16.07.1998

The struggle continues

Summer Offensive ’98

It was appropriate that the trophy for most money raised in the CPGB’s 15th Summer Offensive fundraising drive was awarded, at the celebration meal on July 11, to comrade PK of the Party’s printshop.

He put in untold hours of voluntary, unpaid communist work at a time when the quantity of commercial business was successfully stepped up. During the Offensive, some of the money raised was used to purchase a new film processor, and our A2 sheet-fed print machine is currently being upgraded with some new parts.

Comrade IF, also mostly through printshop work, took second prize - a bottle of Andong Soju, a potent Korean “folk liquor” donated by a comrade from Seoul who was with us at the beginning of the year. Third prize was taken by comrade TB for an outstanding performance in her first Summer Offensive, having more than doubled her initial minimum pledge.

A substantial donation by Party sympathiser and single mother KK (showing that she is more than just a sympathiser) was recognised by the award of a purpose-made framed embroidery with the words “Communist Party of Great Britain: workers of the world, unite!”

The CPGB is under the same pressure as other left organisations struggling against the tide of reaction sweeping across the world today, and has lost nearly half of our numerical strength during the past year. In these circumstances our target of £20,000 in two months proved to be every bit as tough as expected. In fact we got off to a slow start, and although the money was coming in much quicker at the end, approximately half of those who made pledges had not actually completed them by the time of the celebration meal, even after 10 weeks of campaigning. With £14,300 actually received, another £2,000 pledged is expected in the very near future, so we can legitimately count the total achieved as £16,300, or 81.5% of target.

The general raising of initial pledges which I called for shortly after the start of the campaign never materialised - with a couple of honourable exceptions - reflecting, I believe, a reluctance to fully accept personal responsibility for financing our own politics. It should not surprise us, in the present political climate, that - again, with a couple of honourable exceptions which prove the rule - no mass of Party sympathisers appeared over the horizon to fulfil our target for us.

Building communist organisation, reforging the Party, cannot be done merely by thinking, no matter how perceptive, or by writing, no matter how eloquent or persuasive. The most advanced theory must be accompanied by the most advanced practice. It is the example of communist practice, through an organisation which does what is necessary, which will be capable of winning the allegiance of the most advanced and militant workers.

In the coming period, it is vital that all comrades are involved in a level of fundraising work, week in and week out, which can ensure that our paper and our political work is sustainable. Not a question of cutting our work to match the available cash, but of mustering the funds necessary for the tasks of the day. Just as the completion of every individual pledge in this Offensive must be ensured, so the monitoring of adequate fundraising must be on the agenda of every Party organisation throughout the coming year. Bankers order forms are available on request.

Stan Kelsey