Roaming Reporter: I Went to Three Different Communist Societies’ Meetings and They Were All the Same
Written by Anon Yu Henriksen, Senior Staff Writer, BA International Relations and Korean.
A plethora of different communist organisations have a visible presence around SOAS. With so many groups operating around campus, what distinguishes them from one another? Curious to find out, I attended meetings hosted by three different communist groups to explore what sets them apart.
The first meeting I attended was arranged by the SOAS-Birkbeck Communist Society, a local chapter of the Revolutionary Communist Students (RCS), the student wing of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP). The topic of the meeting was communist strategies for combatting racism. The introductory speaker attributed working-class racism to poverty and austerity, and bourgeois scapegoating. During the subsequent discussion on the racist mobs that recently swept the country, some attendees advocated ‘arming oneself’ and ‘acquainting [anti-immigrant mobs] with the pavement.’ One member justified the rhetoric by citing violence by mobs and police, but clarified they would not literally ‘acquaint’ anyone with the pavement. Slogans such as ‘love, not hate’ also took a beating, as an attendee argued such slogans do not go ‘far enough.’
A question about the RCS’ stance on the Green Party opened up an interesting discussion. Members criticised Zack Polanski’s Liberal Democrat background and, despite agreeing with many Green policies, argued for going beyond parliamentary reforms. The RCS is, unsurprisingly, revolutionary.
A question about the RCS’s position on Ukraine produced some unorthodox takes. Several criticised the Ukrainian government; one argued it is ‘under the thumb of the IMF and the West.’ Speakers displayed a degree of both-sideism: one advocated for both Ukrainian and Russian workers, while another supported ‘neither side.’ Jimmy Handy, a Birkbeck PhD student and SOAS-Birkbeck RCS branch secretary, said the organisation’s professional approach persuaded him to stay, referring to Lenin’s argument for ‘professional revolutionaries.’ Handy also criticised leftist groups for obsessing over identity politics, arguing that they fight so many forms of power, they effectively are ‘fighting air.’ For him, the RCP’s Marxist, materialist analysis is more compelling. The following day, I attended the newly founded SOAS Internationalist Marxist Society’s first meeting. The non-affiliated society attracted members of other Marxist groups, as well as Green Party members. This meeting was noticeably warmer towards the Greens than the RCS. The meeting was formatted as a reading group, but followed the RCS format of an introduction and open discussion. There was a good mix of about 18 people of varied genders and backgrounds present.
The introductory speaker critiqued post-2008 anti-establishment movements for operating within, instead of challenging existing institutional narratives. Drawing on Gramsci’s concept of ‘interregnum’ to describe a dying Old World, the speaker questioned what would replace it, criticising progressive parties like Die Linke, the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), and the Greens for failing to challenge the status quo. Reflecting the attendees’ national diversity, this meeting felt more relaxed (perhaps because it took place in Russell Square Gardens), and more international than the RCS meeting. One anonymous committee member said they joined to meet people seeking change through Marxism. Despite sharing common ground with the RCS, they valued an independent space for SOAS students, and emphasised making Marxism accessible to newcomers. The SOAS Internationalist Marxist Society is an exciting newcomer.
The final meeting was held by the Young Reds, another newcomer among SOAS-related organisations. The organisation is a result of the youth of two groups joining forces, namely Spartacist League/Britain and International Socialist Alternative (Revolutionary). The Young Reds held their first meeting, perhaps a bit surprisingly, at the ornate Fitzroy Tavern in Fitzrovia. One attendee noted how, despite the Tavern’s initial bourgeois feel, meeting at a pub was fitting, given Marx’s habit of writing in London pubs. Around 10 people attended, forming another diverse and international crowd.
The introductory speaker outlined the Young Reds’ claims: challenging the liberal left, while also fighting division on the left (is that a contradiction?). The speaker echoed the RCS’s emphasis on materialism, arguing that the right, not the left, offers the working class alternatives to the status quo. They rejected ‘liberal leftism’, exemplified by figures such as Mamdani and Polanski, in favour of socialist materialism. There was also talk of fighting sectarianism on the left, with the Young Reds aspiring to become an umbrella organisation for different groups. In a later interview, Sean, a Young Reds coordinator, emphasised that the group are trying to build left-wing unity by looking beyond divisions rooted in ‘some weird [internal] debates from 20 years ago.’
At the meeting, one member critiqued the RCS for failing to appeal to the working class, dismissing them as ‘middle-class students.’ The irony was hard to miss: we were in a room full of presumably middle-class students. The RCS, meanwhile, takes politics beyond campus, selling newspapers and putting up posters in the streets. The question is: does such outreach translate into working-class support? The Young Reds’ contradictions did not stop there. The Palestine solidarity movement was used as an example of unsuccessful mass movements before attendees were encouraged to join the Palestine solidarity demonstration on 10 October at the end of the meeting. Sean clarified that the Young Reds do not object to recruiting middle-class students nor joining mass movements, but argue that it is ‘about what you do with middle-class students and mass movements.’ The Young Reds believe the Palestine movement has been held back by non-revolutionary leaders who remain aligned with Labour and pro-capitalist politics. This is reminiscent of the Internationalist Marxist Society’s critique of anti-establishment mass movements.
The Young Reds also distinguish themselves through their position on China: they defend China, reject the characterisation of the country as imperialist and view the US as the main enemy.
Overall, the Young Reds are exactly what the name suggests: young and red. Their politics are rooted in Marxist theory, and the organisation is still in its infancy. Although this organisational immaturity has manifested in a couple of contradictions, I am sure they will fade away as the organisation grows older.
In short, the RCS offers uncompromising politics in an intense setting, the Internationalist Marxist Society a welcoming space, and the Young Reds a movement still finding its feet. Despite differences in character and demographics, the meetings were overwhelmingly similar in ideological substance, from their analysis to their proposed solutions. If you are unsure about which leftist group’s meeting to go to, I would advise you to just pick one. They are all pretty much the same.
The Birkbeck-SOAS RCS was contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of writing.
