Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 1, 1992, Page 36
The Paper Empire
Party members had many other responsibilities in addition to the weekly meeting and duties
related to the work unit. These varied over the years depending on the prevailing internal or
external focus.
First of all, there were always many reports to write, and each had to follow a particular
format. Reports due at the weekly meeting could include a discipline report, a security report,
an assigned or self-motivated self-criticism, a recruitment report, a one-help report, and
organizing reports. At a minimum, for years, everyone turned in weekly discipline and
security reports. A discipline report was a written record of all errors (of thought or deed)
committed during the past week. A security report was a written record of any security
violations committed by a militant, or observed in any other militant, during the past week.
These reports would be used by the leadership to monitor behavior and ferret out criticisms
for the following week. They were also used to evaluate a militant’s progress and willingness
to conform.
For those in middle-level leadership, reports were also due on whatever meetings they led, on
specific members as requested by their leadership, and on the development of new members.
These reports included how the criticisms went and how the person responded, how the
political study went, a general evaluation of members’ participation and expressed unity with
the prepared party presentations, and a self-criticism regarding problems with the meeting or
errors. These reports were used by the next level of leadership to look for sources of
criticisms to be carried out in the various leadership bodies, such as Branch Council (the
weekly meeting of all Branch officers), Party School Teachers meeting, New Members
Teachers meeting, Political Officers meeting, Recruitment Officers meeting, and so forth.
There were two types of recruitment reports. Some summarized formal recruitment meetings
that had taken place, with suggestions for the next step to be taken with the recruit. Others
were lists of potential recruits from among acquaintances, co-workers, family, or long lost
friends. There were few periods when there was not an emphasis on recruitment. Therefore, it
was important to have some names to turn in on a recruit-ment report. Not doing so ensured
getting criticized for not helping to build the organization. Recruitment reports went to the
Branch leadership and to Staff/Recruitment (the administrative team who oversaw all of the
party’s recruitment). Guidance on how to proceed came back from Staff/Recruitment via the
Branch’s Recruitment Officer. If there were to be criticisms of someone related to recruitment,
guidance was given to that militant’s leadership at the weekly leadership Council meeting.
Most of this bureaucracy was run and led by Sandra, with daily and sometimes hourly
reporting to or communication with Baxter. Baxter came to leadership councils on rare
occasions --usually when a particular-ly serious and severe criticism was about to come
someone’s way. As middle-level leaders arrived at council meetings, hearts dropped at seeing
Baxter sitting at the front table.
The Work Ethic
Work was never done individually but was done in collective situations. At first, work went on
at selected members’ houses, those houses that the party considered to be “secure.” Later,
houses and commercial spaces were rented to be set up specifically as “party facilities.”
Everyone worked at one or another of these locations, depending on his or her assignment.
For example, one house served as the party’s staff headquarters for all internal administrative
work. A warehouse space was rented to serve as the production headquarters and printing
press. Another space housed the data bank and research institute. Yet another was a labor
organizing center or the public office of one of the WDU’s electoral efforts. Baxter’s city home
and Sandra’s apartment were considered to be party facilities, with certain militants assigned
there to perform infrastructure duties (maid and clerical work) for these leaders.
The Paper Empire
Party members had many other responsibilities in addition to the weekly meeting and duties
related to the work unit. These varied over the years depending on the prevailing internal or
external focus.
First of all, there were always many reports to write, and each had to follow a particular
format. Reports due at the weekly meeting could include a discipline report, a security report,
an assigned or self-motivated self-criticism, a recruitment report, a one-help report, and
organizing reports. At a minimum, for years, everyone turned in weekly discipline and
security reports. A discipline report was a written record of all errors (of thought or deed)
committed during the past week. A security report was a written record of any security
violations committed by a militant, or observed in any other militant, during the past week.
These reports would be used by the leadership to monitor behavior and ferret out criticisms
for the following week. They were also used to evaluate a militant’s progress and willingness
to conform.
For those in middle-level leadership, reports were also due on whatever meetings they led, on
specific members as requested by their leadership, and on the development of new members.
These reports included how the criticisms went and how the person responded, how the
political study went, a general evaluation of members’ participation and expressed unity with
the prepared party presentations, and a self-criticism regarding problems with the meeting or
errors. These reports were used by the next level of leadership to look for sources of
criticisms to be carried out in the various leadership bodies, such as Branch Council (the
weekly meeting of all Branch officers), Party School Teachers meeting, New Members
Teachers meeting, Political Officers meeting, Recruitment Officers meeting, and so forth.
There were two types of recruitment reports. Some summarized formal recruitment meetings
that had taken place, with suggestions for the next step to be taken with the recruit. Others
were lists of potential recruits from among acquaintances, co-workers, family, or long lost
friends. There were few periods when there was not an emphasis on recruitment. Therefore, it
was important to have some names to turn in on a recruit-ment report. Not doing so ensured
getting criticized for not helping to build the organization. Recruitment reports went to the
Branch leadership and to Staff/Recruitment (the administrative team who oversaw all of the
party’s recruitment). Guidance on how to proceed came back from Staff/Recruitment via the
Branch’s Recruitment Officer. If there were to be criticisms of someone related to recruitment,
guidance was given to that militant’s leadership at the weekly leadership Council meeting.
Most of this bureaucracy was run and led by Sandra, with daily and sometimes hourly
reporting to or communication with Baxter. Baxter came to leadership councils on rare
occasions --usually when a particular-ly serious and severe criticism was about to come
someone’s way. As middle-level leaders arrived at council meetings, hearts dropped at seeing
Baxter sitting at the front table.
The Work Ethic
Work was never done individually but was done in collective situations. At first, work went on
at selected members’ houses, those houses that the party considered to be “secure.” Later,
houses and commercial spaces were rented to be set up specifically as “party facilities.”
Everyone worked at one or another of these locations, depending on his or her assignment.
For example, one house served as the party’s staff headquarters for all internal administrative
work. A warehouse space was rented to serve as the production headquarters and printing
press. Another space housed the data bank and research institute. Yet another was a labor
organizing center or the public office of one of the WDU’s electoral efforts. Baxter’s city home
and Sandra’s apartment were considered to be party facilities, with certain militants assigned
there to perform infrastructure duties (maid and clerical work) for these leaders.
