Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 1, 1992, Page 30
The one-help wrote detailed reports about everything the new member said and did. These
reports were sent to the Branch leadership, to the New Members class teachers, to the Party
School teacher, and to Staff/New Members (the administrative team, who under Sandra’s
direct guidance oversaw the training and development of all new members). These reports
were used to monitor development and to pick out something that could serve as the basis of
a group criticism in future meetings, in order to facilitate “breaking” the new member.
The more meat for criticism in the one-help report, the better the one-help. Just about every
militant at one time or another was assigned to be a one-help to a new member. It was
described as a sign of a militant’s development and of the party’s trust to be given this task.
The widespread use of this assignment helped institutionalize the incessant reporting on one
another and the fear of fellow comrades.
A New Member’s First Assignments
New members were assigned to write their class histories, which would be read by leadership
and then analyzed in New Members class. All the other new members in the class were
expected to participate in the dissection of whoever was on the spot. It was presumed that a
new member’s class history wouldn’t be “right” at first. How could an “uninformed” and
“uninstructed” new member possibly have a correct analysis without the benefit of the party’s
training? And so began the ritual of tearing apart the person next to you.
Depending on the class members’ response to the oral presentation, along with whatever
weaknesses the teachers had decided to focus on before-hand, invariably class histories had
to be rewritten more than once. The idea was to get a new member to rewrite and therefore
accept his or her history from the correct political standpoint, that is, from the party’s point of
view.
Another first assignment for a new member was to do an overall recruitment report. This
meant doing a written summary of all external contacts, or absolutely everyone who was not
already in the party. For some people, these reports could be very long and took a great deal
of time. The new member was to identify who was recruitable among the friends, relatives,
and co-workers listed in the report.
The initial recruitment report, the class history, and the written application for membership
were key in providing the party with complete information about each new member. For the
new member, these were all steps in the process of turning over one’s entire life to the party.
Advancements
When admitted into the party, new members were told that they were in Trial Member status.
They had no rights. They were to learn. If they passed this stage (based on study, level of
participation, and good behavior), they would be recommended by their leadership to be
moved up to status of Candidate Member, with partial voting rights. Baxter had final say in
these advancements. Promotions occurred at the Branch meeting, complete with a formal
ceremony: A pledge was read by the leading officer, the Executive Officer, followed by
affirmative responses from the eager Candidate-to-be. The thrust of the pledge was vowing to
an even greater commitment to the class struggle and a willingness to work hard and be
devoted. The ceremony ended with leadership pinning a red star on the new Candidate, who
then was hugged by both the Executive and Political Officers. This was followed by a collective
song (“The International”) and congratulations.7
The Pressures to Conform
Within moments after joining, it became clear to the new member that submission to the
organization was the ruling principle. There was intense pressure to conform. Any group
meeting was one obvious place where this came into play and the tone was set. For example,
the leadership would give a presentation on a change in the direction of some work or would
The one-help wrote detailed reports about everything the new member said and did. These
reports were sent to the Branch leadership, to the New Members class teachers, to the Party
School teacher, and to Staff/New Members (the administrative team, who under Sandra’s
direct guidance oversaw the training and development of all new members). These reports
were used to monitor development and to pick out something that could serve as the basis of
a group criticism in future meetings, in order to facilitate “breaking” the new member.
The more meat for criticism in the one-help report, the better the one-help. Just about every
militant at one time or another was assigned to be a one-help to a new member. It was
described as a sign of a militant’s development and of the party’s trust to be given this task.
The widespread use of this assignment helped institutionalize the incessant reporting on one
another and the fear of fellow comrades.
A New Member’s First Assignments
New members were assigned to write their class histories, which would be read by leadership
and then analyzed in New Members class. All the other new members in the class were
expected to participate in the dissection of whoever was on the spot. It was presumed that a
new member’s class history wouldn’t be “right” at first. How could an “uninformed” and
“uninstructed” new member possibly have a correct analysis without the benefit of the party’s
training? And so began the ritual of tearing apart the person next to you.
Depending on the class members’ response to the oral presentation, along with whatever
weaknesses the teachers had decided to focus on before-hand, invariably class histories had
to be rewritten more than once. The idea was to get a new member to rewrite and therefore
accept his or her history from the correct political standpoint, that is, from the party’s point of
view.
Another first assignment for a new member was to do an overall recruitment report. This
meant doing a written summary of all external contacts, or absolutely everyone who was not
already in the party. For some people, these reports could be very long and took a great deal
of time. The new member was to identify who was recruitable among the friends, relatives,
and co-workers listed in the report.
The initial recruitment report, the class history, and the written application for membership
were key in providing the party with complete information about each new member. For the
new member, these were all steps in the process of turning over one’s entire life to the party.
Advancements
When admitted into the party, new members were told that they were in Trial Member status.
They had no rights. They were to learn. If they passed this stage (based on study, level of
participation, and good behavior), they would be recommended by their leadership to be
moved up to status of Candidate Member, with partial voting rights. Baxter had final say in
these advancements. Promotions occurred at the Branch meeting, complete with a formal
ceremony: A pledge was read by the leading officer, the Executive Officer, followed by
affirmative responses from the eager Candidate-to-be. The thrust of the pledge was vowing to
an even greater commitment to the class struggle and a willingness to work hard and be
devoted. The ceremony ended with leadership pinning a red star on the new Candidate, who
then was hugged by both the Executive and Political Officers. This was followed by a collective
song (“The International”) and congratulations.7
The Pressures to Conform
Within moments after joining, it became clear to the new member that submission to the
organization was the ruling principle. There was intense pressure to conform. Any group
meeting was one obvious place where this came into play and the tone was set. For example,
the leadership would give a presentation on a change in the direction of some work or would
