ON CERTAN DEOOGCA SS1ES

ResoIuton Adopted at the 14th Congress of the CP{M)

Madras, january 3-9, 1992
1.0 NTROD1CTON
I. TumuItous deveIopments and catacIysmIc changes have taken pIace In the
worId sInce the ThIrteenth Congress. The dIsmantIIng oI socIaIIsm In the SovIet
!nIon, the dIsIntegratIon oI the !SSI, the coIIapse oI the communIst-Ied
regImes In ast urope and the process oI restoratIon oI capItaIIsm In these
countrIes -- aII constItute a bIg reversaI Ior the worId Iorces oI socIaIIsm. These
counter-revoIutIonary deveIopments are gIvIng rIse to proIound poIItIcaI,
economIc and socIaI changes on a worId scaIe.
II. These deveIopments have aIso brought Into Iocus a new oIIensIve agaInst
MarxIsm-IenInIsm. WorId Iorces oI ImperIaIIsm, gIoatIng over these
deveIopments, have unIeashed a massIve propaganda bIItz agaInst MarxIsm
and communIsm. They are beIng bIatantIy assIsted by the Iorces oI socIaI
democracy and capItuIatIonIsts wIthIn the communIst movement ItseII.
enouncIng MarxIsm and socIaIIsm, they emboIden to procIaIm that capItaIIsm
Is the end oI human socIaI evoIutIon.
III.n ndIa too, the antI-communIst Iorces are on an oIIensIve. The CI(M) Is
partIcuIarIy targetted Ior Its open partIsanshIp In deIence oI socIaIIsm and
MarxIsm-IenInIsm. These Iorces seek to obIIterate the Immense contrIbutIon oI
socIaIIsm to the materIaI and InteIIectuaI deveIopment oI human cIvIIIsatIon In
the 20th century.
Iv. The compIexIty oI the sItuatIon and the Issues beIng questIoned, encompass the
hIstory oI nearIy a century oI human cIvIIIsatIon. ThIs demands a wIde,
extensIve and Indepth study. GIven the pace oI deveIopments and theIr nature,
onIy some preIImInary concIusIons can be drawn.
v. The CI(M), Irom Its InceptIon, had to carry on a IIerce struggIe agaInst
devIatIons In the InternatIonaI communIst movement. urIng thIs perIod oI
twentyseven years oI struggIe agaInst revIsIonIsm and dogmatIsm, the CI(M)
was guIded by Its Independent judgement on the basIs oI the IundamentaI
prIncIpIes oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm, and Irom Its own experIence.
vI.Once agaIn In 1968, at the urdwan IIenum on IdeoIogIcaI Issues, the CI(M)
had to carry Iorward thIs reIentIess struggIe agaInst modern revIsIonIsm
advocated by the CIS! headed by Khruschchev. WhIIe combattIng the
revIsIonIst devIatIon, the CI(M) had to conduct an Intense struggIe agaInst the
IeIt adventurIst devIatIon advanced by the CIC whIch had a very adverse
Impact on the ndIan CommunIst movement. t Is these struggIes that shaped
the CI(M)'s eIIorts to uphoId the revoIutIonary cause oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm
and advance the ndIan peopIe's struggIes.
vII.t Is thIs very same approach that Ied the CI(M) to demarcate and pubIIcIy
express Its dIsapprovaI oI many IdeoIogIcaI posItIons put Iorward by the CIS!
sInce aIter the 70th annIversary oI the October IevoIutIon. The resoIutIons
adopted by the CentraI CommIttee durIng thIs perIod deIIne the Iramework oI
the CI(M)'s anaIysIs oI these deveIopments. ContInuIng thIs thread and
approach, the CI(M) Is assessIng the present day deveIopments, the
ImpIIcatIons that they have Ior Iuture worId deveIopments and Ior the strategy
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and tactIcs oI the communIst movement worId wIde as weII as In ndIa.
vIII.n thIs sItuatIon, when the InternatIonaI communIst movement has been
thrown Into dIsarray wIth many communIst partIes renegIng on the basIc tenets
oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm, the CI(M) attempts to gaIn a more Indepth knowIedge
oI the present day worId. t Is commItted to deepen Its understandIng oI these
deveIopments, oI human socIaI evoIutIon and oI the experIences and Iessons
that have to be Iearnt. OnIy In thIs way, can the workIng cIass and the peopIe oI
ndIa pursue theIr struggIe Ior a peopIe's democratIc revoIutIon and Iuture
socIaIIst order Ior IIberatIon Irom expIoItatIon, socIaI, poIItIcaI and natIonaI
oppressIon.
Ix.The revoIutIonary changes oI the twentIeth century and the deep ImprInt oI
socIaIIst thought and practIce on the contemporary worId need to be properIy
evaIuated wIth aII the vIctorIes and deIeats, advances and setbacks.
2.0 GENERA CRSS O1 CAPTASM AND THE NEW EPOCH
I. The MarxIst anaIysIs oI the deveIopment oI capItaIIsm, Its maturIng Into the
stage oI ImperIaIIsm and the sharpenIng oI Its Inherent contradIctIons resuItIng
In recurrIng crIses, have been resoundIngIy vIndIcated by the deveIopments oI
the 20th century.
II. The October IevoIutIon oI 1917, ItseII a product oI the maturIng oI the
contradIctIons oI worId capItaIIsm In the stage oI ImperIaIIsm and the decIsIve
InterventIon oI the oIshevIk Iarty, set In motIon deveIopments that constItute
a quaIItatIve Ieap Iorward In hIstory. The consequent vIctorIes oI the peopIe In
theIr IIberatIon struggIes had a worIdwIde Impact.
III.The estabIIshment oI a socIety that Ior the IIrst tIme aboIIshed cIass
expIoItatIon, gave a powerIuI Impetus to the peopIe's struggIes the worId over.
The guaranteeIng oI rIghts, InconceIvabIe tIII then under capItaIIsm, and the
transIormatIon oI once backward economy Into a mIghty economIc and mIIItary
buIwark conIrontIng ImperIaIIsm, has conIIrmed the superIorIty oI the socIaIIst
system.
Iv. ThIs epoch-makIng revoIutIon, the decIsIve roIe pIayed by the !SSI In the
deIeat oI IascIsm, and the consequent emergence oI the ast uropean
socIaIIst countrIes had proIound Impact on worId deveIopments.
v. ThIs was IoIIowed by the hIstorIc trIumph oI the ChInese IevoIutIon. ThIs was a
source oI great InspIratIon that gaIvanIsed the struggIes oI the peopIes oI the
coIonIaI countrIes Ior theIr IIberatIon.
vI.The heroIc VIetnamese peopIe's struggIe agaInst ImperIaIIsm, the Korean
peopIe's struggIe and the Cuban revoIutIon gave tremendous Impetus to the
growIng workIng cIass struggIes the worId over. These antI-ImperIaIIst vIctorIes
Iurther strengthened the worId Iorces oI natIonaI IIberatIon and socIaIIsm.
vII.These hIstorIc events and the process oI de coIonIsatIon that began IoIIowIng
the deIeat oI IascIsm, shIIted the baIance In Iavour oI worId Iorces oI peace,
natIonaI IIberatIon and socIaIIsm, thus vIndIcatIng the understandIng that thIs
was an epoch oI transItIon Irom capItaIIsm to socIaIIsm on a worId scaIe.
vIII.t was In thIs background that the InternatIonaI communIst movement made
an assessment oI the contemporary worId and adopted the correspondIng
strategy and tactIcs Ior advancIng the Iorces oI worId socIaIIsm. The 1957 and
1960 conIerences oI the CommunIst IartIes, endorsIng the shIIt In the worId
baIance oI Iorces In Iavour oI socIaIIsm, went beyond to IormuIate that
socIaIIsm Is becomIng the decIsIve Iactor In shapIng worId deveIopments.
Ix.The May 1990 CI(M) CentraI CommIttee resoIutIon seII-crItIcaIIy re-examIned
the basIs oI such an assessment. t had concIuded that thIs assessment was a
gross under estImatIon oI the potentIaI oI worId capItaIIsm, both oI Its capacIty
to Iurther deveIop productIve Iorces as weII as Its capacIty to adapt to changed
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cIrcumstances.
x. The statement oI the 1960 conIerence Issued by 81 partIcIpatIng CommunIst
IartIes stated. "t Is the prIncIpaI characterIstIc oI our tIme that the worId
socIaIIst system Is becomIng the decIsIve Iactor In the deveIopment oI socIety."
t goes on to say. "The worId capItaIIst system Is goIng through an Intense
process oI dIsIntegratIon and decay." And, "CapItaIIsm Impedes more and more
the use oI the achIevements oI modern scIence and technoIogy In the Interests
oI socIaI progress." And that, "The tIme Is not Iar oII when socIaIIsm's share oI
worId productIon wIII be greater than that oI capItaIIsm" "CapItaIIsm wIII be
deIeated In the decIsIve sphere oI human endeavour, the sphere oI materIaI
productIon." The statement contInued. "A new stage has begun In the
deveIopment oI the generaI crIsIs oI capItaIIsm," and taIked oI "the growIng
InstabIIIty oI the entIre worId economIc system oI capItaIIsm". ased on such
assessments the statement concIuded that "Today the restoratIon oI capItaIIsm
has been made ImpossIbIe not onIy In the SovIet !nIon, but In the other
socIaIIst countrIes as weII."
xI.SeII-crItIcaIIy, It must be noted that the CI(M), as a contIngent oI the worId
communIst movement, was InIIuenced by thIs Incorrect understandIng. t Is
thereIore necessary to evaIuate and re-examIne the basIs Ior such an
assessment.
xII.n retrospect, It can be saId that the generaI crIsIs oI capItaIIsm was
sImpIIstIcaIIy understood. The hIstorIcaI InevItabIIIty oI capItaIIsm's coIIapse
was advanced as a possIbIIIty round the corner. ThIs was a serIous error that
InhIbIted a concrete scIentIIIc study oI the changes that wee takIng pIace In the
capItaIIst countrIes and the manner In whIch It was adaptIng to meet the
chaIIenges arIsIng Irom socIaIIsm. n the process, the cIear warnIng gIven by
Marx and ngeIs In the CommunIst ManIIesto was not correctIy understood"
the bourgeoIsIe cannot exIst wIthout constantIy revoIutIonIsIng the Instruments
oI productIon and thereby the reIatIons oI productIon and wIth that the whoIe
reIatIons oI socIety".
xIII.The InevItabIIIty oI capItaIIsm's coIIapse Is not an automatIc process.
