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ABriefHistoryofthePoliticalLineofthe

CommunistWorkersGroup(Marxist-Leninist)

heCommunistWorkersGroup(Marxist-Leninist)[CWG]joinedthepublicpolemicswithintheanti-revisioniMarxist-LeninistmovementintheUnitedStatesinJune1975.TheoccasionwaspublicationofOurTasksOnT

ationalQuestion:AgainstNationalistDeviationsInOurMovement[OurTasks].InthethreetofouryearspriohegrouphaddevelopedalonglinessimilartotherestofwhathasbecomeknownastheNewCommunist

Movement[NCM].Thesmallgroupsprangfromthemassdemocratic,anti-warandanti-imperialiststruggleshe1960s.Theindividualorganizersand,later,theoreticiansoftheCWGbegantostudyMarxism-Leninism[M

omoreclearlyunderstandthesemovements,thedomesticandinternationaleconomicandpoliticalsituation

assforcesatplayduringtheearly1970s.Asthemovementdeveloped,theirstudyofMLwasinstrumentalinortingoutallthecontendingpoliticallinespurportingtorepresenttruecommunistleadership.

heCWGconsidereditselftobefullywithintheideologicalparametersoftheMLmovement.Thegroupuphe

Marxism-Leninismasthescientificmethodofstudying,analyzingandunderstandingsocialrelations.It,herefore,viewedtheclassstruggleoftheworkingclassagainstthebourgeoisieandforthedictatorshipofthe

roletariatasthemotiveforceofhistoryinallstagesofcapitalistdevelopment.TheCWGfurtherlocatedtheriginsofmodernrevisionismwithintheCPSUandtheCPUSAaswellascohortpartiesaroundtheworld,and

cknowledgedtheleadingroleoftheCommunistPartyofChina[CPChina]andthePartyofLaborofAlbania

PLA]intheinternationalstruggleagainstthisrevisionism.Onthesebases,theCWGsharedwiththerestofthmovementabeliefintheformalnecessityofbuildinganew,anti-revisionistCommunistpartywithintheUnit

tates.

owever,thoughtheCWGfollowedthegeneralpatternofdevelopmentofMLgroupsatthetime,therewere

gnificantdifferencesinitsparticularhistorythatgavethesmallgroupauniqueperspectiveandpositionwit

hemovement.

nthefirstplace,theprincipalorganizersoftheCWGwerenotformerleadersormembersofSDSoranyothe

tudent,anti-warornationalminorityorganization.Theythusbroughtlittleradicalintellectualbaggageand

ertainlynopersonalfollowingorpre-existingpoliticallineintothestudyofML.

econdly,thelivinghistoryofthedemocraticstrugglesofthe1960swasthereforalltoseeandstudy,aswas

ocumentaryhistoryofthedevelopingMLmovement.AstheindividualswhoformedtheCWGbecamemoreamiliarwithMLmethodandprinciples,theiranalysisofthe60smovementsandtheturntoML(especiallyM

edongThought[MTT])ledthesmallgrouptoevaluatethemovementasanexpressionofobjectiveclass

nterests.TheCWGbegantoassessthenewmovementintermsoftheclassbackgroundoftheleadership,theasscontentofthevariouspoliticallinesandthecontinuityofclassstandpointwiththeanarchistic,nationali

nddemocraticmovementsofthe1960s. Thisfocusontheclasscharacterofthemovementasawholebecam

neofthedefiningfeaturesoftheCWG.

npracticalterms,thismeantthatthecoreoftheCWGsearlystudyofMLwastheefforttounderstandthe

undamentalprinciplesofMarxismfoundprimarilyinthewritingsofMarx,EngelsandLenin.StalinstheoretworkontheNationalQuestion[NQ]wasalsostudiedandupheldasfundamentalMarxistprinciple.Maowas

nitiallyconsideredtorepresentaleftbulwarkagainstRightistopportunismwithinboththeCPChinaandthe

nternationalmovement,butMaoZedongThoughtwasnotrecognizedbytheCWGasadistinctversionofMarxism-Leninism.

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hisearlystudywasenhancedbythepracticalworkthatthefledglingcircleperformedinsupportoftheradic

ndMarxistelementsoftheIranianStudentsAssociationUSA[ISA].TheleadingcadreoftheCWGhadstablishedanarrangementwithChinaBooksfordistributionofcommunistliterature,whichtheydidatISA

meetings,demonstrationsandinformationtables.TheyalsoassistedtheISAinprintingandcirculatingtheirersianlanguageanti-Shah,anti-imperialistliterature.Butthecriticalaspectsofthisrelationshipwerethe

oliticaldiscussionsbetweentheISAandCWGindividuals.Bytheearly1970s,theleftwingoftheISAhadecomesplinteredalongthesameideologicalandpoliticallinesasthedevelopingNewCommunistMovemenNCM]internationally:straightnationalist,pro-Soviet,Maoist,Trotskyite,NewLeft,etc.WorkingwiththeISA

was,then,atraininggroundandobjectlessonforwhatwastocomeinafewyearswhentheCWGmadeattem

oengagetheMLmovementinprincipledpolemics.ThiswasespeciallytruearoundtheNationalQuestion,ansueofcentralimportancetoIranianrevolutionaries.Asitturnedout,failuretocorrectlyresolvetheNQpro

entraltotheperpetuationandsolidificationofmodernrevisionismintheburgeoninginternationalanti-evisionistmovement.

HENATIONALQUESTION

orthosefamiliarwiththeprogressionoftheAmericanNCMfrompersonalexperienceorbystudyingtheocumentsontheMarxistInternetArchive,onemightwonder:whyOurTasksontheNationalQuestioninmid

975?HadntallofthemajorMLgroupsdealtwiththeNQbackin1972-73?Hadntmostofthesegroupseclaredpartybuildingastheimmediatecentraltaskofthemovementandformedthemselvesintopre-part

ormationsalready?WasnttheRevolutionaryUnion[RU]readytoanointitselfThePartyinamatterofwee

llofthiswastrueenough,buttheCWGwasnotwonttosimplytagalongwithtrendsinthemovementwhenmattersofprinciplelayunresolved.TheCWGunderstoodthat,whiletheNQwasobjectivelyaquestion

econdarytotheclassstruggleandthetaskofparty-building,itsimportancewithinthemovementin1975layhefactthattheNQactedasabarometerfortheentiremovement,sincetheresolutionofthisonequestion

revealed]morethananyotherhowwellorpoorlyAmericancommunists[understood]Marxism-Leninism(

asks).FromitsanalysisofthesolutionstotheNQbeingofferedbythemainpoliticallines,theCWGfurthernderstoodthatnoneofthegroupshadeventheslightestideaofhowtodealwiththeNQinaprincipledML

manner.OurTasks,then,wasanattempttointerrupttheparty-declaringmaniaofthetimebyexposingthepportunisterrorsoftheentiremovementaroundtheNQandbypointingoutthat,UntiltheNationalQuesti

esolvedcorrectlyintheory,therecanbenotrulycommunistparty(Ibid).

nderlyingtheanalysesandpolemicsproducedbytheCWGwasanefforttohelpestablishacommuniststyleworkwithintheMLmovement.FortheCWG,thefirstaspectofsuchastylewastounderstandthattheguidin

rinciplesofMLaregeneralizationsorabstractionsofobjectivehistoricalphenomena.Assuchtheseprincipl

ouldnotbesimplysetasideiftheydidntfitadesiredpoliticalline.Therefore,thefirstsectionofOurTaskswstraightforwardtutorialrestatingthefundamentalprinciplesontheNationalQuestionelaboratedbyLenin

talin.

fcourse,alltheMLgroupsformallyacknowledgedtheprimacyoftheseprinciples,buttheNQprovedtobea

eritableplaygroundforbothcreativeenhancementsoftheseself-sameprinciplesandreligiousrepetitiono

arioustheoreticalpronouncementsofthe3rdCommunistInternational[CI].Thus,thesettingasideofprincexactlywhatthemovementhaddone,continuingatraditionestablishedbytheCPUSAsinceatleastthemid

930s.

hisfailure,orrefusal,tounderstandtheobjectivenatureofMLprinciplewasreinforcedbythemovements

nabilitytotakeupasecondaspectofacommuniststyleofwork,thatistosay,anuncompromisingthoroughn

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nallaspectsofpartywork.TheCWGpointedoutthat,contrarytotheself-servingpronouncementsofthe

ariousMLgroupsontheNQ,athoroughandconscientiousstudyofconditionspeculiartotheU.S.[had]eenfullyanalyzedinanyMarxisttext(Ibid.).

hus,fortheCWGbymid-1975,theamateurishness,confusionandlackofclaritytypicalofanyyoungandevelopingcommunistmovementwasbecomingawillingnesstobendfactstopreconceptions,toomit

unsuitableinformationorprinciplesand,whenpressed,torevisefundamentalsofMarxisminordertoccommodatepetty-bourgeoistendencies(Ibid.).WhiletherestofthemovementwasstrugglingtotakesidehedebateontheNationalQuestion,theCWGwaspointingoutthattheentiremovementhadsuccumbedtoa

endencytocompromiseonprincipleandbowtothespontaneityofnationaldivisions,whichinturnhasbo

arrownationalistandgreat-nationnationalist,orwhite-chauvinist,aspect(Ibid.).

