199

[I]

p The National Council of the Communist Party of India wel comes this seminar, for the opportunity that it affords to have exchange of experiences about our work in our respective countries, and our views about developments in contemporary world.

p The 175th Anniversary of Karl Marx’s birth is a fitting occasion for such a meeting in the midst of a turbulent world. It is an occasion not merely for paying homage to one "whose name will endure through the ages”, but to demonstrate once again that Marxism is immortal, because it is true and valid.

p The years that have just gone have witnessed severe set-backs to thecauseof Socialismand Socialist advance in the world. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the regimes in Eastern Europe dealt a heavy blow to all progressive mankind.

p This was however hailed by the Western media as signaling the demise of Socialism. A vicious propaganda blitz was let loose that "Marxism-Leninism has failed”, that the "Communist parties have no future”. A type of triumphalistic euphoria gripped the Imperialists, Capitalists and their scribes.

The Indian media faithfully relayed and played up this propaganda offensive of the West. It expected crisis and convulsion within Communist ranks here too.

II

p There is no denying that for quite some time the course of events that ultimately led to the collapse, had given rise to 200 Emacs-File-stamp: "/home/ysverdlov/leninist.biz/en/1993/CWSVM387/20071216/299.tx" bewilderment and confusion among Communists and supporters of Socialism mixed with anger at what was happening. Progressive sections of our people who always looked upon the Soviet Union and the Socialist countries as dependable friends of India and the Third World were sad and disoriented.

p But we can say with satisfaction that Indian Communists got over the initial confusion within a brief period. Our Party ran an open forum on all aspects of the developments in the party press. The ensuing debate, while self-critically pinpointing several errors in understanding and assessments, resulted in a reaffirmation of our commitment to the ideology of Marxism-Leninism and to Socialism as the strategic objective of our struggle for revolutionary change.

p These were unanimously endorsed in the documents adopted at the 15th Congress our party in April 1992. At the same time, we drew several important lessons in the ideological political and practical fields, for the further development of Marxism-Leninism as a living extremely complex social reality, for arriving at our future of Socialism on the basis of our struggle, our historical needs and conditions.

p The Left movement as a whole stood solidly throughout this period, and further consolidated its unity of action. The mass bases of the Communists and the left remained unaffected by and large. Their alliance with democratic forces and elements, both in elections and in mass movements, continued undisturbed by the barrage of Imperialist propaganda aimed against Socialism, and by the aggressive anti-Communist postures of Indian rightists and reactionary forces.

p This is testified by the results of the general elections. But not merely that.

p The Communist and left parties by themselves, and through the joint forum of mass organisations - trade unions, peasant and agricultural workers organisations, youth, student and women’s organistions, have been able to take the initiative on several national-political and mass issues during this period, which drew broad sections of the people into state and country-wide move ments.

p In the background of the Soviet collapse, the Government of India launched a package of so-called new economic policies under 201 high-sounding names like reforms, liberalisation, ‘globalisation’, ’free marker*, and ’open door’. They drew ideological sustenance from the Soviet collapse and ’return to Capitalism’ being put in practice in the former Socialist countries. In effect it was a helpless submission to IMF/World Bank conditionalities on the plea that "there is no alternative”.

p Against these policies, which actually constitute an attack on the working peoples living standards and abandonment of a selfreliant path of development, the "Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions" (which unites 8 central trade unions and nearly 40 industrial federations), organised the November 29, 1992 industrial strike. More than 12 to 15 million workers took part in these nationwide strikes. In certain states, other sections of the people also joined in ‘bandhs’ on those days.

p These were followed up by a massive one million strong demonstration in Delhi, which served notice on the Government about the working peoples’ resolve to fight these anti-people policies characterised by privatisation, high prices, closures and soaring unemployment, and so on.

p Agricultural labourers fought for better wages and social security laws, and through direct action distributed and cultivated more than 20,000 hectares of land which was in illegal possession of landlords.

p Students and youth continued their struggle against commercialisation and privatisation of education, against restriction of education for the elitist sections only, and for jobs. Women’s organisation have come together to fight against atrocities on women, against gender discrimination and for equality in all spheres.

