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New Communist Party of Britain

YOUTH

Young people suffer particularly in times of capitalist crisis. The future of any nation relies on its youth.

A high priority for investment in comprehensive education for all, with a drastic lowering of pupil/ teacher ratios, is vital to Youth’s well—being and the country’s future.

The failure of most authorities to understand and implement real comprehensive education has led to a situation where at 16 the bulk of youth are either thrown into repetitive, underpaid, dead-end jobs or on the dole queues. Facilities for young people to develop their industrial skills and talents are few and far ‘between.

Their clothes and :music provide large profits. The sporting days of most youngsters end at lo, the day they leave school. Once our young people decide to get married and have children they are hit by problems of housing, food bills and education. Their potential talents are then wasted in a Welter of new difficulties.

Young people’s ideas and values are in flux; they have untapped reserves of energy and talent. Inspired by revolutionary, humane ideas, their contribution to the struggle to overthrow a capitalist system which has so little to offer them is indispensable. The full development of their economic, cultural and social skills, and their enjoyment of life, will only be encouraged in the building of a socialist society.

For the majority, and especially for working class youth, capitalism is forced to attempt to stifle these talents and energies. Pre-school education is regarded as a luxury. The desire for learning is cramped by bad school conditions and understaffed classrooms.

Capitalism finds it more profitable and politically acceptable to foist the mindlessness of a mass youth culture on young people than encourage a constructive and active interest and enjoyment in the world.

The CPGB is guilty of depriving a whole generation of young people of the inspiration of Marxist-Leninist ideas and an active struggle for a socialist future. The vacuum created by the decay of the YCL has allowed Trotskyists to move in.

A Leninist youth organisation is indispensable. The new leadership is charged with the duty of setting up a youth section, with energetic campaigning activity as its most prominent feature. It should function at all times in close liaison with the NCP, be involved in the struggles of the British workers, and stand solidly with the Soviet Union and other socialist countries.


30th October 1977