If you’ve already found one or two communists around you and you’re starting the work of building a cell of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), you probably have several questions about how to prepare and lead cell meetings.
The cell: a fighting unit
The cell meeting is the most important moment of the week in terms of revolutionary politics. It should be lively, energizing, educational and inspiring. It must therefore be well-prepared in advance, while allowing for initiative and creativity on the part of its members.
In your cell discussions, don’t get lost in organizational details. RCP meetings are not like the long, boring bureaucratic meetings of student associations, trade unions, or other left-wing parties. For communists, organization must serve politics—not the other way around.
All discussions should be linked to the cell’s mission: to lead and participate in the struggles in your region, campus, or workplace; to equip ourselves with the theoretical weapons to better participate in these struggles; and ultimately to find other communists to integrate into the cell to build the RCP.
Learning together
Theory and practice must go hand in hand. Your cell is an organ of struggle, but theory is a guide to action. Every cell meeting should contain a solid educational component, to help comrades develop as Marxists, whether in the form of a presentation on theory, a discussion on a text, an open discussion on a hot topic of the day, and so on.
In fact, Marxism is a theory of revolutionary action. The answers to the burning questions of the day are to be found in Marxist theory. Every current struggle, every topical issue, finds its reflection in some aspect of Marxist theory, such as philosophy, history, economics or political theory.
Two tools in particular are designed to guide the work of our cells: this paper, which you have in your hand, and our theoretical magazine In Defense of Marxism. Make good use of them! Our party also produces a lot of complementary material to draw on: booklets, books, podcast channels, etc.
Cell members are both educators and educated. From week to week, everyone should have the opportunity to present a news item, an activity report or a piece of Marxist theory. In the cell, we are among comrades, and the atmosphere should allow everyone to learn by making mistakes, to practice explaining Marxist ideas and to raise questions and doubts.
Finding new communists
Theoretical discussions must be applied in the real world, enabling us to convince more people to join the revolution. The cell must draw up concrete plans to find new communists.
The art of leading a cell meeting is to encourage your comrades’ initiative and creativity. The success of your cell will essentially be determined by all its members’ active participation in its success.
Perhaps there’s a demonstration or strike to take part in? Perhaps there’s an opportunity to organize a public rally? Perhaps you can sell newspapers in the subway or outside your school, or put leaflets in local letterboxes?
Your cell represents the RCP in your community. We’re at war with the capitalists, we’re soldiers of the communist revolution, and your cell is your fighting unit. Onward and upward!
