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[Via Communist Internet... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] [Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] . . ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2001 9:07 PM Subject: [MLL] Shadow of Bourgeois Unity Part 2 REVOLUTIONARY THINKING AND THE PARTY To have an understanding of imperialism so we can fight it is important. But the accumulation of more and more facts about it simply to intellectualize will have an odor of futility and barrenness unless at the same time it is reflected in our actions. It doesn't matter how many revolutionary books are on our shelves, or how many protest marches we have taken part in or how many causes we support unless we understand how our bourgeois conditioned actions and attitudes are understood as much as we understand the structure of capitalism itself; our actions will be fruitless, and unconsciously we will still be in collusion with capitalism. To bring this back to myself, is that as long as there is a separation between what I think as a political person and how I act in "ordinary life," I cannot claim to be on the side of revolution. It should be our political task - in however simple and tentative a way it may begin - to start exploring the extent to which our thoughts have been distorted by bourgeois ideology. This may seem less exciting than demonstrations but it is still revolutionary work and will allow us to be more effective. The political climate within our countries will become a revolutionary climate as we committ ourselves to one another into a dedicated and single Party. My meager attempt here was not to be redundant thinking that anyone in this dialogue didn't already know this material, it was hopefully to be a simple reminder that our struggle against capitalism is not a game, it will not be overthrown by intellectualizing it or the Cuban Revolution or any other subject. My attempt was to capsulize how entrenched imperialism is, and since I am in the US, how US imperialism in particular foments its fascist oppression against the working class locally and internationally - against the world proletariat. Our struggle against capitalism is not going to reside with one particular section of the working class. Capitalism will only be overthrown if we unite as an international proletarian force. The conclusion I hope to produce is that the need for a single and international Party is primary in order to direct our program of struggle against such a ruthless enemy that for hundreds of years has been serious about its business. Unless this is done, what do we have to offer the working class in its struggle both locally and internationally? If we as Marxist-Leninists have no system, no organization, how can we offer to the working class what we ourselves don't have? The most pressing and immediate concern of topical discussion must be the priority of establishing a single international Party. We can discuss all manner of subjects but without the Party we are only playing at revolution. We are only trying to inflate our egos by impressing each other with our roll-o-dex file of mental knowledge of abstract and meaningless information. Without the Party we cannot claim to be Marxist-Leninists, the two are inseparable. To separate ourselves from the Party is to sucumb to anarchists. I do not mean to appear rude. I am simply adamant that the first order of business is the Party and not an M-L version of Jerry Springer. My statements in no way reflects on any comrades that stand for Marxist-Leninist unity. Those who call for this unity already possess the knowledge and understanding of Marxism-Leninism as the Party itself being a "minimum" point to agree on. The fact that we must put forth the call for unity is the sad testament that there are self-avowed Marxist-Leninists who yet fail to grasp the understading of their claims of being such. What is my answer to the "minimum" points of agreement for Marxist-Leninist unity? It is very simple: Marxism-Leninism! Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin put forth the science by which we not only understand our social history and the world around us, but the present and the future. It is a living science than cannot be bottled up but must pour forth in action. They did not contradict each other or negate what their predecessors said. They confirmed each other. The only contradictions that have arisen are from outside of these great revolutionaries. It is the bourgeoisie and their revisionist and wrecking agents that contradict and divide us. Mistakes will happen, disagreements will arise but factions and divisions are unacceptable and anti-Marxist-Leninist. We cannot call ourselves Marxist-Leninists if we are opposed to the knowledge, theory, strategy and tactics given us by these great men. If we oppose or even slightly diminish the essence of Marxism-Leninism we are nothing more than dispicable revisionists whose sole aim is to divide the Marxist-Leninist movement in order to prevent it from fulfilling its duty - to educate the masses and lead them forward in socialist revolution to overthrow the entire capitalist system leaving no traces of capitalistic influences smoldering so as to allow the slightest resurgence of reactionary bourgeois thought. This is a "minimum" point of agreement and unity. If we agree that Marxism-Leninism is definitively clear, we then can have no excuses to further hinder our unity into a single Party. Marxism-Leninism is the "minimum" point of agreement. How can we say that, "I agree with this particular theory of Marxism-Leninism but not that one"!! It is impossible to make such a statement unless we are revisionist. If we are in fact Marxist-Leninists we are compelled to agree on Marxism-Leninism. We are compelled to agree to Party unity. We are compelled to agree to a single Party or "one