Questions to Ask
These aren't hostile questions. These are the questions any serious political person should ask before committing their time, energy, and money to any organisation.
About Leadership
- Who runs the organisation? What are their names and roles?
- How long have they been in those positions?
- How are leaders chosen? Is there a transparent process?
- Can they be removed? Has anyone ever been removed, and how?
- Is leadership concentrated in one person or a small circle?
About Decision-Making
- How are decisions made? Who has a vote and on what?
- Is there genuine internal debate, or is the line set from above?
- What happens when members disagree with a decision?
- Are dissenting views recorded or published internally?
- Can rank-and-file members raise issues directly with leadership?
About Money
- What are the membership fees or expected financial contributions?
- Where does the money go? Is there a budget or financial report?
- Are finances published or available to members?
- Who controls the finances, and is there independent oversight?
- What do members fundraise for, and who decides how it's spent?
About Criticism
- How is internal criticism handled?
- What happens to members who publicly disagree with the organisation?
- How does the organisation respond to external criticism?
- What has happened to people who left? Are they treated respectfully?
- Is there a pattern of ex-members being discredited or ostracised?
About the Record
- What has the organisation actually achieved, concretely?
- Where are members organising, and what campaigns have they won?
- Does practice match rhetoric? Do the stated politics show up in the work?
- How does the organisation relate to other left organisations?
- Has the organisation changed its positions significantly, and how was that explained?
About Transparency
- Does the organisation run or staff front groups? Are these disclosed?
- Are affiliations and funding sources publicly stated?
- Can you speak publicly about being a member?
- Can you speak publicly about disagreeing with the organisation?
- Are the organisation's founding documents and internal rules available?
No serious organisation will object to these questions. If asking them gets you treated with suspicion — that tells you something.