First Published: Red Flag Vol. I, Nos. 4-5, July-August & September-October, 1966
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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The Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist), in acceptance of the revolutionary principles of the 1957 Twelve Party Declaration and the 1960 Eighty-one Party Statement, recognizes the fundamental contradictions in the contemporary world as:
The contradiction between the socialist camp and. the imperialist camp; the contradiction between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie: the contradiction between oppressed nations and imperialism; the contradiction among imperialist countries and among monopoly capitalist groups.
The contradiction between the socialist camp and the imperialist camp is an irreconcilable contradiction. It is a contradiction between two diametrically opposed social systems. It is a contradiction between states under the dictatorship of the proletariat and states under the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. The contradiction between the imperialist camp and the socialist camp can be resolved only through the triumph of socialism over capitalism. The imperialists find that the very existence of the socialist camp cannot be tolerated, and the imperialists are intent on provoking war with the socialist camp. The war with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics by fascist Germany is a clear indication of the imperialist attempt to destroy the then only existing socialist state. The United States imperialists’ preparation for war against the People’s Republic of China and United States aggressive actions against Vietnam and Korea are also an indication of the imperialists’ inability to tolerate the existence of the socialist camp. The imperialists are intent on destroying the dictatorship of the proletariat ’peacefully’ if possible by consciously cultivating the bourgeois strata and revisionists within the socialist countries as in the case of the modern revisionists in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This is plainly an attempt to destroy the socialist camp, an attempt, which will fail.
The contradiction between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie is a fundamental class contradiction that follows from the social character of the means of production and the private ownership of the means of production. It is the basic class contradiction that exists and is an irreconcilable contradiction which is manifested in class struggle. The contradiction between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat cam only be resolved through proletarian revolution and elimination of the bourgeoisie as a class and bourgeois ideology as the expression of this class. The proletarians of all countries are the basis of the revolution and are the only class capable of liberating mankind from the yoke of the capitalist system.
Open struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor cannot be prevented from coming to the fore as an open manifestation of this basic irreconcilable contradiction. The ever present strikes and spontaneous outbreaks and uprisings are an indication of this contradiction in concrete terms and cannot be prevented from occurring.THE CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THE OPRESSED NATIONS AND IMPERIALISM
The oppression and exploitation of nations under imperialism has increased. The general crisis of capitalism has deepened and has served to accentuate the process of development and change through national liberation struggles and proletarian revolution. The imperialists must increase their exploitation and oppression in order to maintain their profits, thus intensifying national liberation struggles.
The national liberation struggles that are occurring on a worldwide scale are on the advance while imperialism, headed by United States imperialism, is headed for total defeat. The revolutionary struggles of oppressed nations and peoples which are occurring in Africa, Asia and Latin America are changing the world through revolution more quickly this century than ever before in the history of human society.
The oppressed nations and peoples are faced with the urgent task of fighting imperialism and its flunkeys. The anti-imperialist struggles of the oppressed people are pounding and undermining the foundations of the rule of imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism.
These struggles point out clearly the correctness of proletarian internationalism and of the need for a united front against imperialism headed by United States imperialism. The struggle of oppressed nations against imperialism is an important component of contemporary proletarian revolutions: they assist such revolutions by weakening imperialism and its ability to maintain domination over many oppressed nations and peoples. Once the national liberation struggle is successful, the proletarian Party must consolidate its position and carry forward the revolution to a proletarian revolution. The stage of “independence” (semi-colonial stage) is but temporary. It is the stage of polarization of forces – when the proletarian Party must evaluate and prepare its reserves for proletarian revolution because imperialism and reaction are preparing their reserves (the reactionary and comprador bourgeoisie) for a counter-revolution and neo-colonialism. The contradiction between imperialism and oppressed nations can only be resolved through proletarian revolution.
The contradiction among imperialist and monopoly capitalist groups is a fundamental contradiction and is irreconcilable. The imperialists and the monopoly capitalists are engaged in an ever-increasing struggle which cannot be eliminated under capitalism. The essence of imperialism compels the imperialists to struggle for the domination and re-division of the world. The international communist movement should seek to exploit this contradiction among imperialists such as between the United States imperialists and the French, German and Japanese imperialists. The competition for markets and territory such as between the United States imperialists and the French imperialists for colonies and the European Market and the dissolution of United States military blocs such as N.A.T.O., C.E.N.T.O., and S.E.A.T.O. are also a clear indication of the intensification of the contradictions between imperialists.
