p We take pride in the high appraisal which the activities of our Party, and its internationalist position received at the Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties. For Soviet Communists this is a fresh source of revolutionary optimism and energy and stimulus for creative endeavour.

p Throughout its history the CPSU has founded its policy on the Leninist concept of proletarian internationalism. We have always been guided by the well-known Leninist definition that to be an internationalist is to do "the utmost possible in one country for the development, support and awakening of the revolution in all countries ”  [219•1  The CPSU has always striven to make full use of all inner potentialities to strengthen and promote socialism and communism to the utmost in the Soviet Union and, at the same time, to support and develop the revolutionary struggle throughout the world. Such is our idea of internationalist duty to the world communist and working-class movement.

p How do we spell this out in concrete terms?

p First of all, we believe that we shall be exerting our main influence on the world revolutionary process by continuing to set an example of economic achievement.

p The USSR has entered a qualitatively new stage of its development: the full-scale construction of communist society has been started and is being successfully continued, and great and complex tasks in the economy and social relations are being accomplished.

p Rapid intensification of the economy is a characteristic feature. It has been prepared by the whole development of our productive forces, and by the requirements of the worldwide scientific and technological revolution. The accent is on greater efficiency of social production and higher productivity of labour, rapid introduction and optimal use of new plant, and maximum involvement in production of available reserves. This, in turn, calls for constant improvement of socialist economic management and planning, and fuller use of the vast advantages inherent in the socialist system.

p The economic reform in the USSR is now in its third year. One of its main objectives is to shape an economic 220 mechanism assuring maximum growth of labour productivity, plus unhindered and accelerated scientific and technological progress extending to every pore of the economy, from top to bottom. The reform is still to be completed but the results already to hand are highly encouraging. Our economy is becoming more dynamic, more efficient, and with a faster rate of scientific and technological progress. The powerful economic potential built up over the years is yielding in increasing return in the shape of real consumer benefits.

p We see all this as the way to enhance our influence on the world revolutionary process, the force of our example on peoples fighting imperialist oppression.

p The advantages of socialism and the effectiveness of its international example are to be seen not only in the fact that this system enables full use to be made of scientific and technological achievements for the common good and for the systematic and uninterrupted improvement of the people’s living conditions. Our system also creates the best prerequisites for man’s harmonious development, for the flowering of all human endowments, spiritual resources and talents. That is the lofty and truly humane goal of our society, and, seen against the background of the spreading spiritual and ideological debasement to which man is condemned by modern capitalist society, it has a very special appeal.

p We have been steadily improving the whole complexus of socialist social relations, striving further to consolidate our Soviet state, and develop and extend socialist democracy to the utmost.

p There is much history to show that wherever the role and power of the socialist state are weakened, anarchy supervenes and socialist gains are jeopardised. Our adversaries have tried to make use of the CPSU’s policy of strengthening the Soviet state for propaganda purposes, by contrasting it with the policy of further developing and perfecting socialist democracy. However, we have repeatedly declared—and say this again—that we regard democracy in terms of class. This means that the main point is: democracy for whom? Socialist democracy is—not nominally but actually—a democracy for millions upon millions of workers and peasants, for the people’s intelligentsia, whose vital interests it reflects. We take the content and meaning of socialist democracy to be the massive involvement of men and women in government, economic construction and the 221 administration of all public affairs. That is the direction in which we have been steadily improving the legislative foundations of our state and of our democracy. To take an example. We are now working to write into the Constitution the changes that have taken place in Soviet society over the last few decades. The people have been invited to discuss the draft Rules of the Agricultural Artel which reflect the level achieved in collective-farm development. A decision has recently been taken to improve the information available to the public on domestic and foreign affairs.

p Our way to communism, like that of all pioneers, is a hard and tortuous one. To keep on the right track a good compass is needed, and for us this has always been and will always be Marxism-Leninism, by which the CPSU is guided in working out its plans in building communism. These are mapped out in the decisions of the Party’s Congresses, from the 20th to the 23rd, and in the Programme of the CPSU. Our Party abstracts the experience gained in socialist and communist construction into theoretical propositions, and makes a study of the new phenomena and tendencies in the development of Soviet society. Now that the scale and complexity of the tasks of communist construction objectively require enhancing the Party’s leading role, we have also been giving thought to ways of developing the Party itself, strengthening its ideological and organisational unity, and backing up with theory the whole of our Party and ideological work in society.