houghtheCWGwasuncompromisinginitsexposureofopportunismaroundtheNQ,itdidnotconsideritsel

eadingcenter,nordiditofferaresolutiontotheNationalQuestioninallitsaspectsintheUnitedStates.ather,itsawitstaskashelpingtoclearthetheoreticalfieldofamateurishnessanddeviationsofalltypesso

hatthemovementasawholecouldestablishaMarxist-LeninistmethodontheNationalQuestion.For

xample,OurTaskswasparticularlysharpwiththeRevolutionaryUnion(RU)sinceitwasoneofthelargesta

relativelyprestigiousMLgroupspoisedtodeclareitselfTheParty.ButtheCWGmadeclearthatitscriticismwasagainstdeviationsinline,notorganizationsorcadreoreventheleadershipsolongassaidleadershipdid

ersistinitsopportunistline.

sitturnedout,noonepublicallyacknowledgedthecriticalanalysisputforwardbytheCWG.Afterpublicati

fOurTasks,representativesfromavarietyofMLgroupsapproachedtheCWGintheirrecruitingdrives,butnfthegroupsrespondedinprintandnonealteredtheirpoliticalline,thoughthereweresplitswithinand

etweentheMLgroupscenteredarounddisagreementsontheNationalQuestion.

ntermsofthedevelopmentofitsownunderstandingofmodernrevisionism,OurTasksopened,inlargepartnwittingly,aPandorasboxofopportunisthistorythatcouldnotbeclosedandwhichultimatelyprovedto

ncompasstheentireinternationalcommunistmovement.ThekeywastheCWGsanalysisoftheCPUSAslin

heNationalQuestionandtheUnitedFront.nmanyways,OurTasksdidnotdeviatefromtheanti-revisionistorthodoxyprevalentatthetime.Likethere

heanti-revisionistmovementatthetime,inOurTaskstheCWGheldthattheXXthCongressoftheCPSUin19markedthebeginningoftheofficialliquidationofallpointsofprinciplebytheleadingpartyoftheinternati

movement.TheCWGalsomaintainedthattheCPUSAformalizeditsretreattorevisionismintheresolutions

doptedatthe16thNationalConventionin1957.Further,theCWGupheldStalinasaLeninistagainstthePUSAs1959refusaltoacknowledgehimascriticaltotheformulationofMLprincipleontheNQ.And,most

mportantly,theCWGmaintainedthattheprincipleoftheUnitedFrontwasafundamentalofMarxism.GihattheCWGwascritiquingtheCPUSAslineandpracticeofthemiddleandlate1930s,itisclearthatthe

nitedFrontreferstothePopularFrontasadvocatedbytheCI.Atthesametime,OurTaskspointedoutthat

ftheprincipalreasonstheCominternintervenedwiththeCPUSAontheNQduringthe1928-1930periodwasombattheracismprevalentwithintheParty.Thisracism,theCWGargued,stemmedfromthePartysover

ackofprincipleandgraspofMarxism-Leninism.Inparticular,OurTasksarguedthattheCPUSAconsistentmisunderstoodthetheoryoftheNationalQuestion.ThePartyconsequentlysufferedlargeandsmallerrorso

nterpretationthatultimatelygrewintoamajordeviation,aswasthecasethroughoutthedevelopmentofth

neoftheCP.PresagingopportunismontheNQwithintheNCM,theCPUSAsmajordeviation,aselaboratedurTasks,confusedcategoriesandsubordinatedpoliticalprincipletopracticalusefulnessincourtingthe

emocraticmovementsofnationalminorities.TheCWGcorrectlyidentifiedthepracticeofjudgingprinciples

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heirutilityasoneofthedeterminativeelementsofmodernrevisionismthateventuallyledtothecomplete

quidationoftheNQbythelate1950s.FortheCWGtheliquidationoftheNQwasmerelythePartysformalositiononBlacksintheU.S.becausethePartyspracticeremainedunchanged,i.e.,reformist(Ibid.).

nanevenmoresweepingdenunciationofopportunismintheearlydaysofCPUSA,OurTasksdatedthecompleteembourgeoisementofthePartytotheUnitedFrontperiodofthemiddleandlate1930s.Inturn

meantthepracticalliquidationofallpointsofprinciplebytheinternationallyacknowledgedvanguardofthmericanproletariat.FortheNQ,thismeantthattheformalsupportoftherightofnationstoself-determinatwascoupledwithreformisminpractice,thatistosay:practicalcapitulationtotheleadershipoftheBlack

ourgeoisreformists.OnthequestionoftheUnitedFront,theCWGdeclaredthatlikeeveryotherfundamen

fMarxismtheCPUSAtransformedtheUnitedFrontintoameansoftailingafterliberalreformism.

n1975,theCWGslineontheCPUSAwassignificantlydifferentfromanyotherwithintheanti-revisionist

movement.However,atthispointtheCWGstillgavetheinternationalmovementandthusStalin,Maoandotartyleaders,thebenefitofthedoubt.Initialinvestigationofthehistoryoftheinternationalmovementrevea

heopportunismoftheCPUSAtobesostarkandtransparentthatitseemedentirelypossiblethatthisonePar

wassimplydistortingtheGeneralLineofthemovementasawhole.Thisassessmentchangedoverthenexty

ndahalfastheCWGdugdeeperintothehistoryofinternationalcommunismandfolloweditsownprescriptopaymoreattentionto[Lenins]styleofwork,histhoroughness,hiseyefordetail,andhisabilitytorisetot

mostcomplextasksbeforetheworkingclass(Ibid.).Andasthedepthofopportunismwithintheentirenternationalcommunistmovementbegantorevealitself,theCWGwouldalsoholdtoitsotheradvicetothe

mericananti-revisionistmovement:Justasweshouldnothesitatetochangeourviewswhenweareprovenwrong,weshouldnothesitatetomakeacleanbreak(Ibid.).

HEPARTYQUESTION

urTaskswasnotwrittensimplytoclarifyMLprinciplesontheNationalQuestionandprovideanexampleof

WGsconceptionofcommunistwork.ItalsointendedtoshowthattheNCMasawholehadnotmastered

Marxist-Leninistprinciplesenoughtoevenconsiderforminganewcommunistparty.ThiswarningwaslostoheNCM.Despitethefailureofaseriesofunificationeffortsbetween1972-74(almostallofwhichfailed

roundcontentionontheNationalQuestion),thesectarianself-proclamationmovementbegantobearfruitbte1974.Between1974and1980halfadozengroups/organizationsdeclaredthemselvestobethevanguard

heAmericanproletariat,

nkeepingwithitsdedicationtothemovementasawhole,theCWGstoodapartfromtheparty-declarationfrndbegananexhaustiveexaminationofMLtheoryandpracticefocusedonthecommunistpartyandtherise

modernrevisionism.ThisresearchwasdoneincollaborationwithanalliedcircleinEnglishCanadathe

rganizationofCommunistWorkers(ML)[OCW].TheresultofthisjointworkwasTheMovementForThePaTheMovement]publishedinNovember1976.[ThisworkcanbefoundintheEncyclopediaofAnti-Revisionis

nderCanadianAnti-revisionism:SecondWave1971-1983:OCW(ML)].Thepolemicalfocusof TheMovemenwastheQuebecois/Canadiananti-revisionistmovement.ThoughtheCWGhadpreviouslyconcentratedonth

movementintheUnitedStates,thetwogroupsagreedthattheclasshistoryandpoliticallinesoftheCanadian

movementwerefullyrepresentativeofmodernrevisionismandcould,therefore,standinasanarchetypeofpportunismonParty-building.ThoughtheOCWistheonlynamedauthorofTheMovement,theCWG,forthe

urposesofthishistory,isalsocreditedwiththecontentofthepoliticallineoftheworkbecauseitwasatrulyointeffort.

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nresearchingandwritingTheMovement,theCWGandOCWwereonlybeginningtounderstandtheextentto

whichpetty-bourgeoisradicalismpermeatedtheNCManditsantecedentsintheinternationalcommunistmovement.Therefore,inordertocombattherushtoconsolidationofopportunisttrendsintoopportunist

arties,theCWG/OCWcontinuedtodefendarigorousandsomewhatdoctrinaireconceptionofpartybuildinghecriteriabywhichTheMovementjudgedpoliticallineonPartybuildingwerebasedalmostexclusivelyont

ublishedworksofLeninandStalinregardingthehistoryoftheBolshevikwingoftheRussianSocialDemocrartypriortoWorldWarIandtheRussianCommunistParty(Bolshevik)after1918.ThusTheMovementspauildingtutorialelaboratedthehistoricalbasisoftheParty,theclasscompositionandtasksrelativetoperiod

ndstages,andtherelationshipofthePartytotheworkingclassmovementasawhole.ThoughtheCWG

mphasizedtheflexibilityandinterpenetrationoftasksduringeachperiodorstageofdevelopment,theoveraffortwasdesignedtoestablishclearstandardsoforthodoxyinoppositiontothecreativityofprinciple

ominatingtheNCM.

uringtheeighteenmonthsbetweenpublicationofOurTasksandTheMovement,theCWGshiftedconsiderab

heleftinitsattitudetowardtheNCManditsunderstandingofthesourcesanddevelopmentofmodern

evisionism.InOurTaskstheCWGspokeofconfusion,lackofclarity,deviationsanderrorsinaveryyounganevelopingmovement.InTheMovementthereisnosuchcomradelyhandslapping.TheMovementexposeda

hemajorgroupsintheCanadianmovementassolidifiedpettybourgeoistrends.Onthisbasis,TheMovemen

lacedallofthesegroupsandorganizationsoutsideoftheburgeoninganti-revisionistmovement.Infact,CWwasarguingthattheNCMinCanadaandQuebecexistedinnameonly.Thatis,theNCMwasbecomingclearly

ecognizableasradicalpettybourgeoisanti-imperialismassumingthemantleofrevolutionaryMarxistleadernthenameoftheworkingclass.