CapItaIIsm has to be overthrown. An erroneous understandIng onIy bIunts the
need to constantIy sharpen and strengthen the revoIutIonary IdeoIogIcaI
struggIe oI the workIng cIass and Its decIsIve InterventIon under the IeadershIp
oI a party wedded to MarxIsm-IenInIsm -- the subjectIve Iactor wIthout whIch
no revoIutIonary transIormatIon Is possIbIe.
xIv. t Is necessary to note that Marx and ngeIs had projected the trIumph oI
worId socIaIIsm as the post-capItaIIst stage In human evoIutIon. The process oI
thIs worIdwIde transIormatIon was conceIved oI on the basIs oI the overthrow
oI capItaIIsm In at Ieast some oI the major capItaIIstIcaIIy deveIoped countrIes
to begIn wIth. The maturIng oI capItaIIsm to the stage oI ImperIaIIsm and the
sharpenIng oI Its Inherent worId contradIctIons, however, permItted the
possIbIIIty oI breakIng the ImperIaIIst chaIn oI worId bondage at Its weakest
IInk. The IussIan workIng cIass under IenIn's IeadershIp, appIyIng the
InvIoIabIe MarxIst tooI oI "concrete anaIysIs oI concrete condItIons," converted
thIs possIbIIIty Into an epoch-makIng reaIIty.
xv.Iowever, socIaIIst revoIutIons trIumphed, contrary to the expectatIons oI Marx
and ngeIs, In countrIes that were comparatIveIy Iess capItaIIstIcaIIy deveIoped
and reIatIveIy backward (except Ior CzechosIovakIa). The absence oI a
trIumphant revoIutIon In any advanced capItaIIst country, by ItseII, Imposed
IImItatIons on these countrIes to consoIIdate socIaIIsm. The reIatIveIy Iow IeveI
oI productIve Iorces and the assocIated backward productIon and socIaI
reIatIons had to be substantIaIIy raIsed and at a break-neck speed, bypassIng
the stage oI capItaIIsm, to IeveIs that couId sustaIn socIaIIst constructIon. ThIs
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was partIcuIarIy true oI agrIcuIture and the peasantry. The stupendous task oI
transIormIng agrIcuIture based on petty productIon, on socIaIIst IInes had to be
undertaken. ThIs was a compIIcated process InvoIvIng the transIormatIon oI a
backward peasantry. ThIs process had to be pursued reIyIng pureIy on InternaI
resources, wIthout access to the hIgher technIques oI productIon deveIoped by
capItaIIsm and In hostIIe InternatIonaI atmosphere when worId capItaIIsm trIed
aII methods at Its dIsposaI to asphyxIate socIaIIsm. t Is, In Iact, a testImony to
the superIorIty oI the socIaIIst system that such a gIgantIc task couId be
achIeved.
xvI.ThereIore, whIIe the socIaIIst revoIutIons reduced the physIcaI sIze and IeveIs
oI operatIons oI the worId capItaIIst market, In the absence oI socIaIIst
revoIutIons In any advanced country, these basIcaIIy aIIected neIther the IeveIs
oI productIve Iorces aIready attaIned by capItaIIsm nor Its Iuture potentIaI. t
was hence possIbIe Ior worId capItaIIsm to adapt to the new reaIItIes oI a
reduced physIcaI market and yet raIse the IeveIs oI the productIve Iorces. ThIs
Is testIIIed by Its InItIatIon oI the scIentIIIc and technoIogIcaI revoIutIon In the
post-second worId war perIod. ThIs, In turn, tremendousIy expanded the worId
capItaIIst market gIvIng Iurther sustenance Ior Its growth.
xvII.t shouId be noted that capItaIIsm's growth was based maInIy on Increased
expIoItatIon oI the deveIopIng countrIes In addItIon to the scIentIIIc and
technoIogIcaI revoIutIon. IoIIowIng the process oI decoIonIsatIon, capItaIIst
countrIes adapted to the changed cIrcumstances by perIectIng varIous Iorms oI
neo-coIonIaI expIoItatIon.
xvIII.At the same tIme, worId capItaIIsm had to adapt to changed cIrcumstances In
a dIIIerent way. The estabIIshment oI a socIaIIst socIety and Its practIce had a
deep Impact amongst the workIng cIass the worId over, In the sphere oI
economIc, socIaI and poIItIcaI rIghts. CapItaIIsm met thIs chaIIenge to Its order,
partIy by adoptIng weIIare measures and grantIng rIghts that It never conceded
to the workIng peopIe beIore. n other words, capItaIIsm was Iorced to share a
mInor part oI Its proIIts, In order to keep the ruIe oI capItaI aIIve. The
democratIc rIghts that are today consIdered as InaIIenabIe Irom human
cIvIIIsatIon, are the product oI the peopIe's struggIe Ior socIaI transIormatIon
and not the charIty oI bourgeoIs cIass ruIe.
xIx.Such an understandIng not onIy underestImated the potentIaI oI worId
capItaIIsm to Iurther deveIop productIve Iorces but aIso Its capacIty to
InIIuence the course oI economIc deveIopment oI the socIaIIst countrIes. SInce
1917, ImperIaIIsm Iorced the !SSI to dIvert substantIaI portIon oI Its
resources away Irom economIc deveIopment desIgned to enhance peopIe's
weII-beIng. ThIs was done InItIaIIy through armed InterventIons, encIrcIement,
trade embargoes, the second worId war and more recentIy the nucIear arms
race. Iowever, despIte these chaIIenges the !SSI achIeved nucIear parIty,
thus actIng as a powerIuI deterrent agaInst ImperIaIIsm's eIIorts to IoIst Its wIII
on the worId. At the same tIme, It provIded support and materIaI aId to the
natIonaI IIberatIon struggIes and to the newIy Independent countrIes, IncIudIng
ndIa, In theIr struggIe agaInst ImperIaIIst eIIorts to subjugate theIr economIes.
ThIs massIve dIversIon oI resources to meet ImperIaIIsm's backward materIaI
and cuIturaI IeveIs, created many dIIIIcuItIes In the process oI socIaIIst
constructIon.
xx.Apart Irom these objectIve condItIons, the subjectIve nature oI overestImatIon
oI the Iorces oI socIaIIsm In the 1957 and 1960 documents must be noted. ThIs
prevented a concrete scIentIIIc anaIysIs oI the changes that are necessary
wIthIn the socIaIIst countrIes In reIatIon to changes In the worId sItuatIon and
the InternaI growth oI productIve Iorces. The rapId growth oI productIve Iorces
under socIaIIsm that revoIutIonIse the Instruments oI productIon warrant
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constant Improvements In the methods oI economIc management. n Iact, It Is
socIaIIsm that extended the IrontIers oI scIence Into space by IaunchIng the
IIrst man-made sateIIIte, sputnIk. ut, there were Iags In utIIIsIng such
advances Ior InnovatIons In the productIon process Ior IncreasIng the quaIIty
and quantIty oI consumer goods, Increase productIvIty and strengthen the
economIc base. A scIentIIIc study, on whose basIs tImeIy changes are InItIated
to meet the new requIrements, Is an essentIaI IngredIent oI socIaIIst
constructIon. Such changes are not conIIned onIy to the methods oI economIc
management and productIon reIatIons but extend to socIaI reIatIons and the
superstructure as weII. The IaIIure to InItIate such tImeIy changes have created
many probIems that have contrIbuted to the present reverses.
xxI.Iowever, notwIthstandIng these Incorrect estImatIons and present-day
reverses, the 20th century, partIcuIarIy the epoch begInnIng wIth the October
IevoIutIon, was marked by the vIctorIes oI the workIng cIass, the peasantry
and peopIe In every contInent oI the worId, In varyIng degree.
xxII.urIng thIs century, capItaIIsm pIunged humanIty Into two barbarIc worId
wars cIaImIng mIIIIons oI IIves. t produced and used nucIear weapons to
demonstrate Its Inhuman superIorIty and pIunged the worId Into a nucIear race
wIth devastatIng consequences. t Iaunched numerous wars to contaIn
humanIty's advance to socIaIIsm, Intervened In the InternaI aIIaIrs oI
Independent countrIes, organIsed coups, IoIsted reactIonary and dIctatorIaI
regImes to suIt Its Interests. ts most barbarIc Iorm was exposed In the IascIst
dIctatorshIps.
xxIII.On the other hand, the socIaIIst revoIutIons and natIonaI IIberatIon struggIes
Imparted a rIcher content to human cIvIIIsatIon, by makIng It possIbIe Ior the
majorIty oI the workIng peopIe In many countrIes to Iead theIr IIves wIthout
natIonaI oppressIon and Iree Irom expIoItatIon. ThIs Impact contInues to chart
the Iuture course oI human deveIopment towards natIonaI and socIaI IIberatIon.
ThIs process, however, wIII be Iong, compIex and IuII oI twIsts and turns. ut
the IundamentaI dIrectIon oI the epoch contInues to be that oI a transItIon Irom
capItaIIsm to socIaIIsm.
xxIv.Iowever, the sImpIIstIc understandIng that thIs perIod oI transItIon means
the ImmedIate coIIapse oI capItaIIsm and the trIumph oI socIaIIsm on a worId
scaIe, needs to be corrected. SocIaIIsm, the perIod oI transItIon Irom a cIass to
cIassIess socIety, ImpIIes the proIonged exIstence oI both capItaIIsm and
socIaIIsm on a worId scaIe. t Is a perIod oI contInuous conIrontatIon between
the counter-revoIutIonary Iorces who wIsh to preserve the expIoItatIve
capItaIIst order and the revoIutIonary Iorces that seek to IIberate humanIty.
ThIs contInuous struggIe takes pIace both at the worId scaIe and InternaIIy
wIthIn the socIaIIst countrIes.
xxv.The success or IaIIure oI the Iorces oI worId socIaIIsm In thIs struggIe, at any
poInt oI tIme, Is determIned both by the success achIeved In socIaIIst
constructIon, the InternatIonaI and InternaI correIatIon oI cIass Iorces and theIr
correct estImatIon. A correct correspondIng poIItIcaI-tactIcaI IIne that IoIIows,
advances humanIty towards socIaIIsm.
xxvI.ncorrect assessments and estImatIon, based on IdeoIogIcaI devIatIons, as
hIstory Is wItness, Iead to dIstortIons. These, buttressed by capItaIIst
IdeoIogIcaI oIIensIve, have tIme and agaIn deraIIed the CommunIst movement
Irom Its cIass moorIngs.
xxvII.ThIs hIstory oI the InternatIonaI communIst movement IIIustrates the
dIstortIons that were based on Incorrect assessments. The CI(M), on a
number oI occasIons In the past, deaIt wIth how an erroneous understandIng oI
a change In the correIatIon oI cIass Iorces, IoIIowIng the deIeat oI IascIsm,
resuIted In some partIes changIng the poIItIcaI-tactIcaI IIne and Iorms oI
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struggIe. The CI(M) had aIso occasIon to poInt out as to how peace-tIme
capItaIIst economIc growth, accompanIed by stagnatIon In some socIaIIst
countrIes, succeeded In spreadIng rIght-revIsIonIst IIIusIons undermInIng the
cIass content and revoIutIonary essence oI MarxIsm. One oI such
manIIestatIons was uro-CommunIsm.
xxvIII.The 20th Congress oI the CIS! must aIso been seen In thIs IIght, as an
attempt made In the name oI estImatIng the correIatIon oI Iorces under
changed cIrcumstances. The vIctory over IascIsm and the consequent
InternatIonaI deveIopments heIghtened the prestIge and Increased the
InIIuence oI worId socIaIIsm In generaI and !SSI In partIcuIar. ut Instead oI
utIIIsIng these posItIve Iactors Ior enrIchIng socIaIIsm, the gross dIstortIon oI
the IenInIst concept oI peaceIuI coexIstence and the advocacy oI peaceIuI
competItIon and peaceIuI transItIon by the CIS! IeadershIp under
Khruschchev, threw the door open Ior revIsIonIsm and cIass coIIaboratIon oI
the worst kInd. As a consequence, many a communIst party was vIrtuaIIy
decImated IeavIng the InternatIonaI communIst movement much emascuIated.
xxIx.CapItaIIsm was adaptIng In tune wIth changIng reaIItIes and evoIvIng newer
Iorms oI expIoItatIon, and IntensIIyIng the IdeoIogIcaI struggIe agaInst
socIaIIsm. ThIs requIred the strengthenIng oI the IdeoIogIcaI oIIensIve by
socIaIIsm and the struggIe agaInst capItaIIsm. On the contrary, thIs was dIIuted,
thus permIttIng ImperIaIIsm and capItaIIsm to gaIn a Iurther poIItIcaI
advantage.
xxx.ThIs was combIned by an ahIstorIcaI evaIuatIon oI the roIe oI joseph StaIIn.