p In this very period, the right reactionary forces, represented by the BJP/RSS and their allied organisations launched their all-out communal drive, brazenly using religion for their political ends, and targeting the Muslim minorities, and their places of worship as hate objects. It gave them certain measure of success in the elections - making them the main opposition in Parliament, and bringing them to power in four states.

p The drive was thereafter pursued with greater frenzy. It culminated on December 6,1992 in the demolition of the four and a half centuries old Babri Masjid at Ayodhya. A wave of communal 202 violence and riots, incendiarism and bomb blasts followed, which has takenaheavy toll of human lives and property. The aim of BJP/RSS Hindu fundamentalists is to impose a theocratic state in India, making it a ’Hindu Rashtra’.

p This constitutes a threat to India’s national unity, to the harmony existing among 85 crores of its people belonging to various faiths and creeds, to the secular-democratic foundations of our Republic. If not curbed and defeated it will grow into a fascist danger for India.

p The rightist BJP/RSS supports and advocates the economic policies of liberalisation’, ‘privatisation’ and so on with great gusto, while demagogically putting on a show of opposing some fall-out of these policies, such as soaring prices, loss of jobs etc., with a view to fool the affected masses. Their nexus with men of high finance and industry is growing fast. Important sections of the latter have now adopted the BJP leaders as their spokesmen. In a meeting with top industrialists, BJP leaders accused the Congress of hijacking their economic plank, and announced that if voted to power they would set up a ’ministry of privatisation and disinvestment’ so as to make a thorough job of it. That would include wholesale privatisation of rail and road transport too. The ’ Hindutva’ drive for a ’Hindu Rashtra’, support for caste discrimination, racist and anti-minority propaganda of hate, opposition to women’s liberation and equality, and an economic programme in the class interests of monopolists and Big Capital, these are elements of a fascist outlook, and a fascist order sought to be imposed on India.

p The only fly in the ointment is the strong secular and democratic tradition of the Indian people. Hence the virulent attack by BJP leaders against secularism and all those who stand for it. The main target are the Communists.

p Unfortunately, the Congress by its opportunist compromises with communal and fundamentalist elements of different brands on various occasions for sticking to power, has helped the BJP to grow to its present strength. Expect for administrative actions the Congress has failed to mobilise its mass following in a campaign against the communal danger.

p Basing on the healthy, secular and democratic traditions of our freedom struggle and our age-old traditions of religious tolerance, 203 it is we Communist and other left parties who took the initiative in rallying together the secular parties, groups and individuals in a broad ’Campaign for National Unity’. Several huge rallies, human chains, signature campaign and other forms of action have been organised during these months. We are doing our best to hold high the banner of national unity and the humanitarian and rational teachings of our saints and savants in face of the communal onslaught from different quarters. The Communists’ consistent defence of secular -democracy and national unity has won them wide respect and support.

p The Communist and left parties in India have thus been able to hold their own in the midst of cataclysmic national and international events, and even to take initiative on the most crucial national political and mass issues. This is to be attributed to the abiding faith of the Communist parties in ideology of Marxism-Leninism, commitment to the cause of Socialism and espousal of national and peoples’ interests.

p We are in a situation today where a minority Congress government is pursuing anti-people and nationally harmful economic policies, and also failing to curb the communal divisive forces. The right reactionary communal forces led by the BJP are posing as the national alternative. The danger was never so real. Only a combination of left and democratic parties and elements can save the country. For, this, it has to earn credibility as a national alternative. Experience has shown that this calls for a strong Left Front (LF), capable of rallying and uniting the other secular and democratic forces. It requires further consolidation of left unity on a national scale, and for Communist unity at political and organisational levels.

The CPI stands for such unity on a principled basis and for serious efforts at unifying the mass organisations.

