The CPGB’s sectarian ‘new line’ destroyed its 1926 membership gains

Evidence

From the middle of 1924 until the General Strike, the party’s membership doubled, largely as a result of its work in the industrial and trade union fields. During the miners’ struggle of 1926 membership rocketed to over 10,000, only to start on a decline which became sharper as the party adopted a more and more uncompromising attitude towards the Labour Party and the trade unions. By the end of the twenties the membership had fallen back to 3,200, roughly the same figure as in the period 1922 to mid-1924. The adoption of the ‘new line’ was the main factor which accelerated the rate of decline after 1928. — Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism_ The Making of the Black…, 2367

Categorization

• XREF: Direct parallel to Robinson’s themes about Marxist orthodoxy failing to absorb the racial dimension of Black radicalism; also resonates with the sectarian ‘third period’ politics relevant to later Black radical organizing.