25.08.2010

Assessments

Comrades attending Communist University for the first time reflect on their experience

Unrolling ignorance

When the early European explorers returned from their voyage to the New World they were able to draw maps of what they had found. These cartographical efforts bore, of course, only the barest relationship to the topographical realities - but were of some help to those who followed.

My first Communist University has been a similar exercise. I have begun to survey the vast lacunae of my political ignorance: a wholly exciting and rewarding experience.

I signed up to attend, months ago, and was, on that occasion, asked by a comrade to speak to camera about why I was becoming an associate member of the CPGB. I shuffled around, and stumbled something out about finding a shape for my anger (a shambolic contribution which I trust has long since found its way onto the cutting room floor). However, the impact of CU has been exactly to achieve that wish - my anger has acquired a rather sharper form … and that’s because learning has happened.

The curriculum of CU is unapologetically challenging. It’s heavy on history - whether concerned with the textual precision of Lars Lih, or the historiography of the fragmentation of the left, offered and fought over by any number of comrades. It’s strong on economics - where Hillel Ticktin’s surgical dismemberment of the present crisis was extraordinarily illuminating. While science is maybe underrepresented, there’s an investigative approach which is scientific: the thrust of this university is to develop the bigger picture - to make complete sense of this world by exploring what it was, what it is and what it can be.

Not every session was entirely successful (how could it be?). ‘Language wars’ didn’t really live up to its name because one of the participants turned up without the intention of firing so much as a water pistol … However, there were also stand-out pieces, like Ben Lewis’s account of Zinoviev in Halle, and Chris Knight on ‘Science and Marxism’.

The hidden curriculum of CU is traditional: it privileges listening. Openings of sessions are substantial - concertos of 45 minutes, which are immediately followed by substantial breaks, and persistent riffs, from other players. While I was fine with this (I went to listen) it was clear that some comrades, particularly younger ones, find two-plus hours uncomfortably long for listening. I think that future CUs might consider ways of unlocking the contributions of comrades whose learning styles (ways of thinking and engaging with thought) aren’t a natural fit for this structure.

Communist University is, however, genuinely inclusive. Comrades are warmly welcoming, quick to establish a rapport. Communal cooking ensures good feeding for the stomach as well as the mind.

I fully intend to unroll the map of my ignorance next year and find my way back.

Daniel Trevenna

Different points

I attended Communist University to run the Revolutionary History bookstall. It was much the same size as last year, with mostly the same people, and this affected our sales adversely, since I had sold a lot of past issues to them in 2009. Furthermore I had already sold 10 of the Iran issue to Ben Lewis, many of which had already reached those who would be interested. Yassamine Mather was halfway through it and expressed her appreciation, which pleased me. I sold £107 of RH eventually, plus a copy of Paul Flewers’ New civilisation book.

I was present on four days, including when Lars T Lih was speaking. His thesis on Kautsky and Lenin annoys, of course, both the hard-boiled right and the bone-head left. He told me that, although his Lenin rediscovered was not a bestseller, it had done a little better than expected. What surprised him was that he had thought that the Russian studies academe would buy it and pore over it to denounce him, but that it was a bit too big and heavy for the activist left. On the contrary, however, academe did not appear to be too interested, while the activist left had been by far the best market.

Apart from Lih, I was most interested to hear Yassamine on Iran today and, of course, our very own Chris Gray speaking on ‘Democracy in the ancient world’. Yassamine was excellent and teased out very well the different factions in the government and the different oppositions. I am looking forward to her article in a forthcoming issue of the Weekly Worker, the gist of her position being that all the different bourgeois oppositions and the government itself are deadlocked. Because of this she felt that the US pressure of new sanctions might be designed to ignite matters before the left was ready. Anyway, read her article with close attention when it appears - I certainly will.

In contributions from the floor I was impressed by Mike Macnair, who, using his deep, deep knowledge of legal history, is able to illustrate how law casts huge light on the nature of society - mediaeval, ancient or early modern - in what to me were quite unexpected ways.

Ben Lewis gave a really excellent talk on the 1920 Halle Congress, from which he has translated Zinoviev’s speech for the first time into English. Hillel Ticktin believed that the present government cuts would almost certainly lead to fearful storms. Chris Knight accused the CPGB of being abstentionist.

A couple of general points about the CPGB. Though small, they appear to be open, keen on discussion, etc and getting different points of view, although I am told that elements of their recent history suggest that they are not so different from other small groups/sects. The fact that they have not grown much, if at all, in the past year may apply to everyone and say something much more important about the general state of the left than simply the CPGB.

That might not be surprising in ‘normal’ times, but in the past couple of years we have witnessed an immense crisis of capitalism. Even so there has been no rising tide to lift all the boats among the Marxist left.

Ted Crawford

Democracy

This year’s CU was a fantastic week of analysis, discussion and debate on subject matters that directly or indirectly have a scientific association with the philosophy, economy and politics of Marxism.

As a CPGB supporter and first-time attendee, I was fascinated by the topics debated. They were challenging, encouraging me to deepen my theoretical knowledge, which is a vital necessity in order to be part of the movement as a thinking Marxist.