command-centre." If we agree that we are Marxist-Leninists, the need for a single Party is without question. It is our "bounden duty" to put aside all factions and unite into a single Party. This is not a suggestion, it is not an abstract idea, it is not a parlimentary proposal, we are commanded to do so, it is our "first task" as Lenin tells us. We must agree on this "minimum" point or we are foolish to call ourselves Marxist-Leninists and even more foolish to expect the working class to take us serious as their vanguard. It will never happen. We must put aside all bourgeois pretenses, we must quit playing at revolution. Lenin tells us that our "first task" is to "combine the scattered groups" and "individual revolutionaries" into a single Party. Another "minimum" point after establishing the Party is the direction of our program of action and how does it relate locally and internationally. Until we complete our "first task" of Party unity our forward movement is halted, everything else is words floating in the wind. Stalin tells us, "In this period the proletariat is confronted with new tasks, the tasks of reorganizing all Party work on new, revolutionary lines; of educating the workers in the spirit of revolutionary struggle for power; of preparing and moving up the reserves; of establishing an alliance with the proletarians of neighboring countries; of establishing firm ties with the liberation movement in the colonies and dependant countries, etc...Hence the necessity for a new Party, a militant party, one bold enough to lead the proletarians to the struggle for power, sufficiently experienced to find its bearings amidst the complex conditions of a revolutionary situation, and sufficiently flexible to steer clear of all submerged rocks on the way to its goal. Without such a party it is useless even to think of overthrowing imperialism and achieving the dictatorship of the proletariat." We must have a Party, we must have a singular line of march to coordinate all the other groups into an organized force capable of educating the masses. As Lenin tells us, "Working class consciousness cannot be genuine political consciousness unless the workers are trained to respond to all cases of tryanny, oppression, violence and abuse, no matter what class is effected - unless they are trained, moreover, to respond from a Social-Democratic point of view and no other." He further states that "this clear picture" cannot be obtained from any book. It can be obtained only from living examples and from exposures that follow close upon what is going on about us at a given moment; upon what is being discussed, in whispers perhaps by each one in his own way; upon what finds expression in such and such events, in such and such statistics, in such and such court sentenances, etc., etc. These comprehensive exposures are an essential and fundamental condition for training the masses in revolutionary activity." SHADOW OF BOURGEOIS UNITY How can we provide the necessary exposures? If we are not united, if we have no single command center, if we have no direction, if we have no program for action, if we have no paper - we have nothing but good intentions and meaningless phrases. We have absolutely nothing to offer the working class whatsoever. We must get beyond our bourgeois and amatuerish stumbling blocks and unite. In the military as an infantryman, I learned that the mission was the priority. The welfare of the individual unit members was subordinate to the mission. To the intelligent person, however, you can separate the one from the other. You are only as strong as the weakest member. If any individual, or the unit as a whole suffers any need, the mission suffers as well. This same principle applies to us as revolutionaries. If anyone of us suffers in any kind of way, the collective or Party suffers. It will effect our efficiency as the peoples vanguard. Any organization that sets itself above its members or supporters has already failed in its mission. It has failed to understand the extent to which it is still hindered by unconscious bourgeois ideology and attitudes. This tendency of any organization cannot and should not be taken seriously as a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary organization as long as they resist any and all efforts to correct this deficiency. It must be corrected or the organization does nothing more than serve as an agent of bourgeois ideology. Each individual and organization must conduct their own thorough self-analysis and critique. We then must exercise "iron discipline" by displaying a willingness to enter into the dialogue of Party unity. This is of the utmost imperative if our mission as Marxist-Leninists is to be accomplished. I do not see the problem of our failure at Party unity being the lack of knowledge or understanding on the minimum points to agree on. The problem that I believe is the reason for our failure to unite as a Marxist-Leninist movement is the latent or unconscious bourgeois tendencies of self-interest, self-importance, feelings of superiority over other groups or persons, pride and ego. All of this and more has the beginnings of revisionism. What I have tried to point out is that although there is division between the capitalists, they do, from time to time, display a weak and meager attempt at unity of purpose. This unity of purpose is always motivated by self-interest which only continues the competition for maximum profits and the inevitable continued rivalries between them. We know that capital has no loyalties. We also know it is equally as true that the bourgeois conditioned mind is stimulated by pride and ego and self-interest. Because capitalism fosters upon itself the character of being superior, likewise the person conditioned by bourgeois ideology also perceives themselves superior and everyone else as inferior. ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