The CI(M), sInce the urdwan IIenum In 1968, has repeatedIy made cIear Its
assessment oI the posItIve and negatIve aspects oI StaIIn's IeadershIp. WhIIe
beIng severeIy crItIcaI oI certaIn gross vIoIatIons oI Inner-party democracy and
socIaIIst IegaIIty, he May 1990 C.C. resoIutIon had stated. "The CI(M) rejected
the approach whIch, In the name oI correctIng the personaIIty cuIt, Is negatIng
the hIstory oI socIaIIsm. The uncontestabIe contrIbutIon oI joseph StaIIn In
deIence oI IenInIsm, agaInst TrotskyIsm and other IdeoIogIcaI devIatIons, the
buIIdIng oI socIaIIsm In the !SSI, the vIctory over IascIsm and the
reconstructIon oI the war-ravaged SovIet, !nIon enabIIng It to acquIre enough
strength to check ImperIaIIst aggressIve moves, are InerasabIe Irom the hIstory
oI socIaIIsm.
xxxI.The perIod IoIIowIng the 20th Congress oI the CIS! had wIdened the
IdeoIogIcaI dIIIerences between varIous contIngents oI the communIst
movement. The CIC, whIIe InItIaIIy combattIng the revIsIonIst understandIng,
ItseII IeII vIctIm to IeIt-sectarIan devIatIon. The dIstortIons durIng the cuIturaI
revoIutIon and the three worId theory advanced by the CIC, Ied to many a
devIatIon and had dIsastrous consequences to the worId communIst movement.
The IoIIowIng dIsunIty In the worId communIst movement caused enormous
damage to the worId revoIutIonary movement and came In handy Ior
ImperIaIIsm to mount Iurther attacks on socIaIIsm and the deveIopIng
countrIes.
xxxII.The CI(M), whIch was born In the mIdst oI a IIerce struggIe agaInst these
devIatIons, reIterates that the struggIe to uphoId the revoIutIonary tenets oI
MarxIsm-IenInIsm and the abIIIty to correctIy understand, Interpret and
Intervene In the unIoIdIng hIstorIcaI deveIopments are InseparabIe. The IaIIure
oI one Ieads to the IaIIure oI the other. The IIvIng essence oI the creatIve
scIence oI MarxIsm Is the concrete anaIysIs oI concrete condItIons. t Is,
thereIore, necessary to understand the present nature oI worId deveIopments
In order to evoIve the correct strategy and tactIcs to advance the peopIe's
struggIes.
6
3.0 WORD SOCA CONTRADCTONS
I. The CI(M) contInues to adhere to the understandIng that the present-day
worId deveIopments can be comprehended onIy by a proper study oI the Iour
IundamentaI contradIctIons oI the present epoch, vIz, between the Iorces oI
worId socIaIIsm and ImperIaIIsm, between ImperIaIIsm and peopIes oI the
deveIopIng worId, between ImperIaIIst countrIes themseIves, and between
capItaI and Iabour In the capItaIIst countrIes.
II. The CI(M) contInues to adhere to the understandIng that oI these Iour, the
contradIctIon between ImperIaIIsm and socIaIIsm on a worId scaIe occupIes the
centraI roIe In thIs epoch. Iurther, that any oI these Iour can IntensIIy so as to
come to the IoreIront oI worId deveIopments at a poInt oI tIme wIthout
repIacIng the centraI contradIctIon.
III.otwIthstandIng the present reverses Ior the InternatIonaI communIst
movement, thIs understandIng retaIns Its vaIIdIty, gIven the current hIstorIcaI
deveIopments. These reveaI the IntensIIIcatIon oI aII these contradIctIons, not
theIr modIIIcatIon as the CIS! propounded. The CI(M) openIy dIsagreed wIth
such an understandIng. The subsequent worId deveIopments onIy strengthen
the anaIysIs then made by the CI(M).
Iv. The IntensIIIcatIon oI the centraI contradIctIon Is manIIested In the current
reverses Ior the Iorces oI worId socIaIIsm. These reverses have shIIted the
baIance oI cIass Iorces, on the InternatIonaI pIane, In Iavour oI ImperIaIIsm,
aIbeIt temporarIIy, In the hIstorIcaI perspectIve. ThIs permIts a new
aggressIveness on the part oI ImperIaIIsm whIch It Is aIready demonstratIng In
Its quest Ior a "new worId order". ts conduct In the war agaInst raq, Its open
InterIerence In the InternaI aIIaIrs oI many countrIes In AIrIca IIke thIopIa and
AngoIa, In IatIn AmerIca IIke In Ianama, Icaragua and Its renewed
aggressIveness agaInst socIaIIst Cuba -- aII reveaI ImperIaIIsm's character to
strengthen Its hegemonIstIc domInatIon over the worId. t Is mountIng greater
pressures on the IeopIe's IepubIIc oI ChIna to open Its market Ior ImperIaIIst
expIoItatIon.
v. The contradIctIon between the ThIrd WorId countrIes and ImperIaIIsm Is bound
to IntensIIy. xpIoItatIon through the muItInatIonaI corporatIons, the unequaI
and unIaIr terms oI trade, and other methods contInue unabated. ThIs has
resuIted In a marked deterIoratIon In the IIvIng standards oI the peopIe oI the
deveIopIng worId. The MI's WorId conomIc OutIook oI 1990 has reveaIed
that the gap between the advanced capItaIIst countrIes and the deveIopIng
countrIes excIudIng ChIna, In terms oI the rate oI growth oI reaI per capIta
Income durIng the 1980s, has markedIy wIdened. WhIIe In the decade oI the
70's these rates oI growth were more or Iess the same, the IeveIs were
gIarIngIy dIsproportIonate. These data IncIude the growth rates Ior the rapIdIy
growIng economIes In South ast AsIa. I these are excIuded, the dIvergence In
the rates oI per capIta Incomes are even more dramatIc. n Iact, In AIrIca and
IatIn AmerIca, the per capItaI reaI Incomes In 1990 were Iower In absoIute
terms than In 1981.
vI.mperIaIIsm's IntensIIIed expIoItatIon oI the ThIrd WorId countrIes Is aIso
reIIected In the backbreakIng debt that these countrIes are groanIng under.
The Increase In debt burden between 1982 and 1990 amounted to !.S. 429.1
bIIIIon doIIars. The totaI debt servIce payments between 1983 and 1990,
however, were 1155.3 bIIIIon doIIars. n other words, there has been a net
transIer oI resources Irom the deveIopIng countrIes to the advanced capItaIIst
countrIes durIng these years to the tune oI 726.2 bIIIIon doIIars. The draInIng
oI these economIes through debt Is dramatIcaIIy reIIected In the Iact that the
totaI debt servIce payments made by the deveIopIng countrIes durIng 1982 and
1990 amounted to 1289.5 bIIIIon doIIars whIch Is hIgher than the totaI
7
accumuIated debt ItseII oI 1265.2 bIIIIon doIIars by 1990! A damnIng
IndIctment oI ImperIaIIst propaganda that monetary Ioans are the product oI Its
benevoIence and magnanImIty desIgned to upIIIt the economIes oI the ThIrd
WorId.
vII.WhIIe thIs naked exproprIatIon oI resources Irom the deveIopIng worId Is
takIng pIace, theIr economIes are Iurther burdened due to growIng
unempIoyment and InIIatIon. ThIs Is the resuIt oI the retrograde economIc
poIIcIes adopted by the domestIc ruIIng cIasses In many countrIes. ThIs In turn
makes these economIes more vuInerabIe to the dIctates oI the MI and WorId
ank. The net resuIt Is that the doubt burden oI ImperIaIIsm's proIIts and
retrograde domestIc poIIcIes IaIIs on the shouIders oI the workIng peopIe and
the unempIoyed In the deveIopIng worId. AccordIng to the MI, the
InternatIonaI comparatIve InIIatIon rates (annuaI rates oI change oI consumer
prIces) Ior the deveIoped capItaIIst countrIes was 4.2 per cent In 1990, whereas
Ior the deveIopIng countrIes It was 71 per cent. The comparatIve IIgure Ior
1988 and 1989 are 3.3 and 70.5, 4.4 and 104.1 per cent respectIveIy.
vIII.n addItIon, the terms oI trade oI the deveIopIng worId have been markedIy
deterIoratIng. n 1990, Ior the non IueI prImary products, the annuaI
percentage change In terms oI trade Ior the deveIopIng countrIes, was mInus
11.2 per cent. Thus the baIance oI payments posItIon Is contInuousIy
deterIoratIng, pushIng them towards greater Indebtedness.
Ix.!nder these condItIons oI IntensIIIed expIoItatIon, the peopIes oI the ThIrd
WorId countrIes are bound to Iace a Iurther onsIaught on theIr IIvIng
condItIons. ThIs rapacIous pIunder Is bound to manIIest In growIng struggIes
agaInst thIs Ioot, thus IntensIIyIng sharpIy the contradIctIon between
ImperIaIIsm and peopIes oI the ThIrd WorId countrIes.
x. n the poIItIcaI sphere as weII, thIs contradIctIon Is bound to IntensIIy wIth
aggressIve demands beIng made by the dIctates oI the "new worId order".
xI.!nder these condItIons an Important area oI revoIutIonary movements wIII be
the popuIar and democratIc struggIes In the ThIrd WorId countrIes that have
adopted the capItaIIst path. The bourgeoIs-IandIord ruIIng cIasses oI these
countrIes, expIoItIng the peopIe, pursue a capItaIIst path oI deveIopment by
compromIsIng wIth IeudaIIsm, on the one hand, and succumbIng to ImperIaIIst
pressures, on the other. WIth such an IntensIIIed drIve to transIer the burdens
oI worId capItaIIst crIsIs on to the ThIrd WorId countrIes, the struggIes between
the peopIes and the ruIIng cIasses In these countrIes are bound to grow.
xII.The Inter-ImperIaIIst contradIctIons are aIso IntensIIyIng. The reaI GI growth
rates Ior 1990 Ior aII the IndustrIaI countrIes was 2.7 per cent whIIe Ior the
!SA It was 1.7 per cent. Ior the same year, the !SA had a current account
baIance oI payments deIIcIt to the tune oI mInus 113.3 bIIIIon doIIars whIIe
japan had a surpIus oI 57.4 bIIIIon and Germany oI 62.3 bIIIIon doIIars. t Is
estImated that by 1993 Germany and ntegrated urope wouId account Ior 25
per cent oI the worId's gross product whIIe japan wouId account Ior 15 per
cent. n the background oI the growIng Indebtedness oI the !.S. economy,
these growth patterns reveaI the potentIaI Ior Inter-ImperIaIIst conIIIcts In the
economIc sphere. The emergence oI unIted Germany, on the other hand, Is
bound to generate economIc conIIIcts wIth other deveIoped uropean
economIes such as Irance, taIy and !.K. The IntensIIIcatIon oI thIs
contradIctIon wIII manIIest ItseII In the scrambIe Ior a redIvIsIon oI the worId's
economIc resources. Iowever, notwIthstandIng the growIng economIc rIvaIry,
!.S. IeadershIp oI the ImperIaIIst camp contInues at the moment because oI Its
nucIear and mIIItary supremacy.
xIII.WhIIe the capItaIIst countrIes are not, as a whoIe, experIencIng a sharp
recessIon they are In the mIdst oI a protracted perIod oI sIow growth. many
8
advanced capItaIIst countrIes have aIready begun to experIence recessIon. ThIs
sIow growth rate, however, Is accompanIed by hIgh rates oI unempIoyment and
InIIatIon. The unempIoyment IeveIs are amongst the hIghest sInce the second
worId war and thIs sIow rate oI growth Is IorcIng many a cut In the socIaI
weIIare beneIIts oI the workIng peopIe. The dIsparItIes between the rIch and
the poor contInue to wIden. n the !SA, Ior Instance, as compared to the 1970s
the number oI peopIe beIow the poverty IIne Increased Irom 24 to 32 mIIIIon In
1988. Ioverty and homeIessness are on the rIse. The top 1.5 per cent oI the
popuIatIon owned nearIy 25 per cent oI aII IndIvIduaI weaIth whIIe the top 10
per cent owned 65 per cent oI the natIon's weaIth. !nder these condItIons, the
IntensIIIcatIon oI the contradIctIons between capItaI and Iabour In the
advanced capItaIIst countrIes Is bound to IntensIIy Iurther. Iowever, as noted
earIIer, capItaIIsm stIII retaIns capacIty to manoeuvre and manage Its probIems.