p Among the traits that distinguish the politically alert Soviet citizen, the one that stands out in the present conditions is his sense of pride in the Communist Party and the country, dedication to their prosperity, and a profound understanding of the international significance of communist construction in the USSR. The Party considers it its primary task to continue the education of our people in the spirit of Soviet patriotism, in the spirit of friendship, brotherhood and international solidarity with the peoples of the socialist countries, and with all the peoples fighting for social emancipation and national liberation, for democracy, peace and socialism.

p Assistance to peoples who are victims of aggression and are fighting imperialism, for their national, political and economic liberation and for social progress is an integral element of our internationalist duty to the communist and 222 working-class movement. The scale and effectiveness of this assistance depends directly on our success in developing Soviet society. In Soviet Russia’s early years, her influence on the course of world development was determined chiefly by the force of revolutionary example. With the growth of the Soviet Union’s economic and political might, not only did our example become more attractive, but our political, economic and military assistance to peoples fighting imperialism increased.

p That is not to say, of course, that we engage in the "export of revolution”. We are fully aware that revolutions are not imported, but spring from the internal development of each country and the determined struggle of the masses for their social emancipation. But we are also fully aware of the importance of giving fighting peoples timely and varied assistance and support.

p The whole world knows what great political, economic and military assistance the Soviet Union is giving to the people of Vietnam in their just fight against US imperialist aggression. The Soviet Union’s economic ties with the young states of Asia and Africa and with the countries of Latin America have been growing stronger. We strive to assist the economic development of liberated countries, help them establish a national industry, train their own personnel, etc. This kind of assistance to the young states lessens their dependence on the imperialist monopolies and helps strengthen the common anti-imperialist front.

p Our Party believes that peace offers the best conditions for the revolutionary and liberation movement. That is why we also regard our peaceable foreign policy, our struggle for world peace as a component—and very important— part of our internationalist duty to the worldwide communist and working-class movement, to the peoples of the whole world.

p We shall continue to extend our foreign policy activity, which is of considerable importance for our common revolutionary cause. We shall go on helping to strengthen the might and unity of the socialist community, support the liberation struggle of the peoples, frustrate the aggressive plans of imperialism and fight to maintain peace and establish the principles of peaceful coexistence of states with differing social systems.

p The Soviet people are engaged in peaceful labour and do 223 not want war. Nor does the vast majority of mankind want war. That is why Soviet foreign policy, with the struggle for peace as its cornerstone, meets the vital interests of all peoples and has their growing support. Together with the other Parties, we have now started active preparations for the convocation of an anti-imperialist congress of the peoples of the world, and a congress of nations in defence of European security.

p Soviet Communists have always been and will remain true to their internationalist duty. We solemnly reaffirmed this at the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties. By our constructive labours in building a communist society, by strengthening the country’s defence capability, by our assistance to fighting peoples, by our peace-loving foreign policy, we have been doing and will continue to do everything in our power to advance the cause of peace and social progress, the cause of socialism and communism.

p The first meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties was held a little over ten years ago. We have now redefined our platform for united action. From one meeting to another, from one strategic stage to another, the Communists’ revolutionary and creative activity has gained in scope; we have acquired more experience and greater ability to go to the heart of social processes and exert an influence on them.

p At the last Meeting we stated that the present stage in the fight against imperialism offers growing possibilities for fresh advances by the revolutionary and progressive forces. Imperialism is no longer capable of regaining the historical initiative and reversing the course of social development. Mankind’s highroad is determined by the world socialist system, the international working class, and all the other revolutionary forces.

p We are aware that the world revolutionary process is not a walkover, with victories all the way. Unfortunately, now and again we have to taste the bitter of defeat and setbacks. The impact and the significance of the Meeting lie in its warning against an oversimplified approach to the tasks before the communist movement at its new stage. The impact and the significance of our Meeting lie in its MarxistLeninist assessment of today’s vital problems and its realistic approach to solving them. It has confirmed that despite the difficulties the communist movement is in the van of 224 the anti-imperialist struggle, that it is the mightiest political force of our day, capable of finding creative solutions to complex political and theoretical problems.

p The political atmosphere of the world is filled with the ideas of the Meeting. Our activities, practical and theoretical, are marked by endeavour to realise them. In the spirit of the Meeting’s decisions, we are going forward to mark the birth centenary of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the immortal genius of our revolutionary epoch, staunch fighter against imperialism and reaction, great champion of proletarian internationalism.

In the struggle against imperialism, for the revolutionary rejuvenation of the world, Communists will carry even higher the militant banner of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism.