About Us
We want to transform society in order to end exploitation, oppression, inequality, poverty, unemployment and war — in other words, we want to end the rule of the monopoly capitalist system and build a better socialist system.
Founded in 1921, the Young Communist League of Britain is a revolutionary youth organisation that operates on the basis of the creative application of Marxism-Leninism. This means that we are Scientific Socialists who take a concrete, materialist approach to the struggle for working class interests and Socialism, and have a democratic and disciplined organisation, based on democratic centralism.
We follow the theories and practice of Marx, Engels, Lenin, the Communist movement and socialist countries since 1917. We work individually, collectively, and in broad alliances with others in the working class and progressive movement in order to fight for the interests of working people, social and economic progress and Socialism.
We do this in our communities, trade unions, workplaces, schools, colleges and universities as well as campaigns for anti-fascism, anti-racism, international solidarity, peace, LGBT+ rights, women’s rights and more.
We are the youth organisation of the Communist Party of Britain, although we remain organisationally independent, with its own policies, structures and finances. We do, however, also follow the Communist Party of Britain’s programme: Britain’s Road to Socialism (which you can read here).
For Peace, Jobs and Socialism in our Lifetime, join the YCL today!
We are democrats.
Members are organised into geographical, workplace or campus Branches, the basic democratic unit of the League.
Branches elect their own committees and decide their own programmes of political, educational, social and cultural activity in line with the policies of the League.
Every two years, delegates from Branches elect the leadership of the League, the Central Committee, and decide the League’s policies at our Congress.
Our Central Committee meetings bring together the leadership and representatives from District & Nation Committees.
District, regional and national structures also exist to bring Branches together.
Finally, members are encouraged to play an active role in the discussions in Challenge Magazine and our advisory bodies and commissions, which bring together members from throughout Britain to advise the League on specific issues such as the struggles against racism and fascism or building our trade union work.
We are internationalists.
The YCL works with youth organisations around the world to fight for international cooperation, peace and social and economic progress, and against war and imperialist interference and aggression.
In particular, we express solidarity with the young people who suffer at the hands of British, United States and European Union imperialism, such as the youth of the Middle East, Latin America, Asia and Africa.
We are part of a mass movement.
Communists never put their own interests above those of the interests of the working class as a whole. We work to broaden and strengthen the movement.
At the same time, as Marxist-Leninists, we try to provide long-term analysis and strategies in order to move the struggle forwards, in a democratic and non-sectarian way.
We actively support the Morning Star, Britain’s only socialist daily newspaper, and the Communist Party, as well as many other campaigns and organisations that fight for the interests of working people.
We are revolutionaries.
The YCL aims to end capitalism, not to mend it. Only a fundamental shift in power from the ruling capitalist class to the working people of Britain, and the establishment of Socialism, will guarantee the extension of democratic rights and social and economic progress for all.
This revolution can and should be achieved peacefully as far as possible, combining the power of mass organisations such as trade unions and campaigns to push the struggle forwards with representation at parliamentary and local elections.
However, we have no illusions that the ruling capitalist class tend to give up their power peacefully.
We are socialists.
We are Marxist-Leninists and Scientific Socialists in the tradition of the Communist movement, both in Britain and worldwide. We follow the experiences of the Communist Parties and the socialist countries since the Russian Revolution of 1917.
We apply Communist theories and practice, many of which are summed up in our programme Britain’s Road to Socialism, to organise and campaign effectively to overthrow state monopoly capitalism and transform Britain into a socialist society based on common ownership, democratic control, full equality, universal access to public services, environmental protection and advancement for the human race.
