Read more online. Visit challenge-magazine.org 2 Congress HIS WEEKEND, THE Young Communist League meets in London for its 50th Congress. More than 100 young men and women from Tacross Britain will be meeting to decide Free discussion, the way forward for an organisation that has more than doubled in size since its last Congress in 2018. It's set to be the largest YCL Con- gress for a generation. The growth of the organisation since the turn of the century has been hard fought, and every member of the YCL, both young and old, longstanding and fresh faced, united in action has played a part in this. Similarly, the success of our Con- This weekend, YCLers from across Britain gather for our gress this weekend is down, not just to the outgoing executive committee, but to the entire organisation, and every 50th congress. PETER STODDART explains what’s in store member, whether a delegate or not, should feel proud of that. of discussion, unity of action — this democratic centralism, that we are debate and discuss important topics cess of this weekend's events are down Over two days at Ruskin House, is what we must strive to achieve.” able to act in the way that we do. and drive the league forward. to their hard work. the home to the Communist Party To this day, this fundamental princi- There is no time for petty squabbles “As it’s my first Congress and many We are very grateful for the sup- of Britain, we will be attempting to ple of democratic centralism remains in the YCL — there are no factions, or others, it’s also great to get fresh ideas port of the Morning Star in producing tackle the foremost issues of our day. at the core of our beliefs, and at the plans for personal gain, no underhand and make progress in terms of recruit- this supplement and we are also very Branches have submitted resolutions core of hundreds of different Marx- organising or plotting. ment and what’s affecting young peo- privileged for their continued support on a vast range of issues including ist-Leninist organisations around the This allows us to focus on the task ple today.” for our work. Editor Ben Chacko will the environmental crisis, the role of world. at hand. A lot has changed since Lenin This is the first time since refounda- be joining us over the weekend and nationalism, the fight for racial equality At this Congress, there will be a first wrote of the need for democratic tion that the YCL has operated with I'm sure there will be a report in Mon- and LGBT+ rights. wide variety of debate, and each centralism, but the core principle, that a Congress working committee, with day's paper. Over the course of the weekend, amendment and resolution will be it allows us to act as a united front, the outgoing executive committee Alongside Chacko, we are also wel- comrades, aged between 12 and 29, discussed in full and in great detail. remains just as true today, as it was typically organising the events in the coming guests from fraternal organi- will come together to discuss these There will of course be differences in then. past few years. sations, including the RMT and the issues and more, and will play their opinion, this is only natural. But when Birmingham YCLer Georgina Such is the growth of the organisa- MML. We will also host international part in the essential direction of our all is said and done, and our Congress Andrews, who has been working as tion, that this is no longer sustainable. guests from Greece’s KNE and Spain’s organisation. is finished, we will have achieved a uni- chair of the Congress working com- Every branch was requested to nomi- UJCE. Dozens of international affiliates As Lenin wrote following the fourth fied position which will lead us forward mittee, said: “I think it’s an important nate someone to sit on this committee have also sent us greetings, some of congress of the Russian Social Demo- for the next two years. opportunity to bring young commu- and it has been a privilege to meet so which have been reproduced in this cratic Labour Party in 1906, “Freedom It is only down to this principle of nists from all walks of life together to many comrades through it. The suc- supplement. Read more online. Visit challenge-magazine.org Editorial 3 editorial ELCOME TO this centenary special edition of Challenge, magazine of the Young CommunistW League, carried by the Morning Star, daily paper of Britain’s left. It brings me great joy to send comradely greetings to friends, YCLers and Communist Party comrades the length and breadth of Britain. In particular, I would also like to welcome those reading Challenge for the first time. The Young Communist League is a democratic organisation of young For Britain’s workers and students, fighting for the rights and future of Britain’s Young youth. Our purpose is to fight for peace, democracy and socialism in Communists accordance with the strategy set out in the Communist Party’s programme our history is Britain’s Road to Socialism, and to build mass support for this strategy among fundamentally young people. Challenge is and always has been fundamental in this task. important Challenge is the voice of Britain’s OUR FLAG STAYS RED: London YCL enthusiastically celebrates May Day earlier this year young Communists and it has a proud but we’re not history stretching all the way back to develop their understanding of society Communists from across Britain come 1935. For all the key struggles of our today and to change it for the better. together in London this weekend for custodians of class over the last century, the YCL We work to provide these tools and our historic 50th Congress. Special and Challenge have been there. to provide a class and anti-imperialist greetings go to the scores of delegates an exciting but It would be wrong however to think analysis of domestic and international there representing hundreds of Challenge simply as a bulletin from developments. Marxism-Leninism is of young Communists from bygone past. It’s and for the YCL. It is, and will increas- humanity’s scientific method in this across Britain. ingly become, so much more. It is a essential task. Your democratic a living legacy, forum for discussion, the exchange of The task of the youth is to learn. debate and discussion views and experiences, in the spirit of The task of young communists is to and the strategy the struggles Marxism — to question everything. combine it with action. You can do which follows from it Challenge is not just for YCLers. It both with Challenge. will continue to chart of our past is for the millions of young people in This special edition of Challenge a proud course for the Britain oppressed and exploited under celebrates the YCL’s centenary year — YCL and the youth of strengthen those capitalism. It is for the united and 100 years of glorious struggle for the the world in the fight for democratic broad movement which working class, the youth and humanity. peace, democracy and of our present will be necessary to sweep working For Britain’s Young Communists our socialism in our lifetimes. people to power in Britain. history is fundamentally important but Our Congress, our and inform our The many thousands of struggles we’re not custodians of an exciting struggle, our future! of working people taking place across but bygone past. It’s a living legacy, The youth are the future” Britain do not occur in isolation. the struggles of our past strengthen future; the future is Challenge works to report on and those of our present and inform our Socialism! unite these struggles and to strengthen future. And there isn’t another youth Long live the Young the broad campaigns and movements organisation in Britain which can lay Communist League of Britain! leading them. Nor does the struggle claim to such an inspirational past. 100 years, 100 more! for socialism in Britain take place apart One hundred years ago today, from the world. Challenge provides young communists from across Britain Yours in Comradeship, news from our sister communist youth met in Birmingham to found a youth Johnnie Hunter organisations on every continent and organisation of a new type. Those peoples movements across the planet. young workers and students didn’t just Challenge aims to represent and agree to condemn the ills and excesses celebrate the full spectrum of Britain’s of capitalism. working class youth, our culture and They shared the realisation that our history. another world is possible, a new, Communists are determined to superior form of society, free from take the offensive in the battle of ideas the exploitation of human by human: which is occurring around us today socialism. on every front. It is part of the daily And they were united in a common struggle against capitalism. For there determination to give the best years must be no mistake – Britain’s ruling of their lives, their hope, their energy class does not neglect the weapon of and their enthusiasm to do everything propaganda. in their power to advance that world Challenge has always been an edu- historic struggle. cational tool for youth working to One hundred years later, Young 4 Our history A Challenge to capitalism since 1935 KATE WOOLFORD explores the history of the voice of Britain’s young communists CHALLENGE’S HISTORY DATES all the way back to 1935, when it was first published as the magazine of the Young Communist League.