Democracy and free expression are at the heart of the university. Every comrade has the chance to thoroughly express their perspectives regardless of differences on theory, programme and strategy - which in fact makes it easier to comprehend the debated topics in great detail.

This ambiance of comradeship opens the way for comrades from other organisations, including the International Bolshevik Tendency, Committee for a Workers’ International, Socialist Fight, Workers Power and Socialist Workers Party. Such comrades were encouraged to openly argue out their disagreements.

For me CU is different from some of the other ‘Marxist’ events I have attended, where comrades expressing differences risk being humiliated or physically opposed, as has been the case at the SWP’s Marxism. In contrast, the Socialist Party in England and Wales’s Socialism is a good event - a lot more open than Marxism and providing insights on the trade union movement, the CWI and SPEW’s views on revolutionary history; however, it is light on theory - not much there about the role of Marxism in philosophy, anthropology and the link between political programme and strategy.

CU is an example of the kind of event the left needs - on a much larger scale - because, even if the different sects at present do not agree with each other, at least they are able to understand each other’s positions: the first step in constructing a programme for united action for the common cause.

Rozh Ahmad

Small step

My experience at Communist University was a positive one; I was treated respectfully and learnt a great deal.

The first session I attended was on Iran with Yassamine Mather of Hands Off the People of Iran, which made me realise that the weak state of the left is not unique to Britain. The debate on the English Defence League revealed a diverse set of opinions on the tactics for dealing with the far right.

While Moshé Machover’s session on socialism and democracy was interesting - challenging my thinking on the full complexities of democracy - those that really stood out for me were Jack Conrad’s openings on the CPGB Draft programme and Camilla Power (Radical Anthropology Group) on primitive communism - I had little knowledge in this area. In speaking with Camilla at the lunchtime break, I was puzzled by the SWP’s virtual hysteria over her views. I simply cannot understand why she and Chris Knight are not allowed to speak at Marxism.

The Draft programme has great significance in that the question is often ignored by the left - stirring up contempt in the SWP. As an SWP member I once discussed the idea of a programme and received a certain amount of agitation for my pains. As I mentioned in the CU session, I accept that a programme anchors the party to concrete demands and concrete strategy. It is frustrating for me that the SWP will not commit to that.

I really enjoyed the informal lunchtime sessions with Jack Conrad, who helped comrades to develop our understanding of what we had just heard. He is an engaging character who gave me inspiration.

The final evaluation of Communist University was notable for its freedom of criticism, as comrades not only commented on what they liked, but pointed out drawbacks in the way the event is currently organised. One comrade suggested that the sessions should be relayed to the kitchen, so those on the rota for making lunch would not miss out. The fact that comrades were encouraged to make suggestions, to disagree and contribute to the sessions as they saw fit left me in a positive frame of mind.

I found comrades warm and approachable, and more than willing to discuss what we were learning. Of course, I did find the theoretical aspects challenging, but as Mike Macnair mentioned in the last session, the event is called Communist University, not ‘Communist School’. This is important for the left if we are to become a united driving force for human liberation, rather than waste time and energy divided by bitter, irrational sectarianism.

This is something every left organisation must take responsibility for. The CPGB has at least made a small step in the right direction.

Jason Booth

Vital service

This year was my first visit to the Communist University and I was positively amazed by it. Despite its relatively small attendance, compared to, for example, Marxism (SWP) or Socialism (SPEW), the quality of the discussions was very high and often went completely over my head.

I see this as a good thing, as it indicates I have much to learn. Also the fact that about half of all sessions were introduced by non-members elevated this level. As Chris Knight remarked, it is our duty as communists to bring together different views to try and achieve a more proletarian understanding of knowledge!

There were, of course, parts where I disagreed or felt I could make an addition. Despite my invariably ‘lower’ level of understanding, my contributions were given a serious hearing. Opposing views were given priority in discussions and, while there were occasional “Mr Grumpy” remarks, this is only natural in real debate.

The unofficial lunchtime sessions, which were used to explain ‘basic’ Marxist stuff to young comrades, were also very helpful. I’ve been a member of the Committee for a Workers’ International for quite some years now, but don’t remember ever properly discussing dialectics and only once had a discussion on Capital. I do feel that perhaps this needs more structural focus, given the generally appalling theoretical state of the far left (myself included). While the CU should be a place of intellectual stimulus, perhaps we also need a ‘Communist School’ which covers more of the basics?

Something that struck me was the rather non-commercial mindset of the comrades. On a typical event on the left you face a small tsunami of buttons, T-shirts, beer glasses, agendas and other ‘revolutionary merchandise’. None of this was present on CU. Just a small bookstall. Yet on Friday evening the Summer Offensive total already stood at £24,011. This certainly indicates a higher political awareness and a more outward-looking organisation which has, apparently, a clearer message to convey.

The comradeship and general atmosphere at CU was also something to look to as a standard for all of the left. No heads being ripped off here! SWP, IBT, Socialist Fight and other literature was all freely distributed.

All in all, I found my time at CU very well spent, instructive and I hope to have learned a thing or two to enrich my own group’s understanding too! Thank you for providing this vital service to the far left.

John Keene