Welcome address by Jarvis Tyner, National Executive Vice Chair.

On behalf of the national board of the Party, the Coordinating Committee of the YCL and the interim Party/YCL committee I want to welcome to this conference on the Youth Generation.

First I want to thank the Illinois district of the party for hosting this event. With out the efforts of John Bachtell the district chair this conference would not have been possible.

I especially want to thank all of you who have traveled long distances to be here in at the beautiful Unity Center. It is so good to see you. And to those who have joined us on the telephone I say thank you for taking the time and effort to be with us this weekend. It is so good to have you with us.

We are here this weekend to better meet the urgent challenges of the fight for jobs and the building of our Party and League.

The crisis of youth unemployment is doing great damage to working families and communities especially communities of color. Those within the sound of my voice who have experienced the great hardships of joblessness know what I’m talking about. For black and brown youth the problem is catastrophic in some communities the rate has been over 50% for youth for decades. That has consequences, big consequences.

Frankly the rise in violence and murders taking place in black and brown communities across this country has a lot to do with long term, severe youth unemployment in those communities. We know unemployment running above 50% and higher will bring disastrous consequences. These conditions exist among, Native American and Asian Pacific youth across all this country. It is truly a national crisis.
It’s also a moral and cultural crisis.

A job is more than a paycheck, it is also a connection to society a relationship that makes you feel a part, makes you feel you have a stake in society. Joblessness, especially long term joblessness, is also like getting a pink slip from society. And when that happens, there is a level of alienation and depression that drives millions of youth to destructive behavior. And this ruling class has a hundred traps out there to destroy young people. Unemployment kills; unemployment can have the most destructive impact not only for our youth but also for society as a whole. With that in mind think of this, according to a recent McClatchy Report, “only 55% of 16-24 year olds in our country are working or looking for work.

We have to ask an important question. “What is happening to the 45% who are not working and stopped looking?” How are they surviving?

When the private sector and the government being fully aware of the crisis of youth unemployment decides to do next to nothing (private sector) and actually cuts government programs like summer jobs and offer far less then what is urgently needed, we have a moral crisis. It is an economic crisis, which if not addressed, tears away at the moral fibers of our society and the viability of our democracy.

Scotty Marshall, a vice chair of our party and our labor secretary has a great story to tell on the new developments in the organization of the unemployed and what’s on the horizon. We look forward to that and we want to hear what is happening in your state.

Comrades, the fight for youth jobs is critical to defeating the right. The Republican line on unemployment compensation is that it destroys the initiative of the unemployed to look for work. That’s not credible.
They are not for the extension of benefits because “it will add to the deficit”. Imagine, these extremists are for spending $5 billion a month for war and keeping the trillion-dollar tax cut for the rich in place but they say, “We can’t afford to help the unemployed”. That is a disgrace. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.

This is what we are fighting against. The jobs movement, comrades, is key to defeating these ultra right stooges of the ultra rich. It will also help in the fight against racism and for immigrant rights because the key demand is government sponsored job creation.

A united fight for jobs requires unity not division.

The proposed job’s march on Washington in October 2nd will be a very important show of strength and a way to mobilize for the November elections.

The youth jobs movement can help unite and activate the powerful youth vote next November.

I tell you comrades; we have to work on this.

While we do that we have to revitalize the YCL and help it reach its potential. This country needs the Young Communist League.

Young people today are very progressive. With all the anti youth propaganda to the contrary, our Party is in praise of this generation of youth. There efforts made an historic contribution to the people’s victory in 2008. Their idealism, their hopes and dreams for a more democratic progressive future for our country naturally leads them to activism and to challenging capitalism.

The Pew Opinion Poll (May 4th of this year), which came out after the Rasmussen poll, found that 43% of Americans under 30 years old describe “capitalism” as positive but the same poll found that those who described “socialism” as positive also equaled 43%.

Despite living under capitalism all of their lives today’s US youth are divided on which system is more positive – capitalism or Socialism. So if I can use a sports metaphor, I guess when it comes to US youth, capitalism has no home court advantage over socialism. Charles Derber, sociology professor at Boston College in an article on the poll summed up the results as “We are moving towards an America that is either Center-Left or actually majoritarian socialist”.

This younger generation is for a more democratic, peaceful and just future and about half are positively inclined toward the socialist alternative. With that in mind I say there has got to be a real possibility of building a large, influential YCL.

Some are doubtful that we can actually build a large YCL in this country today. Well, I say the YCL of all the youth organizations in this country has the most sensible and credible program and approach to winning socialism. So is it possible to build the YCL, in our country today? I say, “si se puede”, “yes we can”!

