Who we are, our activities

Podrobnosti

Vytvořeno 12. 4. 2014

Twitter

What we fight for

The Communist Youth Union (KSM) is an independent and voluntary organisation building on the theoretical work of Marx, Engels, Lenin and other great thinkers of the communist movement, and carrying on a tradition of the Czechoslovak and global youth movement.

The KSM endeavours to make its contribution to the revolutionary overcoming of capitalism and establishing the economic and social conditions needed for construction of socialism, as a first step towards building a communist society, whose full realisation is the final goal. This effort is expressed with the name of our organization, understanding the concept of communism as marking a vision of the future, a well-organised, classless society, where the power held over people is replaced with a free administration and control of manufacturing processes, and where the basis of freedom in development for all starts with that of each individual.

KSM's Historical Roots

The KSM was founded in February 1921, after the defeat of the December which marked a milestone of a split of the Communists with the old Social Democratic party and before the birth of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ). Tens of thousands of members of the communist youth became, then, members of the Communist Youth International and openly took part in actively fighting to overthrow capitalist rule. In spite of its illegality and strong anticommunist repression, the KSM led several extensive fights during the period of the first Czechoslovak Republic. It participated in the setting of workers' physical education and proletarian scouts, in antimilitaristic activities and establishing solidarity with the Soviet Union, as well as the Communist Student Fraction (KOSTUFRA), trying to carry its activities to factory cells and actively joining the fight for KSČ's bolshevik character, which culminated in Klement Gottwald assuming leadership at the 5th Congress of the KSČ in 1929.

Despite the decision to leave behind construction of an independent communist youth organisation, due to the fight for the people's front against fascism in the second half of the 1930s, the first republic KSM tradition remained alive inside the organisations that were established during the subsequent periods of time, such as the Youth Union, the National Movement of the Working Youth, the Communist Union of the Young Generation, the Vanguard, the Czech and Czechoslovak Youth Unions, as well as the Leninist Youth Union and the Socialist Youth Union.

KSM's Activity

In the spring of 1990, with the defeat of Socialism and the restoration of capitalism in Czechoslovakia, the communist youth of that time raised up the KSM's first republic tradition and refounded the organization under its historical time after more than a half-century. This union actively involved itself in supporting the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM), playing at the time a significant role against the Czech Republic's membership in the NATO pact and then as frontline fighter against NATO's criminal aggressions against the nations of former Yugoslavia in 1999. In 2000 the youth Communists co- organised protests against the Prague summit of imperialistic institutions - the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The KSM put into movement the creation of the SOS STUDENT initiative and successfully led, together with others, fights against the supporters of installing fees for studying in state and public schools. It was one of the few who, from a principal position, acted against Czech Republic's membership in the EU and fought firmly against aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the country's presence in both interventions. The KSM actively acts in guarding the social rights of young workers, students, trainees and unemployed. It takes an uncompromising stance towards fascism and racism.

The KSM was the very first organization that initiated a very successful campaign against efforts to place a US military base in the Czech Republic. The generation of young communists organised or involved themselves heavily in hundreds of various protests, meetings, public petitions, talks and cultural activities against the plans of setting up US base in our country. The petition, organised by the KSM were signed by more than 200 000 Czech citizens, and became one of the largest in the history of the Czech Republic.

As well as the stated above, the KSM also devotes time to political education, handing out printed and published materials (namely the journal 'Mladá Pravda'), and also organising cultural, sports, and other leisure time activities.

Throughout its existence, the KSM has undergone crises and divisions just like the Czech communist movement itself. It is currently a fully active organisation. Only those living permanently in the Czech Republic, agreeing with KSM's political views and prepared to be involved actively, as well as being between the ages of 15 and 35, may be members. Membership card acts as a valid proof of membership in the organization. The highest KSM's body is its Congress, and the Central Council plays this role during the time between the Congresses. The organisation is being currently led by a collective leadership represented by the Political bureau of the Central Council.

Anticommunism and the Dissolution of the KSM

The KSM had been fighting with the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic for its legal status and existence since 2005. In 2006 this ministry officially banned the KSM. This was followed by a period of further legal struggle as the KSM had turned to the Municipal Court in Prague and took a take legal action against the Ministry of Interior's decision. The Municipal Court of Prague protracted the legal process without making a decision until 2008, unfortunately turning in its decision against the KSM, and the ban gained a legal force. The anticommunist ban brought forth a wave of resistance in both the Czech Republic and abroad, with above all the rice of a movement of solidarity in support of the KSM. Hundreds of youth, student, and trade organisations expressed their protests against anticommunism in the Czech Republic, whilst thousands showed their indignation to the Ministry of Interior and representative offices of the Czech Republic abroad, as well as even members of national and European parliaments, university professors, former anti-fascist fighters and even people such as the Nobel prize-winner for literature, Dario Fo. Dozens of protests took place outside representative offices: the KSM, despite legal ban, did not give up. It appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court in Brno, resulting in the decision of the Prague Municipal Court being rendered void in 2009. Following this, the Municipal Court finally annulled the dissolution of the KSM in 2010.

'Mladá Pravda' and KSM Publications

On a central level, the KSM issues its journal 'Mladá Pravda' ('The Young Truth'), which is one of the longest-running materials we print. Its origins start with the fight against the restoration of capitalism, privatisation, and attacks on the social rights of the youth. 'Mladá Pravda' was one of the journals that wrote against Czech Republic's membership in the aggressive NATO pact and the following criminal attack against Yugoslavia. The journal played a large role in the period during which the sessions of the World Bank and IMF took place in Prague, and not only spoke out about the real intentions of these imperialistic institutions, but also objectively reported about the demonstrations and protests that took place in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, as one of the first communicative media used, it provided information about the efforts to construct US military base in our country and fully involved itself in the great movement that eventually swept away these plans. 'Mladá Pravda' also held an important role in fighting against anticommunism, fascists, and more concretely, in the fight for the legal status of KSM and communist youth.

Apart from 'Mladá Pravda', the KSM also publishes, under the same publishing house name, monothematic books and brochures. On the internet, its central webpage is http://www.ksm.cz , but the facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ksm.cz ) and twitter (http://www.twitter.com/ksmcz ) pages are also kept up to date.

International Cooperation

As an international organisation, the KSM stresses the importance of strengthening an international movement, and currently holds links with dozens of communist, workers, and national-liberation organisations all over the world.

An important platform through which the KSM acts internationally, and whose progress is also one of our aims, is the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY). Together under the slogan 'Youth unite! Forward for lasting peace!', WFDY has grouped together tens of millions of young adults, since its founding in 1945, across the world in the fight against imperialism and war, and for peace, solidarity and social progress. WFDY holds a consultant status in the UN and its most significant activity consists of the regularly organised World Festivals of Youth and Students, with thousands youngsters participating each time.

Along with other communist youth organisations, the KSM regularly takes part (and hosts) the Meetings of the European Union Communist Youth Organisations, which is a platform for exchanging information, as well as social campaigns, for dozens of similar organisations on the European continent.

• < Předchozí
• Další >