Early Days in the YCL

Introduction

The early years of the YCL were certainly full of idealism and romantic ideas. The "Revolution" was always "round the corner". "It will take another five years to get a Socialist Britain". This approach coupled with a distrustful attitude to the adult organisations led to some serious sectarian attitudes which prevented the grwoth and development of the YCL. But in spite of this handicap the YCL of pre-war days was a militanfighting young organiastion engaged in public activity, attempting to reach out to the working class youth, in defence of their standards and against War and for Peace.

Looking back, it is not surprising that militant and socialist minded youth should take up the to their opportunist policies. Young Socialist groups could become rally points for opposition to their policies. Groups shorn of political attitudes and real independence, devoted to social and sporting activities, and at election times as workers for the Labour candidates were tolerated.

The formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1920 radically changed this situation. For the first time there existed a party pledged to struggle for Socialism, a party that would not compromise with Capitalism. A party that welcomed the youth not as drawers of water or hewers of wood, - to be seen but not heard - but as equal partners in the struggle for a new Britain. This was recognised in theory by many in the Young Communist League, but in some measure, the old conduct, that of independent groups, distrustful of the adult leaders, persisted.

It was very difficult for the young Communists of those days who had gained some understanding of Socialism and had some little political experience behind them to realise that the formation of the CP enabled the young Communists to work with the Party for genuine socialist aims, enabled them to participate in the solution of political problems, enabled them to educate young people in the teachings and spirit of Marxism-Leninism, and to train cadres for the Party. Above all, enabled them to devote themselves to rousing the youth to take part in all working class struggles against Capitalism and for a new Socialist Society.

These difficulties plagued the YCL for many years, but did not prevent it from conducting work and activity among young people, as my own experiences in the YCL throughout the better part of the 1920s and early '30s showed.