ETTY-BOURGEOISRADICALISM

atherthanconcentrateonParty-buildingasaseparatequestion,theOCWexaminedthepoliticalthinkingof

anadianNCMgroupsfromtheirpre-MLdaystotheircurrentPartybuildingtheoryandpractice.This

nvestigationrevealedacontinuityofclassstandpointwithaveneerofMLrhetoric.TheCanadianNCMasawholewascharacterizedbyavarietyofpetty-bourgeoispositions:anti-imperialistnationalism,economism,

ocialreformism,radicaltradeunionism,creativeinterpretationofindependentMarxismandleftphrase-mongering.Themovementwasatruemishmash,butaconsistentmanifestationofpettybourgeoisideology

trugglingtodominatetheworkingclass.Suchastrugglewasthespecterhauntingtheinternationalworkin

assmovementfromitsbeginning.

istoricallythespontaneousworkingclassmovementdevelopedseparatelyandindependentlyfromcommun

heoryandthusthecommunistmovement.So,whileMarxconsideredsocialistsandcommunists[tobe]the

heoreticiansoftheproletarianclass,thesetheoreticians,byandlarge,didnotcomefromtheworkingclass.evolutionarytheoreticianswithinworkingclassorganizationshave,instead,almostalwayscomefrom

isaffectedsectionsofboththebourgeoisieandpetty-bourgeoisie.InTheManifesto,Marxarguedthataport

fthebourgeoisideologistshaveraisedthemselvestothelevelofcomprehendingtheoreticallythehistoricmovementasawhole.Marxfurthermaintainedthatthissmallsectionoftherulingclasscutsitselfadrift,an

oinstherevolutionaryclass.Asweshallsee,thisisaremarkablygenerousandhistoricallyincorrectharacterizationofbourgeoisandpettybourgeoisintellectuals.Itis,infact,thedialecticalloopholebywhich

ettybourgeoisradicalismhasassumedtheguiseofrevolutionaryMarxismanddominatedthesocialistandommunistwingsoftheworkingclassmovementforoveronehundredandfiftyyears.

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hepettybourgeoisoriginsoftheNCMwerewellknowninsidethemovement.Theleaderswerecollege-

ducatedactivistsafterall.ButtheprevailingpointofviewwithintheNCMwasthatonesclassviewpointcoueindependentofonesclassbackground.Linkingclassbackgroundwithideologyposedthedangeroftaintin

heiconsofcommunism,includingMarx,EngelsandLeninthemselves.TheCWGdidnothonorthistaboo,buwasinitiallyonlyconcernedwiththeclassbackgroundoftheNCMasitmanifesteditselfinpoliticalline.

owever,whattheanalysisinTheMovementbegantorevealwashowdifficultitwasforpettybourgeoisntellectualstoactuallybreakfrombourgeoisideology.TheserevelationslaidthegroundworkfortheCWGtouestiontheentireconceptofthetransformationandleadingroleofpettybourgeoisintellectualsthroughout

istoryoftheinternationalcommunistmovement,includingtheleadingPartiesofthemodernanti-revisionis

movementitself,theCPChinaandthePLA.

MODERNREVISIONISM

riorto1975-1976,thePLAandCPChinaappearedtobeunitedinprincipledoppositiontothemodernevisionismoftheYugoslavParty,Euro-communismandafter1961,theCPSU.Basedonthecriticalanalysiso

hesetwoParties,theCWGinitiallyunderstoodtheriseofmodernrevisionismtorepresentthesuccessofth

ightingainingsupremacyinallbuttwoPartiesoftheinternationalmovement,justasoldrevisionismriumphedinallbutonePartyoftheSecondInternational.However,bythetimeTheMovementwascomplet

nthefallof1976,therewasenoughlimitedinformationcirculatingthroughouttheNCMabouttwo-linetruggleinbothoftheseleadingPartiesthattheCWGbegantoquestionthereceivedwisdomconcerningmo

evisionismandthestruggleagainstit.AstheCWGlookedmorecloselyintothehistoryofanti-revisionism,it

ouldnolongerregardthePLAandCPChinaasfullyprincipledopponentsofmodernrevisionism.ItwasecomingcleartotheCWGthattheappellationconsistentdefenseofMarxism-Leninismcouldnolongerbe

ppliedtothePartiesasawhole,butonlytotheirmostprincipledelements.Andeventhen,theseprinciplelementswerejudgedtohavedevelopedonlyanincompleteandhesitantoppositiontointernationalmoder

evisionism.

nitsstudytheCWGstillreliedonthePLAsdistinctionbetweenoldandmodernrevisionism.Modernevisionismwasdifferent,accordingtothePLA,because,firstly,revisionistcommunistPartieswerenowhol

tatepowerandsecondly,becausethesocial-economicbaseofrevisionismhadexpandedundersocialiststateapitalismintheEastandliberaldemocraticimperialismandSocialDemocracyintheWest.ButthePLAalso

thirdcriterion,onethattheCWGpinpointedasafundamentalmisconception.

orthePLA,modernrevisionismdivergedfromoldrevisionismbecauseitconsciouslyspeculatedwithhangedcircumstanceswhereastherevisionismofBernsteinandthe2ndInternationalsimplymisunderstoo

henewconditionsofimperialism.GiventhatthebasisofBernsteinsmodificationofMarxismwasalsoba

ponspeculationwithnewconditions(seeLenin:MarxismandRevisionism),itwaseasyfortheCWGtopointhatsuchasuperficialanalysisfailedtorecognizethetheoreticalandorganizationalcontinuitybetween

evisionism,i.e.,SocialDemocracy,andmodernrevisionism.FortheCWGthisaspectofthePLAsviewwasn

mplyanoversight.Itwas,rather,typicaloftheaversionthatmosttheoreticiansoftheMLtrendshareielationtothehistoryoftheinternationalcommunistmovement(TheMovement).

heimportanceofsuchanaversionwasthatitallowedtheleadinganti-revisionistPartiestoshieldtheirownistoricallinkstorevisionismandonthisbasiscreateamythologyofconsistentstruggleagainstmodern

evisionism.ToaccomplishthisthePLAledthewayinlaudingtheVIICongressoftheCommunistInternationnditsleadingspokesman,GeorgiDimitrov.Aslateas1982thePLAstillextolledDimitrovasanoutstanding

ommunisttowhomgoesthegreatcreditofhavingworkedoutthepolicy,strategyandtacticsofthe

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ommunistmovementincludingthePLA.HerethePLAis,ofcourse,referringtothenewconditionsofthe

threatoffascismandwarandDimitrovsideaofthecreationofbroadanti-fascistpopularfronts,asaforrganizationandunionoftheworkingclass,thepeasantry,theintelligentsiaandallthepatrioticanddemocra

orcesinthestruggleagainstfascismandimperialism(AlbaniaToday,1982,4).

nTheMovement,therefore,theCWGdrewthelinkbetweentheembourgeoisiementoftheCPUSAduringth

nitedFrontperiodofthemiddlethirtiesandthepoliticallineoftheVIICongressoftheComintern,specificalevelopedandadvocatedbyDimitrov.TheCWGarguedthattheCominternlinerepresentedawholesaledoptionofSocial-Democraticviewsinrelationtofascismandimperialistwar,anadoptionofrevisionistthes

withintheMarxist-Leninistmovement.Theseedforthisnewspeciesofrevisionism,aformappearingnotme

sMarxistbutasMarxist-Leninist,wasthussupplieddirectlyfromthebodyofold,Social-Democraticevisionism.ModernrevisionismdidnotsimplyappearwiththeadventofKhrushchev.Itdidnotarise,asthe

urrentfairytalehasit,onlysometimeafterWWII,inisolationfromSocial-DemocracyandtheoldrevisionisortheCWG,then,ModernrevisionismisthecontinuationofSocial-Democratictendenciesintotheinternati

ommunistmovement:itisthefusionofSocialDemocracyandCommunism(TheMovement).

WithintheNCMtheCWGsviewofmodernrevisionismwasconsideredsectarian,dogmatist,Trotskyite,anti-

Marxist-Leninist,counter-revolutionaryand,generallyspeaking,anathematooneandall.MaintainingthecceptedmythologyregardingmodernrevisionismwascriticalfortheNCMasawhole.Suchanarrativeallow

heNCMgroupstoignoretheirownspeculationwithnewconditionsandcontinuityofpetty-bourgeoisclassutlook.Butwiththeinternationalleadershipclearingapath,thenewcommunistscouldsimplydefer

rincipledanalysistothedictatesofwhicheverPartytheychosetoalignwith.TheopportunismunderlyingaominatingtheentireNCMbecamemuchclearerastheanti-revisionistunityoftheCPChinaandthePLAbe

ounravelunderthepressureofnationalandsocialchauvinismthatcametotheforebetween1975-1977.

