Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 1, 1992, Page 35
shredder thus, one by one militants brought great bundles and suitcases jammed with
personal items to be turned over to the party for disposal. Three of us were assigned to burn
these precious documents and mementos. We sat for three days and three nights, throwing
the lives of our comrades into the fire: passports, photographs, diaries, poetry, artwork,
treasured writings and notes, packets of correspondence, health records, marriage
certificates, and on and on. The excuse in this case was a security breach that threatened the
safety of the party. The effect was the destruction of identities and memories --another step
in the remolding process.
Small or large, bureaucratic measures served to control information --in and out --and to
control members’ lives.
The Financial Net
All members were expected to pay weekly dues, based on their salary. Dues were increased
once the initial stage of membership was passed. Often this came as a great surprise to
advancing Trial Members and was invariably cause for “class-stand struggle.” The dues
structure was set up so that each militant was to give over to the party all monies received
above the party’s standard living amount, which was set at practically poverty-level. Any
monetary or substantial gifts, job bonuses, legal settlements, and inheritances belonged to
the party. They were to be reported immediately in writing to Staff/Finance in order to
arrange payment or transfer of ownership. Members were told that everyone lived on the
same amount, about $650/month in the last year of the party (1985). In reality, certain
favored or more clever members finagled higher monthly allowances from the party or kept
secret the gifts they received from their families. This was, however, a very small minority.
Baxter, with two well-furnished homes, a new sports car, all the latest electronic equipment,
money in IRA’s, and so forth, easily lived on the equivalent of more than $100,000 per year.
Her lavish life-style was known about only by the inner circle and a handful of trusted lower-
level militants.
There was a fairly complex financial system staffed by several militants. Their job was to
figure out the number of members who needed to be working at outside jobs in any given
period to feed enough dues money into the organization to keep the infrastructure running
and to keep Baxter living in her customary style. Full-time functionaries (those who didn’t
have outside jobs and worked solely for the party) were encouraged to find an outside source
of income (for example, money from their families). If they couldn’t, they received monthly
cash stipends from the party. Naturally, they had none of the benefits of outside work, such
as medical insurance, pension plans, and payments into social security.
Dues were collected at the first Branch meeting of each month. This was done privately with
the Financial Officer. As can be imagined, a rather large amount of cash was turned in at
these meetings. Afterwards, the Financial Officer left immediately, accompanied by an
appointed guard. Their leaving or speculation about where they were going was never to be
discussed. They went to a secret location, where each Branch’s Financial Officer came to meet
with a representative of Staff/Finance to turn over the monthly take. This transaction was
done with a great deal of efficiency and seriousness. It was regarded as an assignment of
great honor to be trusted with the party’s money.
In general, militants were very poor. They dressed shabbily, drove broken-down cars, lived in
sparsely furnished places, usually in the poorer sections of town. They had no money to
spare, no savings. Often if they didn’t meet their fund-raising or paper-selling goals, they
made up the difference out of their own pockets, making a bad situation even worse. At
times, militants were known to sell their blood to get money for food.
shredder thus, one by one militants brought great bundles and suitcases jammed with
personal items to be turned over to the party for disposal. Three of us were assigned to burn
these precious documents and mementos. We sat for three days and three nights, throwing
the lives of our comrades into the fire: passports, photographs, diaries, poetry, artwork,
treasured writings and notes, packets of correspondence, health records, marriage
certificates, and on and on. The excuse in this case was a security breach that threatened the
safety of the party. The effect was the destruction of identities and memories --another step
in the remolding process.
Small or large, bureaucratic measures served to control information --in and out --and to
control members’ lives.
The Financial Net
All members were expected to pay weekly dues, based on their salary. Dues were increased
once the initial stage of membership was passed. Often this came as a great surprise to
advancing Trial Members and was invariably cause for “class-stand struggle.” The dues
structure was set up so that each militant was to give over to the party all monies received
above the party’s standard living amount, which was set at practically poverty-level. Any
monetary or substantial gifts, job bonuses, legal settlements, and inheritances belonged to
the party. They were to be reported immediately in writing to Staff/Finance in order to
arrange payment or transfer of ownership. Members were told that everyone lived on the
same amount, about $650/month in the last year of the party (1985). In reality, certain
favored or more clever members finagled higher monthly allowances from the party or kept
secret the gifts they received from their families. This was, however, a very small minority.
Baxter, with two well-furnished homes, a new sports car, all the latest electronic equipment,
money in IRA’s, and so forth, easily lived on the equivalent of more than $100,000 per year.
Her lavish life-style was known about only by the inner circle and a handful of trusted lower-
level militants.
There was a fairly complex financial system staffed by several militants. Their job was to
figure out the number of members who needed to be working at outside jobs in any given
period to feed enough dues money into the organization to keep the infrastructure running
and to keep Baxter living in her customary style. Full-time functionaries (those who didn’t
have outside jobs and worked solely for the party) were encouraged to find an outside source
of income (for example, money from their families). If they couldn’t, they received monthly
cash stipends from the party. Naturally, they had none of the benefits of outside work, such
as medical insurance, pension plans, and payments into social security.
Dues were collected at the first Branch meeting of each month. This was done privately with
the Financial Officer. As can be imagined, a rather large amount of cash was turned in at
these meetings. Afterwards, the Financial Officer left immediately, accompanied by an
appointed guard. Their leaving or speculation about where they were going was never to be
discussed. They went to a secret location, where each Branch’s Financial Officer came to meet
with a representative of Staff/Finance to turn over the monthly take. This transaction was
done with a great deal of efficiency and seriousness. It was regarded as an assignment of
great honor to be trusted with the party’s money.
In general, militants were very poor. They dressed shabbily, drove broken-down cars, lived in
sparsely furnished places, usually in the poorer sections of town. They had no money to
spare, no savings. Often if they didn’t meet their fund-raising or paper-selling goals, they
made up the difference out of their own pockets, making a bad situation even worse. At
times, militants were known to sell their blood to get money for food.
