ARTICLE I
The Revolutionary Internationalist Contingent in Britain is a revolutionary proletarian organisation committed to the overthrow of imperialism and the development of a worldwide communist, classless society. The theoretical basis for its work is Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung Thought. It is an internationalist organisation and the leading centre and line to which it adheres is ’the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement. In particular it upholds the Declaration of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement.
ARTICLE II
The prime task here in Britain is to build a genuine revolutionary communist party, which will develop the strategic line with which to lead class struggle here, and when the opportunity arises, the revolutionary overthrow of the imperialist state. This involves the organisation in practical revolutionary activity, both in the class struggle here in Britain and in support of the class struggle internationally: but in the current period, the development of a revolutionary political line and programme to guide revolutionary practice here in Britain is the principal, aspect of the work.
ARTICLE III
Any proletarian or person ready to be involved in the revolutionary struggle, who accepts the political line and constitution of the organisation, who is ready to take up ah active commitment to the organisation’s work and tasks, and to accept the organisation’s discipline, may become a member, although the main target of recruitment is the proletariat.
ARTICLE IV
Any person joining the organisation must be prepared to grasp fully the demands of being a communist. This means to accept and follow the ideological and political line of Marxism-Leninism, and to seriously and consistently study and struggle to both understand and embrace that line, to put this line into practical effect as the primary aspect in one’s life, at all times and in all places. This will mean hard and demanding work – harassment, persecution and even imprisonment, maybe death. It will mean ’being prepared to swim against the tide’, even within the organisation. And it means being prepared to undertake any task in the service of revolution, not only in Britain but internationally.
ARTICLE V
Applicants for membership must go through procedures for admission individually. The applicant must be recommended by an existing member who knows her/im well. Members, delegated to the task, must seriously struggle with the applicant over her/is standpoint on proletarian revolution and the basic principles of the organisation, including the international line to which we subscribe. This task carries a serious responsibility for both the members and the applicant involved. Members must always be alert to the danger of infiltration by consciously hostile elements. If the applicant is suitable, admission should be recommended to the higher organ. New members shall serve a candidate membership of six months. This period may be extended. They shall enjoy all the rights and duties of full membership, except voting rights and the ability to stand for office. After this period their membership shall be reviewed, and if the organisation and the member agree, they shall be granted full membership.
ARTICLE VI
Members of the organisation should:
i. centre their lives around proletarian revolution and internationalism.
ii. study and struggle over Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung Thought; thoroughly criticise and attack opportunism and revisionism; fight to grasp, defend, apply and develop the correct political line.
iii. firmly uphold the unity of the revolutionary working class and proletarian internationalism; struggle against all forms of chauvinism, racism, sexism and all forms of bourgeois ideology both within the organisation and among the masses.
iv. actively work to carry out the current principal task, the founding of a genuine revolutionary communist party, able to expose imperialism and its ruling class, mobilize the masses, and lead them on the correct path for revolution.
v. always seek to apply the mass line in their work: be bold in making criticism and self-criticism: resolutely uphold communist discipline. Remembering, in Lenin’s words, that communists are ’tribunes of the people’ and that at all times they should stand up against exploitation and oppression, which arise in all aspects of their lives.
ARTICLE VII
Any member who violates the discipline of the organisation shall be dealt with by the appropriate organ. Measures that can be taken shall include: warning, serious warning, removal from official posts, a period of suspension, termination of membership or expulsion. But in every case serious struggle and criticism shall be undertaken with the member, and before termination or expulsion, the next higher organ shall be consulted. A period of suspension shall never be longer than one year, but in such a case the member concerned shall lose all voting rights and the right to stand for office.
Members whose revolutionary will has degenerated shall be struggled with, including both education and criticism. If such a struggle does not rekindle the revolutionary spirit, after consultation with the higher organ, the member shall be persuaded, or if necessary instructed, to withdraw from the organisation.
