LOS ANGELES, USA— “We already know how capitalism works. Let’s see what communism would be like,” said a worker who is new to our meetings. This was one of the interesting questions that workers bring to the meetings of our collective of public transport workers in Los Angeles (MTA), of the International Communist Workers Party (ICWP).
A worker, H, said, “In communist society, production will be to meet the needs of the population and distribution will be equitable. Our motto is ‘To each according to their need, from each according to their commitment and ability.’ A world without money, or borders, with only one class.”
These workers have read Red Flag for a long time. They have read about the different aspects of communist society.
C said, “I don’t know if I agree that if I work hard, someone else gets as much as I do, because no one will want to work.”
E replied, “Here in this society many don’t work and receive a lot.” He meant bosses and managers. “Here at MTA we don’t all work exactly the same, and we all get the same wage. We don’t all have the same abilities. But I think people will give what they can.”
Comrade X explained, “I believe that in the minds of most workers, communist society is an aspiration, but few believe it can be achieved. That is why it is very difficult to win them to participate in the party, because they don’t see communism as the society they have in their minds and based on all the wrong ideas about it, they put up resistance.”
J commented, “That’s our struggle: to win them to participate, starting with the most politically advanced. Bring the most open to discuss communist ideas and then we concentrate on the others. For example, some time ago I thought the same as those who don’t want to do anything, but reading Red Flag and discussing these ideas, I am now planning how we advance communist ideas.”
A said, “I’m open minded and I’m here because I know what capitalism is and I want to know more about communism to advance the struggle. I don’t know if a revolution will happen during my life, but I’m glad to have contributed so that the new generations will live a full life. ”
H said, “In times of crisis, conditions change radically and workers look for leadership. For example, the Bolsheviks increased in membership in a matter of months during World War I. This was the product of the political work they had developed. This shows the importance of our Red Flag newspaper to bring communist ideas to the masses and the need of our group to visualize the communist future so we can be prepared and lead the revolution.”
This has given more confidence to the new comrades in this club, because they see that the apparent anti-communism is just that: appearance. In essence among the workers there is great anger against capitalism and the need for a real alternative.
In recent weeks our club has been meeting with these workers weekly to discuss political topics and our political work regarding the International conference. We have been emphasizing the significance of the history of the ten years of ICWP and its crucial political contribution of the communist line of mobilizing the masses directly for communism.
For the last meeting, three black workers and four latino workers attended. This has been very encouraging, since we can see how the number of meetings and discussions is leading us to meetings with more workers and to more complex political discussions, that is, to qualitative changes.
Apart from these discussions, there is the distribution of the Red Flag to other men and women workers. They also bring questions and new discussions. In this work site, distribution has recently increased, both internally and externally. On average 80 workers accept each edition of newspaper.
We have our plans to mobilize a group of MTA workers to participate in the ICWP conference in January 2020. But we are fighting one of the most visible obstacles which is the lack of commitment to participate in party activities outside the workplace. That’s why we are planning meetings outside work, as well as visiting workers at home and social activities.
Some of these workers have committed to participate in the ICWP conference. With daily struggle we will try to make this a reality. For our group, mobilizing these workers to a communist activity with other workers from many parts of the world in the international conference will be a qualitative change.
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