xIv.The worId that we are IIvIng In today Is, thus, one where aII the IundamentaI
contradIctIons oI the present epoch wIII IntensIIy. As hIstorIcaI deveIopments
unIoId, the Iorms oI resoIutIon oI these contradIctIons wIII, however, vary. Ior
exampIe, the atomIc age ItseII Imposes IImItatIons on the resoIutIon oI the
contradIctIons through a war. Such a varIatIon In Iorms, however, cannot be
Interpreted, as erroneousIy propounded by the CIS!, to mean the modIIIcatIon
oI contradIctIons. The above study oI the contradIctIons reveaIs that
ImperIaIIsm, Iar Irom abandonIng Its predatory expIoItatIve character, Is
IntensIIyIng thIs expIoItatIon. n Iact, capItaIIsm's growth durIng the Ieast
decade has been at the expense oI the peopIe both at home and abroad.
xv.ThIs reaIIty teIIIngIy demonstrate the unjust and Inhuman nature oI capItaIIsm.
t Is Its rapacIous pIunder that Is responsIbIe Ior the terrIbIe sItuatIon oI
hunger, mIsery, sIckness, IIIIteracy that staIk the mIIIIons In the deveIopIng
worId. t Is dIrectIy responsIbIe Ior the dangers oI nucIear hoIocaust and
worsenIng major ecoIogIcaI ImbaIances. The IncreasIng moraI and ethIcaI
degeneratIon oI capItaIIst socIetIes, drug abuse, vIoIence, racIst and sexuaI
dIscrImInatIon are contInuousIy debasIng the IIner quaIItIes oI human beIngs.
espIte the perennIaI propaganda, IntensIIIed IoIIowIng these reverses to
socIaIIsm, that `capItaIIsm Is eternaI', It today, as In the past, proves ItseII as a
system IncapabIe oI soIvIng the major probIems conIrontIng humanIty.
xvI.The recent reverses to Iorces oI worId socIaIIsm, In thIs background, ImpIy
that the perIod ahead Is one oI Intense cIass struggIes.
4.0 RECENT DEVEOPMENTS N SOCAST CO1NTRES
I. The reIorms InItIated by the CIS! under the sIogans oI perestroIka and
gIasnost and the repercussIons oI these In the ast uropean countrIes, reveaI
the exIstence oI a Iatent crIsIs both at the IeveI oI the socIaIIst state and that oI
the Iarty, Its IdeoIogIcaI and poIItIcaI IoundatIons. n order to scIentIIIcaIIy
anaIyse thIs crIsIs and draw correct Iessons, more InIormatIon and deeper
study wouId be requIred. On the basIs oI avaIIabIe InIormatIon and Iacts, It Is,
however, possIbIe to draw some concIusIons.
II. The reIorms InItIated In 1985 by the CIS! assumed a concrete shape at the
27th Congress In 1986. The CI(M) had weIcomed the understandIng oI the
need Ior reIorms In the SovIet !nIon, theIr decIared revoIutIonary goaI beIng
the strengthenIng oI socIaIIsm.
III.The need Ior reIorm arose In order to correct and overcome certaIn errors and
devIatIons oI the past that Ied to reIatIve stagnatIon In the socIaIIst economy,
the need to enrIch the peopIe wIth socIaIIst conscIousness that was negIected
Ior many years, the need to eIImInate bureaucratIsm whIch Ied to vIoIatIons oI
democratIc rIghts and cIvII IIbertIes, the need to strengthen socIaIIst
democracy and to acceIerate the socIaI and economIc deveIopment towards the
9
IuIIIIment oI the growIng needs oI the peopIe.
Iv. The CI(M) CentraI CommIttee In August 1988 had stated. "As a Iarty whIch
takes Its stand on MarxIsm-IenInIsm, we reaIIse that advance oI socIaIIsm In
any country must be accompanIed by Increased InItIatIve oI the masses both In
runnIng the economy and runnIng the state. IenIn's statement "every cook
must Iearn to govern" must be a growIng reaIIty. A concrete Iorm oI these
InItIatIves In the varIous stages oI deveIopment embrace Iarger and Iarger
number oI peopIe. Measures whIch contrIbute to the conscIous partIcIpatIon oI
the masses are weIcome and shouId be supported. Measures whIch Iree
cItIzens Irom unnecessary restrIctIons and provIde heaIthy dIaIogue wIthIn the
IImIts oI socIaIIst socIety, strengthen the socIety. "ut It has to be understood
and underIIned sharpIy that aII such measures wIII strengthen socIety II the
guIdIng roIe oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm Is preserved and the roIe oI the Iarty as a
IeadIng Iorce oI socIety as vanguard oI the workIng cIass Is ensured."
v. The CI(M) repeatedIy expressed Its grave concern at the antI-socIaIIst trends
that started emergIng through gIasnost and perestroIka. CapItaIIst
prescrIptIons were beIng doIed out as soIutIons to socIaIIsm's probIems by the
CIS! under Gorbachev's IeadershIp.
vI.These negatIve tendencIes manIIested themseIves sharpIy In the outrIght
negatIon oI the past socIaIIst achIevements. n August 1988, the CI(M)
CentraI CommIttee had stated that a "correct attItude towards the past
assumes great Importance In the process oI ImpIementatIon oI the reIorms to
strengthen socIaIIsm. The negatIon oI the past achIevements, the gIorIous
achIevements oI socIaIIsm sInce the October IevoIutIon, overcomIng the
chaIIenge oI the cIvII war, ImperIaIIst encIrcIement and InterventIon, the
buIIdIng oI the socIaIIst economy, the gIorIous antI-IascIst vIctory, sacrIIIces oI
mIIIIons oI SovIet peopIe durIng thIs perIod, the IIrm poIIcy oI peace and the
struggIe to avoId a nucIear war, the achIevement oI nucIear parIty wIth the
!SA and the great workIng cIass constItutIon, It Is on these IoundatIons that
the new democratIc reIorms wIII have meanIng."
vII.What emerged was an outIook whIch, whIIe crItIcIsIng the deIormItIes and
dIstortIons oI the past, deIIberateIy Ignored these achIevements, thus deIInkIng
the reIorms Irom the past proIetarIan hIstory and curbIng the Iuture
revoIutIonary potentIaI oI the workIng cIass. The Iarty ranks and peopIe were
thus dIsarmed agaInst the concerted onsIaught oI antI-socIaIIst Iorces.
vIII.ThIs aIso permItted the InterventIon oI ImperIaIIst Iorces who aIways sought
to undermIne socIaIIsm. The common thread oI such InterventIons was seen In
the coIIapse oI the ast uropean regImes wIthIn a span oI a Iew weeks.
Ix.SerIous departures were made by the CIS! Irom the dIrectIon oI the
documents oI the 27th Congress. Iut together, these amounted to a systematIc
eIIort at dIsmantIIng socIaIIsm and dIsIntegratIng the !SSI, under the
IeadershIp oI Gorbachev.
x. n deaIIng wIth the InternatIonaI sItuatIon, the 27th Congress had hIghIIghted
the IntensIIIcatIon oI the Iour IundamentaI contradIctIons, and asserted that
the correIatIon oI cIass Iorces was In Iavour oI peace, progress and socIaIIsm.
Iowever, soon aIter, In 1987, In the name oI "ew ThInkIng", thIs
understandIng was abandoned and the theory oI modIIIcatIon oI contradIctIons
advanced. The CI(M) had dIsagreed wIth thIs assessment and openIy came out
agaInst It In 1988. Iater the CIS! Issued a raIt IIatIorm whIch the 28th
Congress adopted. AdvancIng the notIon oI a "humane and democratIc"
socIaIIsm, thIs thesIs counterposed "unIversaI human vaIues" to cIass vaIues,
spreadIng IIIusIons about the present-day ImperIaIIsm and ascrIbIng humanIsm
to It. y advocatIng the "de-IdeoIogIsatIon oI state to state reIatIons," the CIS!
negated any conIrontatIon wIth ImperIaIIsm and sought to create, In
10
cooperatIon wIth It, "as saIe and cIvIIIsed worId order". The May 1990 CI(M)
C.C. resoIutIon deaIt In detaII wIth these and other erroneous concepts. ThIs
process cuImInated In the draIt programme cIrcuIated Ior the 29th Congress.
ot onIy was there no mentIon oI ImperIaIIsm but thIs went Iurther to state. "A
new cIvIIIsatIon whIch Is beIng shaped In the process oI present gIobaI
deveIopment, dIsagrees wIth the habItuaI notIons oI cIassIcaI IndustrIaI socIety,
Its rIgId dIvIsIon Into opposIng cIasses, poIarIsatIon between Iabour and capItaI
and conIrontatIon oI socIaI system." The journey was thus compIeted. There
are, accordIng to the CIS!, no cIass dIvIsIons In socIety today, no antagonIsm
between Iabour and capItaI, and no conIrontatIon between ImperIaIIsm and
socIaIIsm. Iowever, the CIS!'s actIvItIes were decreed IIIegaI by Gorbachev
hImseII beIore the 29th Congress couId take pIace!
xI.n the sphere oI the economy, reIorms were advanced In order to "overcome
the Iack oI correspondence between deveIopIng productIve Iorces and reIatIons
oI productIon." ntended to swItch over the economy Irom extensIve to
IntensIve deveIopment, the 27th Congress report summarIsed the reIorms by
statIng, "SocIaIIst economIc acceIeratIon and the consoIIdatIon oI socIaIIsm In
practIce shouId be the supreme crIterIa In the Improvement oI management
and oI the entIre system oI socIaIIst productIon reIatIons." Iowever Instead oI
socIaIIst economIc acceIeratIon systematIcaIIy, capItaIIst reIorms were beIng
Introduced. The IIatIorm adopted by the 28th Congress advocated the creatIon
oI a IuIIIIedged market economy undermInIng the roIe oI centraI pIannIng. n
the name oI encouragIng prIvate InItIatIve hundreds oI co-operatIves were
aIIowed whIch turned out to be the maIn source oI proIIteerIng and
bIackmarketIng. WIthIn a span oI IIve years, the paraIIeI economy grew to
staggerIng proportIons creatIng artIIIcIaI shortage oI goods. espIte a bumper
harvest, the SovIet !nIon had to go around the worId seekIng Iood aId. The
exIstIng productIon structures were dIsmantIed and vIrtuaI anarchy prevaIIed
wIth wIdespread specuIatIon, bIackmarketIng and hoardIng IIourIshIng. The
varIous pIans that were outIIned Ior the transItIon to a market economy, aII
resuIted, In practIce, In settIng In motIon the restoratIon oI capItaIIsm.
xII.The Iarty's roIe was systematIcaIIy undermIned. The Iarty Irogramme
adopted by the 27th Congress stated that "the CommunIst Iarty, whIIe
retaInIng Its cIass essence and IdeoIogy as the party oI the workIng cIass"
asserted that "the Iarty's IeadIng roIe In the IIIe oI SovIet socIety InevItabIy
grows" (emphasIs In orIgInaI). The 28th Congress, however, taIks oI "no room
Ior dIctatorshIp oI any cIass." n practIce, the Iarty's IeadIng roIe was
abandoned. The oIIIce oI the executIve IresIdent was created on whose powers
the Iarty had no controI. The conversIon oI the great oIshevIk Iarty oI IenIn
Into a mere socIaI democratIc one was compIete In the draIt programme
prepared Ior the 29th Congress.
xIII.n the sphere oI IdeoIogy, there was a systematIc erosIon oI the revoIutIonary
essence oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm. The 27th Congress Iarty Irogramme states.
