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Title: An International Conference of Communist Cooperators (1924)
Description: Report by Algo on the Second International Conference of Communist Co-operators (Moscow, 11-17 June 1924), published in the Daily Worker Magazine.
Author: Algo
Date: 1924-08
URL: https://marxismo.school/archivo/congresos/originales/1924%20An%20International%20Conference%20of%20Communist%20Cooperators
---


*Algo, «An International Conference of Communist Cooperators». First printed as «The Second International Conference of Communist Co-operators» in International Press Correspondence (Vienna), vol. 4, no. 40, 10 July 1924, p. 393 ([marxists.org](https://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/inprecor/1924/v04n40-jul-10-1924-Inprecor-cpgb.pdf)), whose scan cuts off line ends; given here from the complete reprint in the Daily Worker (Chicago), vol. 2, no. 122, Saturday supplement («The Daily Worker Magazine»), 9 August 1924, p. 3 ([marxists.org, Library of Congress scan](https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1924/v02a-n122-supplement-aug-09-1924-DW-LOC.pdf)). Misprints of the newspaper are kept. The manifesto that follows the report in the newspaper is given on the page of the conference. [Traducción al español](https://marxismo.school/archivo/congresos/1924%20Cr%C3%B3nica%20de%20la%20II%20Conferencia%20Internacional%20de%20Cooperativistas%20Comunistas)*

## An International Conference of Communist Cooperators

Since the III. World Congress in July, 1921 the Communist International has taken up Co-operative work as a component part of political work. As is known, the II. International at its congress in Copenhagen in 1910 dealt with the Co-operative question from the point of view of the class struggle, and for its work within the Co-operative movement drew up theses of an ambiguous character with the result that in certain countries very radical phrases could be made use of, while in other countries, on the ground of the same theses, the most blatant opportunism was possible.

Now after three years there exists in the III. International a clearer plan which accords with the Co-operative resolution which comrade Lenin submitted as member of the Co-operative Commission of the II. International in 1910. In order to meet before hand the reformist danger of the individual party members acting as they wish in this important section of party work, the Communist co-operative theses lay it down as the absolute duty of every Communist to be a member of a co-operative society and at the same time to form nuclei in the numerous co-operative scoieties in order that a systematic work by party discipline is assured.

Already in November 1922 there took place in Moscow the first International Conference of Communist co-operators, whose task it was to lay down a theoretically based attitude for the class conscious proletariat with regard to the co-operative question and at the same time to approve the tactics by means of which the co-operatives under reformist leadership could be got into the hands of the class conscious proletariat. This task which the conference undertook, was completely accomplished and was embodied in the co-operative theses of the IV. World Congress. The Enlarged Executive at its sitting in June 1923 extended the co-operative theses in a comprehensive manner and expressly called the attention of the sections of the Comintern to co-operative work.

From the 11th to 17th of July there took place in Moscow the second international conference of Communist Co-operators, in order on the one hand to sum up the results of the co-operative work accomplished in the various countries and on the other hand to state in concrete terms the practical work lying ahead. The conference was attended by 43 delegates from 17 countries and 10 institutions. To the presidium were elected Comrades Chintchuk, Algo and Marran. The conference dealt with a very extensive agenda which included the report of the section and the reports from the various countries. The first two speakers dealt with “the role of the co-operatives in the present period of proletarian revolution,” while comrade Algo dealt with the role and the task before the capture of political power by the proletariat. The co-operatives can not only serve as tribunes for revolutionary propaganda among the masses of proletarian housewives and the politically indifferent among the broad strata of the petty bourgeoisie, but they also have the possibility to render moral and material support to all trade-union and proletarian campaigns and to act themselves as class organs by setting up strike funds and acting as suppliers of provisions for the fighting working class.” As regards illegal work there are many possibilities offered within the co-operative organizations, whilst co-operative work is admirably suited for the important task of the proletarian united front from below, for the revolutionizing and neutralizing of the masses.

Comrade Chintchuk dealt with the highly important role of the co-operatives during and after the proletarian revolution. Comrade Meschtcheryakov spoke on the international task of the co-operatives, comrade Marran dealt with the question of the trade-unions and the co-operatives, while comrades Stromer and Ostrovskaya spoke upon the women and the co-operative movement. Under the item ‘f’miscellaneous,” comrade Tishomirov gave an interesting report on the housing co-operative societies in Soviet Russia. All the reports were followed by detailed and thorough discussions.

In the resolution of the section report, it was pointed out that the old decisions of the congress must be carried out with all energy, that a co-operative section must be set up in the party central of every country and that in the general political campaigns, as well as in the press the co-operative work must form an essential part. Resolutions were adopted to the effect that there must be a better mutual exchange of information, that an international co-operative journal, “the co-oeratives in the class struggle,” must appear regularly, that visits must be arranged to the various countries and a national Communist co-operative conference take place, that co-operative courses must be arranged in the various countries for the education of trained Marxist functionaries, etc. The first three reports are embodied in theses, which lay special stress upon the importance of co-operative work as regards the political education of the backward working masses and of the housewives, and further emphasize the necessity of collaboration with the trade unions, of the fight against fascism and MacDonaldism and the necessity of intensive participation in anti-war propaganda.

Finally, a manifesto to all members of co-operatives was issued, the full text of which is given below.

The Conference has shown that almost everywhere there are comrades possessing the energetic will to link up the co-operative work within the frame of Communist party work. It was repeatedly stated that there was no country where sufficient work has been carried on among that great reservoir of masses of proletarian housewives and petty bourgeois elements, who are organized in the co-operatives. There is scarcely any other organization which is so highly adapted for the realization of the slogan “Into the masses” as the co-operatives.

*The manifesto is given on the page of the conference: [Second International Conference of Communist Co-operators](https://marxismo.school/archivo/congresos/originales/1924%20Second%20International%20Conference%20of%20Communist%20Co-operators).*