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Communist Labor Party

Documents of the Fourth Congress (November 1986)


Constitution

PREAMBLE

The Communist Labor Party of the United States of North America (CLP) is a political party of the working class. It is a revolutionary party with the aim of socialist reconstruction of our society, guided by the advanced theory of scientific socialism: Marxism-Leninism. A real communist party is the subjective expression of an objective communist movement. Our Party strives to become that subjective expression. Therefore, our Party fights on all fronts of struggle and sends its cadre in all social directions. Everywhere our cadre rely on the spontaneous movement, deepening and broadening it, bringing it political clarity and consciousness of its historic role. In order to carry out these aims, we established and organized the Communist Labor Party.

ARTICLE I
NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Communist Labor Party of the United States of North America.

ARTICLE II
PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION

SECTION 1
The system of organization of the Communist Labor Party is based on democratic centralism. The principal basis of democratic centralism is that lower bodies elect higher bodies and submit to their authority.

SECTION 2
Collectivity is carried out through the principle of collective decisions and individual responsibility. After thorough collective discussion in any unit, committee or convention, decisions are arrived at by majority vote. All members, including those who disagree, are duty bound to explain, fight for and carry out the decisions. Any member who disagrees with a decision has the right to appeal it to the next higher body. Appeals may be made to successively higher bodies up to and including the Congress. While the appeal is pending the decision must be upheld and carried out. Factions are not permitted.

SECTION 3
The Communist Labor Party acts by strict discipline and subordination of the minority to the majority. Discipline is based on ideology. Ideology is class consciousness based on theory. Discipline is accepted by members by joining the Party.

SECTION 4
Each Party body is subordinate to the next higher body. The Congress is the highest body in the Party. The Congress has the authority to act on all aspects of Party policy. It elects a Central Committee to carry out its will and implement political decisions between Congresses.

SECTION 5
The Party organizes its activity around its agitation and propaganda.

SECTION 6
Election of leading bodies at every level is to be conducted with full participation of the members. All candidates are evaluated and voted on individually. The introduction of slates in Party elections is not permitted. Members or chairs of Party bodies may be removed by majority vote of the body to which they are responsible. All elections are held by secret ballot. Co-optation of members to elected bodies is not permitted.

The basis for all elections will be an evaluation of the carrying out of decisions. The same principles apply to any unit or committee when electing or removing chairpersons.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1
The Communist Labor Party is an organization of revolutionaries. Membership in the Party is open to anyone in the USNA who is at least eighteen years old and accepts the Party Program. The age requirement may be waived in individual cases by majority vote of the unit.

SECTION 2
Membership in the Communist Labor Party is a voluntary act of the individual. Members must implement the Party Program and abide by the Party Constitution. All members must be assigned to and work actively in a basic Party unit and support the Party financially.

SECTION 3
Applicants for membership must be approved by a majority vote of the recruiting unit.

ARTICLE IV
STRUCTURE

SECTION 1
The unit is the basic organization of the Communist Labor Party. The units take two forms: workplace units and territorial units. All unit work and decisions are based on the Congress decisions. The unit is the Communist Labor Party in the workplace or territory for which it is responsible.

SECTION 2
District organizations are established by the appropriate body of the Central Office. The highest body of the district organization is the district convention. Each unit will elect delegates to the District Convention. The District Convention elects a District Committee and the District Committee organizes the district.
A District Convention will be convened upon: (a) a majority vote of the District Committee; (b) by the appropriate body of the Central Office, following consultation with the District Committee; or (c) a majority vote of the membership in a poll conducted by the District Committee. A poll shall be conducted in the event a proposal to hold a district convention receives the support of one third of the District Committee.

ARTICLE V
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

SECTION 1
The Congress of the Communist Labor Party is a gathering of elected delegates to set the general direction of the Party, to adopt its Program and Constitution and to elect a Central Committee to guarantee the implementation of these decisions. The Central Committee organizes the Central Office by establishing bodies responsible for various aspects of Party organization and activity. The Central Committee as such is to limit its role to the adjustment of the political policy of the Party within the confines of the decisions of the Congress.

SECTION 2
The Central Committee shall determine the proportionate number of delegates to the Congress. Each District shall be represented by at least one delegate. The delegates shall be elected by the District Convention.

SECTION 3
Prior to the Congress, discussion will be held in all units and Districts. During pre-Congress discussions all Party organizations and members have the right to propose resolutions and amendments, changes and criticisms with respect to the draft resolutions, the Party Program and the Constitution.

SECTION 4
A Congress will be convened upon: (a) a majority vote of the Central Committee or (b) a majority vote of the membership in a poll conducted by the Central Committee. A poll shall be conducted in the event a proposal to convene a Congress receives the support of one third of the Central Committee. The need to adjust the line and policy of the Party is the basis for convening a Congress.

SECTION 5
The Central Committee will be composed of twenty-five members and five alternates. The Congress elects the Central Committee.

SECTION 6
Vacancies on the Central Committee are filled by the alternates elected by the Congress in the order elected. Fifteen members of the Central Committee constitute a quorum. Without a quorum the Central Committee may take no action. If the membership of the Central Committee falls below twenty members the Central Committee shall convene a Congress regardless of the lack of a quorum.

SECTION 7
Rally, Comrades!/Agrupemonos, Camaradas! is the voice of the Central Committee.

SECTION 8
Leading bodies periodically make reports to the membership. Party organizations periodically make reports on their work to the next higher body.

ARTICLE VI
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1
Relations between the individual and the collective are guided by the principle of collective decisions and individual responsibility.

SECTION 2
All members are to participate in the process of criticism and self-criticism.

SECTION 3
In the case of a member withdrawing from the Party, the member’s unit will decide the conditions for withdrawal. All members withdrawing from the Party are to be expelled. This process will be reviewed by the next higher body.

SECTION 4
When a member is cited in the form of charges for an infraction of any part of the Party Constitution, the member is to be given a list of offenses. The Party organization to which the member is responsible in relation to the infraction will try the case. Whenever possible the comrade will attend in person.

Infractions of the Constitution cited in charges may be disciplined by any of: (a) censure, (b) removal from posts or committees, or (c) expulsion from the Party. Only the unit can expel a member from the Party.

Decisions on charges are reviewed by the next higher body. Such decisions can be appealed to successively higher bodies up to and including the Congress.

SECTION 5
All members have a right to a Marxist-Leninist education.

ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION

This Constitution may be amended only by a Congress.