With principled politics, an activist style, a youthful organizational and political approach, a large YCL can be built. We certainly have to fight for it and that means the party has to take youth work seriously and give its best effort in every district, to helping the YCL grow in influence and size. It is the main way the party carries out its work among youth. The point we want to make at this conference is the fight for youth jobs is key to making this happen.

This is why we are here this weekend and holding a short school next week. We want to get things rolling. We have to take this show on the road and put it on the Internet. Whatever it takes we have to bring the message of the YCL to 10’s of thousands of youth.

Every former youth leader whose here today will tell you that there have been lulls, ups and downs in the past and our experience shows that if the Party and the YCL together put their shoulders to the wheel, great things can and will happen. This is why we are here.

In the battle against the right danger, I think the tide is turning.
I have a feeling that things are not going to be so good for the right in the next election like most of the pundits are saying.

From the stimulus package to health care, the US Supreme Court nominees, the progressive upsurge after the racist Arizona anti immigrant. “Remember May Day”… the passage of the Wall Street reform bill yesterday was a big setback for the right and a victory for Main Street.

Critical sections of voters are starting to trend more against the Republicans. Their numbers are much worse then the Democrats and Obama. The NAACP’s call for the Tea Party to denounce the racism in their ranks is creating a new crisis for them. Frankly if the Democrats play hard ball like the NACCP and real numbers are put in the streets by labor and other mass movements the progressive forces have got the issues to set back the Republican/ultra right attacks even with their millions in right wing and corporate campaign funds.

The Tea Party is a collection of extreme right elements many of then mired in anti labor, racist, homophobic and anti immigrant chauvinism. They hate the elected government. If there is a historic reference, there ideology is kin to the ideology that brought us the Third Reich. Defeating them is the paramount challenge before us today. I am confident that the people will meet that challenge.

In that spirit I want to make a proposal.

Last week the police officer that murdered Oscar Grant on the Bart Station in Oakland Cal. was given a slap on the wrists for his act of cold-blooded murder. We are appalled and angered by what the courts did and we agree with Oscar’s mother who cried out at the press conference. “My son was murdered, my son was murdered” and “we want justice”!!

WE too want justice and that is what we are fighting for….
So, I propose that we dedicate this weekend’s conference to the memory of Oscar Grant and all the innocent youths whose precious lives were taken by this brutal, anti human system of capitalism and imperialism.

Remarks by John Bachtell to the CPUSA Conference on the Youth Generation, July 17-18, 2010, Chicago, IL.

We’re gathered here because the young generation, including among them our sons and daughters and grandchildren, is experiencing a profound multi-sided crisis that demands urgent action.

We’re here because the Party recognizes how essential youth are to the outcome of present and future struggles; for mobilizing to defeat the extreme right in the 2010 elections and confronting the economic crisis, deepening the reform process, for winning a socialist future.

We’re here because the Party has an essential role in helping the YCL to regain its footing and play an active and even leading role again among youth and students, in a period in which youth attitudes are changing markedly and open to progressive and radical alternatives.

We’re here because the YCL could not absolutely exist without the Party. And the future of the Party is in doubt without a growing YCL.

The YCL is going through a basic transition, with a new membership, including those joining on-line daily, and emerging new leaders. Without proper attention by the Party, nationally, in districts and clubs, it is no exaggeration to say the future of the YCL is at stake.

Our experience historically has been that with the proper attention and attitude, the YCL can rebound relatively quickly.

So, this conference comes at a great time. It’s a moment to renew our understanding and approach to the young generation and the YCL, and recommit to helping the YCL in every way possible to tackle this difficult, challenging, exciting period and thrive.

It’s a great time because there are so many signs today’s youth are developing profound new progressive attitudes that will impact politics for decades to come. These attitudes are developing in response to and as a part of the great labor led people’s upsurge against the ultra right, but also the new economic, social and political circumstances they are growing up in.

The changes are so progressive some have dubbed today’s youth, the “we generation,” embracing the “common good” and rejecting the tenants of right wing ideology.

Let’s paint a broad canvass of this generation.

The “we generation” is made up of youth born between 1978 and 2000, make up 95 million of the US population of 300 million, bigger than the 78 million baby boomers.

In 2008, they comprised 50 million eligible voters. By 2020, they will comprise 90 million voters representing almost 40% of the electorate.

Since 2006, the “we generation” or Millennial’ as they are also called, have been increasing their voter turnout markedly. In 2008 they were 20% of the vote, and increased turnout more than any other sector.