"The most Important source oI Iarty's strength and InvIncIbIIIty Is the
IndestructIbIe IdeoIogIcaI and organIsatIonaI cohesIon oI the Iarty," and "the
CIS! Is InvarIabIy guIded by the tIme tested MarxIst-IenInIst prIncIpIes oI
proIetarIan, socIaIIst InternatIonaIIsm" (emphasIs In orIgInaI). The 28th
Congress, however, argued Ior heaIIng the rIIt wIth socIaI democracy and
endIng the "hIstorIc spIIt In the socIaIIst movement". The abandonment oI the
IdeoIogIcaI IoundatIons was compIete In the draIt programme Ior the 29th
Congress whIch repIaces MarxIsm-IenInIsm "by takIng on board the entIre
gamut oI socIaIIst and democratIc Ideas produced by thIs country and the rest
oI the worId". IroIetarIan, socIaIIst InternatIonaIIsm Is repIaced "by a new Iook
at the hIstorIcaI destIny oI socIaIIsm" that denIes the very exIstence oI cIass
11
struggIe ItseII!
xIv.nstead oI deepenIng socIaIIst democracy, natIonaI chauvInIsm was aIIowed to
grow unchecked. The 27th Congress Iarty Irogramme, hIghIIghtIng the
successIuI soIvIng oI the natIonaIItIes questIon, states. "The CIS! proceeds
Irom the Iact that In our socIaIIst muItInatIonaI state, In whIch more than one
hundred natIons and natIonaIItIes work together, there naturaIIy arIses new
tasks oI ImprovIng natIonaI reIatIons" (emphasIs In orIgInaI). The October
IevoIutIon had IIberated the varIous natIonaIItIes Irom the `TsarIst prIson-
house'. !ndoIng the oppressIon oI centurIes, a democratIc natIonaIItIes poIIcy
was adopted that Ied to the IIourIshIng oI these ethnIc groups, theIr cuItures
and tradItIons. Iowever, over a perIod, negatIve tendencIes deveIoped and
probIems accumuIated. ureaucratIsm, vIoIatIon oI the poIIcy oI equaIIty oI
Ianguages In practIce, over-centraIIsatIon, aII Ied to the growth oI dIscontent.
Iscontent aIso arose Irom another angIe. These varIous natIonaIItIes,
partIcuIarIy the backward ones, made tremendous progress under socIaIIsm.
These strIdes, hItherto unknown Ior centurIes, by themseIves created new and
hIgher aspIratIons amongst these peopIes. The IaIIure to meet these -- cuIturaI,
InteIIectuaI and materIaI -- Ied to the accumuIatIon oI dIscontent and mIstrust.
Iowever, Instead oI resoIvIng these wIthIn the Iramework oI the socIaIIst
IederatIon, antI-socIaIIst Iorces expIoIted thIs dIscontent to Ian chauvInIsm that
Ied to bIoody rIots. CIearIy vIoIatIng the understandIng oI the 27th Congress,
the pIatIorm on natIonaIItIes adopted by CIS! In 1989 and the reIerendum oI
1991 whIch overwheImIngIy voted Ior preservIng the unIty oI the !SSI,
Gorbachev prepared to sIgn a new !nIon treaty seaIIng the Iate oI the !SSI's
dIsIntegratIon on August 20, 1991. The resuIt oI aII thIs has been that the
socIaIIst IederatIon known to the worId these 74 years no Ionger remaIns.
xv.t must be seII-crItIcaIIy noted that though the CI(M), Irom tIme to tIme
durIng these years, had the occasIon to pubIIcIy express Its dIsagreements wIth
many oI the above aspects, It couId not guage the depth and gravIty oI the
damage these departures made to the cause oI socIaIIsm In the !SSI and the
worId.
xvI.ThIs process oI systematIc dIsmantIIng oI socIaIIsm under Gorbachev's
IeadershIp was expIoIted to the hIIt by the counter-revoIutIonary Iorces aIded
actIveIy by ImperIaIIsm. mperIaIIsm was abIe to successIuIIy ImpIement Its
strategy oI `peaceIuI evoIutIon' both In ast urope and In the SovIet !nIon. t
IuIIy expIoIted the advances In communIcatIons and InIormatIon technoIogy to
achIeve thIs.
xvII.Such an ImperIaIIst attempt to InternaIIy subvert socIaIIsm In the IeopIe's
IepubIIc oI ChIna In 1989 was successIuIIy thwarted by the CIC and the IIA.
xvIII.n the !SSI too, an attempt was made to resIst thIs process oI dIsmantIIng
oI socIaIIsm and prevent the dIsIntegratIon oI the !nIon. ThIs, however, IaIIed.
ThIs was IoIIowed by an Intense antI-communIst oIIensIve.
xIx.n addItIon to such attempts, It shouId be noted that the successes achIeved by
the antI-communIst Iorces was due to the shortcomIngs, errors and dIstortIons
oI the past that resuIted In peopIe's dIscontent aIIenatIng them Irom both the
Iarty and the state. nstead oI overcomIng these, the revIsIonIst poIIcIes
pursued by the CIS! sInce the 20th Congress and IntensIIIed under
Gorbachev's IeadershIp have uItImateIy Ied to the dIsmantIIng oI socIaIIsm and
dIsIntegratIon oI the !SSI.
5.0 MAjOR SHORTCOMNGS
I. These deveIopments have brought to the Iore many Important questIons
concernIng socIaIIst constructIon as was practIsed In these countrIes. t Is,
thereIore, necessary to IdentIIy the major shortcomIngs and dIstortIons that
12
have Ied to the present sItuatIon In order to draw correct Iessons.
II. eIore dIscussIng these, however, It needs to be underIIned that the process oI
socIaIIst constructIon was a hItherto uncharted course oI human deveIopment.
WIth hIstorIcaI hInd-sIght, understandIng thIs dynamIc process and experIence
oI these socIaIIst countrIes, It Is possIbIe to dIscern certaIn basIc shortcomIngs.
CTATOISII OI TI IIOITAIAT
5.3 CIass Character of the State under SocaIsm
I. The dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat, I.e., the dIctatorshIp oI the overwheImIng
majorIty over a mInorIty oI Iormer expIoItIng cIasses, as opposed to the
dIctatorshIp oI the bourgeoIsIe, whIch Is that oI the mInorIty over the
overwheImIng majorIty, Is the character oI the state durIng the perIod oI
transItIon Irom cIass to cIassIess socIety.
II. The Iorms oI the dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat, however, are not constant or
ImmutabIe. As the socIaIIst socIety deveIops, the Iorms pass through varyIng
and dIIIerent phases.
III. The abIIIty to transIt Irom one phase to another Is determIned by the
correIatIon oI cIass Iorces, both InternaI and InternatIonaI, and Its correct
estImatIon. n a sItuatIon oI ImperIaIIst InterventIon, the cIvII war and the aII-
out attempts to destroy socIaIIsm that was beIng born, the proIetarIan state
had to crush the counter-revoIutIon and eIImInate the Iorces oI expIoItatIon.
ThIs demanded the centraIIsed apparatus oI a state whIch was aIso essentIaI
Ior buIIdIng a pIanned economy. Iowever, aIter thIs phase was over, as the
socIaIIst system and the state consoIIdated and the correIatIon oI cIass Iorces
changed In Its Iavour, opportunItIes Ior wIdenIng democracy and new InItIatIves
opened up. !nIortunateIy, Incorrect assessments oI the reaIIty Ied to the earIIer
methods oI runnIng the state machInery beIng carrIed over Into the subsequent
perIod. ThIs Ied not onIy to the IaIIure to reaIIse the IuII potentIaI oI wIdenIng
and deepenIng socIaIIst democracy and popuIar peopIe's partIcIpatIon but aIso
to dIstortIons such as growIng bureaucratIsm, vIoIatIon oI socIaIIst IegaIIty and
suppressIon oI IndIvIduaI Ireedom and IIberty. The movement to hIgher phases
oI the Iorm oI the dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat ImpIy the progressIve
enrIchment oI socIaIIst democracy.
Iv. Iowever, In the name oI correctIng the dIstortIons, the cIass character oI the
state cannot be abandoned. ThIs wouId mean the abandonment oI the
revoIutIon ItseII.
v. The rIght to dIssent wIthIn the socIaIIst Iramework must be recognIsed. ut, In
doIng so, neIther the cIass character oI the state nor the IeadIng roIe oI the
party can be abandoned. The Iarty, as the vanguard oI the workIng cIass,
perIorms the IeadIng roIe In the successIuI compIetIon oI the revoIutIon and In
the process oI socIaIIst constructIon. n Iact, It contInues to Iead the state as
Iong as the state contInues to exIst.
vI.WhIIe the Iorms contInuousIy change, adaptIng to the concrete deveIopments
In each socIaIIst country, these need not and cannot be the same Ior dIIIerent
socIaIIst countrIes. The specIIIc Iorm oI the dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat that
wIII emerge In one socIaIIst country, wIII depend upon the concrete socIo-
economIc condItIons and the hIstorIcaI background oI these countrIes. IenIn, In
State and IevoIutIon, has stated cIearIy. "The Iorms oI bourgeoIs states are
extremeIy varIed, but theIr essence Is the same. aII these states, whatever theIr
Iorm, In the IInaI anaIysIs are InevItabIy the dIctatorshIp oI the bourgeoIsIe.
The transItIon Irom capItaIIsm to communIsm certaInIy cannot but yIeId a great
abundance and varIety oI poIItIcaI Iorms, but the essence wIII InevItabIy be the
same. the dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat" (emphasIs added).
vII.ue to the Iack oI any other hIstorIcaI experIence apart Irom the IarIs
13
Commune, the Iorm oI the dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat that arose In the
specIIIc condItIons oI the SovIet !nIon, was more or Iess copIed In the other
ast uropean countrIes dIsregardIng the IocaI condItIons and hIstorIcaI
deveIopments.
vIII.ThIs had serIous ImpIIcatIons Ior the deveIopment and deepenIng oI socIaIIst
democracy In these countrIes. Ior, the hIstorIcaI evoIutIon oI some oI the ast
uropean countrIes had aIready estabIIshed the bourgeoIs parIIamentary
system wIth Its correspondIng rIghts to the peopIe. The Iorm oI the proIetarIan
state, In these countrIes, naturaIIy shouId have been to consoIIdate the gaIns
aIready achIeved by the peopIe. The ensuIng deIormItIes In the state
IunctIonIng, bureaucracy and the apparent vIoIatIons oI socIaIIst IegaIIty
spread, IeadIng to the aIIenatIon oI the peopIe Irom the state and the Iarty.
Ix.Another major dIstortIon that needs to be noted, concerns the Iact that the
dIctatorshIp oI the proIetarIat Is the dIctatorshIp oI the cIass as a whoIe, I.e., oI
the overwheImIng majorIty. OIten In practIce, as has been reveaIed In the
recent deveIopments, thIs dIctatorshIp oI the cIass was repIaced by that oI the
vanguard, the Iarty, and more oIten than not, by the IeadershIp oI the Iarty.
x. The Iarty can exercIse Its IeadIng roIe onIy through Its constant InteractIon
wIth the mass oI the peopIe, InvoIvIng them In the IunctIonIng oI the state and
admInIstratIon and wInnIng theIr conIIdence Ior the consoIIdatIon oI socIaIIsm.