ORWARD

oncurrentwithcompletionofTheMovement,theCWGbeganpublishingthenewsletterForward.FourissueorwardwerepublishedbetweenNovember1976andAugust1977. ForwardisbestknownfortheChartofevelopmentoftheUSMLMovementin Forward#3,March1977.WhilethischartwasarevelationfortheN

wassimplyagraphicalrepresentationoftheCWGsconsistentconcernwithclassviewpointandhistorical

onnections.Muchmoreimportantly,withinthetenmonthsofpublishingForward,theCWG,alongwiththeOxtendedtheirstudyofthehistoryoftheinternationalcommunistmovementbackthroughtheriseandfallof

ommunistInternational.Onthisbasis,theCWGbegantounderstandtheactualhistoryofmodernrevisionis

ORWARD#1,November1976

nthearticleTheSplitInWorldCommunisminForward#1theCWGelaboratedandclarifiedtheargumentmad

nTheMovementconcerningtheoriginsofandstruggleagainstmodernrevisionism.AkeyfeatureoftheCWGrgumentwasthatitwasnaveoftheNCM,includingitself,tofollowthePLAandCPChinainbelievingthati

ookonlyafewspeechesbyN.Khrushchevtoturntheworldmovementonitshead.NotonlydidthisviewgxtraordinarypersonalpowertoKhrushchevitalsorepresentedasprincipledMarxist-Leninistpracticethe

oliticallineandactivityoftheworldCommunistPartiesduringthe1930sand1940s.TheCWGmaintainedt

hiswasnotonlyfalse,butalsothatitservedasapoliticalbasisfortheopportunismprevalentwithinthevariCMgroups.

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heproblem,astheCWGsawit,wasthattheVIICongressoftheCommunistInternationalsuccumbed,withou

hallenge,toDimitrovandStalins--yes,theCWGnowincludedStalinasaprimarysourceofsocial-chauvinistevisionism--ideaofgenuinerevolutionarypragmatism.Suchpragmatismwas,ofcourse,derivedfroma

newhistoricalsituation,andinvolvedpostponingrevolutionarystruggleinordertofightFascism,ubordinatingrevolutionarytaskstostruggleforreforms,fusingtheinternationalistinterestsoftheproletari

withthenationalinterestsofthepettyandbigbourgeoisieofthepeace-lovingbourgeois-democraticimperiountries,tohidetheimperialistinterestsofWorldWarIIbehindthecatch-phrasesofpeaceanddemocracy,iventhisanalysis,theCWGcontendedthattheXXthCongressoftheCPSUin1956,ratherthanbeingabreak

ompreviousprinciple,simplysummed-upandcreativelyelaboratedthelinethathadbeenlaidouttwentyy

eforebytheCI.

nthisbasis,theCWGcorrectedtheviewthatithadespousedinOurTasks,thattheCPUSAhadbeenso

pportunistthatitwassimplydistortingtheGeneralLineofthemovementasawhole.NowtheCWGarguehatallofthecrassopportunismoftheCPUSA,sofamiliartotheNCM,wasmorecorrectlyunderstoodasadi

utcomeoftheopportunisttendenciesfosteredbytheCIsprogramfrom1934-35(Forward#1).Andeven

houghtheCPUSAwasroundlyrejectedwithintheNCM,itwasbecomingcleartotheCWGthattheNCMsmphasisonpeoplesstruggles,themassline,theunitedfrontagainstimperialism,etc.was,infact,draw

omthesamewellofopportunism.Thatistosay,itwasacontinuationoftheGeneralLineoftheVIICongres

heCIasupdatedbytheCPChina.

heCWGpublishedForward#1twomonthsafterthedeathofMaoandonemonthafterthepurgeoftheGang

ourbytheCPChina.Inspiteofitsdevelopingcritiqueofthegospelof1956astheoriginofmodernrevisionheCWGstillbelievedthatthestruggleoftheCPChinaandthePLAagainsttherevisionismoftheCPSUlaidt

asisforthecreationofatrulyprincipledMarxist-Leninistmovementworldwide.Thisisclearlystatedinth

rticleTheSituationinChinaandSocial-ChauvinisminOurMovement.Inthisarticle,theCWGalsomaintainedhatMao,theGangandothersrepresentedtheleftwingoftheChinesePartyandhadbeentheonlyhopeof

temmingatakeoverofthePartybyRightistelementslongentrenchedwithintheParty.AsbrazenasitmayeemedtotherestoftheNCM,theCWGdidnothesitatetoidentifythepurgeoftheGangasaconsolidation

heRightwithintheCPChinasuchthattheyhadtakenalmostcompletecontrolovertheofficialPartypparatus.Furthermore,theCWGarguedthatthisopenturntotheRightbytheCPChinameantthatthehinesePartycouldnolongerbeconsideredoneoftheguidinglightsforthenewmovement(Forward#1).

heCWGspointofviewwasbasedonanalysisoftheinternationalpoliticallinebeingadvocatedbytheForei

MinistriesofbothChinaandAlbania.TheCWGarguedthatthelinebeingadvancedbythetwoForeignMinistwasovertlysocial-chauvinist.Thegroupdrewthisconclusionbecausethebasicpremiseofthecommonlin

heCPChinaandthePLAwasthatanewhistoricalsituationhadalteredtherevolutionarytasksoftheworkass.TheinternationallineofthetwoleadingPartiesnolongercalledontheworkerstoturnimperialistwa

ntoproletarianrevolution,but,instead,calledtheworkingclasstounitewithallwhocouldbeunited-inclu

heirownimperialistbourgeoisieifcircumstancesdemanded.Thefunctionofsuchabroadunitedfrontwalendthenationalinterestsofeverycountry(savethetwosuperpowers)andtheclassinterestsofeveryclass

outsidethetwosuperpowers).ThepurposewastoprotectthenationalinterestsofChinaandAlbania.ThesetweenthePLAandtheCPChinaconfirmedtheCWGsanalysis.AssoonasChinare-establishedrelationsw

heUnitedStatesanddeclaredtheSovietUniontobethegreatestthreattohumankind,thepoliticalunity

etweenthetwoPartiesbegantofallapart.Albaniawasmorethreatenedbythe2ndWorldcountriesinNAhanbySovietsocialimperialismandcouldnotabideanysuggestionthattheworkersoftheNATOcountries

heirbourgeoisietostopCommunistexpansion.

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tthattime,November1976,theCWGwasalonewithintheanti-revisionistmovementinthecontentofitsst

gainsttheChineseparty.AccordingtotheCWG,therestofthemovementhaddividedintothreedistinctsohauvinisttrends.Firstweretheovertchauvinists,suchastheOctoberLeagueintheU.S.andtheCanadian

ommunistLeague,whofollowedtheChineselineword-for-word.Secondwerethecomradelyopponents,stheGuardianintheU.S.,whoobjectedtotheChineseefforttoisolatetheSovietUnion.Theproponentsoft

neactedascovertdefendersofSovietsocial-imperialism.FinallycametheCentrists,suchastheevolutionaryCommunistPartyintheU.S.andEnLutteinCanada.WhiletheCentristsacknowledgedthatromotingnationaldefenseofanyimperialistnationtotheworkingclasswasincontradictionwithMLprinci

heyexcusedthepetty-bourgeoisnationalcontentofChinasforeignpolicybycallingitdiplomacy.While

voidinganydirectcriticismoftheCPChina,thePLAor-godforbid--Mao,theCentristsattackedtheovertupportersandcomradelycriticsofChinawithintheirowncountryassocial-chauvinisttraitorstotheworkin

ass.But,tocompletethecircle,theCentristlinealsoallowedforspecialcircumstancesinwhichalliancewnesownimperialistbourgeoisieduringanimperialistwarisentirelyacceptable.ByclaimingthattheThre

Worldstheorywassimplystatecraft,theCentristsprovidedcoverforsocial-chauvinismasalegitimateform

M-L.

wasapparenttotheCWGatthistimethatthenewinternationalcommunistmovement,totheextentthato

xistswasinshockanddisarray.Forpreciselythisreason,theCWGstateddirectlythatthegroupsand

ndividualscontinuingtostriveforaprincipledtheoryandpracticeofM-LcouldnolongercountonthePLAoheCPChinatoshowtheway.InsteadtheCWGarguedfortheremnantsofthemovementtocarefullystud

hevariouslinesputforwardinthenameofthesePartiesanddeterminewhichrepresentMarxism-Leninism,whichrevisionism.ToaccomplishthistasktheCWGcalledforanopenandresolutestruggleagainstsocial

hauvinismwhereveritmayappear.InForward#2,January1977,thatisjustwhattheCWGdid.

