Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 1, 1992, Page 41
communicate any party orders relating to houses (such as earthquake procedures, guidelines
for keeping party documents, parking and telephone rules).
The individual had no privacy whatsoever. Militants learned very quickly that a good friend,
even a spouse, would report them. There was a constant sense of being watched. Paranoia,
mistrust, and defensiveness were spawned in an organization that proclaimed itself as honest,
caring, and humane. The justification for the incessant control was that it was the iron
discipline necessary to get things done. Militants were instilled with the feeling of being
special, chosen, an elite --because they worked so hard for the movement, cared so much,
dedicated themselves until they dropped. They were told and they told one another that this
extreme degree of control was needed because they all had so many bad, lazy, selfish,
corrupt, self-serving, careerist, and petty instincts having come out of normal (“bourgeois”)
society. Militants began to believe that if left to their own devices they would only claw one
another apart and screw the whole thing up.
Constant fatigue worked its magic day after day, month after month, year after year. Living in
a frenzied, tense, fearful state, exacerbated by poor diet and lack of sleep, helped to keep
members from thinking clearly, examining doubts, or seeing what their lives had really
become. Arriving home exhausted at 11 p.m., midnight, 1 or 2 a.m. on a regular basis left
few alternatives. All they could do was maybe drink some wine and drop into bed. There
simply was not the time or energy left to make sense out of anything. Any thoughts of leaving
the group were pushed aside for fear of shunning, loss of friends, and the punishments and
revenge the party was known to exact upon those who tried or asked to leave.
The norm was work, work, and more work. Give everything, put the organization first, forget
about the self and petty needs. The excuse of any extreme action was that the ends justified
the means. The party considered itself an elite force with its own brand of morality --which
meant militants could lie if lying would serve the cause militants could cheat, be violent,
manipulative, whatever it took to meet the goal.
Very soon militants thought of themselves as a family, although that word would not have
been used --“family” would have been considered too touchy-feely. Rather, militants looked
upon one another as comrades --at home, at work, at meetings, at the party facility. Within a
brief period of time after joining, a member had no other life but the party. Anything that
wasn’t party-related was regarded as an intrusion on this very special existence, the life of a
dedicated cadre. This made it even more possible for all parts of a member’s life to be
monitored, scrutinized, reported on, and controlled. The rationale or justification for all of this,
whether spoken or not, was sacrifice for the greater good.
As time went on, for most members, there was less and less contact with the outside world.
Since militants could never explain to anyone outside the party what they were doing, why
they were never home, why they were never available for socializing, how they earned a
living, and so forth, it was easier for them simply not to see family or former friends.
Militants’ lives became dominated by the daily task, the daily criticism, and whatever political
campaign (internal or external) was in focus at the time.
This harsh and unusual life-style was accepted as the sacrifice necessary for the political
cause, for the achievements the party supposedly was making. Over and over militants were
taught that this kind of sacrifice was difficult but do-able. Also, it was explained that cadre
life was not meant for everyone militants were told that they should feel honored to be part
of the revolutionary cadre tradition. And finally, it was emphasized that WDU militants had a
double responsibility because of their leader, Doreen Baxter, who was special and whose
worldview was special, because the WDU alone was the only principled, truly communist
group remaining in the North American Left. WDU militants truly believed that there would be
no leftist movement if it weren’t for them and their efforts, if it weren’t for the WDU.
communicate any party orders relating to houses (such as earthquake procedures, guidelines
for keeping party documents, parking and telephone rules).
The individual had no privacy whatsoever. Militants learned very quickly that a good friend,
even a spouse, would report them. There was a constant sense of being watched. Paranoia,
mistrust, and defensiveness were spawned in an organization that proclaimed itself as honest,
caring, and humane. The justification for the incessant control was that it was the iron
discipline necessary to get things done. Militants were instilled with the feeling of being
special, chosen, an elite --because they worked so hard for the movement, cared so much,
dedicated themselves until they dropped. They were told and they told one another that this
extreme degree of control was needed because they all had so many bad, lazy, selfish,
corrupt, self-serving, careerist, and petty instincts having come out of normal (“bourgeois”)
society. Militants began to believe that if left to their own devices they would only claw one
another apart and screw the whole thing up.
Constant fatigue worked its magic day after day, month after month, year after year. Living in
a frenzied, tense, fearful state, exacerbated by poor diet and lack of sleep, helped to keep
members from thinking clearly, examining doubts, or seeing what their lives had really
become. Arriving home exhausted at 11 p.m., midnight, 1 or 2 a.m. on a regular basis left
few alternatives. All they could do was maybe drink some wine and drop into bed. There
simply was not the time or energy left to make sense out of anything. Any thoughts of leaving
the group were pushed aside for fear of shunning, loss of friends, and the punishments and
revenge the party was known to exact upon those who tried or asked to leave.
The norm was work, work, and more work. Give everything, put the organization first, forget
about the self and petty needs. The excuse of any extreme action was that the ends justified
the means. The party considered itself an elite force with its own brand of morality --which
meant militants could lie if lying would serve the cause militants could cheat, be violent,
manipulative, whatever it took to meet the goal.
Very soon militants thought of themselves as a family, although that word would not have
been used --“family” would have been considered too touchy-feely. Rather, militants looked
upon one another as comrades --at home, at work, at meetings, at the party facility. Within a
brief period of time after joining, a member had no other life but the party. Anything that
wasn’t party-related was regarded as an intrusion on this very special existence, the life of a
dedicated cadre. This made it even more possible for all parts of a member’s life to be
monitored, scrutinized, reported on, and controlled. The rationale or justification for all of this,
whether spoken or not, was sacrifice for the greater good.
As time went on, for most members, there was less and less contact with the outside world.
Since militants could never explain to anyone outside the party what they were doing, why
they were never home, why they were never available for socializing, how they earned a
living, and so forth, it was easier for them simply not to see family or former friends.
Militants’ lives became dominated by the daily task, the daily criticism, and whatever political
campaign (internal or external) was in focus at the time.
This harsh and unusual life-style was accepted as the sacrifice necessary for the political
cause, for the achievements the party supposedly was making. Over and over militants were
taught that this kind of sacrifice was difficult but do-able. Also, it was explained that cadre
life was not meant for everyone militants were told that they should feel honored to be part
of the revolutionary cadre tradition. And finally, it was emphasized that WDU militants had a
double responsibility because of their leader, Doreen Baxter, who was special and whose
worldview was special, because the WDU alone was the only principled, truly communist
group remaining in the North American Left. WDU militants truly believed that there would be
no leftist movement if it weren’t for them and their efforts, if it weren’t for the WDU.