The principal contradiction within the United States of America is the contradiction between the proletariat and bourgeoisie.
There also exists a contradiction between United States imperialism and the Negro nation and the Puerto Rican nation as direct colonies of United States imperialism. Further, there exist contradictions between monopoly and other sections of the bourgeoisie and among monopoly groups.Fascism is developing in the United States of America as the direct result of United States monopoly capital being threatened and deprived of its sources of raw material and spheres of influence. The loss of these colonies and semi-colonies coupled with the contradictions among other imperialist powers means the loss of United States monopoly capital’s super-profits and serves to deepen further the general crisis of United States imperialism.Fascism is the open terroristic dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinistic and most imperialist elements of finance capital. Using the facade of ”democracy” and under the slogan of ”law and order” the bourgeoisie is increasing its attacks on the most oppressed and most exploited section of the American working class. U.S. imperialism employs both legal and extra-legal means of suppression which lays bare the true nature of “democracy” and “freedom” in the United States and reveals the inner link between the reactionary policies pursued by the United States government at home and its policies of aggression abroad. Racism has one primary source: United States imperialism. Racism emanates from the reactionary policies of aggression abroad. The basis for its eradication can only be the destruction of U.S. imperialism.
Another aspect of the rise of fascism in the United States today is the conversion of the trade unions into an open labor front of United States monopoly capital. The Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) approaches the trade union question based on the rank and file. We seek to unite with the most exploited and oppressed sections of the class. It is essential that the broadest possible united front against fascism be formed with all democratic forces in alliance with the working class.
Monopoly Capitalists
The monopoly capitalist group possesses the fewest numbers of persons and the largest amount of wealth. The monopoly capitalists politically control The United States of America. They are in a position to and are seeking to destroy all competition and prevent progress. They are part of the international system of imperialism. The monopoly capitalists cannot operate solely out of one country. Monopoly capitalists are imperialists.
The imperialists are the most vicious enemy of revolutionary movements; they are the most reactionary and undemocratic. Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party represent monopoly capitalism. It is absurd to consider these two Parties different in essence. The contradictions among the various groups of monopolists must be considered, but the task of the Party of the proletariat is to discredit completely those bourgeois Parties and their influence within the working class. Both Parties are part of reaction and both are capable of representing fascist dictatorship. Both Parties function as a coalition of monopoly capitalist groups.
Middle Bourgeoisie
The middle bourgeoisie is that section of the capitalist class which owns most of the small corporations, possesses or owns factories or land but is not able to manipulate or control whole sections of industry. The Middle bourgeoisie are not in a position to compete with monopoly capital and much of their possessions are tied to monopoly capital.
Presently, the middle bourgeoisie is in general supportive of monopoly capital internationally. At home it is general supportive of monopoly capital, however, it opposes policies that tend toward centralization and concentration of political power and wealth which the monopoly capitalists demand. Sections of the middle bourgeoisie seek a return to free competition and laissez-faire capitalism. Presently the contradiction between monopoly capitalists and the middle bourgeoisie has expressed itself in the formation of groups of the middle bourgeoisie such as the John Birch Society which operate under the cover of conservative and which are for “states’ rights”. They are as reactionary as monopoly capitalists domestically but do not direct state policy and hence do not present the same danger as monopoly capitalist groups who are the main enemy of the proletariat.
In terms of the working class, the middle bourgeoisie aligns itself with United States imperialism. Alliances can be made with democratic sections of the middle bourgeoisie, but they are temporary and cannot last.
Petty Bourgeoisie
The petty bourgeoisie are owners of small shops, stores and small farms. The petty bourgeoisie occupies the least stable position within the bourgeoisie and comprise the largest section of the bourgeoisie. The petty bourgeoisie are constantly being thrown back into the proletariat by the competition of monopoly capitalists and the middle bourgeoisie. Their main political expression is support of the policies of monopoly capital.
