This weekend, amidst the lush, rolling peaks and brisk air of Derbyshire, 160 comrades gathered for the Revolutionary Communist Party’s annual summer camp.
The objective of the camp was to educate a new layer of revolutionaries, clarify the tasks facing communists, and chart a course for the stormy period ahead.
Perspectives and tasks
The four-day event kicked off with a discussion entitled ‘Where is Britain Going?’, introduced by Adam Booth, editor of communist.red.
Starting from the global situation, Adam moved onto analysing and explaining Britain’s political and social crises, highlighting the urgent need for us to build the forces of communism, in order to fill the massive political vacuum on the left.
This stimulated further discussions about our approach to fighting the far right, connecting with the working class, and winning over its most advanced layer.
Leading comrade Nelson Wan explained that it is this layer that will form the foundation of the revolutionary party.
This discussion was eye-opening for many attending. “It really helped clarify our position on right-wing violence, and our purpose as a revolutionary party,” shared Jenny from Barnet
Daisy from Newham added:
“It has really been through this discussion that I now understand that our tasks flow from our perspectives of the world situation. We don’t just oppose ‘wrong ideas’ or ‘wrong analysis’ because they’re wrong. We oppose them because they would immobilise the working class in practice.”
This theme continued into Friday, as comrades grappled with questions like ‘how can we connect with and raise consciousness?’, which was explored in a discussion on Trotsky’s Transitional Programme.
Packed room for RCP Summer Camp 2024!
About to begin the opening session on perspectives for the class struggle in Britain. pic.twitter.com/86wbInY9wr
— Jack Tye Wilson ☭ (@bolsh3vik) August 8, 2024
In a later session on ‘How to Combat Alien Class Ideas’, RCP national education officer Daniel Morley reaffirmed the Marxists’ opposition to the pernicious ‘philosophical’ ideas that are promoted by the ruling class – most notably, the dead end of postmodernism.
Daniel emphasised that these ideas can only be challenged with a firm understanding of the revolutionary philosophy of Marxism: dialectical materialism.
Memory of the working class
Throughout the weekend, talks were interspersed with outdoor activities and countryside rambles.
On Friday afternoon, with red flags in hand, we marched through the valley to the site of the Arkwright Mill – the birthplace of British manufacturing.
As we gazed over the hills and quarries, comrades were reminded that all wealth comes from the two mightiest forces on earth: nature and the working class.
Like the titan Antaeus, who drew his strength from his connection to the earth, we derive our strength as a revolutionary party from our connection to the working class.
This was brought out during talks on ‘How Apartheid fell in South Africa’ and ‘France: May ‘68’, with speakers Fiona Lali and Olive Rickson explaining how the revolutionary party acts as the memory of the working class – providing the link between the class struggles of the past, present, and the future.
Very excited for @fiona_lali‘s talk on how South African apartheid was overthrown at RCP summer camp 2024! pic.twitter.com/rJ2XJTf1U4
— Jack Tye Wilson ☭ (@bolsh3vik) August 9, 2024
Building the revolutionary party
On Friday evening we gathered for informal discussion and a revolutionary quiz, themed around The Communist, In Defence of Lenin, and the launch of the RCP.
This really underlined how much we’ve achieved in such a short time, since launching our new paper in January and new party in May – but also how far we still have to go.
This was a point reiterated in the final discussion of the weekend, on ‘Preparing for power’, based on the title of a 1942 pamphlet by Ted Grant.
Our tasks remain the same as was laid out then. The opportunities are immense. But our forces are still insufficient to take advantage of the political ferment in society. The leadoff, by leading RCP comrade Lotta Angantyr, ended with the same refrain:
“We will rise to the situation only if, in the interim, a skeleton of cadres is built throughout the country…”
The gap between the ripeness of the objective situation (wars, crises, and revolutions) and the insufficiency of the subjective factor (a party of trained revolutionaries to lead the working class to victory) has never been more apparent.
In another session, for example, reflecting on the heroic revolutions of the Arab Spring a decade ago, RCP youth organiser Lubna Badi stated: “It is not the working classes’ religion that is holding back the revolution; it is the absence of its revolutionary party!”
On Friday night, we came together once more around the campfire, singing songs from the international revolutionary movement.
This spirit of internationalism permeated the entire event. Luca and Ari, visitors from the Irish section of the Revolutionary Communist International, highlighted the wider implications of building a strong organisation in Britain.
Nearly 200 communists, inc. visitors from Ireland & former Yugoslavia, are gathered at the RCP Summer Camp to discuss topics like:
– How communists fight for oppressed nations
– The transitional programme
– Postmodernism and identity politics
– How apartheid was overthrown pic.twitter.com/4feGNfP2BW
— Revolutionary Communist Party (@revcommunists) August 9, 2024
“It’s been great craic, meeting the British comrades,” Luca said. “The atmosphere is amazing, everything is so organised. And it’s impressive that we can pull off an event like this.”
Ari added: “It’s really inspirational; so encouraging to see. This could be our trajectory in Ireland in the not-too-distant future, if we take these lessons back.”
Marxist education
Throughout the camp, it was emphasised time and again that, in the coming period, it will be our solid grasp of Marxist theory, first and foremost, that will enable us to take advantage of events.
Comrades embraced the challenge of raising their own political level – committing themselves to absorbing the multitude of lessons provided from revolutionary theory and the history of the class struggle, and to tackling the challenges of party building head-on.
Each day of the camp, comrades read and discussed late into the evening. This only whetted the appetite of those attending to dive even deeper into various topics.
As a result, over £2,400 worth of literature were sold throughout the weekend – more than double than that sold in previous years.
The value of being able to share and explore ideas was highlighted by Josh from Birmingham, who said:
“It’s great that experienced comrades are around. We can ask them our burning questions over breakfast, or over a drink at the social. We just had a discussion about the role of credit in the capitalist economy, for example. We can all contribute and add our own perspectives.”
Valerie from Nottingham echoed a similar sentiment: “I’ve really enjoyed hearing how other branches work. I want to take so many of these ideas back to my branch.”
Preparing for battle
On Saturday evening, a plenary discussion on the nature of British imperialism today provided a political foundation for the RCP’s ‘books not bombs!’ campaign.
As Elena from Sheffield explained, this goes far beyond the arms industry. The entire system is culpable and must be brought down.
The enthusiasm at the camp was also reflected in the financial sacrifice to which comrades pledged themselves. Over £6,000 was raised in donations, in order to equip the RCP with the necessary arsenal for the struggles that lie in store.
Most importantly, this year’s RCP summer camp helped to lay the foundations for the future growth and success of the revolutionary party. This primarily meant training up a new layer of Marxist cadres.
In the hills of the Peak District, comrades rose above day-to-day events by discussing philosophy, art, economics, and history. This helped prepare the organisation for the battles to come, by providing comrades with a clearer understanding of the world around us.
“As a new member, being surrounded by other comrades and learning from them has clarified my role in the party,” summarised Jenny, who joined less than a month ago. “I feel ready to build.”
And based on the energy and mood on display at this camp, it is clear that the RCP will be ready for whatever capitalism throws our way in the months and years ahead.