ORWARD#2,January1977

nForward#1theCWGheldoutsomehopethattherewereprincipledanti-revisionistswithinthePLA.Such

opedependedupontheabilityofthehoped-for-elements,toexposetherevisionistcoupintheCPChinaandusttheirownrevisionistsbeforetheirPartymadeasimilarswingtotheRight.ByForward#2,January197

adbecomecleartotheCWGthatnooneinthePLAwastakingthissimple,yetbold,step.

aseduponstudyofanabbreviatedversionofPLAChairmanEnverHoxhasReporttothe7thCongressofth

LA,theCWGcalledoutthePLAforitscovertattackonChinaspoliticallineontheinternationalsituation.In

eport,HoxhacriticizedtheideathattheThirdWorldwasthemainforceinthestruggleagainstimperialismndpronounceditanti-Leninist.However,ComradeHoxhaforgottoidentifythesourceofthisanti-Leninist

heoryevenasheproclaimedthatthepeoplesmustbetoldopenlyaboutthesituationsandthatthePLAhad

alwaysdonetheirinternationalistdutytowardsinternationalcommunism.But,saidtheCWG,suchKautskyacticsmerelycoveredthePLAsCentristpoliticalstance.BoththePLAandtheCPChinaemphasizedtheunit

ontagainstthetwo-superpowers.ThePLAscriticismwasonlythattheTheoryofThreeWorldswentalittl

arbysinglingouttheUSSR;byincludingvirtuallyall2ndWorld,secondaryimperialist,countriesasallies;aylumpingall3rdWorldintooneunifiedanti-imperialistbloc.ThePLAheldthatsuchapositionobscuredt

ealmaincontradiction:theruthlessstrugglebetweenthebourgeois-imperialistworld,ontheonehand,anocialism,theworldproletariat,anditsnaturalallies,ontheother....

hePLAspoliticallineexcludedsomeofthe2ndWorldimperialistcountriesfromtheanti-superpowerunitedontandappealeddirectlyto...allthepeoplesoftheworld,allprogressivepeoplewhohavethetrueand

ompleteinterestsoftheirnationsatheartandhavemadethem theaimoftheirstruggleandlife....ThePLAs

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ocial-democraticpopulismwassummarizedinthecallforallnaturalalliestouniteindefenseoffreedoma

ndependencefortheirpeoples.AstheCWGpointedout,however,thiswasnotacallfortheworkingclasstoefendthepoliticalrighttoself-determination.Itwasacallfornationaldefense.Thatis,foreconomicfreedo

ndindependence.FortheCWG,thiswasnationalchauvinismcloakedinsocialistgarb.

nanalyzingthePLAsline,theCWGdrewonLeninsrecognitionoftheriseofapettybourgeoisnationalist

ppositiontoimperialismatthebeginningofthe20thcentury.Leninhadcautionedthatnotallanti-imperialiwasintheinterestsoftheinternationalworkingclass.Hispointwasthatthepoliticalandeconomicinterestsoththebourgeoisieandtheproletariatareinternationalinnature.Giventhis,thenationalformofsocial

rganizationactedasafetterontheadvancementoftheirclassinterests.Onlythepetty-bourgeoisieand

evelopingnationalbourgeoisiecouldbenefitfromthenationaleconomicfreedomandindependencecalledfythePLA.RegardlessofthePLAscovertcriticismofthepoliticallineoftheCPChina,theCWGconcludedth

hetwoPartiesdifferedonlyintheopennessoftheirsocialchauvinism.

esearchbytheCWGandOCWintothehistoryofthecommunistmovement,especiallythehistoryofthe

ommunistInternational,providedakeytohelpexplainthepredominanceofsocialchauvinismwithintheen

nti-revisionistmovement.TheCWGnotedthatthePLAwasoriginallyestablishedandthattheCPChinahad

maturedduringthemid-1930s.AccordingtotheCWG,thiswastheperiodinwhichtheCIhadblendedsocialemocracywithcommunism,ormoreprecisely,renamedSocialDemocracyasCommunism.Unlikethe2nd

nternational,inwhichfactionsofseveralpartiessplitthemovementtotrytoestablishaprincipledcommunimovement,noPartyorfactionofaPartybrokefromthe3rdInternationalinordertore-establishprincipled

adershipofinternationalCommunism.Infact,in1943,aftertheComintern-theinternationalleadershipohedailystruggleoftherevolutionaryproletariatofallcountrieshadbeendissolved,Maoarguedthatwha

eedednowisthestrengtheningofthenationalCommunistPartyofeachcountry,andwenolongerneedthe

nternationalleadingcenter(TheCominternHasLongCeasedToMeddleInOurInternalAffairs,1943).

aseduponthishistoryandtheinternationalpoliticallinesadvancedbyboththeCPChinaandthePLA30ye

ater,theCWGconcludedthatthebreakwiththeSovietblocversionofmodernrevisionismwasdrivenbyationalinterests,notMarxism-Leninism.Generalizingfromalltheanalysistheyhaddonetodate,theCWG

roclaimed:Modernrevisionismhasdeveloped,likeSocialDemocracybeforeit,asaninternationaltrendin

whichthenationalelementplaysthepredominatingrole.

ustastheCWGdebunkedtheclaimthatmodernrevisionismwaslimitedtothepost-1956era,thegroupsstu

dittoconcludethatthesourcesofthisnewMLopportunismcouldbetracedbacktothe1920s.Thiswas

gnificantleapintheCWGsthinkingabouttheriseofmodernrevisionism.InForward#1,thegroupstillmaintainedthatpriortotheVIICongressoftheCI,thoughtheworldCommunistPartiesexhibitedavarietyof

pportunistinconsistenciesandbacksliding,thePartieshadnotyetbecomestuckaroundconsolidatedpportunistlines.TheCWGalsoassertedthatTheCommunistInternationalwasnot,astheTrotskyiteswou

aveit,betrayedduringthisperiod,itwassimplystrugglingforitslife.Consistentwiththispointofview,th

WGmaintainedthatpriortohisturntosocial-chauvinism,Stalinhadledaprincipledandsuccessfulstrugg

gainstavarietyofopportunistsincludingindividualsinleadershippositionswithintheCI:Trotsky,Bukhraininoviev,Radek,Lovestone,andothers.ButastheCWGdugdeeperintothewrittenrecordoftheCI,itbecamearthattheirinitialunderstandingoftheCIwasnotjusttooforgiving,itwaswrong.

yJanuary1977,theCWGhaddeterminedthatthesectionsandleadershipoftheCI(includingRadek,Zinovie

rotsky,Bukharin,Stalin,Dimitrov,andothers)didnotimplementtheprinciplesthatwereestablishedtoguihatitsdevelopmentwentfrombadtoworse,culminatinginanopenturntosocial-chauvinismin1934-35an

quidationin1943.Suchacriticalchallengetoacceptedorthodoxywasnotapointofviewthattheanti-

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evisionistmovementcouldtolerateorevenunderstand.AstheSanDiegoOrganizingCommittee(Marxist-

eninist)opinedinTheCommunistinMay1977:TheCommunistWorkersGroup(ML)initsnewspaper,orward,usesitsrevolutionarysoundingformulationstowriteoffthewholeinternationalcommunistmovem

ncludingthedictatorshipoftheproletariatinChinaandAlbania,asrevisionist!TheirpoliticallineonthenternationalsituationputsthemsolidlyinthecampofinternationalTrotskyism!

nresponsetosuchatypicallyshallowdismissalorthemorecommonrefusalofanyMLgrouptoacknowledgloneengagetheCWGinprincipledstruggle,thesmallgroupdidnothesitatetoforgeaheadinitsstudyandnalysisofthehistoricaldevelopmentofmodernrevisionism.

ORWARD#3,March1977

orward#3containedtheChartoftheDevelopmentoftheUSMLMovementandtwoarticlesdetailingtheful

copeofopportunismwithinthesevenyearsofdevelopmentoftheNCM.TheCWGtookthemovementtotas

oroneoftheprincipalcreativeapplicationsofML:changingtheLeninistdefinitionofadvancedworkertouitthelowerexpectationsofpetty-bourgeoisradicalism.TheCWGpointedoutthatwhereLeninarguedthat

advancedworkersarethosewhodevotethemselvesentirelytotheeducationandorganizationoftheroletariat,whoacceptsocialismconsciouslyandwhoevenelaborateindependentsocialisttheories(A

etrogradeTrendinRussianSocialDemocracy),theNCM,andparticularlytheanti-dogmatismtrend,simply

oweredthecriteriaforproletarianclassconsciousnesstomilitanttradeunionism.Followingthispath,theNouldreassureitselfthatwhilesuchadvancedworkersmaynotbeallthatsympathetictocommunismthe

ouldstillbondwiththeNCMaroundcaucus-buildinganddevelopmentofasystematicapproachtoour

roblems.[MovementforaRevolutionaryLeft:ACritiqueofUltra-Leftism,DogmatismandSectarianism]

Withsuchanunderstandingofclass-consciousnessanditsvanguardrole,therewaslittlechancethattheNC

ouldsustainanyinfluencewithintheworkingclass.However,theCWGsresearchintothedevelopmentofthommunistmovementrevealedthattheblatantreformismcoupledwithradicalphrasemongeringsotypical

heNCMhadalongandstoriedhistory.TheCWGwasfindingthatsuchanopportunistcombinationwas,infa

hetotalityofthecommunistmovementdatingbacktothe1920s.Asthisrealizationbegantosinkin,Forwar4,August1977,becamethefinaleffortoftheCWG,asaparticipantwithintheNCM,touncoverandexposeth

ootsandbranchesofmodernrevisionism.

ORWARD#4,August1977

hebulkofForward#4dealtwiththeself-proclaimedanti-dogmatist,anti-lefttrendwithintheU.S.MLmovement.InthearticleGuardiansofSocialistOpportunism[Guardians],theCWGlaidouttheobjective,

racticalresultofthistrendsheartfeltphrasemongering:defenseofSovietsocial-imperialismandeliminatio

nylineresemblingprincipledMarxism-LeninismwithinthemovementfortheParty.Theanti-leftswishedeturntotheearlydaysofharmonyamongthefledglingMLgroups.AstheCWGwouldhaveit,thismeantbe

thebreak-upofthemovementintoanumberofdistincttrendsdrivenbytheclassicpettybourgeoisstrivinoreachtobemasterofhisowndung-heap.FortheCWG,suchapleaforunityaroundthelowestcommonenominatorwasaninadvertentadmissionthattheMLmovementhasnowheretogo.

