impasse faced by existing organizations must be solved in the United States- while the left of capital boasts of their increased recruitment since the crisis of 2007-08, the communist milieu is missing the opportunity to bring all of the decades of work of the communist left to new generations and effectively integrate them into the proletarian political camp. This problem must be confronted directly by those who are not members of existing organizations, but who defend the legacy of the communist left and its related tendencies in person and online and who are interested in furthering and fostering cooperation, open discussion, theoretical and practical development in the context of a desire to organize with other communists.

To condense the ideas which have been accumulated in the course of this project (the Occupied/Communist Party), the following are a list of specific, concrete tasks that contemporary non-member communists ought to keep in mind and consider moving forward:

-A balance sheet of the communist response to the wave of struggles culminating with the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and the Indignados; we must have an historical vision of struggle and communist positions, but our attention should be focused on the present and future with a view to carry out the tasks of the communist minority. A realistic and honest appraisal of the published theoretical analyses and accompanying practices regarding these events.

-A deconstruction of the events of the Wisconsin uprising of 2011 (a task begun by Internationalist Perspective), critique of the Industrial Worker’s of the World actions in Wisconsin and nearby states (such as the General Strike pamphlet) as well as the response (and non-response) of the communist milieu.

-In line with the analysis of Marcyism contained on this website, a confrontation with the ideas, practices and histories of the large counter-revolutionary organizations which comprise the American left-wing of capital. Along with ammunition against the ideas and practices of leftism, such as the attempted participation of the Marcyists, Trotskyists and others in the nationwide strikes at Wal-Mart and OWS, intervention against leftist ideas with the rank and file sympathizer’s or current and former members of leftist groups. The absence of a moderately sized and well organized and engaged communist section in the United States contributes to the mystification of such groups and sects, leaving searching workers little chance at finding communist positions amid the flurry of leftist sloganeering, front groups, coalitions, entrism, etc. A primary task of the communist minority today and in the future revolutionary crisis is to defend the communist program and combat counter-revolutionary ideas.

-The production of practical propaganda and educational leaflets and pamphlets, with embedded communist principles. The preceding article, ‘Tasks of the Communist Minority’, outline examples of attempts to this end since 1968 by proletarian groups and those that straddle the communist milieu and the swamp.

“We must work towards pulling together the most conscious layers of the working class into a nucleus of the revolutionary party. This is not the same as simply declaring ourselves to be the revolutionary party as soon as we reach a “required minimum number” of official members. If we are to build a nucleus that can serve as the foundation of a future International Proletarian Party then we must work towards our own self-education and organization.” – Situation in the USA: The Way Forward for the IBRP

The clearest expression of self-education and self-organization is the completely open and free exchange and combat of ideas. Organic unity among communists requires confrontation and engagement; if we are to be dynamic, we need healthy discussion with an interest in including as many participants as possible: be they existing organizations, small groups that produce an internet or online publication, dispersed individual communists or those who are seeking a communist alternative and wish to engage with communist principles and positions. Theoretical development does not occur in a vacuum of homogenous and automatic agreement; without theoretical development, we are ill equipped to handle practical activity and successful (and meaningful) intervention in the class struggle.