Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

Tucson Marxist-Leninist Collective

Study Guide to the History of the Communist Party, USA (12 Sessions)


Issued: As an internal document, n.d. [1979].
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
Copyright: This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.


Introduction by Paul Costello: The TMLC developed this study guide in 1979 and subsequently used it as an internal education program for members. The TMLC rejected the prevailing tradition of many NCM groups in using internal education to simply inculcate cadre with the “correct line.” The TMLC instead wanted to use internal education to show cadre the history of line struggles and train them to think for themselves and be able to analyze, compare and critique different lines. Hence the readings and discussion questions accompanying the various sessions of this study program.

Weekly Sessions

Week #1: Origins of American Communism

Week #2: The Struggle for a Unified Party

Week #3: Factional Struggles in the 1920’s

Week #4: The Great Turn, 1929

Week #5: The Third Period

Week #6: Browderism and the People’s Front

Week #7: Browderism and the Dissolution of the Party

Week #8: The Reconstituted Party and the Left Opposition

Week #9: McCarthyism and the Cold War, 1947-1955

Week #10: The Factional Struggles of 1956-1958

Week #11: The Provisional Organizing Committee

Week #12: The CPUSA Today