A young woman is admitted into the Komsomol in Norilsk, USSR 1960s - Vsevolod Tarasevich, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
A look at the history and purpose of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League (popularly known as the Komsomol) of the USSR from the September, 1982 issue of Socialism: Principles, Practice, Prospects.
The League of Young Leninists
The All-Union Leninist Young Communist League is "an independent social organization uniting in its ranks broad -masses of front-rank Soviet youth." (From the YCL Rules).
The YCL actively participates in fulfilling nationwide tasks and, at the same time, strives to meet most fully the diverse specific age requirements of Soviet young people, ranging from politics to meaningful leisure pursuits. The Komsomol performs well this wide range of vital functions. Evidence of this is the people's recognition of its services: it has been decorated with six government awards–three Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, and the Order of the October Revolution.
THE ORIGIN
The formation of youth organizations in Russia was discussed at the Sixth Congress of the Communist Party {July 26-August 3, 1917), on the eve of the Great October Socialist Revolution. This was not an accidental coincidence in time, but proof of the paramount role played by the youth in the revolutionary reorganization of society along socialist lines. At that time, diverse views were expressed on the character of future youth organizations. Some said that they should be left to themselves, without any guidance by the Party. Others, on the contrary, proposed setting up something like youth sections within the Party. Lenin's conception was that the league must be an independent self-governing organization but guided by the' "general directives of the Communist Party."
These were the principles on which the First Congress of Young Workers and Peasants of Soviet Russia proclaimed the organization of the Russian Young Communist League on October 29. 1918.
The organizational structure and forms of activity of the YCL as a self-governing organization has the aim of rearing active citizens who realize their responsibility for all that takes place in the world. The YCL brings youth together for joint activity and shapes a system of interconnection and interaction within the framework of which young people hold meetings and discussions. learn to defend their views and reckon with the views of others, learn to lead and obey. YCL affairs are conducted by all its members on an equal footing, The leading Komsomol organs of all ranks are elective and accountable to those who elect them. Consistent implementation of the YCL organizational principles is important not only for the successful accomplishment of its own tasks, but also for the development of socialist democracy in all sectors of Soviet society, for training worthy people for the Communist Party. Throughout the existence of the YCL 155 million people have had schooling in its ranks. Over this period the YCL has recommended over 14 million members for CPSU membership.
The Youth League, running its internal life on democratic principles and enjoying complete organizational independence, voluntarily recognizes and consciously accepts the leading role of the Communist Party. ''The strength of the Komsomol,’' say the YCL Rules, "lies in the CPSU’s guidance.'’ By virtue of its leading position in the country and guided by its programmed aims, the Party is vitally interested in the continuous rise of the effectiveness of YCL work in diverse forms.
CARRYING ON REVOLUTIONARY TRADITIONS
As one of the Soviet songs puts it, the revolution has a beginning but no end. These words most aptly convey the continuity of revolutionary transformations in society's advance towards communism, “with the object of ensuring full well-being and free, all-round development for all the members of society,'’ as Lenin said, (Collected Works, vol. 6, p, 54)
Each generation tackles its specific problems to achieve the aims initiated by the October Socialist Revolution of 1917. The present young generation too is honourably fulfilling its historic mission.
An indicator of the growing role played by the Komsomol in the decisive sphere, the economy, is the fact that Union and Autonomous Republics territories, regions, towns, districts and individual enterprises showing the best record in fulfilling national economic plans are annually awarded challenge Red Banners of the CPSU Central Committee, the USSR Council of Ministers, AUCCTU and the YCL Central Committee. Last year, the first year of the eleventh five-year plan (1981-1985), these banners were awarded to 1,620 work collectives as winners of the All Union Socialist Competition The Komsomol has inscribed in its rules and is abiding by Lenin’s behest that the Young Communist League must be a shock group which gives assistance in any work and displays initiative and enterprise.
Without delving too deep in history, we shall mention just some imposing Komsomol deeds in recent years. The Young Communist League bears responsibility for such major projects as the Baikal-Amur Railway (BAM), the Kansk-Achinsk fuel and power complex (Siberia), development of the Non-Black Earth zone of the Russian Federation embracing 29 autonomous republics and regions.
Every year more than 100,000 young men and women bearing certificates of YCL committees go to major construction projects of the five-year plan. What induces them to go there? Sociological investigations reveal that more than a half of young people coming to Komsomol-supervised projects give as their main motive the desire to work where their labour is most needed by society. Their next motivation is the desire to test themselves in the harsh natural conditions, to temper their will and character. And only a small percentage of the responders said that their main motivation was the desire to make money.
Millions of higher school students work voluntarily in the fields and construction sites as members of student teams. In 1981 the overall student team numbered nearly 840,000 people who put into operation production facilities worth 1.6 billion rubles. Every fifth student worked in the specialty studied at the institute.
The students themselves extensively take part in socio-political work. Over 270,000 members of building teams delivered lectures and talks on topics of the day and gave performances. Since the start of the student work movement 22 years ago 8.6 million students have participated in it. The Report of the CPSU Central Committee to the 26th Congress of the Party (1981) said: ’'The most important, the central task of the YCL is to help form the rising generation into politically active, knowledgeable people, who like and know how to work and are always prepared to defend their country. On the whole, the YCL is coping with this task. . . That is the course that should be maintained."
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