How to convince someone to join the fight for communism

If you’re a communist, then one of your most important responsibilities is to find and organize other communists. Here are some helpful tips, published by the US section of the International Marxist Tendency.

Communists base ourselves on the ideas of Marxism, a scientific method to understand the laws of history and thereby transform society for the better.

Studying and fully understanding this outlook takes time. But you don’t have to wait even a day to start discussing and convincing others of the need to join the fight for revolution.

With just an afternoon of study, you can get some of the basic ideas under your belt.

Who should you reach out to?

Communists base ourselves on the granite foundation of Marxist theory / Image: Socialist Revolution

The first thing you should understand is that if you hate capitalism and think we need an entirely new system, you’re not alone. Across the US and around the world, millions and millions of young people are coming to this conclusion.

In the US, a recent poll found that 20% of young people said that communism is their “ideal economic system.” To illustrate what this looks like, here are just a few of the messages we’ve received in the last few weeks from people who have applied to join the IMT.

Down with capitalism!! I’m so over it!! It’s not working and something needs to change. And I’m sick and tired of just talking about it. Something needs to be done. (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX)

The destructive forces of capitalist production and exploitation are destroying the very earth we rely on. A revolution, a complete deconstruction of those exploitative forces, is the only solution in my view…I believe a communist movement, pursued and strengthened sooner than later, is the best way to achieve both revolution and restoration to our world. There is little more time to act, if any. (Philadelphia, PA)

I hate capitalism more than anything—it ruined every aspect of my life (Boston, MA)

We need capitalism to die for us humans to live. (Bellingham, WA)

Millions of people are realizing that capitalism offers them no future, and that we need to fight to change society.

So think about who among your friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, or classmates might be interested. Try selling Socialist Revolution magazine on the street, or use stickers or posters to find other communists in your area.

A crash course in communism

To discuss communism effectively, you’ll need to understand the basics.

Tens of millions of Americans have a favorable view of communism. Find them and get organized / Image: Socialist Revolution

You should start by reading the short article Why We Are Marxists. It explains some of the basic ideas of Marx and how they relate to the class struggle and the fight for communism today.

You should also read the article The Communists Are Here!, which addresses some key points about what communism is and isn’t, and why people are increasingly interested in it.

But how do we organize to put these ideas into practice? How could a revolution succeed? And why hasn’t one been successful yet? To answer these questions, you should study the article “Why has there not been a revolution?”—The need for revolutionary leadership.

Additionally, the Marxism FAQ gives succinct explanations of some common questions, such as what is socialism? What is communism? Were the Soviet Union and Maoist China communist? What about technological innovation under communism? And what about human nature?

Lastly, you’ll want to think about how these ideas relate to the class struggle today. For this, check out the articles at Marxist.com and SocialistRevolution.org, and take out a subscription to Socialist Revolution to read the latest news and analysis. Better yet—join the International Marxist Tendency (IMT) and get a free subscription with your membership.

Join the communists!

The mood of the 2020 George Floyd uprising hasn’t dissipated. It’s just under the surface and will re-emerge again on an even higher plane / Image: Tony Webster, Wikimedia Commons

With just a bit of time and effort, you’ll start to have a good foundation in the ideas. From there, you should study Marxist Classics Volume 1 and What is Marxism?

Reading Marxist theory is essential, but if you’re truly serious about communism, you need to discuss it with others and get organized. There’s no better way to do this than to join the IMT, the communist organization organizing workers and youth across the world.

We are headed toward even greater crises and eventually, to all-out revolution. Events are shaking US capitalism to its core and you can feel it in the air!

For a preview of what this might look like, remember the 2020 George Floyd uprising. The potential to change society was on full display, but it was derailed and defeated due to a lack of revolutionary leadership. But that mood hasn’t dissipated. It’s just under the surface, and it will re-emerge again on an even higher plane.

An unorganized communist is a contradiction in terms. To succeed, we need numbers and we need organization. So if you’re made it this far, what are you waiting for? Join us!