A IeadIng roIe that Is based on a constItutIonaI IIat Is, In Iact, a departure Irom
the very conceptIon oI the cIass character oI the proIetarIan state. These
dIstortIons have resuIted In the growIng aIIenatIon oI the peopIe Irom the state
and the Iarty, Instead oI drawIng them more and more Into the IunctIonIng oI
the socIaIIst state by deepenIng socIaIIst democracy.
5.4 SocaIst Democracy And Democratc CentraIsm
I. SocIaIIst democracy survIves and deepens on the materIaI basIs that Is created
by the socIaIIst system. t carrIes Iorward the democratIc gaIns achIeved by the
peopIe's struggIes In the past. The aboIItIon oI expIoItatIon and the provIsIon oI
the basIc necessItIes oI IIIe, Iays the materIaI basIs Ior practIsIng wIder
democracy. ourgeoIs democracy can onIy be IormaI In the sense that It
guarantees some democratIc rIghts wIthout provIdIng the materIaI basIs Ior the
peopIe to exercIse them. very cItIzen In the capItaIIst country has the
"democratIc rIght" to purchase anythIng that Is produced. The overwheImIng
majorIty, however, Iacks the necessary resources to exercIse thIs rIght.
SocIaIIsm, on the other hand, by takIng care oI the basIc needs oI the peopIe,
Iays the IoundatIon Ior practIsIng reaI democracy In Its wIdest and deepest
sense. t, thereIore, oIIers avenues and the atmosphere Ior the creatIve
deveIopment oI aII aspects and compIexItIes oI the human personaIIty. The
departures and dIstortIons that we dIscussed above, dampened such an
advance. At the same tIme, It has to be underIIned that the materIaI basIs Ior
deepenIng democracy had been created by the socIaIIst system.
II. SocIaIIst IegaIIty guarantees rIghts that are hItherto unknown In human hIstory.
t opens upon wIder possIbIIItIes Ior every cItIzen to exercIse these rIghts.
Iowever, bureaucratIsm and other tendencIes that prevent the wIdest
partIcIpatIon oI the peopIe In runnIng the state, admInIstratIon and economy
through partIcIpatIon In the IocaI bodIes oI seII-government IIke the SovIets and
work coIIectIves, can onIy Iead to vIoIatIons oI socIaIIst IegaIIty.
III.GuaranteeIng the basIc rIghts oI Iood, sheIter, empIoyment, educatIon, heaIth
care and socIaI securIty, socIaIIst democracy has to contInuousIy expand and
deepen, drawIng In Iarger and Iarger number oI peopIe In the IunctIonIng oI
the state and socIety. The IaIIure to do so, partIcuIarIy In an atmosphere oI
rapId decIIne In the IdeoIogIcaI conscIousness oI the peopIe, wIII onIy provIde
14
Iurther IueI to antI-socIaIIst propaganda.
Iv. emocratIc centraIIsm Is a IundamentaI pIIIar oI the prIncIpIes oI organIsatIon
oI a revoIutIonary party. t combInes the aspects oI democracy and centraIIsm,
both oI whIch are necessary Ior the successIuI consoIIdatIon and constructIon
oI socIaIIsm.
v. WhIIe combattIng aIIen IdeoIogIcaI trends, Inner-party democracy Is the
sustenance oI the Iarty's creatIve deveIopment. ThereIore, whIIe the strIctest
dIscIpIIne Is enIorced In carryIng out the decIsIons oI the majorIty, Inner-party
democracy must be encouraged and strengthened. !nIortunateIy, In the name
oI centraIIsm, Inner-party democracy generaIIy can become the casuaIty,
IeadIng to the growth oI bureaucratIsm whIch Is the very antIthesIs oI
democracy. TendencIes aIIen to socIaIIsm, such as, corruptIon and nepotIsm
aIso surIaced. An exampIe oI thIs was the InstItutIonaIIsatIon oI prIvIIeges to
Iarge sectIons oI the IeadershIp oI the CIS! and other ruIIng communIst
partIes. n thIs process, the vItaIIty oI thIs revoIutIonary prIncIpIe Is robbed,
aIIenatIng the Iarty Irom the masses and the Iarty ranks Irom the IeadershIp.
vI.nstead oI correctIng dIstortIons In the ImpIementatIon oI democratIc
centraIIsm, the abandonment oI thIs prIncIpIe wIII onIy serve the purpose oI
dIsarmIng the revoIutIonary party Irom dIschargIng Its hIstorIc tasks. The
recent experIence underIInes the need Ior the Iarty to be constantIy vIgIIant
agaInst the degeneratIon oI thIs revoIutIonary concept where Inner-party
democracy becomes a casuaIty and centraIIsm domInates. Thus, the coIIectIve
cheek oI the peopIe on the Iarty and the Iarty ranks on the IeadershIp agaInst
the abuse oI power and other aIIen tendencIes, becomes undermIned.
vII.The socIaIIst state drawn tremendous moraI Iorce and strength Irom the
conscIousness oI the mass oI peopIe, theIr IoyaIty and commItment to advance
socIaIIsm, patrIotIsm, coIIectIve actIvIty and creatIve InItIatIve. CrItIcIsm and
seII-crItIcIsm Irom beIow Is the conscIous poIItIcaI actIvIty whIch gIves peopIe,
who are unIted by a sIngIeness oI purpose, the true IeeIIng that they are the
reaI masters oI the socIaIIst natIon.
5.5 SocaIst Economc Constructon
I. The IundamentaI characterIstIcs oI socIaIIst economIc constructIon are the
socIaI ownershIp oI the means oI productIon and centraIIsed state pIannIng.
The Iormer eIImInates the basIs Ior the expIoItatIon oI man by man and the
Iatter Iays the basIs Ior a baIanced economIc deveIopment oI the socIety as
opposed to the uneven deveIopment characterIstIc oI capItaIIsm. CentraIIsed
pIannIng aIso Iays the basIs Ior the socIaIIst state to dIscharge Its socIaI and
economIc responsIbIIItIes to the peopIe. t Is through thIs process that socIaIIsm
guarantees to aII Its cItIzens the essentIaI requIrements Ior theIr survIvaI and
deveIopment In a unIversaI sense. IIannIng under socIaIIsm wIII have to take
Into account the exIstIng IeveIs oI productIve Iorces. Over-centraIIsatIon whIch
stIIIes the InItIatIve and InnovatIon that stImuIate productIon at Iower IeveIs,
wIII adverseIy aIIect the Iurther growth oI productIve Iorces.
II. The prIncIpIe oI socIaIIst economy Is "Irom each accordIng to hIs abIIIty, to
each accordIng to hIs work." Ience the questIon oI materIaI IncentIve Is In-
buIIt In thIs perIod. ut It has to be underIIned that whIIe materIaI IncentIves
are necessary durIng thIs perIod, socIaIIsm can sustaIn and IIourIsh onIy on the
basIs oI the coIIectIve socIaIIst conscIousness oI the peopIe as a whoIe and the
IdeoIogIcaI steadIastness oI the ruIIng CommunIst Iarty.
III.t wouId be sImpIIstIc and erroneous to concIude that once the means oI
productIon are socIaIIsed and centraIIsed pIannIng estabIIshed, then the
methods oI economIc management that arIse In those specIIIc hIstorIcaI
cIrcumstances, contInue to remaIn constant throughout the perIod oI
13
transItIon. n Iact, In the backward economIes where socIaIIst revoIutIons have
trIumphed, the process oI socIaIIsatIon oI the means oI productIon themseIves
take a Iong perIod oI tIme.
Iv. The constant need to update the methods oI economIc management was noted
above. I such changes are not undertaken, then a perIod oI rapId economIc
deveIopment can be IoIIowed by stagnatIon or even decIIne In growth rates.
ThIs Is what has precIseIy happened In the case oI the SovIet !nIon In the
Iatter haII oI the 70's and 80's. Iurther, aIter the consoIIdatIon oI socIaIIst
reIatIons, opportunItIes to raIse the peopIe's standard oI IIvIng by producIng
greater quantIty and hIgher quaIIty oI consumer goods arIse. The IaIIure to
meet the ever rIsIng demands oI the peopIe correspondIng to the potentIaI oI
the socIaIIst economy, can onIy resuIt In breedIng dIscontent provIdIng cannon-
Iodder to ImperIaIIsm's antI-socIaIIst propaganda.
v. 1orms of Property:
vI.urIng the process oI socIaIIst constructIon, whose tIme perIod varIes Irom
country to country, dependIng on the InItIaI hIstorIcaI IeveIs, the process oI
socIaIIsatIon oI means oI productIon wouId go through proIonged phases.
Iverse Iorms exIst such as state owned enterprIses, coIIectIves, cooperatIves
and petty IndIvIduaI propertIes. The pace oI the socIaIIsatIon oI means oI
productIon depends crucIaIIy on the InItIaI IeveIs oI economIc backwardness
that these socIaIIst states have InherIted. Iurther, It depends on the concrete
baIance oI cIass Iorces InternaIIy and the pressures that are mounted by cIass
enemIes InternatIonaIIy. deaIIy, the pace shouId correspond to the hIstorIcaI
cIrcumstances and the IeveIs oI productIve Iorces aIready attaIned. n perIods
oI concerted InternaI and externaI onsIaught oI cIass enemIes, such a process
may have to be hastened Ior the very survIvaI oI socIaIIsm ItseII. The objectIve
Iactors that Impose such an IntensIIIcatIon oI the pace oI socIaIIsatIon oI means
oI productIon, by themseIves, create certaIn materIaI condItIons on whose basIs
dIstortIons can occur In thIs process. At the same tIme, an Incorrect estImatIon
oI the baIance oI cIass Iorces wIII aIso Iead to grave dIstortIons by undermInIng
the rIghts oI varIous Iorms oI property-owners through state coercIon and not
through peopIe's partIcIpatIon. Thus, IayIng the basIs not onIy Ior peopIe's
aIIenatIon but aIso restrIctIng the Iuture economIc potentIaI.
vII. Any attempt to straItjacket the Iorms oI property, that destroys IndIvIduaI
InItIatIve, breeds Iethargy and aIIenatIon whIch Is contrary to the socIaIIst
spIrIt. At the same tIme, the attempts to restore prIvate property as the onIy
way to Increase productIvIty and overcome the dIstortIons means undermInIng
the very basIs oI socIaIIst economIc IoundatIons.
vIII.PIannng & Market
Ix.t Is unscIentIIIc and ahIstorIcaI to conceIve oI a market Independent oI state
InterIerence or even controI. The decIsIve reguIators oI the market, even under
the so-caIIed open market capItaIIst economIes, are controIIed by the state. The
state decIdes on the IIscaI and monetary poIIcIes whIch acceIerate or Impede
economIc growth through the operatIon oI the market Iorces.
x. t wouId agaIn be erroneous to concIude that under socIaIIsm the market wIII
cease to exIst. So Iong as commodItIes are produced, the market exIsts. The
crucIaI questIon Is not pIannIng versus market but whIch domInates what.
!nder socIaIIsm, market Is one oI the means Ior the dIstrIbutIon oI the socIaI
product. CentraIIsed pIannIng, utIIIsIng the market Iorces and the market
IndIcators, wIII be abIe to eIIIcIentIy deveIop the productIve Iorces and meet
the weIIare demands oI the peopIe. ThereIore, IgnorIng market IndIcators Ieads
to greater IrratIonaI use oI resources whIch wIII adverseIy aIIect the pIan
process ItseII.
xI.nstead oI ImprovIng such a combInatIon, the attempt to repIace state pIannIng
16
by market and aIIowIng the decIsIons on the prIorItIes Ior Investment under
socIaIIst constructIon to be decIded by the market Iorces, Is onIy pavIng the
way Ior the restoratIon oI capItaIIsm.
