First Published: Unity, Vol. 3, No. 22, November 7-21, 1980.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
Copyright: This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.
UNITY is starting a series of study columns on the theory of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought. The series will begin in the next issue of UNITY and run for 11 issues of the paper.
The study series was originally developed for study groups conducted by the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L). It is a product of a number of years of practice in leading study groups in Marxism-Leninism among workers and students in the United States, and also draws from the experience of communists in other countries.
In past months, we have received a number of questions about Marxism-Leninism. We are printing this study series in order to more broadly propagate revolutionary theory, and to encourage its study as part of the revolutionary struggle in this country.
Marxism-Leninism is a scientific theory which uncovers the laws governing human society, particularly capitalism. It shows how the very nature of capitalism inevitably leads the working class and oppressed peoples to wage a revolutionary struggle to overthrow the capitalist ruling class and establish a new society – socialism, where the working class is its own master and class exploitation and oppression are eliminated. Marxism shows that socialism is not a dream, but an inevitable product of history and of the struggle between the exploiting and exploited classes.
Marxism-Leninism has been enriched and developed by the experience of millions of workers and oppressed people in fighting capitalism and imperialism, making revolution and constructing socialism.
Marxist-Leninist theory is an indispensable weapon of the working class in its struggle. It helps to illuminate the path of revolution, and serves as a guide for the proletariat to understand the conditions in the world and its own country, and develop a concrete line and strategy for making revolution accordingly. Thus we study Marxism-Leninism precisely in order to use it – as a guide to action.
UNITY will carry a study column on a different topic in each of the next 11 issues. The topics will be:
1. Studying Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought
2. Classes, Class Struggle, and the Proletarian Revolution
3. The Crisis of Capitalism and the Inevitability of Socialism
4. Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism
5. Revolution and the International Situation Today
6. The National Question
7. The State and Revolution
8. The Communist Party
9. The Marxist World View: Dialectical and Historical Materialism
10. The Marxist World View, (Part II)
11. Proletarian Revolutionary Qualities and Summary
Each column will include an overview of the topic, a list of readings and discussion questions. The readings are mainly from the writings of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao. It is supplemented with material published by the League and reflects the political line of the League.
We hope that individuals as well as groups will be able to use this study guide.
In some areas of the country, the League holds on-going study groups. If you are interested in participating in one of these, please contact UNITY in your area. UNITY can also help you study through a correspondence system, and readers are encouraged to write to us concerning this as well. We will reply to all inquiries and respond to comments and answers to the questions posed in the study columns.
UNITY can also provide the reading material for the study series.
We hope that the study guide will help to popularize Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought throughout the country, and contribute to the task of drawing ever larger numbers of people into the ranks of the revolutionary struggle for socialism in the U.S.