And vote they did. In 2006, 18-29 year olds voted 60-38% Democratic. In 2008, they voted 68 to 30 for Barack Obama. The youth were a key part of the coalition that elected Obama and gave the Democrats majorities in Congress. Youth were inspired by the Obama campaign, coming out in droves to volunteer and staff the operation across the country and cast their ballots.

Their orientation is also why Organizing For America is making the mobilization of the youth vote a top priority of its work this year.

Surveys show youth have widespread support for government action on jobs, more education funding, urgent action on the environment, changing US foreign policy, universal health care and regulation of the banks. They embrace social transformation on a grand scale.

Over 76% of youth think there should be a viable 3rd political party and an alternative to the two major parties. Thirty nine percent think of themselves as Independents, 36% Democrats and only 24% Republican.

The deep going economic crisis has shaken their confidence in capitalism. We are familiar by now with the Rasmussen and Gallup polls, which show that 45% and 50% respectively of today’s youth think socialism, however they conceive of it, is a better system than capitalism.

Youth are not just progressive oriented, but are more civic minded and politically engaged than previous generations. We saw all this on display in the US Social Forum in Detroit.

Each generation comes of age under a unique set of global, economic and political circumstances that shapes its outlook, mood and attitude. Distinct experiences are impacting them – they are growing up in a time of unparalleled economic hardship and environmental catastrophe.

This bleak outlook certainly gives rise to pessimism and cynicism among a section of youth. And yet Obama’s election has given many youth a sense of optimism despite the dismal economic and social prospects.

In painting the picture of this generation we see the gray hues of suffering and pain.

This is the first generation fully experiencing the decline of the US as a world power, and has grown up in an era of general economic decline in the living standards of their families and communities. They see the need for a new role for the US in the world.

This generation is experiencing the greatest gap in wealth of any generation in history.

The economic situation facing youth is dire, especially among African American and Latino and other oppressed youth. Forty-one% of children now live in low-income families. The special impact of racism has pushed 61% of African Americans, 62% of Latinos, 31% of Asians Americans and 57% of American Indian into low-income families.

The US poverty rate is the highest among developed nations. That includes 19% of children, including 35% of African American children.

Not only are substantial numbers of youth growing up in poverty, they are arriving at working age in an economic depression. Many face the prospect of a lifetime of joblessness, poverty and misery.

According to EPI, “Since the start of the recession in December 2007, young adults have attained the highest unemployment rate on record (since 1948). The unemployment rate for 16-24-year-old workers peaked in September 2009 at 19.2%— passing the peak rate of 19.0% from November 1982—and started 2010 at 18.9%.”

Twenty million 16-24 year olds are unemployed. African American unemployment is at 32.5%, followed by Latinos (24.2%), and then whites (15.2%).

In 2009 72% of all teens were unemployed in Illinois and only 83% in Chicago. A staggering 88% of African American teens were unemployed statewide and 85% in Chicago

Through the juvenile courts and criminal justice system, the US incarcerates more of its youth than any other country in the world.

There are some 5 million young people aged 16-24 who are out of work and out of school. They find themselves alienated from society that is undergoing a scientific and technological revolution that constantly requires higher levels of education and training.

There are 18.2 million students attending universities. Large numbers graduate from college into unemployment. They can’t find jobs in their chosen professions, must work part time and live at home.
In addition, students are accumulating sizeable debt loads from their education, which makes many “indentured servants” for life to the banks. In 2008 67% of students graduating from four-year colleges had student loan debts. The average debt is approximately $23,000.

This generation has had to endure the horror of widespread gun violence. Homicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among youth 10-24 years old. In Chicago over 30 public school students have died from gun violence each of the past 3 years. 15 youth are killed each day in US, 80% with firearms.
Youth, especially youth of color, are victims of police abuse. The killing of Oscar Grant and the stop, question, frisk tactics of the NYPD of 52,000 African American and Latino youth in 4 years, “criminalizing the entire generation”.

This generation has grown up in an era of a new qualitative degradation in our environment, the alarm over global climate change, the outright criminality of corporations like BP. They feel the urgency to act now.
The picture of this generation also has a full rainbow tapestry. This generation is the most racially and nationally diverse young generation in US history. In 2006, youth of color comprised almost 40% of the young generation. This year for the first time, the number of births of babies of color was a majority. By 2050, 50% of Americans will be of people of color. This is already giving youth a sense of diversity, lending to widespread anti-racist attitudes, multiracial unity and broader acceptance and appreciation of diversity and having an impact on the struggle against racism.

