Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

THE POPULAR FRONT GENERATION
this work by the leadership of the Party, as is now often the case. Of course, the Young
Communist League is among other things a school of cadres for the Party. But a school
that is robbed of every capable teacher and leader is of no value. 54
By transforming the existing relations between YCL and the Communist Parties, the YCI
sought to break YCLs out of their traditional sectarian isolation from the youth. The
Popular Front could only be established among the youth by enabling YCLs to focus
their energies externally to counter fascism instead of internally on ideological disputes.
Communists openly reflected upon the profound distinctions between the Leninist and
Popular Front Generations. 55 Earl Browder commented upon these generational distinctions
and the importance of the youth movement:
Never before in all history was there such an opportunity for the people, and especially
the younger generation, to transform the world fully and completely into the sort of place
which the best minds have dreamed about over the centuries. Your generation, it is true,
is threatened with the brutal and senseless slaughter of a new world war. My generation
was similarly threatened. But there are tremendous differences, and most of them are in
favor of your generation. My generation had only the most confused ideas of how to
fight against the war-makers, and understood very little about the world in which we
lived. Your generation has a fairly clear understanding of the world, and knows much
better who are the warmakers and how to fight them.... It can truly be said that your
generation is fortunate, despite the terrible dangers that overhang the world, despite the
difficult tasks to which you must turn your minds and hands. You have at your disposal
those resources, the lack of which brought failure to my generation in America. Yes,
rich treasures are yours for the taking. You can, by thought, effort, and organization, become
the masters of your own destiny.... You cannot pretend to give all the answers to
all the questions thrown up by this historical moment. You must try to seize upon a few
central ideas which can be your guide in meeting and solving all the most pressing and
most immediate problems of the young generation today. 56
The Leninist Generation sought concrete formulas and answers from the Comintern to
direct their movement towards initiating revolution. The Popular Front Generation faced
similar challenges and threats, but was directed to build upon the "rich treasures" embodied
in communist struggles, following "a few central ideas" to guide their struggle against
fascism and war.
The Popular Front facilitated a transformation of the ideological and organizational
composition of the YCI by embracing Dimitrov's new definition of fascism. Fascism and
war threatened the future of all youth and Dimitrov urged that now was the time to
expand the YCL's focus, "to learn to swim in the stormy sea of class struggle." 57 Instead
of existing as outside critics of the nation, young communists sought to imbue themselves
into every element of youth life and culture within the nation. Leninism no longer served
as a "scientific method" where youth could simply look up YCI slogans to formulate a
"correct revolutionary line" to pursue. Leninism was now understood as an "inspiring
force" to indoctrinate youth with "Bolshevik values" of "energy, perseverance and
ingenuity" to advance the youth struggle against fascism and war. 58 The YCI challenged
the Popular Front Generation to reformulate their relations to youth, "accepting this youth
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