Poland: Red Front’s ‘School of Anti-Imperialism’ – ‘Education not bombs!’

On 1-2 May, Red Front – the Polish section of the Revolutionary Communist International – held its annual May School. This year, it was named the ‘Anti-Imperialist School’ as all of its talks were devoted to the struggle against imperialism and militarism. This school was a response to the accelerating decay of the world capitalist system, which only brings us more conflicts, crises and wars.

[Read the full article in Polish at czerwonyfront.org]

As Lenin used to say, “without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement,” which is why on 1 May we combined both theory and practice. Our comrades agitated at all the left-wing marches and rallies across Warsaw.

From the rally of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) – where our comrade spoke about the ongoing militarisation and the need to overthrow capitalism – through the march of Red History and other communist groups, to the march of the Social Justice Movement and the picnic of the PPS Youth Organisation, our comrades were at every left-wing event, speaking, raising revolutionary slogans and, of course, agitating with the help of our newspaper.

We can proudly say that our agitation at the May Day rallies and the May School itself were huge successes / Image: Red Front

At Warsaw's Parade Square, the comrades unfurled a red banner, complemented by the Palestinian flag and, above all, tables filled to the brim with our material, including our newspaper, Rewolucja. Practically everyone who passed through the Parade Square that morning heard “Do you want revolution?” We spent several hours talking to people, convincing them of our ideas and inviting them to the school.

We can proudly say that our agitation at the May Day rallies and the May School itself were huge successes! The number of conversations, discussions and materials sold exceeded our expectations. Many people expressed their willingness to join our organisation.

Education not bombs

We are young people who want to change the world. But first we must understand how it works. We must also assimilate the achievements of previous generations, Marxist philosophy, which is a guide to action, and the historical experience and lessons of the class struggle. That is why we organise the May School.

We are young people who want to change the world / Image: Red Front

Our meetings are not narrow academic discussions. Let's leave such futile activities to the thousands of philistine ‘intellectuals’, ‘experts’ and journalists paid by capitalism!

No! Our school is a revolutionary training ground, dedicated to a thorough analysis of capitalism and its manifestations for the purposes of the revolutionary overthrow of this system. Neither action without understanding nor mere reflection will shake the foundations of the world. The key is to combine understanding and action, which, as history clearly shows, is the only guarantee of creating a new society without exploitation, crises and bloody conflicts. Education not bombs. This is what young people and workers want and need.

Over the weekend, we discussed what imperialism is, how communists and workers can fight against it, and imperialism in the European Union, the Middle East and Poland. All our sessions clearly showed, with concrete, real examples, that imperialism serves only the billionaires.

Our ruling class likes to scaremonger about Russia. But it is not an invasion from the east that will consume the lives of hundreds of thousands of Polish workers, but chronically underfunded healthcare, a powerful alcohol lobby that makes us drink more than in ‘communist’ times, mouldy hovels that we have to rent from parasitic landlords, the lack of decent conditions for raising children, and degrading drudgery.

In the absence of a mass revolutionary party, the bourgeoisie is dragging us further and further down, towards 19th-century working and living conditions and carnage on a scale exponentially greater than the two world wars. To stop this process, we must realise that there is currently no more important task than tireless agitation and the development of a party capable of organising millions of workers and students when the time comes to take revenge for this endless litany of injustices which this outdated system prolongs day after day.

We ended our May School on a positive note. Today, enormous wealth is wasted on armaments instead of investments in the health and lives of the majority. We do not want to just take from the rich to give to the poor – we want an end to the daily, systemic capitalist exploitation. The value we have created belongs to us, the workers, and when we take it under democratic control, the time of wars and genocide will end. No one will have to live on the brink of poverty. No one will have to sleep under the open sky. No one will lack basic necessities – or even luxuries! This is what the struggle for communism, for socialist revolution, for real democracy means – and the Red Front stands in the front ranks of this struggle, together with all workers in Poland and around the world.

The power of Marxist theory

After each session, there was ample time for discussion. Our guests and comrades took advantage of this opportunity. Marxism and anarchism, religion and its role in society, the methods the ruling classes use to divide the workers – the discussions reflected the fact that young revolutionaries are hungry for knowledge that only Marxism can provide.

Imperialism, in spite of all its horrors, means that humanity has matured to move on to a higher stage of development – to socialism / Image: Red Front

Representatives of our organisation and guests from all over Poland – from Warsaw, Wrocław, Krakow, Kielce, Łódź, Katowice, Poznań, Rzeszów and many other places – spent the whole weekend talking about the revolutionary ideas of Marxism, and each left the May School not only with a wealth of new knowledge, but also revolutionary enthusiasm and optimism. There is no other event in Poland that offers a similar opportunity for revolutionary discussion.

The huge volume of sales of our materials is particularly significant. Selling over 60 copies of the latest issue of Rewolucja means 60 young people holding a newspaper written by people like them, explaining their problems. That's 60 revolutionaries who will pass on this knowledge and enthusiasm, another 60 builders of a revolutionary party in Poland and 60 examples that Marxism is not dead and that the way forward is through socialist revolution!

In addition, our participants returned home with backpacks and suitcases full of books and merchandise produced by the communists of the Red Front, including posters, bags and T-shirts. How does this contribute to strengthening revolutionary communism? Each of these items is a source of pride – a reason to hold your head high and say that you are a communist, a Marxist and a revolutionary, that you looked the capitalist beast straight in the eye and decided to fight it, together with thousands of communists united in the Revolutionary Communist International and millions of workers around the world.

How can we not be optimistic? Imperialism, in spite of all its horrors, means that humanity has matured to move on to a higher stage of development – to socialism. This is not just a ‘good idea’, but a historical necessity.

However, our success this year does not mean that we can rest on our laurels. We are still too small to influence the shape of a world in which it is increasingly difficult to survive. That is why we need you! We do not act for the sake of action, and we do not philosophise without acting. The Red Front is an organisation that belongs in the socialist revolution. If you agree with our views, then your place is in the Red Front!