Gay and lesbian sexual orientation are accepted without prejudice widely.

Because of the Internet and immigration, this generation has a more “global perspective.”

The revolution in mass communications is having a profound impact on youth, shaping their social practice and interaction. Facebook and Myspace have become major outlets for political engagement. Two-thirds said they had a Facebook account, and 36% used Facebook to promote political candidates, ideas or events. Forty-five percent said they had read a political blog; 30 percent had forwarded a political video, etc.

Youth are cynical about government and corporate leaders, think they are often self-serving, and think government should do more.

This painting has some bold new strokes too.

This generation is growing up under a progressive labor movement that is actively reaching out to the youth. There are some 4.8 million workers in the leisure, hospitality and food service industries. And 3.9 million in retail trades. This motivated the AFL-CIO to organize the Young Workers Summit to organize young workers and change the image of trade unions among the youth.

The young generation is also experiencing a progressive labor movement and its leadership in many struggles. The labor movement is embracing the youth and seeks to specially organize them, including someone in their top leadership reaching out to them. They have set up a special program just for this purpose.

USWA President Leo Girard recently called upon youth to lead a new civil rights revolution on the jobs struggle. Girard said, “Sisters and brothers of the next generation, it’s time for a revolution. It’s time to stand up and be heard. It’s time to mobilize online and in the streets. Together, let’s tweet, Facebook and text. Let’s rally, vote and, where necessary, sit in. Let’s lead the civil rights movement 2.0.”

So what can the Party do and what can the Party and YCL do together?

Our starting point is the role of the CPUSA, and by inference the YCL. Our role is to help build the broad democratic movement for change and within that the organized might, influence and leadership of the working class, specifically organized labor. Our role is to identify the chief stages of struggle, the main obstacles to progress at each stage, today of course the struggle against the ultra right, and help to assembly the broad coalition of forces necessary to advance.

This is also done in unity with what we have identified as the other essential class and social or core forces – the racially and nationally oppressed communities and women.

Also among these essential core forces is the young generation. All of these core forces overlap and interpenetrate and influence each other.

A great challenge before the Party is to deepen its relationship to the youth on many fronts and levels. This includes on the most immediate political tasks, and to help deepen youth’s relationship to the working class and other core forces

The role of the Party is also to simultaneously build popular support for the ideas of socialism, the socialist current, and among the young generation in the “battle of ideas.” To chart the path forward that will result in “wresting by degrees” control by capital.

The Party does all this by working shoulder to shoulder with the YCL on all the main struggles of the day. The Party also takes its own independent initiatives to influence the youth.

For example, shouldn’t we seek to involve youth in the 2010 election coalition? Help them set up OFA chapters on campuses, and be involved in targeted campaigns through their unions and other organizations?

Shouldn’t we work to bring youth into the developing jobs coalitions that are springing up around the country?

Shouldn’t we help organize broad support for youth oriented legislation, including for jobs, education funding, etc. ?

Shouldn’t we work jointly together to increase the mass circulation of the People’s World/Mundo Popular? Isn’t our news source also great for the young generation? What can we do to make it even more attractive to youth?

The YCL should be the place leading young communists learn their trade and develop their world outlook: the organization and vehicle from which they can most effectively engage and influence their peers.

The YCL is especially needed because youth have a need for their own forms and “path” to a socialist outlook, forms and a language they and their peers understand.

The YCL, like the Party, is an indispensable and unique organization to the working class and people’s movement. YCLers describe it as a “schoolhouse of struggle.”

The way we conceive it, the YCL should and can play a vital role in uniting the youth and uniting the young generation with labor and the other core forces through its initiatives and action.

The YCL also plays an indispensable role in building the left and communist current among the youth, in developing the forms and activities where youth can be learn Marxism.

It’s an organization where youth can fully embrace their incredible diversity, learn working class and revolutionary morals, treat each other as equals, strengthen their defenses against racism, male supremacy and anti-gay bias.

Another great challenge for the Party then is to help build the YCL into an organization and movement with a mass following among youth.

What kind of organization and movement is up to the YCL and will result from its day-to-day activities. It is determined by the material conditions and the needs of young people. It will not be and cannot be the same kind of organization that the older generations were schooled in, fell in love in, and got married in, including my generation. It must be specifically for, by and about this “we” generation, with its own stamp.

For example, how is the YCL being shaped by the Internet and mass communication revolution? How can the YCL and we utilize the Internet to reach and engage a far greater audience of youth, the 50% who believe socialism is the future?

