Last Saturday, around 40 Communists from all over Scotland, including a comrade from the Highlands, gathered for the second Scottish Conference of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP).
We were pleased to be joined by RCP comrades from England, as well as visitors from the Revolutionary Communists of Ireland.
We’ve grown a lot in Scotland this year, with 14 people joining since the start of 2025. There’s also a lot of buzz and excitement from the RCP Congress in May and our ongoing recruitment campaign.
With lots of new recruits coming through the door, it was important for us to raise our political understanding of the current crisis: to understand the tectonic shifts in the world order, the impact this is having in Scotland, and how to connect with workers and young people.
The crisis of imperialism
The world is on fire: wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, mass movements in Africa, the rise of militarism, and the growth of right populism. It would be easy to become overwhelmed by these chaotic events, and struggle to see how they are connected.
That’s why we kicked off the conference with a discussion on the underlying processes of world capitalism, introduced by Central Committee member Shaun Morris.
He explained how Marxism allows us to look beneath the surface of events. The deepening crisis of capitalism is undermining all of the old institutions and alliances.
The rise of protectionism, the crisis of liberal democracy, austerity and debt crises, and the growth of anti-establishment sentiments – these are all expressions of capitalism’s impasse.
The tasks of communists in Scotland
With the big picture in mind, we then discussed the special crisis of British capitalism, and the impact this has on Scotland.
Central Committee member Ellen Morton took us through a history of British imperialism and its decline, and how that was reflected in Scotland with the rise of the national question and the Scottish independence movement.
Turning towards our tasks, Lotta Angantyr, the national organiser of the RCP, provided a report of the current recruitment campaign, and explained what led to the success of recruiting 150 communists so far: patient explanation of Marxist ideas, combined with boldness and audacity.
Further reports from Leith and Norwich emphasised the importance of putting politics and theory at the forefront of our discussions with new joiners, and how it is crucial to supplement this with a well-oiled machine of professional Bolshevik organisers.
Yogesh from the Leith branch was impressed by the level of political discussion: “I am already looking forward to applying the lessons from the conference in paper sales, recruitment work, and educational discussions.”
The ideas of James Connolly
The conference concluded with an inspiring talk by Central Committee member Orla Thomas on the life and ideas of James Connolly.
A giant of his time, Connolly was a dedicated Marxist and a socialist revolutionary, who played a vital role in the struggle for Irish liberation from British imperialism.
These ideas and this history of this important figure in Marxism are ours to carry, take on and put out there for the working class in Scotland and across the world.
Towards 100 communists in Scotland!
Not only was the quality of the political discussion high throughout the day, but the conference as a whole went very smoothly.
Comrades took things very seriously, from selling literature and food, to collecting in donations. As a result, we raised £1,000 for the Party’s fighting fund (which includes a £50 donation from our Irish comrades)!
This shows that we are building on strong foundations in Scotland, and is a testament to the inspiration and pride every comrade felt in being part of such an important event.
As Finlay, who’s been a member for only three months, put it: “the conference made me feel confident in the Party’s future and everyone’s individual responsibility to help build the Party.”
There’s a huge vacuum on the left, but we are yet too small to fill it. Our task is clear: we must recruit and educate the next layer of communist cadres, ready to face the coming period of turmoil and class struggle.
For 100 organised Communists in Scotland, and 2000 in the whole of Britain!
