The title of this article may appear to be rather strange, as we do not even have a Communist Party. For that reason, this may seem to be ‘’putting the cart before the horse’’. Yet due to the breadth and depth of the revolutionary movement, it is very likely that a true Communist Party will soon take shape. As soon as that happens, the capitalists will make every effort to infiltrate the Party, as was the case of all previous Communist Parties. What is more, all too often, they succeeded in causing serious damage. For that reason, we had best be prepared.
Our current situation is similar to that which existed in Europe, in 1918. At that time, as Lenin phrased it, ‘’Over four years of a most exhausting and reactionary war have done their work. One can feel the impending proletarian revolution in Europe- in Austria, Italy, Germany, France and even in Britain’’.
In my opinion, we can now ‘’feel the impending proletarian revolution’’, not only in Europe, but also in other parts of the world, most notably in America. It is also a fact that, just as was the case of Europe in 1918, we do not have a true Communist Party. Bear in mind that a true Communist Party, openly calls for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, the ‘’touchstone of a true Communist’’, according to Lenin.
As this subject is so important, it is necessary to go into it, in more detail. Also, for the benefit of those who are just now becoming politically active, I should mention that the Marxists at that time, led by Lenin, referred to themselves as Social Democrats, later changed their name to Bolsheviks, and still later to Communists.
The fact of the matter is that we have numerous revisionist Communist Parties, those which claim to be followers of Marx and Lenin, while maintaining that the revolutionary theories of those great revolutionaries, must be revised! Sometimes they state this openly, while more often, they tend to avoid the subject. This is their idea of being clever.
This revisionist tendency is ‘’nothing new’’. As Lenin explained, quite clearly, in What Is To Be Done?, written in 1902, ‘’The content of this new tendency did not have to grow and develop, it was transferred bodily from bourgeois literature to socialist literature’’.
That is true to this day. The revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin are ‘’taught’’ only in Universities, and then only with a view to distorting them. Further, as it is primarily the children of the bourgeois who attend University, this bourgeois distortion of those revolutionary theories is still embraced by the children of the bourgeois, including those who are more ‘’Progressive’’, or ‘’Liberal’’, or ‘’Leftist’’, to use the bourgeois terminology. Some of them even consider themselves to be Socialists.
This begs the question: What is this ‘’new tendency’’, to which Lenin was referring? The answer: ‘’The demand for a definite change from revolutionary Social-Democracy (Communism) to bourgeois social-reformism, was accompanied by a no less definite turn towards bourgeois criticism of all the fundamental ideas of Marxism…The possibility of putting socialism on a scientific basis, and of proving that it is necessary and inevitable, from the point of view of the materialist conception of history, was denied, as also were the facts of growing impoverishment and proletarianization, and the intensification of capitalist contradictions. The very conception, ‘ultimate aim’, was declared to be unsound, and the idea of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat was absolutely rejected. It was denied that there is any difference in principle between liberalism and socialism. The theory of the class struggle was rejected, on the grounds that it could not be applied to a strictly democratic society, governed according to the will of the majority, etc.’’ (italics by Lenin)
There are those who may object, apparently quite reasonably, that this ‘’infatuation with theory’’, is merely a matter of petty squabbling, between competing factions of intellectuals. For that reason, it is of no concern to working people!
While such an objection may sound quite reasonable, it is deeply flawed. The fact of the matter is that the social chauvinists, those who are socialists in words, chauvinists in deeds, are determined to establish themselves as leaders of the working class, and at the time of the revolution, seize control of the existing state apparatus, and set themselves up, as the new rulers!
The problem is that the working class, the proletariat, is not aware of itself as a class! The conditions of life, of the working class, do not lead to that awareness. For that reason, it is only natural for working people to assume that the capitalists can be overthrown, at the time of the revolution, and then crushed, under the existing state apparatus.
Yet experience has shown that nothing can be farther from the truth! The lessons learned from previous revolutionary experience, are referred to as ‘’theory’’. Better we learn from previous experience, rather than repeat those mistakes! That is the reason theory is so important!
As for those who may think that I am over stating the case, consider the opinion of Lenin: ‘’Without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement. …The importance of theory for (our Party) is still greater for three reasons…The first is that our Party is only in the process of formation, its features are but just becoming outlined, and it has not yet completely settled its accounts with other tendencies in the revolutionary thought, which threaten to divert the movement from the proper path’’.