The Party not only gives a political lead, but also provides a wealth of experience and Marxist education for developing the YCL membership and those around it. Districts and clubs give practical assistance and mentoring to establish and build YCL grassroots organizations and become engaged in coalition struggles.

The young generation has only known the Internet and the revolution in mass communications. It is as natural to them. The potential for reaching youth with our ideas is greater than ever before, and we can do it easily and inexpensively if we (and the YCL) master the use of the Internet.

The communist youth movement will the forms of communication it has grown up with and adopted naturally: social networking and particularly video, audio and digital forms; a streaming radio or video production must replace concept Dynamic; in fact with radio or video production all aspects of the YCL movement can proceed within a single enterprise: educational, organizational, political.

The Party would be remiss if we didn’t do everything we could in this moment to reach out and engage the youth with our ideas. We would be equally remiss if we didn’t take steps to build the YCL.

Can we assist the YCL in developing its mass communications platform?

Can we organize schools for youth in cities across the country, jointly organized by the National Party, Districts and the YCL?

Can we continue to organize a Party speaking tour on campuses across the country?

Together we can ensure this young generation takes its rightful place in history and helps advance the working class and people’s movement on the road to socialism.

The e-mail address for the Young Communist League USA Houston is yclhouston@gmail.com

Preamble

The Young Communist League (YCL) is an independent mass public organization of young people in the United States. The YCL is devoted to the interests of all young people and is dedicated to the revolutionary cause of the working class of our country, the transformation of the United States through mass democratic struggle into a socialist society.

We try to develop communist, working-class political and moral convictions in our members and assist them in becoming militant fighters for the rights of the people and youth.

We teach our members to work and struggle together collectively, to reject the abuse of drugs and alcohol, to fight for the equality of all young people, against racism and discrimination.

Our task is to help our members become Communists. We learn to struggle through studying Marxism-Leninism and active participation in day to day struggles of the working people and youth for a better life.

Our League promotes social, recreational and cultural activities among young people. The promotion of working class culture and the development of recreational and social activities that advance youth unity and struggle are an essential feature of our activity.

We strive to promote youth\’s understanding that the working class is the only class capable of leading the people against big business to socialism. The YCL develops a feeling of loyalty to the working class among young people. The object of all activities of the League is to build the unity of the young generation with the working class in the struggle for peace, full employment, complete equality, trade union and democratic rights.

The Young Communist League recognizes the Communist Party, USA as the political party of the socialism in our country. We enjoy political and ideological guidance from the Communist Party. Our League works in unity and cooperation with the Communist Party for the immediate and ultimate interests of the working people and youth.

Young Communists promote the unity of young people of our country with the peoples and youth of all countries. Our League promotes working class internationalism. We are proud of our relationship with the international youth and student movement.

Young Communists want a secure and peaceful future. The Young Communist League stands with all young people in the struggle to realize their highest aspirations: to live in peace and freedom, to work and love, to create and celebrate.

Socialism will bring these aspirations to life. In a socialist US, where monopoly corporations no longer dominate the economic and political life, society\’s highest priority will be the well being of the people. Only by eliminating capitalism and the evils that grow out of it, racism, discrimination, sexism, class exploitation, poverty and war, will the rights of young people be fully guaranteed.

Socialism will guarantee every young person the right to a job, free public education, and the ability of all to reach their fullest potential. By eliminating private profit, socialism will end forever the exploitation of one human being by another.

For these reasons the Young Communist League, USA is constituted and establishes the basic rules of its organization in the following constitution.

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Young Communist League of the United States of America.

Article II: Principles of Organization

Section 1
The principle of organization of the YCL is based on what is called Democratic Centralism. Democratic-Centralism means that decisions are arrived at only after the widest possible discussion by the membership. After such discussion a decision is arrived at and all members strive to carry out the decision.

Section 2
Should any member, club, or committee of the YCL disagree with a decision, appeal may be made to the next highest body. The decision may be reopened and rediscussed. Appeal may be made to each higher body up to and including the National Convention. The decision of the Convention, which is the highest body of the YCL, is final.

Section 3
After discussion in any club, committee, or convention, decisions are to be reached by majority vote.

Section 4
Elections of leadership are by secret ballot.

Section 5
Each body of the YCL shall elect from among its members a leadership collective which shall be responsible to that body.

Section 6
Every person who wishes to be a delegate to the convention, elected to any position of leadership in the club, state committee or National Council, must be a member of the YCL in good standing.