WhiletheCWGconcludedinForward#4thattheMLmovementcouldonlybeunderstoodasacollectivepportunistfarce,thiswasnottheendoftheCWGsworktouncovertheactualfoundationofallvarietiesof

modernrevisionism.Withinitscritiqueoftheanti-lefttrendtheCWGhadsingledoutthreepoliticalelemen

fpetty-bourgeoisradicalismthatserved,inlargepart,astheideologicalandpracticalbasisofmodern

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evisionism.Thesethreeelementsweretheclasspositionoftheintelligentsia,thetheoryandpracticeofthe

nitedfront,andthequestionofSovietpower.

ONTHERADICALINTELLIGENTSIA

yearpriortoForward#4,theCWGhadpointedoutthatoneoftheprescribedmethodsforthepettybourgeadicaltogaincredibilityamongpeerswastocometotermswithhis/herclassbackground.Ithadalwaysb

rudginglyacknowledgedwithintheanti-revisionistmovementthatitsclassoriginwasthepetty-bourgeoisiepecificallytheintelligentsia.Initiallythemovementdealtwiththisproblembysimplydismissingit.Thatis,

adicalcouldovercomethiscontradictionbydeclaringallegiancetooneoranotherversionofMarxism-

eninism.Now,however,afterthemovementhadpulleditselfapartintoasmanytrendsasthemarketcouldear,theanti-dogmatistsmadeamorestraightforwardcaseforunityamongthesocialistintellectualleadersh

fthemovement.SpeakingtotheunderlyingtruthoftheMLmovement,theAnnArborCollective(Marxist-eninist),oneoftheanti-leftgroups,stated,intellectualsdonotconstituteaclassthemselvesnordothey

ogetherformastrataofsomeotherclass.Since,accordingtotheAnnArborcomradesthepetty-bourgeois

ntellectualsoftheMLmovementactivelyhelptoproduce,reproduce,orrepresenttheinterestsand

onsciousnessoftheworkingclass,bydefinitiontheybecomeorganicintellectualsoftheworkingclassAgainstDogmatismandRevisionism:TowardaGenuineCommunistParty).Voila,problemsolved.

stheCWGsawthings,ofcourse,theproblemwasnotsolvedatall.FortheCWG,inthefirstplace,the

ntelligentsia(andwemusthangitinquotes,sinceinbourgeoissocietyeducationbynomeansimplies

ntelligence)undercapitalismisalways,throughitshabits,socialposition,meansofsubsistence,attitudesandutlook,permeatedwithbourgeoisandpettybourgeoisvicesandpettystrivings.(Guardians)Thisisobviou

arcryfromaclasslessradicalintelligentsia.

nthesecondplace,theCWGunderstoodthe1960smovementfromwhichtheleadershipoftheMLsemergedademonstrationofthecrisisofthepettybourgeoisieunderimperialismanditsattemptstomaintainitsclas

rivilegesattheexpenseoftheworkingclass.Inthisview,theCWGwasfollowingLeninsanalysisthatthe

onstantlife-and-deathstruggleofthepetty-bourgeoisieunderimperialismresultedinrepeatedpopulistaettybourgeoisrebellionsinwhichthepettybourgeoisietakesananti-imperialiststanceinordertosecure

heirclassinterests(TheMovement).Therefore,ratherthanassume,asdidallotherNCMgroups,thatthe19movementswereapositivetraininggroundfortheircurrentrevolutionaryMarxist-Leninistpolitics,theCW

rguedthatthisperiodwassuchaneclecticoutburstofsomanysocialstrata,andrepresentedsuchawide

pectrumofcontraryinterestsanddemands,thatitsonlycommondenominatorwastheclasscharacterofitsrganizedleadership[Guardians].Thus,thespontaneousrebellionsofthe1960swereindeedatraininggrou

utfortheskillsofopportunistleadership,notforrevolutionarypraxis.

hougheveryMLgroupandindividualleaderhadtoacknowledgetheclassoriginoftheNCM,onlytheCWG

oncludedthatthisclassbackgroundhadnotbeenovercomebythemovementasawhole:Itwaspreciselyfr

uchorganizedleadershipfromSNCC,SDS,BlackPanthers,YoungLords,thevariousanti-warcommittees,eministcircles,andsoonitwaspreciselyfromthesethatthenewMLmovementemerged,bringingwithitt

amepeople,thesamehabits,thesamepettybourgeoisclassprejudice,andthesameaspirations.Everythingmilar,infact,theonlythingthatdistinguishesthenewmovementfromtheoldistheabbreviationMLand

ecognitionthatthepettybourgeoisieispoliticallyimpotentunlessitralliestheworkingclasstoitsaims

Guardians].

orepresentpettybourgeoisintellectualsasclasslesswasnotsimplyaself-defensemechanismfortheleadin

deologuesoftheNCM.Itwasonevariationonthethemeofnewconditionsoranewphaseofimperialism

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hatalteredtheclasscharacterandinterestsoftheprogressivepettybourgeoisieinparticular,butalsothe

ationalbourgeoisieinthedevelopingcountriesandeventheimperialistbourgeoisieofSecondWorldountries.TheNCMgroupsheldthatunderthisnewphaseofimperialismtheworkingclassmustunitewith

allwhocanbeunitedinordertocarryoutproletarianrevolution.Allwhocanbeunitedmeantsimplyaassesandstratathathavecontradictionswithimperialism.ThePopularorUnitedFrontwastheprincipal

orminwhichthispotentialunityofformerlyhostileclassesandstratawasexpressed.

ONTHEUNITEDFRONT

hereislittlequestionthattheentiretyoftheNCMadoptedtheideaofaunitedfrontasoneof,ifnotthemost

mportant,aspectsofMLstrategyandtactics.Morespecifically,theCWGpointedoutthatregardlessofminorifferencesininterpretationofexactlywhatwasmeantbyunitedfront,alloftheanti-revisionistgroups

pheldthegeneralunderstandingestablishedbytheVIICongressoftheCI.Thatistosay,theysoughtamassallianceunitingtheworkingclass,thepettybourgeoisie,anti-imperialistandprogressiveelementsoft

ntelligentsia,andinsomecasesprogressiveanti-monopolybourgeoiselementswhosidewiththepeoples

gainsttheimperialistbourgeoisie;or,inmorefamiliarterms,unitingallwhocanbeunitedagainstthemain

nemy[Guardians].TheCWGthenexplainedthatthisconceptionofunitedfrontwasadistortionoftheriginaluseandmeaningoftheterm.

stheCWGexcavatedmoreofthehistoryofthecommunistmovement,itbecameclearthattheideaofaunit

ontsprangprimarilyfromthesplitswithinandfromtheSecondInternational.TheFirstWorldWaranddef

fallsavetheRussianrevolutionarystruggleafterthewarexhaustedtheinternationalworkingclassmovemehebourgeoisie,ontheotherhand,regroupedaftertheBolshevikrevolutionandbeganaconcertedattackon

nternationalworkingclass.Insuchcircumstances,themassofrankandfileworkerscalledforunityofaction

hecontendingsocialist,syndicalist,anarchistandcommunistparties.Bylate1921,theCIhadrespondedbyallingforaunitedfrontoftheworkingclassorganizedfrombelowandcenteredonjointpracticalactivity.A

heCWGexplainedit:aunitedfrontconsistedofthosetacticalmaneuversnecessarytoachievetheunityofthroletariat;to,bycreatingjointactionsbetweencommunistandSocial-Democraticworkers,raisetheclass

onsciousnessofthelatterandisolatetheSocial-Democraticleadership.Theunitedfrontwasmeantasone

meanstoovercomethesplitintheworkersrankscausedbysocialistopportunismandtoasserttheclassndependenceoftheproletariat[Guardians]

hemodernmeaningofunitedfront,then,distortsthequestionofalliancesbetweenworkingclass

rganizationsanddifferentclassesandstrataandconfusessuchtacticalarrangementswithinternalworkingassunityofaction.Theresult,astheCWGclarified,wasanotheraboveclasscategoryoftactics,tacticsthat

ouldbeemployedregardlessofwhatspecificclassinterestswereinvolved.And,onceagain,theCWGinpointedtheCIastheoriginofthisopportunistconceptionoftheunitedfront.EventhoughtheCIhadiniti

roposedaunitedfrontfromamoreprincipledperspective,theCWGconcludedthatthisopportunistdistorti

ftheunitedfrontwasinitiatedbetweentheThirdandFourthCongressoftheInternational.TheCWGidenti

adek,Zinoviev,Trotsky,andtheGermanRightsastheinstigatorsofthiscreativemanipulationoftheworkinassdesireforunity.Further,theCWGlinkedthisearlyturntoopportunismtotheabandonmentofcommunnitedfronttacticsbythe7thCongress.

heCWGconcluded,then,thattheconceptionoftheunitedfrontdominatingthecommunistmovementsince

mid-1930swasthecommonmeetinggroundonwhichallvariationsofpetty-bourgeoisradicalismcontendnfluencewithintheworkingclass.Theunitedfrontiscriticalfortheradicalpetty-bourgeoisiebecauseitist

nlypoliticalformthroughwhichthisclasscanhopetoconvincetheworkersoftheircommonanti-imperia

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nterests.Anditisonlythroughsuchhonestswindlingthatthepetty-bourgeoisieandbourgeoisiecan

subordinatetheproletariattotheirownclassinterests.

ortheCWG,historyhadclearlyshownthatoneoftheprincipalwaystheradicalintelligentsiamaintains

nfluencewithintheworkingclassisthroughnationalism.Thus,theCWGargued,severalgenerationsofpportunistshaddistortedtheentireconceptionoftheunitedfront.Furthermore,behindtheradicalcryfo

bove-classunitylurkedthemostintensenational-bourgeoisandintra-petty-bourgeoisclassrivalry,nationaalousyandnarrownationaldefencism,expressingthedesireofeachsocialistbourgeoisieandpetty-bourgeoosafeguardtheirownsphereofeconomicinfluence[Guardians].

hebreakdownoftheformalunityoftheinternationalanti-revisionistmovementalongnationallinesdurin

helate1970sverifiedtheCWGsanalysisoftheclassnatureoftheunitedfront.AmongalltheNCMgroups,oheCWGrecognizedthattheconventionalideaofunitedfronthadbecomeaeuphemismforoutrightbetraya

nddeceptionoftheworkingclass.FortheCWGthisbetrayalhadfar-reachingeffectsbeyondsimpledebateacticsandstrategy.Thegroupdeterminedthatthesocial-chauvinismandrevisionismendemictothis

onceptionoftheunitedfronthadinevitablyledtothedissolutionoftheinternationalmovementintoanum

fnationallydistinctrevisionisttrends.Itwasthisturnoftheentireworldmovementthatmostdiscredit

ommunismintheeyesoftheworkingclassandmadetheworkofprofessionalanti-communists,Social-emocrats,laboraristocratsandTrotskyitesindisprovinganddistortingMarxism-Leninismalltheeasier

Guardians].