5.6 DEOOGCA CONSCO1SNESS
I. The May 1990 CentraI CommIttee resoIutIon, whIIe revIewIng the
deveIopments In the InternatIonaI sphere, had seII-crItIcaIIy noted "the
underestImatIon oI revIsIonIst and dogmatIc devIatIons whIch Ied to tactIcs that
adverseIy aIIected the strength oI the InternatIonaI workIng cIass movement
and bIunted the edge oI the cIass struggIe through the predomInance oI
economIsm. ThIs was true both In reIatIon to the movement oI cIass struggIe on
the worId scaIe and the Impact It had on the coIIectIve conscIousness oI the
peopIes In the socIaIIst countrIes ItseII. ThIs can be seen In the rapIdIty wIth
whIch the ruIIng CommunIst IartIes In ast urope abdIcated theIr roIe and
embraced socIaI democracy. WhIIe the objectIve Iactors Ior the IntensIIIcatIon
oI cIass struggIe exIsted, the subjectIve Iactor, I.e., the degree oI organIsatIon
and socIaIIst cIass conscIousness oI the workIng cIass on a worId scaIe, was
IaggIng. "t must be cIearIy noted that wIthout the subjectIve Iactor -- the Iarty
oI the workIng cIass, wIth IIve contact wIth the aspIratIons oI the peopIe
organIsIng and IeadIng theIr struggIes and raIsIng the coIIectIve conscIousness
oI the peopIe -- no revoIutIonary advance Is possIbIe.
II. As stated earIIer, socIaIIsm can onIy be sustaIned and deveIoped on the basIs
oI the growIng coIIectIve conscIousness oI the peopIe whIch, In turn, Is based
on the materIaI condItIons created by socIaIIst constructIon. Such a coIIectIve
conscIousness cannot be reared wIthout the IdeoIogIcaI steadIastness oI the
ruIIng CommunIst Iarty.
III. n the post-second worId war sItuatIon, apart Irom the aspects dIscussed
earIIer, the objectIve basIs Ior the urge amongst the SovIet peopIe Ior peace
must be understood. The tremendous sacrIIIces oI the SovIet peopIe, wIth over
20 mIIIIon dead durIng the course oI the antI-IascIst war, naturaIIy created a
deep urge Ior maIntaInIng peace at aII costs. TakIng advantage oI thIs deep
urge, an Incorrect estImatIon oI the InternatIonaI correIatIon oI cIass Iorces
was drawn by the 20th Congress oI the CIS! when It advanced Its revIsIonIst
concepts. nternaIIy, wIthIn the SovIet !nIon, the Impact oI thIs revIsIonIsm Ied
to a steady erosIon oI the cIass conscIousness and vIgIIance, both amongst the
peopIe and the Iarty rank and IIIe. Such an erosIon amongst sIgnIIIcant
sectIons oI the peopIe and the workIng cIass IacIIItated the process oI
undermInIng oI socIaIIsm wIth mInImum resIstance. And Gorbachev Is abIe to
get away wIth decreeIng a ban on the CIS!'s actIvItIes wIthout much protect.
Iv. These dIstortIons In the spheres oI the IunctIonIng oI the cIass character oI the
state under socIaIIsm, oI strengthenIng and deepenIng socIaIIst democracy,
InabIIIty to adopt tImeIy changes In the methods oI economIc management,
erosIon In standards oI revoIutIonary moraIIty and grave devIatIons In the
IdeoIogIcaI sphere, IaId the basIs Ior the growIng aIIenatIon oI the peopIe Irom
the Iarty and the state, thus permIttIng the counter-revoIutIonary Iorces, both
InternaI and externaI, to act In concert to dIsmantIe socIaIIsm.
6.0 WorId-Wde mpact of These DeveIopments
TASKS BE1ORE THE COMM1NSTS
I. IoIIowIng these reverses, as noted earIIer, worId ImperIaIIsm Ied by the !SA Is
demonstratIng a new aggressIveness and Is emboIdened to dIctate Its `new
worId order'.
II. otwIthstandIng the recent advances made In the sphere oI nucIear
dIsarmament taIks and the arms cut, ImperIaIIsm Is seekIng to retaIn reIatIve
17
advantage In order to attaIn the necessary Ieverage to consoIIdate Its
hegemonIstIc desIgns. The present condItIons create scope Ior greater threats
oI nucIear bIackmaII by !.S. ImperIaIIsm.
III.These deveIopments warrant the urgent need to unIte the antI-ImperIaIIst
Iorces, partIcuIarIy In the deveIopIng worId, and Iorge the unIty In actIon wIth
the workIng cIass In the capItaIIst countrIes and to strengthen theIr resIstance
agaInst thIs renewed oIIensIve.
Iv. One Important consequence oI these deveIopments Is the IavourabIe condItIons
created Ior the growth oI reactIonary neo-IascIst Iorces In varIous countrIes.
TargettIng the progressIve and revoIutIonary sectIons, these Iorces are
mountIng theIr poIItIcaI oIIensIve.
v. The voId In the InternatIonaI sphere, the absence oI the socIaIIst buIwark
standIng agaInst ImperIaIIst desIgns, Is bound to Iurther expose the countrIes
oI the deveIopIng worId to ImperIaIIst machInatIons and make them more
vuInerabIe to Its pressures. n thIs sItuatIon, where the expIoratIon oI the
capItaIIst worId order IInds IavourabIe condItIons, the economIc and poIItIcaI
sovereIgnty oI Independent natIons wIII come under greater stress. Many a
ThIrd WorId regIme may, under pressure, capItuIate, thereby IncreasIng the
burdens on the common peopIe oI these countrIes. ThIs wouId naturaIIy be
accompanIed by more repressIve measures In these countrIes.
vI.The peopIe oI the Iormer socIaIIst countrIes are today IIndIng to theIr dIsmay
that the euphorIa oI "democracy" and "market economy" has not brought to
them the pIeasures and gIItters oI a consumer socIety. nstead, the socIaI
securIty guaranteed by socIaIIsm has been dIsmantIed, unempIoyment Is
growIng by Ieaps and bounds embracIng aImost haII the Iabour Iorce In some oI
these countrIes, and InIIatIon Is erodIng the reaI vaIues oI theIr Incomes. The
consequent rIsIng dIscontent Is beIng sought to be utIIIsed by neo-IascIst
reactIonary Iorces whose ascendancy wIII onIy termInate the aIready erodIng
poIItIcaI and democratIc rIghts oI the peopIe.
vII.WIItIng under the pressure oI an Intense IdeoIogIcaI oIIensIve, many
CommunIst IartIes are abandonIng the revoIutIonary essence oI MarxIsm-
IenInIsm and embracIng socIaI democracy. SocIaI democracy has aIways been
and contInues to be an IdeoIogy oI reIorm wIthIn the capItaIIst system, thus
rejectIng cIass struggIe and advocatIng cIass coIIaboratIon In Its pIace. ts
practIce over the decades has demonstrated that at every poInt oI tIme, when
the cIass battIes IntensIIIed, socIaI democracy betrayed the workIng cIass. ts
experIence oI runnIng governments In many uropean countrIes, has onIy
shown Its true coIours that, when In government, It supports the bourgeoIsIe
and when In opposItIon It champIons the workIng cIass demands onIy to betray
them at crucIaI junctures. The Importance oI unIted actIons wIth socIaI
democracy on gIobaI probIems and Ior worId peace shouId not be
underestImated. ut In Its name, to abandon MarxIsm-IenInIsm and embrace
the cIass coIIaboratIonIst IdeoIogy oI socIaI democracy wIII onIy undermIne
even the exIstIng gaIns oI socIaIIsm and bIunt the edge oI the Iuture
revoIutIonary struggIes. ThIs IdeoIogIcaI oIIensIve has to be met squareIy.
vIII.Another erroneous conceptIon that was beIng propagated by the CIS! Is the
understandIng that MarxIsm-IenInIsm Is not the onIy IdeoIogy that guIdes the
CommunIst Iarty. To portray MarxIsm-IenInIsm as one oI the many IdeoIogIcaI
streams oI human thought and evoIutIon, Is the outrIght denIaI oI thIs creatIve
scIence. The work oI Marx and ngeIs was the combInatIon and advancement
oI Irench socIaIIsm, German phIIosophy and materIaIIsm and ngIIsh poIItIcaI
economy. MarxIsm-IenInIsm, as a creatIve scIence, assImIIates the entIre
creatIve thInkIng at any poInt oI tIme and advances thIs towards reaIIsIng the
revoIutIonary objectIves by provIdIng a guIde to actIon, not onIy to Interpret
18
but to change the expIoItatIve worId order. The shortcomIngs and IaIIures In
the process oI constantIy enrIchIng thIs creatIve scIence In accordance wIth
unIoIdIng hIstorIcaI deveIopments, Is not due to Its InadequacIes or Iack oI
scIentIIIc method oI Its content. t Is due to the InadequacIes and Iack oI
scIentIIIc rIgour on the part oI those who have embraced thIs phIIosophy.
Ix.MarxIsm-IenInIsm Is InherentIy materIaIIstIc, creatIve and IntrInsIcaIIy
dIaIectIcaI. t Is hence supremeIy antI-dogmatIc. t Is a worId-vIew that
embraces the vIsIon oI IIberatIon and expresses emancIpatory IdeaIs. t Is a tooI
Ior understandIng and anaIysIng the muItItude oI phenomena that constItute
changIng hIstorIcaI sItuatIons. t Is a guIde to actIon that deIInes programmatIc
objectIves Ior the peopIe's struggIe Ior IIberatIon, subject to the necessary
adaptatIons as requIred by changIng hIstorIcaI sItuatIons.
x. As a creatIve scIence, MarxIsm-IenInIsm IdentIIIes the tendencIes and
dIrectIons oI deveIopment. n doIng so It provIdes the possIbIIItIes Ior popuIar
mass InterventIon In these deveIopments In the pursuIt oI estabIIshIng an
expIoItatIon-Iree socIety. Ior Instance, the hIstorIcaI InevItabIIIty oI the
repIacement oI the expIoItatIon-based capItaIIsm by socIaIIsm Is not automatIc.
The key Iactor that can eIIect such a socIaI transIormatIon Is the correct
IdeoIogIcaI, poIItIcaI and organIsatIonaI IeadershIp oI the growIng struggIes oI
the workIng cIass, the peasantry and aII workIng peopIe. When thIs cIass
conscIousness Is deIused or bIunted, the Iorces oI counter-revoIutIon expIoIt
the sItuatIon to perpetuate theIr cIass ruIe.
xI.The tasks conIrontIng InternatIonaI communIst movement at thIs juncture are
Indeed enormous. At a tIme when thIs IdeoIogIcaI oIIensIve has to be squareIy
and consIstentIy met, the InternatIonaI communIst movement Is In dIsarray.
mperIaIIsm attempts to gaIn Iurther advantage Irom thIs.
xII.On the basIs oI the revoIutIonary tenets oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm and drawIng
correct Iessons Irom these reverses, the unIty oI purpose and actIon between
the communIst Iorces In dIIIerent countrIes must be buIIt. ThIs Is necessary to
uphoId and strengthen proIetarIan InternatIonaIIsm. ThIs must Iorge unIty wIth
aII those struggIIng agaInst the present ImperIaIIst oIIensIve. OnIy thIs way can
the ImperIaIIst eIIorts that seek to reverse the course oI human hIstory, be
chaIIenged. n thIs context, It Is necessary to vIgorousIy combat certaIn
erroneous theoretIcaI conceptIons that are beIng advanced.
xIII.
