Communist Party of Great Britain

The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was a political party in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1920 to 1991.

Formation

The party was founded in 1920 after the Third International decided that greater attempts should be made to establish communist parties across the world. The CPGB was formed by the merger of several smaller Marxist parties, including the British Socialist Party, the Workers' Socialist Federation and the Communist Unity Group of the Socialist Labour Party. A few months later the CPGB was founded a second time in order that Sylvia Pankhurst's group the Communist Party (British Section of the Third International) could come on board. It rode on the brief wave of political radicalism in Britain, which followed the First World War and the Russian Revolution. Amongst the Communist Party's most notable founders were Harry Pollitt and Arthur MacManus.

Related Topics:
1920 - Third International - Marxist - British Socialist Party - Workers' Socialist Federation - Socialist Labour Party - Sylvia Pankhurst - First World War - Russian Revolution - Harry Pollitt - Arthur MacManus

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During the negotiations leading to the founding of the party a number of issues were hotly contested. Among the most contentious were the questions of 'parliamentarism' and the attitude of the Communist Party to the Labour Party. 'Parliamentarism' referred to a strategy of contesting elections and working through existing parliaments. It was a strategy associated with the parties of the Second International and it was partly for this reason that it was opposed by those who wanted to break with Social Democracy. Critics contended that parliamentarism had led the old parties into reformism because it had encouraged them to place more importance on winning votes than on working for socialism, that it encouraged opportunists and place-seekers into the ranks of the movement and that it constituted an acceptance of the legitimacy of the existing governing institutions of capitalism. Similarly, affiliation to the Labour Party was opposed on the grounds that communists should not work with 'reformist' Social Democratic parties. These Left Communist positions enjoyed considerable support, being supported by Sylvia Pankhurst, Willie Gallacher and other notable activists. However, the Russian Communist Party took the opposing view. In 1920, Lenin argued in his essay Left Wing Communism An Infantile Disorder that the CPs should work with reformist trade unions and social democratic parties because these were the existing organisations of the working class. Lenin argued that if such organisations gained power, they would demonstrate that they were not really on the side of the working class, thus workers would become disillusioned and come over to supporting the Communist Party. Lenin's position eventually prevailed.

Related Topics:
Labour Party - Left Communist - Willie Gallacher

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Initially the CPGB tried to channel its activities through the Labour Party which at this time operated as a federation of left-wing bodies only allowing individual membership from 1918 onwards. However, despite the support of notable figures (such as the Independent Labour Party leader, James Maxton) the Labour Party decided against the affiliation of the Communist Party.

Related Topics:
Labour Party - Independent Labour Party - James Maxton

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