Section 7
Each body is subordinate to the next higher body: the Club to the state committee; the National Council to the convention. Where there are conflicting decisions, the decision of the higher body shall prevail.

Section 8
The YCL shall establish a press to make its views known and it shall be the duty of the members, clubs, state and national organization to circulate and financially support the press.

Article III. Membership

Section 1
The YCL is a voluntary organization. Any young person in the United States who is at least 14 years old is welcome to become a member. Special exceptions for persons under 14 years may be made by the club or the next highest body.

Section 2
All members shall belong to a club or organizing committee or work with the next highest body where local level organizations do not exist. All members shall be encouraged to participate in activities. All members shall pay dues.

Section 3
All members should strive to carry out the aims and objectives of the YCL in the course of everyday activity. This includes both within the YCL organization and in personal life.

Article IV: Structure

Section 1
The basic unit of the YCL will be the club. There will be four kinds of clubs: neighborhood, school, workplace, and interest.

Section 2
Each club shall elect at least the following officers: coordinator, educational coordinator and treasurer. Additional positions may be added if necessary. One person may assume more than one position.

Section 3
Clubs shall organize social, cultural, sports and recreational activities for its members and beyond.

Section 4
Clubs shall set up educational programs.

Section 5
Clubs shall collect dues and initiate fundraising activities to support the YCL

Section 6
Each club shall decide on an area of concentration in which to do its work. This may be a particular neighborhood, campus, high school, workplace, or area of interest.

Section 7
The National Council and state committees may set up organizing committees for the purpose of establishing state or club organizations.

Section 8
State organizations may be established by the National Council. State organizations shall consist of all clubs and members in a particular state.

Section 9
The highest body in the state will be the state convention, to be held once every two years before the National Convention.

Section 10
The state convention will elect a state committee to carry out work between conventions.

Section 11
The state committee will meet at least twice a year.

Section 12
The state committee shall elect officers and establish committees.

Article V: National Organization

Section 1
The highest authority of the YCL is the National Convention. The National Convention shall be held every two years, or as deemed necessary by the National Council. Delegates to the National Convention shall be determined on the basis of guidelines set by the National Council. Any member wishing to be elected as a delegate to the National Convention must be a YCL member for a minimum of 3 months and in good standing.

Section 2
Prior to the National Convention, a pre-convention discussion period will be held.

Section 3
Each National Convention shall determine the numbers of members on the National Council. When considerations are made for the National Council representation of working youth, racially and nationally oppressed youth, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer youth, and young women will be guaranteed.

Section 4
Election to the National Council shall be by secret ballot.

Section 5
Vacancies in the National Council shall be filled by a majority vote of its membership.

Section 6
The National Council shall be responsible for establishing state organizations and for implementing the decisions of the National Convention. Decisions of the National Council shall apply to all members and organizations of the YCL.

Section 7
The National Council shall elect from its membership an executive committee, officers, and any other bodies it deems necessary, all of which are responsible to it.

Section 8
The National Council shall meet at least twice a year.

Section 9
The National Council shall make reports of its meetings available to the membership.

Section 10
Between conventions, the National Council is responsible for enforcing the constitution and is the highest body in the YCL.

Section 11
Organization-wide referendums are provided for the membership to be polled on major policy questions. Referendums are to initiated by majority vote of the National Council. Once a referendum is presented to the membership, a six-week discussion period will ensue. Results of the referendum are to be tallied by a committee selected by the National Council.

Article VI: Initiation Fee and Dues

Section 1
The initiation fee shall be $1.00, which is to be sent to the office of the National Council.

Section 2
The yearly dues shall be $12.00 for high school age and unemployed youth and $24.00 for all others, which is to be sent to the national office.

Article VII: Evaluation and Appeal

Section 1
The status of any member or officer of the YCL may be subject to review for action contrary to the principles on which the YCL is founded. This applies to financial irregularities, to racism and religious discrimination, discrimination against women, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and strikebreaking.

Section 2
Review of a member or officer should be made by the club or the next highest body. An evaluation committee should be established by the club or body. The committee should review the situation and make recommendations to the club.

Section 3
Any member who is to be reviewed must be so informed.

Section 4
After hearing the recommendation of the evaluation committee the club or body can make a decision by two-thirds vote on disciplinary action. Disciplinary action can consist of reprimand, educational task, suspension, or expulsion.

Section 5
All decisions are subject to review automatically by the next highest body.