III

p We started with ourselves and the Indian situation. At this point, while directing attention to the world situation, we wish first, to express our profound grief at the assassination of Comrade Chris Hani, General Secretary, of the South African Communist Party. We all miss him at this important seminar. But his indomitable spirit is with us.

p The assassination shows the depth to which neo-fascists and 204 their international abettors can sink, in order to disrupt and derail the ongoing negotiations in South Africa, and hold up freedom and progress. Yet no single event in recent days has brought about such an upheaval, evoked such strong sentiments, demonstrated so powerfully the feeling of unity among the people of South Africa, and called forth such international solidarity, as the martyrdom of this Communist leader.

p As the African National Congress said in its statement, "Com. Hani (was) a man who dedicated his entire life to the struggle for democracy and freedom in South Africa. He served both the ANC and SACP with distinction, great courage and unswerving loyalty."

p We feel pride and honour in belonging to his fraternity, and in recalling his firm yet simple words, 1 know exactly what I am fighting for and what ideology I stand for".

p We also take this opportunity to hail the triumph of Cuban democracy and the all-powerful moral and political unity of the Cuban people around the Revolution, Socialism, the Communist Party and its courageous leadership under exceptionally difficult conditions as demonstrated by the latest elections in that country.

p We express our solidarity with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’ which boldly stood up to the nuclear blackmail symbolised by the South Korean - US joint military exercise with nuclear warheads, thedoubtestandardsof the International Atomic Energy Agency, and pressure put on the problem of "nuclear inspection"

p We note with keen interest the spectacular development mat is taking place in China - its high rate of economic growth, its fast expanding trade and favourable balance of payments, its policy of opening to the world without impairing self-reliance, its method of integrating planning with Socialist market, its population control measures, etc. As the Chinese comrades have stressed, the realisation of China’s four modernisations is ensured by adherence to MandsMeninist ideology, the leadership of Communist Party, and the Socialist system.

p Vietnam has also been able to overcome its economic difficulties, raise production, export surplus rice and control inflation by undertaking reforms within the Socialist system.

We note that each Socialist country is advancing in its own way 205 taking into account its special characteristics and specific situation, guided by Marxist ideology and the leadership of the Communist party.

IV

p The century that is coming to an end - the 20th Century, has witnessed events and developments, wars and revolutions, liberation and emancipatory movement, scientific and technological advances which have changed and shaped the world more than everything that has happened during several centuries preceding it. Today, the pace of events is highly accelerated.

p Unfortunately our understanding has not always kept pace with these fast-changing events. This has been at the root of several costly and disastrous mistakes.

p There has been a good deal of subjectivism, a certain doctrinaire oversimplification in our understanding of the contemporary world. We have overlooked and glossed over the negative feature of the Soviet ‘model’ of Socialism. On the other hand we grossly underestimated the potential of Capitalism to maneouvre, to initiate, adopt and absorb the achievements of science and technology in its search for profits, and prolong its lease of life. There was the wrong belief that the general crisis of Capitalism and its special crisis would lead to Capitalism’s imminent collapse and Socialism would overtake it in the foreseeable future.

p This prevented a serious, scientific and concrete study of the extremely complex developments in the contemporary world and in each country, particularly after the Second World War.

p We failed to note that the need and the prospect of restoring the tremendous destruction of material wealth after the war, the fresh markets that opened up in the newly liberated and developing countries and therefore the expansion of production, trade and commerce; the improved wage structure of the working people and improved social security provisions in Capitalist countries under the impact of the Socialist countries resulting in increased purchasing power; new scope of investments due to revolutionary technological advance and last but not the least the accelerated arms race, helped Capitalism in the post-war world to considerably expand, modernise productive forces and productivity, revolutionise information and communication techniques, and thereby put off for quite some time a classic slump and crisis.

206

p These factors contributed to a relative stabilisation of Capitalism, though they had in no way done away with the inherent contradictions of the system. However, they sowed illusions in certain circles.

p Soviet scientists too had made several pace-setting and pioneering discoveries, which surpassed those in the Capitalist world in a number of spheres of the STR. But due to the over-centralised bureaucratic system which hampered mass conscious involvement and initiative in applying the achievements of the STR, and complete alienation of production from the Socialist market, Socialist economy failed to show greater efficiency and increased productivity, which one expects to be the hallmark of a higher economic system.

p The developed Capitalist countries have been able to bring about a relative improvement in the living standards of the middle strata of the population (not to speak of the fabulous affluence of the handful of rich at the top). To meet the ’consumerisf desires and needs of a social nature of these section, they have been able to offer many ‘goodies’ from the Capitalist ‘confectionaries’. The failure of the Socialist system in this respect lent credibility to the claim that ’Free Market’ is the last world in social development.

