p Comrades, our Party is a party of scientific communism. It is steadfastly guided by Marxist-Leninist science, which is the most advanced, revolutionary science of modern times, and does everything for its further development. Theoretical understanding of the phenomena of social life and of its main trends enables the Party to foresee the course of social processes, work out a correct political line and avoid errors and subjectivistic decisions.

p Our Party’s and people’s multiform experience of revolutionary struggle, the building of socialism and communism, and problems of the world revolutionary process, the specifics of the present stage of international relations, have all found expression in the decisions of plenary meetings of the CC and in the Party’s documents commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Great October Revolution and the centenary of the birth of V. I. Lenin. These documents are the result of the development of the Party’s theoretical thinking, the result of the collective work of the Central Committee and our Party and scientific cadres. Considerable theoretical work was accomplished in connection with the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties in 1969, and also in connection with such outstanding events in the life of the international communist movement as the 150th birth anniversaries of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, and the centenary of the Paris Commune. (Applause.)

p Fundamental works showing more fully Lenin’s role as the leader and theoretician of the greatest revolution, and as the creator of the Party of the working class and founder of the world’s first socialist state have been published during the period under review.

p As an eternally living and developing teaching, Leninism has been, remains and will be in the centre of the Party’s ideological life, and the foundation of all its revolutionary, transformative activity. While drawing on Lenin’s 439 ideological legacy, the Party holds that its cardinal task is to find solutions to pressing problems of communist construction on the basis of Lenin’s ideas and Lenin’s methodology.

p In many respects the ways of building the material and technical basis of communism have been specified in recent years. The Party’s thinking was directed towards elaborating modern methods of planning and management and the ways of increasing the efficiency of the economy and improving material and moral incentives. The elaboration of the basic questions of the Party’s agrarian policy at the present stage was of great theoretical importance.

p Much attention was given to the further development of the teaching on the leading role of the Communist Party. Everybody knows that this is one of the fundamental questions of the revolutionary movement and the building of the new society. Today it has become the pivot of the struggle between Marxists-Leninists and representatives of various forms of revisionism. The principled stand of the CPSU and its relentless struggle for the purity of the MarxistLeninist teaching on the Party was of international significance, helping, as is emphasised by the fraternal Parties, the Communists and millions of working people to maintain a correct orientation. (Prolonged applause.)

p The Party attached immense importance to the accurate, unbiased presentation of the history of our state. Sharp and just criticism was levelled at individual attempts to assess the history of the Soviet people from non-Party, non-class positions, and belittle the significance of their socialist gains. At the same time, the Party showed the hollowness of dogmatic notions which ignored the great positive changes that have taken place in the life of our society in recent years.

p The experience of past years has convincingly shown that the surmounting of the consequences of the personality cult and also of subjectivistic errors has favourably affected the general political and, above all, the ideological situation in the country. We have been and remain true to the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism and shall never make any concessions in questions of ideology. (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

p Together with other governing Communist Parties, the CPSU has continued the elaboration of the fundamental questions of the development of the world socialist system. 440 The study and generalisation of each other’s experience have made it possible to specify the characteristics of the general laws of socialist construction and reveal more fully the main features of the socialism that has already been built. Particular attention was given to working out the principles of economic integration and other problems arising in the process of co-operation between the fraternal countries and Parties.

p A considerable place in the Party’s theoretical work was given to analysing the new phenomena in the development of modern capitalism and the ways and means by which world socialism influences the development of the nonsocialist part of the world, to studying the new processes taking place in the capitalist economy, particularly under the impact of the scientific and technical revolution.

p Theoretical work is a major element of our common internationalist, revolutionary duty. The struggle between the forces of capitalism and socialism on the world scene and the attempts of revisionists of all hues to emasculate the revolutionary teaching and distort the practice of socialist and communist construction require that we continue to pay undivided attention to the problems and creative development of theory. Repetition of old formulas where they have become outworn and an inability or reluctance to adopt a new approach to new problems harm the cause and create additional possibilities for the spread of revisionist counter-feits of Marxism-Leninism. Criticism of bourgeois and revisionist attacks on our theory and practice becomes much more convincing when it is founded on the active and creative development of the social sciences, of MarxistLeninist theory.

p Quite a lot has thus been accomplished, comrades. However, the Central Committee does not consider that everything in our theoretical work is satisfactory. Many problems have only been outlined and await profound elaboration. The Party will have to devote still more attention to the development of theory, improve the work of scientific institutions and see that the social sciences establish a close tie with the practice of Party and state work, with the implementation of the concrete tasks of communist construction.