Those who take a consistent stand of opportunism and/or counter-revolutionary activities, shall be expelled from the organisation. But members who hold a minority view, while observing the discipline and line of the organisation, shall not be treated in such a manner.
ARTICLE VIII
While it is not a fully fledged communist party, the organisation is run on the principle of democratic centralism. This principle combines centralised leadership and the greatest degree of discipline, with the fullest discussion and struggle over line and policy within the organisation: and the selection and political supervision of the leading centre by members on the basis of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung Thought.<
The leading comrades at all levels shall be elected through democratic consultation, in accordance with the requirements of leadership of the proletarian revolution. These comrades should be those who have demonstrated the greatest ability to grasp and apply Marxism-Leninism in a living way, and to arm and lead others in doing the same.
Leadership in a communist organisation is not personal capital, but a responsibility, both to the organisation and to the international proletariat. Differing roles within the organisation are a necessary division of labour. Only if they support and strengthen the ideological and political line do they fulfil their purpose.
ARTICLE IX
Discipline applies to all members and at all levels. The individual is subordinate to the organisation. The minority is subordinate to the majority. The lower level is subordinate to the higher. And all levels of the organisation are subordinate to the National Congress. When the Congress is not in session then all levels are subordinate to the Central Committee chosen by it.
Standing bodies within the organisation are accountable to, and must regularly report to, the general membership meetings to which they are directly responsible. Leading members must constantly listen to the membership, and encourage their criticism. It is the duty of the leading members to not only pay serious attention to such criticism, but to encourage comrades actively to undertake it. It is a right for any member to criticise leading bodies and comrades, and to make proposals to them, in accordance with the established procedures of the organisation.
When there are differences of opinion with regard to decisions or directives within the organisation, members have the duty to uphold the decision of the majority and to work wholeheartedly to implement this decision. Only if as a result of actual political struggles in which the organisation is involved, such a decision appears to be incorrect, do members have the right to raise fresh criticism of that decision. It is impermissible to suppress criticism: there should be a political situation in which there is both centralism and democracy, both a unified line and broad initiative, both discipline and ideological struggle, both unity of will and action and personal ease of mind and liveliness.
ARTICLE X
The highest body of the organisation shall be the National Congress, which shall consist of all members. Until the time that it is possible to found the revolutionary party, it is likely that meetings of this body will be frequent. It should meet at least once a year; more often if the Central Committee call it or if at least one quarter of the members call for it.
ARTICLE XI
The Congress shall elect a Central Committee to lead the organisation when it is not in session. This Committee shall be the leading centre of the organisation. Its size shall be determined by the Congress as necessary. The Congress shall also elect its chairperson and secretary. Other officers shall be elected by the Central Committee as necessary.
ARTICLE XII
The Central Committee shall be empowered to set up other committtees or bodies as demanded by the work of the organisation.
ARTICLE XIII
The branch shall be the basic unit of the organisation. When and where these shall be set up shall be determined by the National Congress or the Central Committee.
Individuals who reside where there is no branch shall be attached either to a branch or to the centre, as seems suitable, by the Central Committee.
Members shall attend and participate in regular meetings of the branches and in the work they undertake. All activities of a political nature that individual members wish to undertake, shall first be approved by the branch or its committee, and shall be regularly reported on to the branch.
ARTICLE XIV
The primary task of the branch shall be to provide political leadership in its area, among the proletariat and oppressed strata of the people. It shall propagandise and intervene in various aspects of the class struggle as they arise. It shall particularly direct the view of these groupings to the need for a revolutionary communist party, and the need for genuine Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung Thought to lead such an organisation.
ARTICLE XV
Branches shall elect officers as required, and in line with the advice or directives from the National Congress. All such officers shall be reviewed yearly.
ARTICLE XVI
It shall be the constant thought among all members and in all the bodies of the organisation, that the day the organisation fulfils its primary aim and task, will be the day of its disbandment the day of the founding of a genuine revolutionary communist Party in Britain. A day that will signal a new step forward for the proletariat and oppressed masses here in Britain, and for the international proletariat and its allies.