The ‘’proper path’’, to which Lenin referred, is the overthrow of the ruling class of monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, technically referred to as the bourgeoisie, the smashing of the existing state apparatus, and the establishment of a new state apparatus, in order to crush the ‘’desperate and determined resistance of the bourgeoisie’’, as they make every effort to return to power. This new state apparatus is referred to as the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
It is safe to say that in our case, the ‘’Party’’ is not even in the process of formation, but soon will be. At that time, it will have to ‘’settle accounts’’ with other tendencies, especially those which are determined to ‘’divert the movement from the proper path’’.
Perhaps one such ‘’tendency’’ is that of the Democratic Socialists of America, the DSA. They are certainly the most obvious, and refer to themselves as Socialists. Not that they are fighting for Socialism. They are fighting for Democracy and Reforms. The DSA wants to ‘’patch up’’ capitalism. That is their idea of Socialism!
It is only true Communists, Scientific Socialists, those who follow the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, who are the true Socialists. Both of them examined capitalism, from a scientific viewpoint. This stands in stark contrast to the Utopian Socialists, those who think that ‘’Socialism is merely a good idea’’.
Now the working people have to be made aware of this.
Lenin went on to state: ‘’We have observed …. a revival of non-Social-Democratic (Communist) revolutionary tendencies. Under such circumstances, what at first sight appears to be an ‘unimportant’ mistake, may give rise to most deplorable consequences, and only the short sighted would consider factional disputes and strict distinction of shades to be inopportune and superfluous. The fate of Russian Social Democracy (Communism) for many, many years to come, may be determined by the strengthening of one or the other ‘shade’.’’
As our Communist Party takes shape, we are well advised to pay strict attention to any and all non-Communist tendencies, no matter how minor they may appear!
Lenin: ‘’The second reason is that the Social Democratic (Communist) movement is essentially an international movement. This does not merely mean that we must combat national chauvinism. It also means that a movement that is starting in a young country, can be successful only on the condition that it assimilates the experience of other countries. In order to assimilate this experience, it is not sufficient merely to be acquainted with it, or merely to transcribe the latest resolutions. A critical attitude is required towards this experience, and ability to subject it to independent tests. Only those who realize how much the modern labour movement has grown in strength, will understand what a reserve of theoretical forces and political (as well as revolutionary) experience is required to fulfill this task’’.
Our current American Revolution closely resembles the Great Russian October Soviet Socialist Revolution. For that reason, we can learn a great deal from that Revolution.
Lenin: ‘’The third reason is that the national tasks of Russian Social Democracy (Communism) are such as have never confronted any other Socialist Party in the world. …We merely wish to state that the role of vanguard can be fulfilled only by a Party that is guided by an advanced theory’’. (italics by Lenin)
The Communist Party has a duty to provide the working class people with the proper leadership. That duty can be properly fulfilled, only when that Party is ‘’guided by an advanced theory’’.
Lenin then proceeded to quote Engels, concerning the significance of theory in the Communist movement: ‘’Engels recognizes not two forms of the great struggle Social Democracy (Communism) is conducting, (political and economic), as is the fashion among us, but three, adding to the first two the theoretical struggle.’’ (italics by Lenin)
This was followed by a rather lengthy passage from the Introduction by Engels, to The Peasant War in Germany. Bear in mind that, at that time, the German Communist Party was among the finest, in the world. But only because the Party leaders advocated the revolutionary theories of Marx and Engels.
Yet several years later, under extreme pressure, due to the outbreak of the First World War, most of those previously fine Communists ‘’turned their coats’’. They called for the ‘’Defence of the Fatherland!’’ The defence of the bourgeoisie!
It is note worthy that Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg, were the notable exceptions. They adhered to principle, and paid for it, with their lives. Both were murdered. Martyrs to Communism.
The German common people, both workers and farmers, were thus deprived of their leaders, and of course, reaction set in.
In other parts of the world, a similar situation played out. In countries with true Communist Parties, those leaders also called for ‘’Defence of the Fatherland’’. Class traitors!
Then there were countries with no Communist Party, and no Communist leaders. That pretty well describes our current situation.
