Aim

1. The aim of the Revolutionary Communist Organisation is the formation of a communist cadre party for the purposes of proletarian revolution, the establishment of a workers republic, and the triumph of communism.
   
   Membership

2. A cadre member is one who accepts the Points of Unity and Aims of the RCO, regularly participates in organisational activities, engages in the consistent study of revolutionary theory, and regularly pays dues.

3. Applicants for membership must first go through a period of provisional membership and political education in a cell before being accepted as a cadre member. This period should last roughly 3 months, and is used to assess their capacity and suitability for membership. During this time they cannot hold leadership positions, vote, or be involved in clandestine activities. A provisional member becomes a cadre member by a simple vote in their cell.

4. Individuals who fall into the following categories are barred from membership in the RCO: current and former employees or informants of security and police forces, associates and members of fascist and reactionary organisations, members of the landlord class, or any who earn a living through the exploitation of the proletariat.

5. All members are required to fulfil all tasks assigned to them by the organisation, to fight for the organisation’s unity in action and use the organisation’s material resources in a responsible manner. RCO members also have a right and a duty to study Marxism and develop the organisation’s political positions, as well as participating in its democratic life.
   
   Organisation of Political Life   

6. The organisational principles of the RCO are based on the principle of Democratic Centralism. The part is subordinate to the whole, lower committees to higher, all committees to the Central Committee, and the Central Committee to the General Congress. All decision making processes must be consultative and democratic in nature, while activity should be taken collectively. Democratic Centralism also seeks to eradicate the privileges of leadership, political bureaucracies, and allows tendencies to openly publish their views. This means allowing for the possibility that minorities in the organisation become majorities.

7. Except where the rules state otherwise, in all organisation bodies decisions are taken by the majority of members participating in the meeting through a simple vote. A meeting is quorate if half the cadre members of that body are present. It is the right and the duty of RCO members to participate in the meetings of the bodies of which they are a member and to openly state their views on all matters concerning the organisation. In between meetings the tasks assigned by the chair, steering committee, leadership committee, or secretary of that body must be fulfilled.

8. All elected committees (with the exception of the leadership of leagues) of the RCO must include the following positions: Chairperson, Logistics Officer, Membership Officer, Education Officer, and Security Officer. Other positions on an elected committee may be created by the electing body.

9. All elected positions within the organisation have a term limit of 2 years before they must be replaced with another member.

10. Organisational bodies are established on the basis of task, locality or workplace. Within their sphere of responsibility they are autonomous.

11. During a particular action, members have the right to submit their views to higher committees up to the Central Committee for discussion and to the central publication for publication. While acting fully in accordance with the principle of unity in action, members can oppose decisions taken by higher committees. That includes the right to form tendencies organised with a view to changing RCO policy or its leadership, and have the views of those tendencies published and heard.

12. The RCO as a whole, as well as local cells, leagues, and tendencies have the right to publish their views in publications of their own creation, with editors to be subject to democratic accountability.
    
    Structure of the Organisation

13. The basic organisational form of the RCO is the cell. Cells may be based in a given locality (such as a suburb or town), a workplace or group of workplaces, or to an institution such as a school or university. Cells should be kept as small as possible to allow maximum flexibility and maximum efficiency. The minimum number of members required for a cell to form is 5. Cells should meet at least fortnightly.

14. Each cell must elect a steering committee to sit between meetings of the cell and to coordinate its work.

15. Cells may be seeded by other cells, or seek to join collectively in areas where the RCO currently has no structures. In the case of a cell joining, normal membership processes can be temporarily suspended to allow their cadre membership, after a period of political assessment. Political education must then be delivered as quickly as possible to the new cell’s members.

16. The Central Committee, or a group of cells in an area, city, district or region, may establish area or city committees, which are responsible for directing the work of at least two cells, or district or regional committees, which are responsible for the work of two or more areas or cities in the district or region.

17. The Central Committee, or a group of cells may establish working groups for the purpose of carrying out particular forms of political work and coordinating activities across cells. Working groups do not operate publicly, nor do they have the right to publish their own material. The steering committee of a working group is appointed by the body that created it.

18. The General Congress is the highest decision-making body of the organisation. The General Congress should normally be held every year. The congress should be announced by the Central Committee at least three months in advance. The congress can be delayed by decision of the Central Committee, but the period between congresses should not exceed two years. Preparation and representation is decided by the committee convening the congress, though the delegate system in place should seek to represent the membership as broadly as possible.

19. Extraordinary congresses can be called by a majority decision of the Central Committee. If more than a third of the membership demand it, the Central Committee is obliged to convene an extraordinary congress. It should be held within three months. Failing that, the next highest committees calling for a congress has the duty to set up an organising committee to convene one.

20. Any cadre member of the RCO has the right to attend and speak at the General Congress, but only delegates have the right to vote.

21. The General Congress hears, discusses and votes upon all reports, resolutions and matters it considers relevant. Through simple majorities it also decides upon the numbers and composition of the Central Committee, changes in the rules and programme, appeals on matters of discipline, etc.

22. The Central Committee is the highest decision-making body between congresses. If one third of its members so decide, the chair of the Central Committee must convene an extraordinary meeting of the Central Committee.

23. Decisions of the Central Committee are taken by a simple majority of those members participating. The Central Committee has the power to dissolve and re-establish any party body or publication. The Central Committee may co-opt new members who will not have voting rights.

24. Between congresses or at particularly important junctures, a conference may be convened by the Central Committee or a majority of district committees or cells. Conference cannot take the place of the congress. It cannot elect the Central Committee nor change the rules and programmatic documents.

25. Leagues are organisation-wide structures that organise members of the organisation across and within cells, working groups, and other organisational bodies to engage in public political work, or to represent members of a certain interest group. Leagues must be created by the General Congress, and have the right to issue publications and elect their own steering committees. This document allows for the automatic creation of the following leagues: a) a Women’s League, b) a League representing Queer People, c) a League representing disabled people, d) a League for the Decolonisation and Anti-Racism, and e) a Youth League. Leagues have the right to elect one delegate to the Central Committee.
    
    Discipline

26. The following are violations of organisational discipline: failure to adhere to organisational rules; violating organisational security; refusal to support an agreed action; concealing by words, conduct or silence one’s political or factional relations and activities; behaving in a way that brings discredit to the organisation; behaving in a way that undermines the solidarity of the organisation and endangers its members.

27. Any committee of the organisation can vote on a motion of censure against one of its members. The relevant higher committee must be notified. Votes by a committee to suspend or expel a member must be ratified by the Central Committee. A member who is suspended has no membership rights, only duties. The comrade’s level of consciousness and experience should always be taken into account.

28. Every member of the organisation who is subject to disciplinary procedures has the right to appeal to higher bodies of the organisation, up to and including the congress.

29. The expulsion of a member of the Central Committee must be agreed by a two-thirds majority of its full membership.
    
    Dues and Finances

30. The Central Committee determines the level of membership dues. Money from dues must be distributed between the Central Committee and the local cells. Dispensation can be negotiated in particular cases by the basic committees, but have to be ratified by the Central Committee.

31. Only directly elected positions within the organisation may have a stipend attached.