Democratic sections of the petty bourgeoisie can serve as a part of a united front against imperialism and be allies of the proletariat. The petty bourgeoisie are highly unreliable and unstable as an ally from the point of view of the proletariat. Their instability is due to the social relations of the petty bourgeoisie to the bourgeoisie, their constantly being threatened with annihilation by the bourgeoisie.
Presently sections of the petty bourgeoisie and sections of the aristocracy of labor have formed a number of small radical political parties but are incapable of leading the proletarian revolution.
Aristocracy of Labor
The aristocracy of labor is that section of the working class which presently sides politically and ideologically with the bourgeoisie. They are an integral part of the working class and must be won to the side of the proletariat. The aristocracy of labor is the most highly bribed section of the working class but are still wage slaves. Their interests ultimately are with the proletariat.
The Proletariat
The proletariat is the most exploited and oppressed section of the working class. They constitute the most reliable section of the working class and the core of the revolutionary movement.
The urban proletariat is the most politically advanced and the most highly organized section of the proletarian. They are the basis for the revolutionary movement.
The rural proletariat is less organized and less politically conscious than the urban proletariat and must be moved into revolutionary activity by the urban proletariat.
The proletariat has nothing to lose by revolution and has everything to gain and is the most revolutionary section of the working class and is the only section capable of proletarian revolution. They are the vast majority of the people whose everyday life points out the necessity for revolution.
In the United States of America, the proletariat has been without consistent leadership since 1944, until the reconstitution of the Communist Party of the United States of America in 1965 to the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist). Since the Party of the proletariat – the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) – has not fully developed on a national scale the proletariat, has not been able to expand its areas of influence and has not been able to organize its forces to do consistent battle with the bourgeoisie.
Under the guidance of the Party of the proletariat – the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) – the proletariat will be capable of overthrowing the capitalist system and establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat.
The Lumpen Proletariat
The lumpen proletariat are those de-classed elements (prostitutes, thieves, and hustlers) who have given up the class struggle. The lumpens lack stability and definite relationship to class struggle. They are generally opportunist elements in the employ of whoever will buy them. They are an unreliable ally of the revolutionary proletariat.
The policy of the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) on the trade unions is to win control and support of the trade unions in the United States of America. The Party will win such support by organizing politically the rank and file of the trade unions through the exposing of the labor lieutenants of the capitalists.
Our objective is to smash the bourgeoisie’s control of the trade union movement, and in so doing smash the fascist labor front.
The trade unions represent the organization of the advanced sections of the proletariat. Revolutionary trade unions have historically formed the bulwark of the revolutionary movement. The winning of the workers in the trade unions to support their Party – the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) – is viewed as one overall central task of the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist—Leninist). The trade unions in themselves, economic strikes in themselves cannot emancipate the working class. The essential question is proletarian revolution. The purpose of trade union work is to be able to turn economic strikes into political strikes and. political strikes into revolutionary action.
The U.S.A. is a multi-national state, comprised of three nations: The American nation, the Negro nation and the Puerto Rican nation. The Negro ration and Puerto Rican nation are direct colonies of U.S. imperialism.
The contradiction between U.S. imperialism and the Negro nation and Puerto Rican nation is irreconcilable. The struggle against the oppression of the Negro nation and Puerto Rican nation is part of the world-wide national liberation struggle. The end to national oppression can only occur with the destruction of U.S. imperialism. The C.P.U.S.A. (M.-L.) calls for the right of self-determination for the Negro nation and the Puerto Rican nation. The C.P.U.S.A. (M.-L.) states that the right of self-determination can only be secured by the Negro nation and Puerto Rican nation by proletarian revolution and with the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat in the United States.
The struggle of the American proletariat and the Negro and Puerto Rican proletariat is part of the proletarian revolution in the United States. The struggle of the proletariat is against the common enemy, United States imperialism. Our Party is the Party of the proletariat of the United States of America. With regard to the Negro and Puerto Rican nations, armed revolution is the only means to emancipation. By the right of self-determination for the Negro nation and the Puerto Rican nation, the Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) means the right of the people of those nations to determine completely for themselves their own destiny as a nation. The right of self-determination includes the right to secede and form an independent national state or the right to autonomy within the United States of America or the amalgamation of the Negro nation and or Puerto Rican nation with the American nation.