ONSOVIETPOWER

hethirdcomponentofbothmodernrevisionismandanti-revisionismdealtwiththequestionofstatepower

ourse,theentireNCMbraggedontheirrevolutionarystruggleforthedictatorshipoftheproletariat,aka

ovietpower.However,astheinternationalanti-revisionistmovementbecameconfusedbyandbegantouestionthestrategyandtacticsoftheCPChinaduring1976,cracksbegantoappearintheNCMsunitedfro

fsloganeering.Thiswasespeciallyapparentwhenthepreviouslyacceptedviewthatcapitalismhadbeen

estoredintheUSSRbegantobequestionedbythecentrist,anti-dogmatisttrendwithintheNCM.WhenitametoanalysisoftheUSSR,ostensiblyanexistingsocialiststate,themovementrevealedthepetty-bourgeoi

atureofitsconceptionofsovietpower.

neofthecardinalfeaturesoftheanti-dogmatisttrendwastheirlinecautioningtheNCMagainstdrawing

onclusionstoorapidlyonthenatureoftheSovietstate.Fortheanti-dogmatistsrevisionismwasprimarily

deologicalphenomenonthatdidnotnecessarilytranslateintoanypractical,economicoutcome.AstheCWxplained:TheythusadmittotheobviousfactoftheCPSUsrevisionism,whiledenyingtheequallyobviousf

hatrevisionistruleisaformofbourgeoisdictatorship,theoppressionandexploitationoftheproletariatbyaocialistbourgeoisie[Guardians].

sidefromtheirpenchantforcreativeinterpretationofMarxismatraittheysharedwiththerestoftheNC

heanti-dogmatistshadamoreimmediate,andasitturnedout,prescientinterestintheirfriendlycriticismheUSSR.For,todeclaretheSovietUnionnotsimplyrevisionist,butasamonopolycapitalist,imperialistan

ocial-fascistsuperpower,thenthenatureofsocialistcountrieswhichhavecomradelytieswiththeUSSRmilsobeputintoquestion[Guardians].AndifVietnam,Cuba,Angola,etc.arequestionableassocialiststates

henwhynotChinaorAlbaniawhich,asidefromtheirsocial-chauvinistdefenseoftheirownpreciousnatio

nterests,areinallessentialsofstatepoweridenticaltotheSovietUnion.AndifChinaandAlbaniacomeintouestion,thenthewholeshamblesoftheNCMwouldcometumblingdown.

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heanti-leftlineisolatingrevisionisttheoryfromrevisionistpracticewasrelativelyeasyfortherestoftheN

oridicule.However,sincetheoverthrowofthecapitaliststateisthefundamentalquestionofworkingclassevolution,theCWGwasnotabouttolettherestoftheanti-revisionistmovementoffthehook.

sexpected,thedogmatistsoftheNCMfollowedtheopportunistleadsoftheCPCandPLAindenouncingSovietrevisionism,classoppressionintheUSSR,andtheSovietsimperialistambitionsworldwide.Howeve

heydidsoonlybybickeringoverdetailsofthelawofvalue,theroleofcommoditycirculation,centralismveecentralism,etc.Inotherwords,theleftcritiqueoftheUSSRfocusesnotonwhichclassholdsstatepowerutlessvolatileeconomiccategoriesofmaterialincentives,theroleofprofit,productivity,unemployment,

conomicstrikes,unfavorabletradewithEasternEurope,etc.[Guardians]

nthisway,theCWGnoted,alltrendsoftheNCMexposetheUSSRanddiscredititssocialistpretensionsinlwiththeirownclassinterests.Tosucceedinthisendeavor,alloftheanti-revisionistmovementmustavoid

cardinalquestionrelatingtorevisionistrule,thequestionofsovietpower.DifferenttrendsemphasizedifferentaspectsofSovietrevisionism,butastheCWGrecognized,nopartyorgroup(includingtheCPChina

hePLA)explainedhow,specifically,proletarianruleistobeexercised,therelationshipbetweenthePartyan

heSoviets(workerscommunesorcouncils),orbetweentheSovietsandgovernmentalbureaus(Ibid.).The

WGarguedthatthiscriticalcomponentofcommunisttheorywasleftoutofanyattackonmodernrevisionisytheCPChinaandthePLAbecausesovietpowerispreciselywhattheythemselveslack,acharacteristicth

heysharedwiththeUSSR.[Ibid.].

nForward#4theCWGmaintainedstrictadherencetoLeninsdescriptionofthesovietformoforganizationf

heStateandRevolutionandtickedoffitscharacteristicsdirectlyfromthattext:thearmedorganizationofthmassesofworkersandsemi-proletarians,thedirectelectionandrecalloftheirrepresentatives,theestablishm

ffactory-levelwagesforallstateofficials,thecombinationofexecutiveandlegislativepowersintheSoviets

ands,thesubordinationofgovernmentalfunctionstotheSovietscontrolanddirection,thecreationofworkommitteestopatrolthestateofficialdomandeliminatetheexcessivedevelopmentofbureaucracy,thedraw

nofeveryworkerandsemi-proletarianintosovietparticipationandadministrationofthestate[Ibid.].Inshysovietpower,theCWGmeanttheactualadministrationofthestatebythemassesofworkersandsemi-

roletariansthemselves[Ibid.].

Withoutthisdirectadministrationandcontrolofthestateapparatusbyrankandfileworkersatalllevels,theWGmaintained,thedictatorshipoftheproletariatbecomesahollowandopportunistcatch-phrase.It

ecomesahollowcatchphraseintheCWGsviewbecause:Whentheproletariatseizesstatepower,itaimst

reateanentirelynewsocialsystem,asystemthatrequiresnewmethodsandneworgansofpower,historicaewproductiverelationsthatrevolutionizesallexistingsocialrelationships.Everythingmustbebuiltfromth

roundup[Ibid.].AccordingtotheCWG,capitalistrestorationwillinevitablyoccurunlessthereisrealworkasscontrolofthestateapparatusbecauserevisionistrestorationispreciselytheinfestationofsocialist

onstructionbybourgeoishabitsandvices,thestrengtheningofprivilegedstrataoverthemassesofworkers

emi-proletarians,theestablishmentofabureaucracyindependentoftheauthorityoftheproletariat,the

tilizationofsocialistmeansforbourgeoisends[Ibid.].

snotedabove,bythispointintheevolutionofitspoliticalline,theCWGhaddismissedtheanti-revisionistmovementasanexpressionofpettybourgeoisreformismhidinginacommunistdisguise.Forallthe

pportunistwranglingaroundtheNationalQuestion,thePartyquestion,thePrincipalContradiction,capitalis

estorationintheUSSR,ChinaandAlbaniaversustheSovietUnion,ChinaversusAlbania,etc.,theCWGinpointedtheessentialreformistcoreoftheNCM:Theyareallforsocialismwhenitisequatedtogoodde

owardstheworkingclass,abundantjobs,ariseinthestandardofliving,abenevolentPartythatinsuresequa

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ndkeepsacleanline,amodicumofmassinitiative,periodicshake-upsofthebureaucracy,goodschools,clea

treets,andsoon.Theyturnagainstsuchpettybourgeoispaternalisticsocialismthemomentitmaturesintopenbourgeois/revisionismandsocial-imperialism,whenthePartyandgovernmentbureaucraciessolidifyin

nmistakablerulingelites,theeconomystagnates,thestandardoflivingfallsoff,etc.asintheUSSR.Andtheyannotconceiveofsocialismorthethreatofrevisionisminanyotherterms.Thesovietorganizationofpowe

mplydoesnotexistforthesepeople![Ibid.].

