05.12.2013

In praise of the Communist Platform

Text of Jack Conrad's contribution to the Platform debate at Left Unity's conference

The Communist Platform is not hard to grasp.

Our aims are honest and straightforward.

Anyone who isn’t a capitalist, an apologist for imperialism, a bureaucrat or a careerist can understand it.

It’s in everyone’s interest. So find out all about it.

Sectarians will describe it as sectarian. And fools will describe it as foolish.

But the Communist Platform is against all that’s sectarian … and against all that’s foolish.

Electoralists will tell you that the Communist Platform is madness.

We know better.

Our aim is to put an end to the madness of comrades calling themselves Marxists in private. But in public presenting themselves as clause four Fabians, as old Labour, as advocates of vacuous platitudes.

The Communist Platform does not mean disunity. Accept internationalism, republican democracy and working class political independence. But no-one should be required to agree with every programmatic dot and comma.

The Communist Platform also means unity. Unity around what is needed.

Not just defending past gains.

Not just ending capitalism.

Not just the rule of the working class in Britain, in Europe … globally.

But unity in the struggle for a moneyless, classless, stateless society. A society through which each individual can develop their full individuality because at last all are free.

Easy to understand. Hard, so hard to achieve.