The Communist has landed…and it’s already having an enormous impact.
Up and down Britain, comrades have reported an electric response to the first issue.
In Manchester, a comrade was hugged by a man who said he was “emotional to see real communists on the streets”.
In Birmingham, an Uber driver bought a copy after saying that “they’d never seen any paper like it before”. And in Cardiff, a woman said she “had been waiting to get hold of one of these!”
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One ex-Labour councillor even wrote in, thanking us for our initiative and saying: “The next Labour government will be a disaster. Building a revolutionary Communist Party is a pressing task like no other.”
And one recent worker recruit in London told us he joined us, ahead of any other group, because he wanted “to fight for a better future” for his young son.
Magnet
With over 1,500 copies sold in the space of a week, it’s clear that The Communist has hit the mark.
Comrades have received statements of support and gratitude for our fight against capitalism almost everywhere that we have been selling.
In Manchester, Leeds, and London, comrades sold over 100 papers in just a few hours of selling.
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Our bold, unapologetically communist cover is acting as a magnet for those looking for an alternative to the crumbling status quo.
And, with the first issue bursting at the seams with letters, reports, and quotes, party members and workers are eager to write in and bring this workers’ paper to life. Already, we have been inundated with submissions for the next issue.
We’ve also seen a big increase in subscriptions to the new paper. Don’t miss out on getting your copy of this historic first issue – subscribe today and benefit from our special launch discount!
Radicalisation
Our success should not come as a surprise.
Consciousness is being rapidly transformed by the devastating crisis of British capitalism.
What was once one of the most stable capitalist countries is now lurching from disaster to disaster. All the while, the living standards of the working class are being mercilessly attacked.
In the process, all the traditional pillars of stability for the establishment – their parties, police, monarchy, and media – have been brought into disrepute.
Today, trust in politicians wallows at a miserable nine percent, sinking to just two percent amongst young people. In contrast, it was recently found that 43 percent of 18-25 year-olds have a favourable view of Lenin!
With no outlet through parliament, or in the decrepit ‘socialist’ and ‘communist’ parties, the crisis in society is pushing a growing layer towards revolutionary ideas. From our ‘Are You A Communist?’ posters to our new paper The Communist, it is towards this layer that we have been boldly orienting.
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The response to The Communist shows that we are on the right track. But our work has only just begun! Urgency is required: we must throw open our ranks to these fresh, fighting elements, in order to forge them into the communist revolutionaries required for the class battles ahead.
The launch of The Communist is not just a shock and awe campaign – it is the beginning of a massive offensive in building the forces of communism in Britain.
Tasks
Comrades! The Communist is your new, sharpened tool. It is specially suited to the tasks at hand.
Firstly, its bold profile is makes it a pole of attraction for young communists.
Secondly, it gives workers and youth a means to express the real conditions of life under capitalism today.
And thirdly, it immediately involves others in the building of the Revolutionary Communist Party.
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Armed with The Communist, we have three months to prepare the ground for the founding of the RCP.
We are operating in extremely favourable conditions. If we can channel the abundant rage at the system into our organisation – with haste – we can prepare ourselves for the coming sharpening of the class struggle in Britain, and the massive radicalisation that this will bring.
Building
Already, comrades are leading the way with audacious initiatives that show what is possible.
Across the country, branches are reporting record sales. In both Manchester and Leeds, comrades reported selling 100 papers within the first day, with buyers throwing £5, £10 and £20 at us for a copy.
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In London, over 600 papers have been sold in a week, with 50 contacts made – potential new recruits for the forces of communism. In fact, The Communist was so popular in New Cross that a competing stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses decided to pack up shop!
In Manchester, our comrades have been going from shop to shop, selling the paper to the workers inside. And in Leeds, at our Yorkshire aggregate meeting, contacts were made from a mass paper sale who then came immediately afterwards to our public meeting on the perspectives for world revolution.
This mass sale also turned into an impromptu demo intervention, since a march for Palestine was taking place on the same day.
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There was a similarly spontaneous Palestine demo in Cambridge that our comrades got stuck into.
Comrades used bold slogans such as: ‘A paper for the workers, by the workers! First issue of The Communist!’; ‘Hands off Yemen, hands off Gaza! Communists for Intifada!’; and ‘Build the revolutionary press – read The Communist!’, all of which were enthusiastically received by the crowd.
Recruitment
More important than sales, comrades have reported an uptick in the quantity and quality of those we meet. People on the streets are champing at the bit to get involved in an openly communist organisation.
In Lancaster, a junior doctor was recruited at The Communist launch event, and is already looking to set up a cell in his hospital around the paper.
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In Brighton, a brand new comrade took the initiative to sell papers to his neighbours. As a result, they have been invited to speak at a school to answer the class’ questions about communism.
In South London, a communist teacher sold papers to three of their colleagues and is in the process of setting up a discussion circle. Another branch in South London was able to recruit just from putting up posters advertising The Communist!
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The goal is wide open! So long as we clearly distinguish ourselves and act decisively to win these people over, there is nowhere where The Communist can’t make an impact.
Contribute
Comrades have also begun to use contributions to the paper as a means of drawing workers closer to us.
The Kingsway branch has had storming success with the slogan: “Hate your boss? Hate your landlord? Write for The Communist!” Already, they have one sympathiser on the cusp of joining who is eager to write two articles.
In Bloomsbury, the comrades were able to connect with workers on a picket by getting a close contact to write a report in solidarity with the strike.
In Southampton, striking Unison workers were buzzing with enthusiasm, and asked the comrades to get their picture and experience included in the paper.
The editorial board is already inundated with submissions – but please keep them coming!
The more workers and comrades write in, the more we can capture the fury radiating from the streets, the more the paper will be brought to life, and the bigger impact it will have.
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Build!
The first week of The Communist has been a triumph. But now is not the time to get complacent!
Our task is just not to produce a stylish new newspaper, but to use this as a means to build the Revolutionary Communist Party. So get selling, get writing, and get building.
With the momentum that the explosive launch has given us, we can surge forwards towards becoming a truly fighting force, steeled and ready for the revolutionary events that impend.