Article VIII: Affiliations

Groups organized around cultural, social, sports and educational interests that wish to associate themselves and their work with the YCL may become affiliate organizations. Affiliation will be decided by majority vote of a club or state organization. The yearly affiliation fee will be determined by a vote in the club, based on whether the groups wishing to affiliate are able to pay the suggested fee of $5.00

Article IX: Amendment

This constitution may be amended by a majority vote of any regular or special National Convention, or by two-thirds vote of the National Council. This vote must be preceded by a three-month discussion period.

Article X: Authority

The Young Communist League is not responsible for any political document, policy, book, article, or any other expression of political opinion except such as are issued by the authority of the National Conventions and the regularly constituted leadership of the League.

Capitalism

Q: What is capitalism?

A: The control of commodities (goods and services) through corporations that produce only to make profits for their shareholders (the capitalist class). In contrast, socialism is the control of commodities through a government that produces only to serve people (the working class).
Q: Rich people deserve to be rich because they work harder. Why should they give up their money?

A: Capitalists gain their wealth from the labor of others–not from their own work. The workers who actually create the wealth-by picking the crops or assembling the engines, for example-should get a fair share of the wealth they create. Why should someone be a millionaire, with three houses, a private plane, and the like when other folks can’t even afford enough to eat?

Q: Aren’t people greedy by nature?

A: No. For example, in capitalist countries, little children quickly learn to share and cooperate, but they are later taught to take more than they need compete viciously in “the real world.”

Socialism and Communism

Q: How can communism be achieved in the US?

A: Unity of the working class will be needed. Workers will have to realize that capitalism cannot solve the problems it creates and that it is only beneficial to the few who own the factories, mines, press and government. Hopefully, we will achieve this in the voting booth; but if the capitalists attack, we will defend ourselves and our system.

Q: Can people decide what job they want in communist countries?

A: Yes, and better than under capitalism. Now, you get a job based on the education you receive, and the people you know: poor education + bad connections = a poor job, generally. Communism will allow people who have aptitudes for certain work the education–for free–to learn the skills it takes to do that work.

Q: Why would anyone be motivated to work hard under communism? If you work harder, shouldn’t you get more?

A: People can learn to be motivated by working for the common good. If we help each other, we both gain. Capitalism encourages us to fight against each other for crumbs, while the very few stuff themselves on the pie.

Q: Why don’t you like democracy, why is communism better?

A: Democracy and communism are not opposites. Communists believe in TRUE democracy, as opposed to our “bourgeois democracy.” What that means is when you only get to choose between millionaires running for election, working class people (the vast majority of society) aren’t really represented. Elections in a capitalist system are almost always decided by who can get the most corporate money. True democracy will be realized under communism because everyone will have an equal say in society.

Q: The world has never been fair, so how can the communists make it fair?

A: Fairness is a function of how wealth is distributed. Under capitalism, workers receive only a small percentage of the wealth that they create. Under socialism, workers receive a larger share. Under communism, workers (all people) will receive everything.

Q: What is the difference between communism and socialism?

A: The short answer is socialism is “from each according to their ability and to each according to their DEEDS,” and communism is “from each according to their ability and to each according to their NEEDS.” The longer answer is socialism is the step between capitalism and communism. Socialism still has people working for wages, therefore monetary equality has not be reached. Socialism is the society that will pave the way for a communist society by setting a foundation of co-operation and sharing of all things in common. Communism is the realization of these goals.

Q: What would be the benefits of socialism in the US?

A: Just to name a few there would be jobs for all at living wages, full equality and an end to racism, sexism and homophobia, health care for all, a right to a clean healthy environment, equal rights for immigrant workers, free public education form nursery to university, peace and solidarity.

Q: Is socialism inevitable?

A: If the human race is to survive–yes, it is. Capitalism cannot solve the problems it creates. For example, the capitalists want to pay workers less and less so they can have more and more for themselves. But when the workers have less, they can buy less, which means the capitalist end up with less as a result. It’s a vicious circle that has no solution under capitalism.

Q: Does socialism automatically end exploitation, racism, sexism and homophobia?

A: No. These societal ills are products of capitalism, but they will not vanish immediately with socialism. They have been around for centuries, and will take generations of the humanistic system of socialism and a constant struggle to cure. But, socialism will make ending these problems possible, while capitalism encourages them. At the same time, we can’t wait until “after the revolution” to fight these ills. The fight against exploitation, racism, sexism and homophobia is a crucial part of the struggle for socialism.

Q: How can you have communism and still have individual freedom?

A: By limiting bureaucracy, establishing human-rights laws (the CPUSA and YCL have always advocated bill-of-rights socialism), and reminding all workers that they need to remain involved in union and civic activities.

