unoriginalname38 – the blog of Dave Cole

The Communist technique in Britain

As I mentioned before (look right at the end of the post), a copy of The Communist Technique in Britain came across my desk, courtesy of Luke Akehurst. The book is really very good - such that I have purchased my own copy.

In short, Bob Darke was a leading member of the Communist Party until 1951, when he resigned. The book concerns the tactics that British comest party use to keep its members in line and punch, far above its weight, frequently ignoring what its elected officials were put there to do an acting solely in the interest of the Communist Party.The British Communist Party does not exist any more, I believe, and if it does, it is a mere shadow of its former self. However, there are other organisations out there that share similar political goals and will use similar tactics in their achievement. I would think that some of the tactics of common to religious cults.I won't mention their names here, but they should be obvious enough to anyone involved in student politics - after all, I don't want to get sued.

I have no experience with trades unions, but certainly some of the techniques that Darke describes are familiar to me from when I was involved with the LSE SU. I have seen them used both against me When it became necessary to remove a previously useful idiot, and against people who joined such organisations, and I've seen those people change over the years.It strikes me that some of the tactics that such organisations use rather more subtle now than they were in 1951.

some of the tactics used now, I think, more subtle than in the 40s and 50s. Some of those groups are rather more assiduous in courting organisations that do not have an immediately party political agenda. Equally, they will at times make (slight) compromises in order to keep someone who has popularity on board.

I don't think I can do the book justice. I would recommend, though, that anyone involved in student politics, anyone involved in trade union politics and anyone involved in the politics of the CLP read the book. It is fairly easy read, but it does make you look at the actions of some people in a different light. I wish I had had the opportunity to read the book a couple of years ago; it would have saved me some heartache. It it does not mean like any means everybody involved in such organisations is going to be mindlessly toeing the party line; a good friend of mine who is a member of one of these organisations would not, I think, ever 'toe the party line'. I have, however, seen people who either did so mindlessly or ended up, I feel, like Bob Darke.

I may return to this theme in the future; I have a copy of the book if anyone wants to borrow it.

xD.

Links to this post: