Study Groups as a tool of organisation

In this article, Molefe Pilane shares the experiences of the Bolsheviks Study Circle in Discussing the importance of study groups generally

Encourages the culture of reading

The majority of the working class youth and adults that form part of study groups and social movements in South Africa come from schools which offered inferior education, which were not well-resourced and which lacked basic Infrastructure like libraries. This kind of education activists and opinions about issues of concern.

In this way activists can extend their knowledge and deepen their understanding of how the world works. It is also helps activists understand the challenges that they are facing, particularly how the people are oppressed. This space allows the activists to act in a more informed way when they defend themselves and the masses, and sharpens their tools to demand the rights of the masses. Under capitalism, the working class is politically oppressed and economically exploited. In study groups, we do not just pursue knowledge for its own sake, but to gather knowledge for social change. The ultimate purpose is social action that advances the interests and demands of the working class.

System was designed for the working class with the aim of denying them the capacity to develop and engage in intellectual debates and activities by not encouraging the culture of reading beyond the classroom and prescribed school textbooks. Most members of Social movements are poor and unemployed, and preoccupied with questions of survival on a daily basis. They ask themselves questions like, ‘Why are they poor? Why do the majority of the working class still live in areas which lack the basic infrastructure like water, electricity, decent houses, etc while other people ( i.e. the rich) have access to these much needed resources in abundance?’ Such questions seem to be many: ‘Why the rich seem to be getting richer while the working class seems to be getting poorer by the day? Is it possible to create a better world for all and how? How have past generations dealt with such questions and challenges, what were the failures and successes of their remedies and actions? What is to be done?,etc.   By being involved in study groups and reading different analyses and opinions of past and current writings, especially analyses of past revolutionaries and other scholars of History, Philosophy, Economics, Politics, etc, members slowly but surely get answers to these questions.

Members of study groups are able to encourage each other to read materials like: revolutionary writings, books and documents, newspapers, magazines, journals, biographies, etc

Revolutionary Writings, Books and Documents – Since the main aims of our Study Groups are not just leisure and entertainment, but rather, the building of defensive and revolutionary movements, it is imperative that the reading of revolutionary materials and writings by great revolutionaries of our times (such as Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, Trotsky, Lenin) must be read thoroughly and debated by the members. The reading of such materials, writings and publications provides members with knowledge and information on how revolutions were built and created in the past, under what circumstances and provides an analysis and interpretation thereof. This then provides members of the Study Groups with the confidence that we are part of a very important and crucial movement of men and women who are striving, and have been striving, to fight and defeat the world system of oppression and exploitation (ie global capitalism) and replace it with a system that is just and non-exploitative in order to build a better world for all humanity.

Newspapers – Members have been encouraged to read and cut-out newspaper articles about interesting stories on topics like politics, economics and other social issues. For example, one member would be interested in stories about the Palestinian struggle, about the resistance of the Palestinians against Israeli occupation of their land, and other members would then collect articles related to that struggle on an on-going basis from different newspapers and lead a discussion with the rest of the study group. This type of exercise ensures that members become aware of the world around them and update themselves about breaking news from around the globe.

Magazines and Journals – Members can choose to buy copies of monthly magazines from bookstores that cover current political and economic issues from around the world or obtain journals like the Khanya Journal for Activists that are then read by the group. For example, in April 2007, during the Easter Holidays, the Bolshevik Study Group in Rustenburg, together with their Potchefstroom comrades, organized a focused study weekend to read and discuss Khanya College’s Ufil’Umuntu , Ufil’ Usadikisa!, which is a publication/magazine which documented the Trade Unions and struggles for democracy and freedom in South Africa between 1973 – 2003. This kind of activity was important because it was able to educate the Study Group members about the history of organized workers, in particular how the industrial workers/ proletariat in South Africa where able to organise themselves and rise against a system of exploitation (i.e. Apartheid Capitalism) in one of the biggest and most heroic strikes ( i.e. the 1973 Durban Strikes) that inspired almost all workers in South Africa and created one of the biggest Trade Unions in South Africa, namely COSATU.

Biographies – The reason why the reading of the biographies is encouraged is so that members can learn about the life-stories of different struggle heroes of the past and present (e.g. Karl Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Rosa Luxemburg, Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, Hugo Chavez), so as to see how their struggles affected them at a personal level. It also helps us realize that these heroes were just ordinary people like anyone of us who are able to stand up against injustice, oppression and abuse.

Instills discipline and other important life skills

Members of a study group also learn other skills like time management (e.g attend meetings regularly and punctually; listening skills; communication skills; writing skills; patience; commitment; etc ). Since the study group is composed of members with different skills and capabilities, they result in a situation where members are able to complement each others’ shortfalls, thereby strengthening the group as a whole. For example, sometimes you find one member being very good at reading the study material fluently and is able to explain the material in a simple manner, while others are good at writing articles and essays, and some other members may be good at organizing meetings and ensuring that all members attend the study sessions on time, arranging a venue, food, drinks, and transport (when necessary).

The study group also acts as a support group

Being an activist is a very lonely and challenging task and requires constant motivation and encouragement. Therefore, study groups act almost as a ‘second family’ which can help members to stay positive, committed and motivated in the struggle. Since almost everyone goes through personal problems, crises, tragedies and moods swings, activists included, this can result in depression and demoralization. A study group can then act as a space where members can learn from one another, be motivated, get advice and be re- energized. The ability to motivate fellow members can, in some instances, prevent the depressed members from withdrawing from the group and adopting negative habits like resorting to abusing alcohol and drugs.

Study groups help keep a group of activist cadres together even during the ‘dark periods’ of struggle

Since most study group members are encouraged to be and are mostly activists in different mass organizations and formations (e.g. different social movements, Trade Unions and political parties, etc.), when they go through rough times in those organizations like in-fighting, splits, betrayals, periods of a lull in struggles, etc., they can ‘fall- back’ on their study group and share these experiences with other study group members in order to review and re-strategise for the future. The study group, as a collective, is then able to assist them in dealing with similar questions that arose in their struggles .The study group is able to look back on history through reading, discussions and debates on how such problems arose, under what circumstances and historical contexts and also how they were resolved at that time and whether those solutions that were applied in the past are still relevant under current conditions.

Study groups have the ability to empower and capacitate its members

Being part of study groups enables members to acquire information and knowledge that equips them to critically engage with state policies that have negative consequences on their lives. These include state policies to privatise basic services like water, education, health; policies that allows private corporations to engage in activities that are detrimental to the environment like mining activities in environmentally sensitive areas; policies that prioritize expansion projects and investment that do not benefit the poor and working class, e.g. the South African government’s notorious arms deal which saw the R50 billion purchase of military arms and hardware – which is money that could have been spent to improve education and health facilities, etc. Activist cadres in the study groups who are involved in the building of Defensive Working Class organizations are able to mobilize communities to oppose such State policies from an informed position.

The important role of the convener of the study group

The convener of the study group should play a role of unifying the members and organizing meetings. The convener should also encourage and motivate the members on an ongoing basis, especially those members who are becoming demoralized and disillusioned. The convener must take responsibility to delegate tasks to individual members and ensure that these tasks are executed.

Tasks can range from giving someone the responsibility to ensure that the venue for the meeting is secured in time, to ensuring that someone takes responsibility to distribute reading material to all the members on time, and that invitations to meetings are received by all members a few days before the date of the meeting.