Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

YOUTH AGAINST FASCISM
the younger generation of all nations, want peace. Fascism wants war. Fascism is the
deadly enemy of the overwhelming majority of the younger generation." 34 Opposition to
this common enemy could facilitate the unity of the entire young generation.
Michal reiterated Kuusinen's positions on the practical implications of Popular Front
theory. Transitions in theory had to be translated into a new series of practices for the
youth:
The question arises: are the Young Communist Leagues capable of accelerating the
broad united front of all the forces of the youth if they retain their former character, if
they work as they formerly did Our answer to this question can only be in the negative.
If we do not change the content, form and method of our work, we shall not be in a position
successfully to serve the cause of uniting the forces of the younger generation of
youth. As regards the youth, we have no interests apart from or contradictory to their interest,
requirements and aims. Their interests are our interests, their demands are our
demands, their aims are our aims. 35
Popular Front rhetoric downplayed divergences between communists and other youth
movements, emphasizing the common values of youth. Michal insisted that the antifascist
struggle necessitated a new approach to youth alliances:
We do not deceive ourselves as to the differences of principle and world outlook existing
between these organizations and ourselves. But in the struggle against fascism, and for
the material needs of youth, for freedom and peace, they can be our allies… we are
prompted by one thought, one desire – to save the younger generation of the whole mankind
from fascism. 36
By championing a broad program "for peace, for freedom, for happiness, for progress, for
the sum total of rights of the young generations," the YCL could unite the youth against
the dual threat of fascism and imperialist war. 37
The first task of the YCI was to heal the splits that existed within the working-class
youth. The Comintern put considerable faith in the ability of young communists to forge
a common anti-fascist platform with socialist youth. Unity between the adult parties was
quite unlikely after so many years of intentional animosity. Kuusinen acutely observed,
"On the question of uniting the Parties, it is obvious that the possibility of a union of the
Socialist and Communist youth organizations in a number of countries is all the
greater." 38 Dimitrov stated that united anti-fascist actions were desirable, but that political
unity between adult parties could only be achieved by socialist acceptance of:
1) The complete independence from the bourgeoisie and complete rupture of the bloc of
Social-Democracy with the bourgeoisie. 2) The condition that unity of action be first
brought about. 3) The condition that the necessity of the revolutionary overthrow of the
rule of the bourgeoisie and the establishment of the Dictatorship of the proletariat in the
form of Soviets be recognized. 4) The condition that support of one's own bourgeoisie
in imperialist war be rejected. 5) The condition that the party be constructed on the basis
of democratic centralism, which ensures unity of will and action. 39
In essence, Dimitrov argued that adult political unity would only be achieved by complete
socialist acceptance of Leninism.
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