Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

DEMOCRACY
Road to Victory: Marching Song of the Youth! The YCL Executive Committee urged
YCLers that "No Rally or Meeting to go by without mass singing of the popular youth
song The Road to Victory." 120 The Road to Victory boldly proclaimed:
We are marching on the road to victory
And the just claims of youth we'll not barter
For the youth alone the future can decide
We will fight for peace and security
For the gems in Democracy's treasure
And our birth right to work and leisure 121
Films and theatre were praised for their ability to use villainous characters to show "the
fundamental struggle between fascism and democracy." Such productions could "strike a
powerful blow in defence of democracy." 122 Since fascists were enemies of modern and
democratic culture, the YCL contended "people's culture" could promote and popularize
anti-fascism.
The YCL also addressed youth fitness, leisure and lifestyles in their democracy campaigns.
123 Fascists used sports and fitness programs to regiment the youth. The YCL
vehemently condemned the Nazi "Strength Through Joy" programme. The YCL identified
the organization as un-democratic, intending "to give the employers and Nazis
complete control over every German man and woman['s]" leisure and to politicize it to
advance fascism's aims. 124 The YCL countered proposals for regimented fitness and
leisure in Britain with their own campaign entitled "Rally Youth to Fitness For Democracy."
The YCL proposed that the aims and tactics of their campaign were different.
"Rallying" implied democratic consent from youth. The significant difference was that
under fascism "youth are not rallied but regimented." 125 Youth were advised that "those
who wish to bring our sport on to a totalitarian basis are far from inactive" and were
trying to infuse youth activities with "militarism and regimentation." 126 By promoting
active participation and youth input, the YCL believed a democratic national fitness
campaign could enable "the new generation" to redefine leisure with "the new, the
modern, the true conception of leisure as the most important thing in life." 127
The YCL promoted lifestyle choices that reflected modernity and democratic political
culture. Challenge carried a classifieds column in 1938 entitled "What Shall We Do
Today." Advertisements highlighted youth cultural events like dances, many of which
were promoted as fundraisers to support Spain and other anti-fascist campaigns. 128
Articles on "rambling" were framed to show the political nature of youth's free access to
land within a democratic society. One article stated that in a time where youth were
being asked to "defend our country" that they ought to be "allowed to see the country"
that they were "expected to defend." 129
YCL lifestyle articles tackled controversial modern youth issues like gender and sex.
In January, 1939 Challenge started a weekly column for young women entitled "Keep Fit
and Beautiful." This column was intentionally framed to cause debate within the youth
about modern expressions of femininity concerning fashion, make-up and women's
113