Apart Irom those deaIt wIth earIIer, an erroneous conceptIon that shouId be
denounced Is that capItaIIsm Is IosIng Its expIoItatIve character. t Is, thereIore,
suggested that there Is a convergence oI socIaIIsm and capItaIIsm In evoIvIng a
new `cIvIIIsed' worId system. t Is In Iact beIng argued that muItInatIonaI
corporatIons are an exampIe oI socIaIIst pIannIng! xpIoItatIon occurs under
capItaIIsm In the very productIon process. t Is an IntegraI part oI Its dynamIcs.
The overthrow oI capItaIIsm Is not onIy a moraI questIon but a scIentIIIc and
hIstorIcaIIy InevItabIe deveIopment to estabIIsh an expIoItatIon-Iree socIety.
xIv.TheoretIcaIIy, It Is possIbIe to argue regardIng the "InterpenetratIon oI the
opposItes" In a contradIctIon. ut as we have seen above, the unIoIdIng oI
contemporary hIstorIcaI deveIopments reveaIs the IntensIIIcatIon oI capItaIIst
expIoItatIon and not the IosIng oI Its expIoItatIve character. Convergence oI
socIaIIsm and capItaIIsm In thIs background can onIy mean subsumptIon oI
socIaIIsm by capItaIIsm.
xv.IIkewIse, It must be underIIned that notwIthstandIng the scIentIIIc and
technoIogIcaI revoIutIon, the tremendousIy Increased rates oI Iabour
productIvIty and the IncreasIng component oI mentaI Iabour as opposed to
manuaI Iabour sInce the days oI earIy capItaIIsm, though a change oI great
sIgnIIIcance, do not negate the expIoItatIve character oI the system. Those
19
who, thereIore, argue that sInce the workIng cIass has changed Its character
Irom the days oI Marx and IenIn, and hence the IrreIevance oI MarxIsm-
IenInIsm, negate the very basIs oI capItaIIst productIon, vIz., the generatIon
and approprIatIon oI surpIus vaIue. They thus negate the need Ior socIaI
transIormatIon and act as apoIogIsts Ior the capItaIIst system.
xvI.These and many other erroneous theoretIcaI postuIates that are IIkeIy to be
advanced In the days to come, have to be IrontaIIy combatted In order to
prevent any Iurther spread oI reIormIst IIIusIons and dIIutIon oI the
revoIutIonary content oI the workIng cIass movement.
7.0 CP{M)'S STR1GGE 1OR SOCASM
I. t Is In thIs background that the CI(M)'s struggIe Ior socIaIIsm In ndIa wIII
have to be deIIned. t Is very necessary to seII-crItIcaIIy note that suIIIcIent
attentIon was not paId In the past to understand the actuaI condItIons In the
socIaIIst countrIes. otwIthstandIng the varIous occasIons durIng the Iast two
and a haII decades when the CI(M) had to joIn Issues wIth varIous contIngents
oI the InternatIonaI communIst movement to uphoId the revoIutIonary content
oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm, It must be noted that the InIormatIon receIved Irom
IraternaI partIes regardIng the InternaI sItuatIon In the socIaIIst countrIes, was
accepted wIth excessIve conIIdence. t was taken Ior granted that the probIems
and errors wouId be corrected and overcome. Thus, the task oI equIppIng the
Iarty rank and IIIe wIth a proper understandIng oI the process buIIdIng
socIaIIsm and not IdeaIIsIng the socIaIIst countrIes' experIences was wantIng.
II. IavIng thIs seII-crItIcIsm, the CI(M) asserts that the essentIaI eIements oI
socIaIIsm Is the eIImInatIon expIoItatIon oI man by man, cIass by cIass and
natIon by natIon. t Is thIs IIberatIng InIIuence that uphoIds and preserves
human dIgnIty and rIghts In theIr most comprehensIve and unIversaI Iorms that
constItute the InspIratIon to carry Iorward the struggIe. The CI(M)'s struggIe
In deIence oI MarxIsm-IenInIsm In the InternatIonaI communIst movement, Its
very IormatIon, exIstence and the struggIe agaInst rIght and IeIt devIatIons In
the ndIan condItIons, enjoIn upon It to draw correct concIusIons on the basIs oI
thIs experIence to advance towards socIaIIsm In the ndIan condItIons.
III.The present socIo-economIc condItIons and exIstIng reaIItIes In ndIa deIIne the
stage oI the ndIan revoIutIon as the democratIc stage. a stage where the
unIInIshed tasks oI the democratIc revoIutIon -- antI-ImperIaIIst, antI-IeudaI and
antI-monopoIy capItaI -- wIII be compIeted. ThIs requIres the repIacement oI the
present bourgeoIs-IandIord cIass ruIe headed by the bIg bourgeoIsIe by a state
oI the IeopIe's emocracy headed by the workIng cIass.
Iv. The CI(M) Irogramme cIearIy deIInes the cIass aIIIance -- IeopIe's emocratIc
Iront -- that can IuIIII the task oI compIetIng the democratIc revoIutIon. ased
IIrmIy on the worker-peasant aIIIance, thIs Iront wIII have the agrIcuIturaI
Iabour and poor peasant as the basIc aIIIes oI the workIng cIass. ThIs Iront wIII
IncIude the mIddIe peasant and the rIch peasant. The urban as weII as other
mIddIe cIasses and broad sectIons oI the natIonaI bourgeoIsIe wIII aIso be aIIIes
oI thIs Iront. The CI(M) Irogramme IIsts the basIc tasks that have to be
compIeted In thIs stage. t deIIned the CI(M)'s roIe as one "oI unItIng wIth aII
the patrIotIc Iorces oI the natIon, I.e., those whoa re Interested In sweepIng
away aII the remnants oI pre-capItaIIst socIety, In carryIng out the agrarIan
revoIutIon In a thorough manner and In the Interests oI the peasantry, In
eIImInatIng aII traces oI IoreIgn capItaI, and In removIng aII obstacIes In the
path oI a radIcaI reconstructIon oI ndIa's economy, socIaI IIIe and cuIture."
(Iara 110)
v. n order to successIuIIy advance towards IeopIe's emocracy, It Is necessary to
change the exIstIng correIatIon oI cIass Iorces. ThIs can onIy be accompIIshed
20
by mIghty struggIes oI aII sectIons oI the ndIan peopIe. otwIthstandIng the
deveIopment oI capItaIIsm aIter Independence, nearIy three-Iourths oI our
popuIatIon Is dependent on agrIcuIture. The mIIIIons oI the peasantry,
partIcuIarIy poor peasants and agrIcuIturaI Iabour whose suIIerIngs contInue to
Increase under the bourgeoIs-IandIord cIass ruIe, wIII have to be gaIvanIsed In
struggIes Ior a radIcaI transIormatIon. ThIs constItutes the bedrock oI the
peopIe's struggIes to change the correIatIon oI cIass Iorces. These tasks enjoIn
upon the CI(M) to strengthen Its organIsatIon, wedded to MarxIsm-IenInIsm,
and Its actIvItIes to buIId and Iead the struggIes agaInst the present cIass ruIe
that Is ImposIng greater and greater burdens on the peopIe.
vI.!nder the present cIrcumstances, when the rIght-reactIonary Iorces are
mountIng an oIIensIve, It Is necessary to strengthen the struggIes to saIeguard
the unIty and IntegrIty oI our country, to estabIIsh reaI equaIIty oI the peopIe
and IraternIty between the varIous natIonaIItIes and ethnIc groups that InhabIt
our country.
vII.t Is onIy aIter the estabIIshment oI IeopIe's emocracy and compIetIng the
antI-ImperIaIIst, antI-IeudaI, antI-monopoIy capItaI tasks, can the ndIan peopIe
advance towards socIaIIsm. What does socIaIIsm In ndIan condItIons mean?
vIII.t means, IIrst and Ioremost, that peopIe's power wouId be supreme. That
democracy and democratIc rIghts wouId be InseparabIe eIements oI the
socIaIIst jurIdIcaI, poIItIcaI and socIaI order.
Ix.t means that the socIaIIst economIc constructIon wIII be based on the
socIaIIsed means oI productIon and centraI pIannIng. As Iong as commodIty
productIon exIsts, the market Is bound to exIst. As noted earIIer, the market
Iorces, however, shaII be subsumed under the guIdance oI centraI pIannIng.
WhIIe varIous Iorms oI property can and wIII coexIst, the decIsIve Iorm wIII be
that oI the socIaI ownershIp oI the means oI productIon.
x. !nder socIaIIsm, the rIght to dIssent, Ireedom oI expressIon and pIuraIIty oI
opInIon wIII IIourIsh wIth the aIm oI strengthenIng socIaIIsm. The questIon oI
whether other poIItIcaI partIes exIst or a muItI-party system wIII prevaII,
depends crucIaIIy on the roIe that these partIes have pIayed durIng the process
oI revoIutIon and socIaIIst transIormatIon.
xI. SocIaIIsm In the ndIan condItIons aIso means the creatIon oI the basIs Ior
enrIchIng and strengthenIng the exIstIng democratIc rIghts. t means the
provIdIng oI the economIc basIs, the IundamentaI and essentIaI requIrement Ior
the contInuous deepenIng and deveIopment oI the quaIIty oI human IIIe, on
whose IoundatIons socIaIIst democracy wIII IIourIsh.
8.0 CONC1SON
I. otwIthstandIng the twIsts and turns and the zIgzags oI hIstory, successes and
reverses, the deveIopments oI thIs century, partIcuIarIy sInce 1917, reIIect the
proIound Impact oI peopIe's struggIe In the evoIutIon oI human progress. The
revoIutIonary transIormatIons have brought about quIItatIve Ieaps In hIstory
and have IeIt an IndeIIbIe ImprInt on modern cIvIIIsatIon. The consequent
economIc, poIItIcaI and socIaI rIghts have now come to be consIdered
InseparabIe Irom human cIvIIIsatIon. The natIonaI and socIaI IIberatIon process
oI the peopIes has been IrreguIar, compIex, and wIII take a Iong tIme to
compIete. just as hIstory has shown that the transItIon Irom capItaIIsm to
socIaIIsm Is not a one-strong transIormatIon but a proIonged perIod oI Intense
struggIe, so wIII hIstory demonstrate that the process oI restoratIon oI
capItaIIsm In the SovIet !nIon and ast uropean countrIes wIII not be as easy
and sImpIe as Is beIng conceIved. The hard-won rIghts oI the peopIe, won over
a century oI struggIes, cannot be easIIy erased. The 20th century deveIopments
testIIy to the IundamentaI dIrectIon oI contemporary human deveIopment
21
towards natIonaI and socIaI IIberatIon.
The CI(M), takIng Into account the evoIutIon oI the socIo-economIc systems oI
both contemporary capItaIIsm and socIaIIsm, consIdered both at the worId IeveI
as weII as In each country, Is commItted to carry out a deeper anaIysIs whIch
has been hIndered, as poInted out above, by revIsIonIsm and dogmatIsm In the
InternatIonaI communIst movement whIch, In turn, Ied to theoretIcaI stagnatIon
to a certaIn extent. MarxIsm-IenInIsm Is the IndIspensabIe Instrument Ior
carryIng out such an anaIysIs Ior drawIng the correspondIng theoretIcaI and
practIcaI concIusIons. The CI(M) pIedges to strengthen the study oI MarxIsm-
IenInIsm and spIrIt oI proIetarIan InternatIonaIIsm amongst Its ranks and
propagate the Ideas oI scIentIIIc socIaIIsm amongst the ndIan peopIe. The
CI(M) pIedges to contInue the IIght agaInst rIght revIsIonIst and IeIt sectarIan
devIatIons. t shaII carry Iorward the task oI mobIIIsIng the ndIan peopIe In
struggIes to change the present correIatIon oI cIass Iorces towards the
objectIve oI peopIe's democracy and socIaIIsm.

22