Q: How free are the people in communist countries? What kind of rights do they have? Can they think for themselves and make their own choices?

A: These things vary according to each socialist country. Generally, no one has the right to become wealthy or spread capitalistic propaganda. In capitalist countries, we have only illusions of freedom and democracy because the media is owned by only a few corporations and the political campaigns are financed by the billionaires.

Q: Are there taxes in communist countries?

A: Generally no. However some socialist countries levy taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals.

Q: How can people get ahead in a communist country?

A: Ahead of whom? Under capitalism, people get ahead of other people. Many poor and working class people in this country consider putting food on the table being ahead of the game. Under socialism, and eventually communism, all people get ahead together with basic necessities and luxuries.

Organizing, communists, and the YCL

Q: I support what the YCL stands for, but why use the name communist?

A: By calling ourselves communists, we acknowledge certain aspects of our lives and work like the need to build working class unity and struggle for immediate needs like health care, jobs at a living wage, affirmative action, social welfare programs and much more. The fact that all of these daily stuggles fit in the overall fight for Socialism, USA makes us young communists.

Q: Why is unity so important?

A: It’s the best tool the working class has, we have strength in numbers. We are the majority in this country and world wide.Without unity, we fight each other for the crumbs while the capitalist takes the majority of the pie. With communism we each get an equal share of that pie.

Q: Do communists believe in god? Do they outlaw religion?

A: Some communists believe in god, some don’t. Gus Hall, the former chair of the CPUSA says, “Our fight is not with God, but with capitalists.” Freedom of religion would continue under communism–as long as the organized religion does not seek to destroy the system and replace it with capitalism or any other earlier system (such as slavery or feudalism).

Q: What has the YCL ever done to improve this country?

A: It has always worked to help raise class consciousness in the working class, and organize the unorganized. Along with our fraternal organization, the CPUSA, and organized labor, we have been leaders in the fights for the right to organize, unemployment insurance, social security, affirmative action, and civil rights, as well as the fights against english-only laws, immigrant bashing, hate crimes, and the like.

Q: Why do people join the YCL?

A: They see the present conditions that have been wrought by capitalism. They want to fight against racism, sexism, exploitation, homophobia, and immigrant-bashing. They want to make the US and the world a better place by fighting for jobs, justice, education and equality.

Q: Do people treat you differently if you are a communist?

A: Yes. Even those who disagree with our politics respect our work and commitment to the class struggle. Many bless us, a few curse us, but no one ignores us.

Q: Why is the working class so important?

A: We are the majority class. It is our work which creates the wealth which allows a very few people to live in obscene luxury. Because we are the majority class, we have the real power to transform society.

Q: What kind of people are in the YCL?

A: Those want to change the world into a much better place. Young people of all races, genders, religions, sexual orientations, and nationalities are in the YCL. Many types of working class youth, students and young workers of many interests like music, theater, sports, dance, visual arts and more…

Q: Do I have to be a communist to join the YCL?

A: No. If you are sincere about fighting the effects of capitalism, like racism, sexism, exploitation, lousy schools, unemployment, homelessness, and so on, you should join the YCL right away, whether you are a communist or not.

International Issues

Q: Has there ever been a communist society that succeeded?

A: Technically, there never has been a communist society. Some socialist societies, such as China, Vietnam, and Cuba are succeeding. Communism is the long term goal; just as the world has evolved from feudalism to capitalism, so it will evolve from capitalism, first through socialism (in which the working class is dominant), then eventually to communism (in which there are no classes). Our job is to hasten that evolution.

Q: What communist countries still exist?

A: China, Vietnam, North Korea, Laos and Cuba are socialist states.

Q: Was the Soviet Union a real communist country?

A: No. It was a socialist.

Q: Why did communism fail in the Soviet Union?

A: There are many reasons why socialism fell in the Soviet Union. One reason was because of the Cold War. Capitalist countries were able to spend more on the cold war and the Soviet Union tried too hard to compete. For example, Reagan was able to build a greater military force by obscenely increasing our national debt. Overall it is very hard for a socialist country to survive with imperial powers breathing down their necks. There were both errors that the Communist officials made within the country and forces from outside that tainted the gains of the revolution.

Q: Why do so many people want to leave Cuba?

A: Relatively few want to leave. They have all suffered due to our 40-year blockade, but most do not believe that they can become wealthy capitalists by leaving Cuba.

Q: Is Cuba a dictatorship?

A: No. Although the Cuban people have a strong central government, they are very active in local and national democratic elections, especially through their union activities.