LOS ANGELES, May 1 – "Capitalism Always Fails, Communism Will Prevail!" "Fight For Communism, Power to the Workers!" Workers in the garment district eagerly grabbed copies of Red Flag as young workers led the International Communist Workers' Party May Day contingent in enthusiastic chants.

Students and workers distributed 1,900 papers (including copies of the Communist Education pamphlet) at the morning march led by unions and other pro-Democratic Party forces and at the afternoon march led by a coalition of nationalists.

We had many sharp conversations with Wal-Mart and health care workers about why we need to abolish the wage system instead of organizing for a $15 minimum wage. "We were the only group there that massively distributed a communist paper," said a fast-food worker who helped get those papers out.

College Students say:  "Communism can work"

LOS ANGELES, MAY 1 — "It was great to see that there are so many comrades who think the way we do," said a student attending his first May Day march.  He and a fellow student enthusiastically distributed over 100 copies of Red Flag at the morning march, and marched with the International Communist Workers' Party in the afternoon.  Two other students from their college also joined the second march.

"I liked the afternoon march better because there were so many workers on the sidewalks," a student commented.  "I wanted to chant 'Workers United Will Never Be Defeated' so they could hear it and understand." 

She had started reading our manifesto Mobilize the Masses for Communism on a lunch break between the two marches. "I don't see why everyone wouldn't agree with this," she said after reading the first page.

"You should both read it all carefully and let's discuss it together," an older comrade replied.  "If you agree with it, you should join the Party." And one has joined.  

Communism:  What Humans Are Supposed to Do

A week earlier, all four students, with several others, had taken part in a discussion about "social justice."  (Note: Names have been changed.)

"Mostly there's injustice," said Gloria.  "There's camouflaged racism.  Prison is a way of slavery.  Minorities are part of the working class.  The ones who get on top become oppressors."

"We call them sellouts," agreed Danielle. 

"It's been going on forever," said Carlos.  "The Roman empire, the Greeks..."  

"And communism doesn't work," Mike put in.  "Everywhere you look, capitalism is on the rise."

"But look at capitalism," Gloria responded.  "It isn't working.  We are worrying about money all the time.  It isn't living."

"Money, that's the problem."

John had been trying to get this into the conversation.   "We have to get rid of money before anything else."

Danielle answered Carlos:  "Over hundreds of years, human society has changed.  As humans we have certain values.  Humans are supposed to be empathetic, instead of the competition, control and judgment we see today, where laws and regulations are thrown at us."

"Like I said, we have to get rid of money," John repeated.

"I totally agree," said Danielle.

"Then capitalism must be abolished," said Gloria.  "Capitalism is about individualism.  Communism is actually good.  It's what humans are supposed to do.  Instead, people treat animals better than they treat other people."

"Look at the people on Skid Row," said Carmen.  "There are drugs, prostitution, gambling… a lot of things are behind homelessness.  Some of them want to be disconnected.  Government programs aren't working."

"There's so much corruption in government programs," answered Danielle.  "I have seen it personally.  There is a motive in the madness."

"In the capitalist system, money corrupts everything," interjected Marcia.  "Without money you wouldn't see the drugs or prostitution or gambling either.  Everyone would have a home.  Right now there are ten times as many empty homes in the US as there are homeless people."

"Communism can work," Gloria declared.  

"There is already a communist town in Spain."

Gloria was referring to the village of Marinaleda, which runs itself as a socialist agricultural cooperative  on land seized in Andalusia, a region hard-hit by the crisis of capitalism.  The workers in Marinaleda all earn the same wages, and reinvest surpluses into expanding production.  But money has not been abolished and private enterprises remain.  It may be a communist town in spirit, but not in actuality.

What Marinaleda shows is the potential to mobilize the masses for communism – real communism.  We saw that same potential in the Los Angeles garment district on May Day, in the workers who eagerly reached for Red Flag.

"It's not going to be peaceful or gradual," John warned.  "There has to be revolution."

Time was running short, so those who were going to march on May Day traded contact information and made plans.  Next week there will be lots more to discuss as everyone shares their impressions and questions from May Day.