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This is for Jon, who should have just PM'd me. I figure, however, that other comrades could use a bit of knowledge about various commie cults.
Marx noted this trend among the emigre German revolutionary groups in England after the failure of the 1848 revolutions. Politics between the various organizations grew extremely sectarian. Without a way to prove themselves in the real world of the movements, organizations began fighting over ideas. "Political clearity" replaced success in the real world. The most vicious literary and verbal assaults were launch over minor politic differences (Marx himself wrote one entire book simply for the purpose of savaging one of his critiques, Herr Vogt.
The same is true today. Organizations with almost identical politics ruthlessly decry each other of the smallest of disagreements. Some of these groups, particularly the Sparticist League, the Revolutionary Worker's League, Progressive Labor, and worst of all, the Socialist Equality Party (formerly the Workers League, a split from the organization to which Venessa Redgrave belongs) seem to have only one purpose, attacking other socialist organizations.
The Workers League even sent its members to join other organizations, and in one of the most bizzare events, a member of the Workers League that was underground in the American SWP, denounced the later organization in a civil trial by the SWP against the FBI (for COINTELPRO--they won), claiming that since the SWP was really a CIA front, the suit was really just just a trick to fool workers.
The International Socialist Organization is a vaguely Trotskyist sect, heavy on the passion, low on the intellect. They main thing, however, is that they don't allow internal dissent (at least they didn't used to, before the broke from the British SWP, don't know if that's still the case.) I could argue with their politics, but at the end of the day, what matters is that they don't let you think for yourself, and if you show signs of doing so, they sit you down and talk with you until you agree with them or you leave the organization (as they don't want your independent thoughts influencing others).
In order to keep you from thinking for yourself, you only read party books, not even the original Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky. They try and keep you busy all the time (less time to think), and they discourage you from having friends and relationships outside the party.
On the flip side, they deserve a lot of credit for the anti-death penalty victories in Illinois, as they were the core of the movement there. They were also a big factor in helping build the anti-war movement last time around.
Every single "Leninist" organization is the same way, which is terribly ironic, because Lenin's Bolshevik's were one of the most heterodox groups ever. In the history of the organization, they expelled only one group, and that was for misappropriating funds. Even when Kamenev and Zinoviev (two important leaders in the party) exposed the plan to overthrough the Provisional government and even the date of the revolt, they were not expelled (though if Lenin had his way they would have been--and I think he was right). He later, however, wrote in his "will" that the event should not be held against either of them.
I can't think of a communist group in the US that is not either a cult of personality (SWP - Jack Barnes, Sparticists - Robertson, Workers World - Sam Macy, Revolutionary Communist Party - Chairman Bob Avakian--who's in "exile" in France; etc.) or has serious cult-like features, such as the ISO, the Communist Party, the Spark (my former organization).
There are about three groups which are full of ex-Leninists: Solidarity (I was a member of this one also), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (former Maoists), and the Committees of Corrispondence (a split from the Communist Party). On top of that you have two real Socialist groups, the Socialist Party (I'm now a member of this one) and the Democratic Socialists of America.
Ideally, I'd like an actual Leninist organization, one with a multiplicity of views, which are argued in the forums of the organization. Maybe someday.
Marx noted this trend among the emigre German revolutionary groups in England after the failure of the 1848 revolutions. Politics between the various organizations grew extremely sectarian. Without a way to prove themselves in the real world of the movements, organizations began fighting over ideas. "Political clearity" replaced success in the real world. The most vicious literary and verbal assaults were launch over minor politic differences (Marx himself wrote one entire book simply for the purpose of savaging one of his critiques, Herr Vogt.
The same is true today. Organizations with almost identical politics ruthlessly decry each other of the smallest of disagreements. Some of these groups, particularly the Sparticist League, the Revolutionary Worker's League, Progressive Labor, and worst of all, the Socialist Equality Party (formerly the Workers League, a split from the organization to which Venessa Redgrave belongs) seem to have only one purpose, attacking other socialist organizations.
The Workers League even sent its members to join other organizations, and in one of the most bizzare events, a member of the Workers League that was underground in the American SWP, denounced the later organization in a civil trial by the SWP against the FBI (for COINTELPRO--they won), claiming that since the SWP was really a CIA front, the suit was really just just a trick to fool workers.
The International Socialist Organization is a vaguely Trotskyist sect, heavy on the passion, low on the intellect. They main thing, however, is that they don't allow internal dissent (at least they didn't used to, before the broke from the British SWP, don't know if that's still the case.) I could argue with their politics, but at the end of the day, what matters is that they don't let you think for yourself, and if you show signs of doing so, they sit you down and talk with you until you agree with them or you leave the organization (as they don't want your independent thoughts influencing others).
In order to keep you from thinking for yourself, you only read party books, not even the original Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky. They try and keep you busy all the time (less time to think), and they discourage you from having friends and relationships outside the party.
On the flip side, they deserve a lot of credit for the anti-death penalty victories in Illinois, as they were the core of the movement there. They were also a big factor in helping build the anti-war movement last time around.
Every single "Leninist" organization is the same way, which is terribly ironic, because Lenin's Bolshevik's were one of the most heterodox groups ever. In the history of the organization, they expelled only one group, and that was for misappropriating funds. Even when Kamenev and Zinoviev (two important leaders in the party) exposed the plan to overthrough the Provisional government and even the date of the revolt, they were not expelled (though if Lenin had his way they would have been--and I think he was right). He later, however, wrote in his "will" that the event should not be held against either of them.
I can't think of a communist group in the US that is not either a cult of personality (SWP - Jack Barnes, Sparticists - Robertson, Workers World - Sam Macy, Revolutionary Communist Party - Chairman Bob Avakian--who's in "exile" in France; etc.) or has serious cult-like features, such as the ISO, the Communist Party, the Spark (my former organization).
There are about three groups which are full of ex-Leninists: Solidarity (I was a member of this one also), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (former Maoists), and the Committees of Corrispondence (a split from the Communist Party). On top of that you have two real Socialist groups, the Socialist Party (I'm now a member of this one) and the Democratic Socialists of America.
Ideally, I'd like an actual Leninist organization, one with a multiplicity of views, which are argued in the forums of the organization. Maybe someday.
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