30.04.1998

Tough target

15th Summer Offensive, May-June 1998

The CPGB members’ aggregate on April 19 took into account our weakened cadre base when it adopted a target of £20,000 (£5,000 less than last year) for our 1998 summer fundraising campaign, which kicks off on May Day. The 15th annual Summer Offensive aims to involve all members and supporters in two months of intensive work, creativity and self-sacrifice over May and June, culminating in our traditional celebration, which also highlights the achievements of individual comrades as they vie with each other in socialist competition.

Place of honour will go to the comrade who raises the largest sum, with recognition also going, for example, to the most innovative methods, best newcomer, exemplary effort or self-sacrifice - or perhaps to the comrade most successful in involving others in fundraising. This competition helps to foster a healthy morality, highlighting the most selfless work and the best methods developed, so as to generalise them.

Comrades should recognise the importance of coming together both in the fundraising work itself and in our celebration. We draw strength from each other. Every individual contribution to the collective effort encourages others, just as every individual retreat can weaken the resolve of other comrades. Each faces an ongoing personal struggle to put theory into practice, to place communist work for the cause before the private struggle to make ends meet. Only through collective strength can we learn to swim against the tide of reaction. That is why every comrade must take a conscious approach to the task of drawing in others.

While our overall target has been lowered, there has been no retreat on the minimum target for CPGB members. For supporters and sympathisers there is no minimum level for participation in the Offensive. Some will no doubt raise significantly more than this minimum. Indeed, everyone who values the Weekly Worker and recognises our significant role in the worldwide struggle to reforge a communist programme and communist organisation should strive to take part at the highest possible level.

Communists, and communist organisation, must be built in practice, not just in theory. The most advanced consciousness cannot be achieved except through the struggle for the highest levels of communist commitment - and serious fundraising work is an essential ingredient. To those who accept the necessity of reforging the Communist Party and making world revolution, the Summer Offensive says, ‘Put your money where your mouth is’.

The Summer Offensive idea was taken on by the 2nd Conference of the Leninists of the CPGB in 1984. Challenging comrades’ good intentions with the test of practice, it has always acted as a purge on our organisation, sorting out the ‘talkers’ from the ‘doers’. One founding comrade pulled out straight after the 2nd Conference, having argued that the minimum target would prevent recruitment. Comrades will remember how the Open Polemic faction resigned from our organisation just in time to miss the Offensive in 1996.

Serious fundraising is essential to the survival and development of genuine communist politics. Just as serious practice and commitment finds the faint-hearted wanting, so it is the very thing that attracts those who mean business. The fight to extend the number participating in the Offensive is also the fight to build our organisation.

Comrades will be setting their initial personal targets at meetings this weekend.

Reports of both targets and achievements - as well as cheques (payable to the CPGB) - should reach me by phone, fax, e-mail or letter by Monday of each week, so that progress can be reported in this column.

Stan Kelsey