p The Party considers it very important that Communists should perseveringly master the theory of Marxism-Leninism, 441 know the laws of social development, acquire the ability of confidently getting their bearings in the new phenomena of life, evaluate them correctly and draw correct practical conclusions. The ideological steeling of Communists is an indispensable condition for enhancing the militancy of the Party ranks.

p After the 23rd Congress the Party organisations have accomplished a great deal in the way of improving the organisation of Marxist-Leninist education. We have, as you all know, a comprehensive system of Party education consisting of three stages—primary, middle and higher. This ensures continuity in the study of theory and the history and policy of the Party and enables Party committees to take the training level and interests of Communists into consideration when they organise studies for them. Steps have been taken to raise the level of economic education, which acquires considerable importance under present-day conditions. Textbooks and manuals have been compiled and published in mass editions for the first time for all levels of Party education. More than 16 million people now study in the system of Party education, and there is a millionstrong army of propagandists.

p At the same time, it must be noted that some Party committees do not give this work the proper attention. We still have quite a few Communists who underestimate the importance of Marxist-Leninist study and do not improve their ideological and theoretical level, while their Party organisations fail to make the necessary demands of them.

p The Marxist-Leninist education of Communists is important not only for its scale but, principally, for its ideological and political significance. The task is further to improve this work, tie political study in more closely with the concrete tasks of communist construction and see that it has a stronger influence on the growth of the consciousness and activity of all members of the Party. New demands are made of propagandists, whose selection and training should receive special attention.

p Comrades, the period since the 23rd Congress has thus witnessed the further ideological, political and organisational cohesion of the CPSU ranks, the growth of activity by the Communists and the strengthening of the Party’s ties with the masses.

The unity of interests between the Party and the entire Soviet people makes our society invincible and gives it the ability to withstand any test. It is the indissoluble unity between the Party and all the working people that allows us to forge confidently ahead and resolve the most complex tasks. Our Party values and treasures the trust of the working people above all else. To strengthen our great Party in every way, to deepen its bonds with the people, with the masses—that is the behest left to us by the great Lenin— and we shall be true to this behest of Lenin’s! (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

p Comrade delegates, the Central Committee has reported to you the results of its work for the past five years, the Party’s main tasks for the future and the prospects for our country’s development.

p In his day Lenin emphasised time and again that one of the cardinal tasks of Party congresses is to sum up the results of practical experience, of all that has been found to be valuable and instructive, criticise shortcomings and find ways of removing them. There is no doubt that with a sense of high responsibility to the Party and the people the delegates to this Congress will, as is accepted in our Party, take a principled, businesslike approach to the discussion of the Report of the CC.

p Our plans are founded on realistic calculations, they take into account our country’s requirements, resources and possibilities. The discussion of the draft Directives for the new five-year plan has shown that these plans have the wholehearted approval and support of the Party and the entire people. The fulfilment of these plans depends on the work of each of us, on our organisation and discipline, on our ability and perseverance. The principal task of the Party, of all its organisations, is to mobilise the masses for the drive to carry out the set tasks and unite the entire people still more closely on the Leninist platform of communist construction.

p Comrades, we have inexhaustible possibilities. Our country’s economic might is greater than ever before. New heights have been attained by Soviet science and culture. The moral and political unity of our people is unbreakable. 443 We are moving forward shoulder to shoulder with our socialist friends and allies. Our militant alliance with the revolutionary forces of the whole world is growing stronger.

p We know that we shall achieve all that we are striving for, and successfully carry out the tasks we are setting ourselves. The guarantee of this has been, is and will be the creative genius of the Soviet people, their selflessness and their unity round their Communist Party, which is steadfastly advancing along the course charted by Lenin. (Stormy, prolonged applause?)

p Long live the Communist Party of the Soviet Union— the Party of Lenin, militant vanguard of our entire people! (Stormy, prolonged applause.)

p May the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, mainstay of peace and friendship among nations, live long and grow stronger! (Stormy, prolonged applause)

p May the mighty alliance of revolutionary forces—the world socialist system, the international working-class movement and the fighters for the national and social liberation of peoples—grow stronger and advance from victory to victory! (Stormy, prolonged applause)

p Hold higher the banner of the eternally living, invincible teaching of Marx-Engels-Lenin! Long live communism! (Stormy, prolonged applause)

Glory to the great Soviet people, the builder of communism! (Stormy, prolonged applause that grows into an ovation. All rise. Cries of: "Glory to the CPSU!”, "Glory to the Soviet people!”, "Hurrah!”, and "Glory to the Leninist Central Committee!”)