Lenin had a few words to say, concerning our current predicament: ‘’Europe’s greatest misfortune and danger is that it has no revolutionary party. It has parties of traitors…But it has no revolutionary party. Of course, a mighty, popular revolutionary movement may rectify this deficiency, but it is nevertheless a serious misfortune and a grave danger. That is why we must do our best to expose renegades like Kautksy, thereby supporting the revolutionary groups of genuine international workers, who are to be found in all countries. The proletariat will very soon turn away from the traitors and renegades and follow these groups, drawing and training leaders from their midst. No wonder the bourgeoisie of all countries are howling about ‘world Bolshevism’ (Communism). World Bolshevism (Communism) will conquer world bourgeoisie’’. (italics by Lenin)
Without doubt, we are currently experiencing a ‘’mighty, popular revolutionary movement’’, which ‘’may rectify this deficiency’’. Now it is up to us, Scientific Socialists, Communists, to make sure that happens. The best way to do that, is by ‘’exposing’’ the renegades to Marxism, those who claim to be Communists, but are in fact revisionists. In this way, we can ‘’support the revolutionary groups of genuine internationalist workers’’.
As the revolution unfolds, we can fully expect the vast majority of workers to gravitate towards those who merely claim to be Socialists, or even Communists. It is the duty of true Communists, to expose those who are revisionists, or even mere reformers. In this way, those same newly awakened workers will ‘’turn away from the traitors and renegades’’, and follow the ‘’revolutionary groups of internationalist workers’’. In turn, leaders will be ‘’drawn and trained from their midst’’.
After that rather lengthy introduction, we can now return to the subject of the title of this article. Assuming that a true Communist Party is about to be created, as I am sure is the case, the importance of periodic purges must be stressed. There is no other way of ensuring the purity of the Party!
To phrase this in popular terms, many years ago, a small time thief became famous, when he answered a simple question: Why do you rob banks? Answer: ‘’Because that is where the money is’’.
At the time of the Revolution, the existing state apparatus will be smashed, and the current ruling class of multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, will be crushed, under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. All political power will be in the hands of the Communist Party. So where will the capitalists go? Into the Party, of course, as that is where the power is! Hence the need for purges!
By the same token, purges which do not take place, can lead to deplorable consequences. One such example occurred in early October of 1917. At that time, Kerensky, the leader of the Russian Provisional Government, was determined to surrender the capital of Petrograd, to the Germans, in order to quell the Revolution.
For that reason, Lenin was determined to immediately mount the Insurrection, to overthrow the Provisional Government, and establish the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. The majority of the Central Committee agreed to this, and plans were prepared, in secret.
Yet two Members, of that Central Committee, Zinoviev and Kamenev, were opposed to this. So they made public those plans! They did their best to sabotage the Insurrection!
In response to this act of treachery, Lenin wanted them removed, purged, from the Party. The Central Committee refused. They remained, not only within the Party, but also as Members of the Central Committee. A huge mistake! They continued with their anti Party activities, until Stalin had them shot, years later.
A second example is one involving the Chinese Communist Party, during the time they were truly Communist. This calls for a little explanation.
In a previous article, I conducted a criticism of Mao. A great revolutionary, but one who made some serious mistakes. One of those mistakes was that the Cultural Revolution was largely restricted to Culture. It merely touched upon science. As a result of this, the Chinese capitalists merely hid in various fields of science, biding their time. After the death of Mao, they were able to return to power.
At the time I wrote that article, I deliberately refrained from a second point, as I did not have all of the details, which are very important. However, it is even more important to stress the importance of periodically purging the Party.
A second mistake of Mao, was that of ‘’patiently struggling’’ with certain high ranking members of the Party. These were people who were determined to restore capitalism. Such people do not respond to struggle! They should have been purged! They were not!
At the time of the death of Mao, the Central Committee consisted of seven Members. Three of them were dedicated capitalists. A minority. Yet they got together and mounted a coup. The four Member majority was arrested, probably by the military, and the capitalists returned to power.
This is to stress the fact that a periodic purge of the Communist Party is absolutely essential! It was the absence of such purges which contributed to the collapse of both the Soviet Union and Communist China. These mistakes we must not repeat!
With Most Sincere Communist Greetings,
Gerald McIsaac