The position of the communists within the Negro nation and the Puerto Rican nation must be to fight for unity with the proletariat of the American nation against the common enemy.
The Communist Party of the United States of America (Marxist-Leninist) upholds proletarian internationalism by combating any tendency towards great nation chauvinism within the Party and the proletariat. Hence, full support for the right of self-determination for the Negro nation and the Puerto Rican nation must be fought for by all Marxist-Leninists and class conscious workers. In addition, the greatest unity must be expressed between the proletarians of the national minorities of the American nation and the rest of the American proletariat. The task of the communist and revolutionary class conscious proletariat of the oppressed nations must be to oppose nationalism by fighting for unity of all the proletariat of the United States of America.
We call for an anti-imperialist united front for the right of self-determination for the Negro nation in the South and the Puerto Rican nation which will include those forces who represent the national liberation forces of the oppressed nations.
Revisionism did not suddenly develop because of the reactionary stance of the bourgeoisie. The revisionism of the C.P.U.S.A. had its origins prior to 1944, and its origin and base for development was the class composition of the Party. Revisionism arose as a response to the needs of the bourgeoisie and as a sympathetic response of the bourgeois elements within the Party to the bourgeoisie. The revisionists systematized their political opportunism and capitulation in tailing the liberal policy of the Roosevelt administration.
Revisionism expresses itself in concrete policies and positions. The rejection of the proletariat, the rejection of the dictatorship of the proletariat is the social chauvinist position of rejection of the existence of the Negro nation in the South and the right of self-determination for the Puerto Rican nation and the Negro nation and support of reactionary nationalism and racism. The revisionists seek an alliance with all sections of the bourgeoisie disregarding the class needs of the proletariat. The essence of revisionism is to serve imperialism. The class composition of the revisionist Communist Party of the United States of America is the aristocracy of labor, the petty bourgeoisie and the bourgeoisie. There con be no unity with the revisionist Communist Party of the United States of America since there can be no principled basis for such unity. The revisionists must be thoroughly exposed and destroyed. We reject any united front action with the revisionists internationally and nationally.
The latest party to develop from the petty bourgeoisie, the Progressive labor Party, labors under the illusion that it represents the progressive forces in the United States of America. They, like the revisionist Communist Party of the United States of America, express their class base and outlook in their concrete position of social chauvinism and opportunism – the rejection of the Negro nation in the South and rejection of proletarian revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat. Further, the Progressive Labor Party is not a Leninist party in structure.
The Progressive Labor Party follows in the wake of the spontaneous movement of the proletariat, students and reactionary nationalists.
The Progressive Labor Party is incapable of leading the proletariat because they are a party of the petty bourgeoisie. Their programs and position will be rejected by the revolutionary proletariat. The support of the Progressive Labor Party is not the proletariat but the petty bourgeoisie. The revisionist Communist Party of the United States of America and the Trotskyite: Socialist Workers Party provide direct physical aid and assistance to their conciliators, the Progressive Labor Party. The Progressive Labor Party are covert revisionists. The Progressive Labor Party is a source of confusion nationally and internationally because of their erroneous and deceptive statements which are used to cover their class collaboration.
The role of the Progressive Labor Party at-present is that of a centrist in actual relations. They seek international support by claiming to support the struggle against imperialism and revisionism, such as a claim of opposition, to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union while supporting revisionism in Cuba. Nationally, they pursue a steady course of collaboration and support with revisionists and Trotskyites in united front movements and in inter-party relations.
As long as the Progressive Labor Party espouses a policy of joint action with revisionists and Trotskyites nationally, coupled with their opportunist and class collaborationist position on the national-colonial and trade union questions, there can be no principled basis for unity between Marxist-Leninists and the Progressive Labor Party.
The task of the Party is to build a Party of the proletariat of the United States of America capable of leading the proletariat in revolution, overthrowing the capitalist system and establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat. In order to build such a Party, it is necessary to build a center and newspaper, to recruit the most advanced sections of the proletariat.
In the formative stage of the Party, our immediate task is the amassing of a core of professional revolutionaries.