p But only the gullible believe that everything would be rosy in the garden of Capitalism. Even the western media is not in a position today to hide the stark truth about growing recession, closures, job-cuts, soaring unemployment, sex and racial discrimination during hiring and firing, racial riots, neo-nazi violence against migrant workers, rampant corruption and so on in Capitalist countries. The dehumanising effect of a system based on profit for the few is there for all to see.

p The Journal of the United Mine Workers of America (No.7/92) has reported that the super-rich have hogged an incredible 200 billion dollars in new income between 1977 and 1989, while wages dropped for families in the bottom half of economy.

p In the past decade, Fortune magazine list of top 500 companies have cut nearly 4 million workers from the payroll.

p There is an income shift from the middle to the upper class. Based on 1991 dollars, average workers’ weekly wage fell nearly $100 below 1973 levels, according to AFL-CLO researchers.

p Social security and health care systems have been slashed from 207 the Reagan-Bush years and the tax burden shifted from the shoulders of the rich to the weaker ones. Jobs are being ‘exported’ to the lower-paid neighbouring countries through the North-American Free Trade Agreement What happens to the pre-election promises of President Clinton remains to be seen.

p The US protects its markets from competing EC, Japan and even Third World countries while calling for Troee Markef and an ’Open Door’ access to the markets of developing and other countries for dumping products of its recession-hit industries. For this it uses political and economic blackmail, and the tremendous power of the financial institutions that it controls.

p In the EC countries, economic growth forecast for the year is just 0.8%, expected to rise to only 1.8% in 1994.

p The EC average of unemployment this year has risen to 11%. In Japan the overall employment has fallen by 250,000 according to ILO report.

p In England, a heroic and prolonged battle is on against pit closures, rail privatisation and such other measures, which have rallied wider sections of the TUC and broad masses cutting across the political spectrum.

p In France, farmers resorted to road-blocking (so familiar to us in India), agains the US demand for cut in subsidies.

p On April 2, this year, millions of workers struck work and demonstrated in a coordinated move across the EC countries.

p We hope to hear more details and facts at this seminar from fraternal parties. We have mentioned only a few which were reported in our press. They are enough to demolish the image of a benign, allegedly crisis-free,and class struggle-free Tree Markef El-Dorado, which some starry-eyed publicists draw for our peoples benefit The misery of the least developed countries grows the more they are shackled by Imperialists and their financial and other institutions, the more they are enmeshed in debts the more poverty, AIDS and other diseases are ‘exported’ to these countries. Disparity is growing adding to despair and deprivation in the countries of the Third World.

p Even the so-calledhumanitarianinterventioninSomalia, Ethiopia and certain other parts of the world is nothing but a militarist attempt to bring these countries under imperialist tutelage. The 208 hypocrisy of their ’humanitarian mission’ is exposed when we note that the same gentlemen have imposed a double blockade on Cuba, denying it even medicines for maintaining what has been the world’s best health service.

The end of the cold war has not brought peace to the world. Rather we see several regional and local wars in which there is direct imperialist intervention under the smokescreen of the U.N.

V

p The forced march to Capitalism in the former Socialist countries is proving a fiasco. Production has sharply declined. Enterprises are closing down by the thousands. Unemployment, which had become a thing of the past has again soared. Women are the worst hit. Inflation has sky-rocketed, and the currency system is in total crisis. Not all the curses heaped on the earlier system, or the frenzied drive towards privatisation has created a class of Capitalist entrepreneurs. Instead, a class of racketeers and middlemen, smugglers and mafia gangs, careerists and opportunists has sprung up.

p National chauvinism is tearing up the existing ties between people, and in many places there exists a state of dvil war.

p Restoring Capitalism does not appear to be so easy of realisation as some of its enthusiastic protagonists had thought, no matter how many billions of dollars are pumped in as ‘aid’ from the G-7 countries to prop up these regimes, especially that of President Yeltsin, their man in Moscow.

p Resistance among people to policies which tear up the gains of Socialism is growing. The basic contradictions and problems of economy and democracy cannot be resolved by referendums.

209

p
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.

210

p
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.

211

p
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.

212

p
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.

213

p
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.

214

PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.
PAGES 209-224 missing! 16 pages of blank and random pages instead.