Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

DEMOCRACY
lenge offered such a forum to build these coalitions. The second issue of Challenge
started a regular feature entitled "What's Doing." This column carried news of YCL, Co-
Operative Circle, LLOY and ILP Guild of Youth activities. 64 In the August, 1935 issue
of Challenge, the YCL renamed this column "What's Doing in the Youth Movement."
The column was expanded to include news of "religious bodies, Scouts and other youth
organizations" and their "actions against war." 65 Such columns could utilize the "pressure
of public opinion" to influence successive National Governments to be more responsive
to "the popular demands of the youth." 66 The YCL insisted that if youth wanted "work,
wages and peace" they had to recognize that "no one will give them… you have to fight
for it." 67
Despite the fact that both Baldwin and Chamberlain's National Governments were
"democratically elected," the YCL insisted they were not democratic and therefore should
not be trusted by the youth. YCL rhetoric urged youth not to "be deceived by their
speeches" on democracy since in practice the National Government was "against democracy"
and "stands for friendship" with fascism. 68 The key to understanding Chamberlain
was to look past his rhetoric and to evaluate his actual political activities:
Half the world is in flames. Democracy is in danger. Our country is being disgraced
and ruined by the pro-fascist policy of Mr. Chamberlain the Prime Minister, who has
time to write greetings to the Hitler Youth, who has time to attend displays by the "Ballila"
Youth Organisation of Mussolini, but who cannot find time to discuss questions of
defence with the leaders of the National Youth Campaign or any other British youth
leaders. 69
The YCLNC highlighted the divergences between the rhetoric and reality of the National
Government stating, "The Prime Minister is daily betraying democracy in other European
countries, and is a hypocrite when he says he is trying to defend democracy in our
own." 70 The YCL stated that in reality "association with fascist powers brings fascist
methods in Britain" and that "our rights in the free youth movements [will] go by the
board if this man Chamberlain is allowed to carry on." 71
YCL rhetoric utilized an associational framework that coupled Chamberlain with fascism
while portraying the youth as defenders of democracy. YCL rhetoric spoke of
Britain as a nation polarized between a pro-fascist minority aligned behind Chamberlain
and the majority of youth who stood for democracy. The Popular Front Generation
insisted that their program both reflected and complimented the democratic outlook of
the youth:
We must always remember that the overwhelming majority of the youth in Britain are
democratic. If the question were put to the youth of Britain "Are you in favour of democracy"
the majority would answer – yes! Therefore, we are working among the
youth of our generation in circumstances in which the majority are favourable towards
the general idea which is embodied in our policy – to defend democracy and peace. And
this is the fact which we should never lose sight of. If we explain our policy correctly
among the youth, we will find that the youth are sympathetic towards our policy. 72
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