THIRDWAYFORTHEPETTYBOURGEOISIE

sindicatedabove,theCWGsresearchandanalysisofthesourcesandcomponentsofmodernrevisionismle

oconclusionsthatdirectlychallengeditsownpreviousunderstandingofprincipledMarxism-Leninismaswehecreativeopportunismthathadbecomecommonplacewithintheanti-revisionistmovement.Oneofthem

nsightfulconclusionstheCWGdrewfromitscriticalanalysiswasthatthepettybourgeoisiehadfinallyrealizhirdWaytostatepower.

hadlongbeenastapleofMarxist-Leninisttheorythattherecouldbenothirdwaybetweenmonopoly

apitalismandproletarianrevolution.LeninhaddevelopedthisthesisinoppositiontoKautskyscritiqueoft

ussiandictatorshipoftheproletariatasananti-democraticcoupdtat.KautskyandtheremainingsocialemocraticpartiesoftheSecondInternationalarguedthattheonlylegitimatepathforworkingclassrevolutiwastowinamajoritywithintheexistingdemocraticinstitutions.InthecaseoftheRussianrevolution,this

meanttheConstituentAssembly,nottheSoviets.Leninrakedhisformermentoroverthecoalsforthispande

obourgeoisdemocracyundertheguiseofdemocracyintheabstract:...incapitalistsociety,whenevertherenyseriousaggravationoftheclassstruggleintrinsictothatsociety,therecanbenoalternativebutthe

ictatorshipofthebourgeoisieorthedictatorshipoftheproletariat.Dreamsofsomethirdwayarereactiona

ettybourgeoislamentations...(ThesesandReportonBourgeoisDemocracyandtheDictatorshipoftheroletariat).

hroughitsanalysisofmodernrevisionismandthequestionofSovietpower,theCWGrealizedthatthenotio

thirdwayhadbeentransformedthroughtheacquisitionofstatepowerbyrevisionistcommunistPartieswasnolongeraquestionofbourgeoisversusproletariandictatorship,itwasnowaquestionofmaintaininga

dvancingcapitalistrelationswithintheformalstructureofaworkersstate.FortheCWG,statepowerheldtularcommunistPartiesofferedthepettybourgeoisieanalternativetobeingoustedbymonopoly

apitalism,orbeingoustedbytheimpendingproletarianrevolution.(Guardians)Suchacharacterizationo

hesocialistcountriesandself-proclaimedcommunistpartieswasmorethanasimpleadditiontothecataloguvidenceagainstsocialistopportunism.Itwasrecognitionofatrulynewconditionunderminingthe

evolutionarypotentialoftheinternationalworkingclass.TheCWGputitthisway:Thatathirdway,aemporaryalternativetobothopenmonopolycapitalismandproletarianrevolution,doesexistforthesep.b.

trata;thatitisinfactpossibletoartificially(bywayofsocialistopportunism)perpetuatecapitalistrelations,

ecurethepositionoftheprivilegedclassesovertheproletariat,andsabotagetheworkersindependentactiv

hattheseelementscaneven,ashasoccurredintheUSSRandEastEuropeancountriesandiscurrentlyoccurnChina,matureintoasocialistbigbourgeoisiecapableofdemandingare-divisionofspoilsonaworldscale;hemostimportanthistoricallessonofthepast50years(Ibid,).TheCWGsanalysiswas,infact,aharbinger

hedemiseoftheUSSRandthesolidificationofcommunistcapitalisminChina,Vietnam,Cuba,etc.

hiswasastartlingrealizationfortheCWG,butitmadeperfectsensegiventherevisionisthistorythatthegroaduncovered.Moreimportantly,itpointedthewaytoanevendeeperanalysisofthehistoricaldevelopmen

Marxism-Leninism.AfterpublicationofForward#4,theCWGtookupLeninscounseltotheFourthCongress

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heCIin1922:themostimportantthingintheperiodwearenowenteringistostudy.Ofcourse,theCWGh

lwaysconcentratedonstudyingtheprinciplesofMarxism-Leninism,butnowtheirfocusshiftedtoacriticalnalysisoftheseworksaswellasthepoliticalpracticeofMarx,EngelsandLenin.Inparticular,thegroup

oncentratedonthedictatorshipoftheproletariat,thequestionthatLeninhadstatedwasthekeyproblemontireproletarianclassstruggle.TheCWGagreedwithLenin:Itis,therefore,necessarytopayparticular

ttentiontoit.

HECWGDISBANDS

nForward#1,theCWGannouncedtheirintentiontoproduceafullexposureoftheovertlysocial-chauvini

neofboththeCPChinaandthePLA.ThisworkwastobedoneinconjunctionwiththeOCWandwashopefobefinishedanddistributedbythebeginningof1977.Bythefallof1977,ithadbecomecleartotheCWGth

helinesoftheCPChinaandthePLAwereonlythemostrecentexpressionsofastrainofpettybourgeoispportunismtraceableatleasttotheearly1920s.FortheCWG,then,anyhopeoflayingthefoundationofa

rincipledCommunistPartywastobefoundinthestruggletoexposethefullcourseofdevelopmentoftheen

pectrumofmodernrevisionisttendencies.ThatisthetasktheCWGsetforitselfafterthepublicationofForw

4.oaccomplishthistasktheCWGandOCWcomradesdevotedtheirtimetointensivestudyandinternaldebatordetailedanalysisoftheThirdInternationalthegroupfocusedprimarilyontheInternationalPress

orrespondence(INPRECORR)anditsprogenyWorldNewsandViews,aswellastheCommunistInternational,

rgansoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheCI.ThisstudywassupplementedbyexaminationofDimitrovsSelecWorks,reportsfromvariouscongressesandindividualparticipantsrecollections.Inconjunctionwiththiswo

heCWGandOCWdividedupstudyoftheentireEnglisheditionsofMarx,EngelsandLeninscollectedand

electedworksandcollectionsofcorrespondence.

heCWGappliedtwofundamentalstandardstothisstudy.First,itupheldtheessentialpointofviewthat

Marxist-Leninistprinciplesdonotexistintheabstract.FortheCWG,theestablishedprinciplesofMLwereto

nderstoodasfocusedgeneralizationsofobjectivehistoricalphenomenaofclassrelationsundercapitalism.urthermore,fromitsbeginningwork,OurTasksontheNationalQuestion,theCWGhadconsideredMLprinci

obeguidelinesmarkingtheobjectivelimitswithinwhichwemustwork.Onthisbasis,theCWGwasabletvaluateinconsistenciesintheinterpretationandapplicationoftheseveryprinciples,inconsistenciesthat

reviouslyhadbeenacceptedastheconsequencesofshiftsinstrategyortactics.

econdly,theCWGhadalwaysunderstoodMarxismasamethodofanalysisandhadincorporatedMarxswellnown1843counseltoRugeregardingthecontentofhisstilldevelopingtheory.Marxspointwasthatthen

renddifferedfromandhadanadvantageoverallotherradicaladvocatesofdemocracyandcommunismintwedonotdogmaticallyanticipatetheworld,butonlywanttofindthenewworldthroughcriticismoftheold

ne(MarxtoRuge,September1843).And,ofcourse,everyself-proclaimedMarxistisfamiliarwiththeresto

hispassageinwhichMarxclarifiesthatconstructingthefutureandsettlingeverythingforalltimesarenotoffair.Rather,themissionofthenewtrendwastheruthlesscriticismofallthatexists,ruthlessbothinthese

fnotbeingafraidoftheresultsitarrivesatandinthesenseofbeingjustaslittleafraidofconflictwiththeowersthatbe.FortheCWGtryingtogettotherootofmodernrevisionisminthefallof1977,thisinstructio

meantthattheworkofthegiantsofMarxisttheoryhadtobeevaluatedwiththesamebrightlightasthatappl

othelikesofaBobAvakianoraMarkKlonsky.

nTheManifesto,Marxhadarguedthataportionofthebourgeoisideologistshaveraisedthemselvesto

velofcomprehendingtheoreticallythehistoricalmovementasawhole.Marxfurthermaintainedthatthis

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smallsectionoftherulingclasscutsitselfadrift,andjoinstherevolutionaryclass.Aftersixmonthsofintens

ndunsettlingstudyandstruggle,theCWGandOCWconcludedthatMarxandEngelswerewronginthisudgment.Thegroupdeterminedfurtherthatthisfailuretorecognizethedepth,powerandadaptabilityofpe

ourgeoisclassoutlookhadpermeatedMarxisttheoryandpracticefromitsinception,inspiteofthemyriadormalattacksonpettybourgeoisdeviations.AllMLscouldagreethatpettybourgeoisleadershipoftheSocia

emocraticpartieshadleddirectlytothecounterrevolutionarycollapseofthe2nd

International,buttheCWGracedthisleadershipfailurebackthroughEngelstoMarxandforwardthroughEngelstoLenin,particularlyohequestionofthestruggleforandcontentofproletarianstatepower.

ythespringof1978theCWGcouldseethattheNCMwouldcollapsesoonenoughanditwassomesolaceto

nowthatthismovementwouldnevergainanycredibilityamongtheworkers.ButthegroupalsorecognizedhatitscontinuedparticipationintheNCMwouldbenothingmorethantheselfsameeffortofpettybourgeois

ntellectualstocontroltheworkingclass.Therewas,ofcourse,intensepoliticalandemotionaldebatecoverinhegamutofpettybourgeoisimaginationwithinthegroup.Intheendtherewasonlyonehonestsolution:the

ommunistWorkersGroup(Marxist-Leninist)wastobenomore.So,thegroupdisbanded.

owever,theCWGalsounderstoodthatwhattheyhaddiscoveredshouldbeheard,atleastonce.Overthene

everalyearsthistaskwasshoulderedbycomradeTomClark.

OMCLARK:1947-2010

omClarkwas,forlackofabetterterm,thefounderoftheCWG.ThoughtheCWGhadnoorganizingcongres

ormalprinciplesofunity,orPartyprogramme,individualsgatheredaroundTomprimarilybecauseofhisabioexplainMarxistprinciplesinclearandsimpleterms.Mr.ClarkcreatedtheWorkersLeagueofStruggleprio

ormationoftheCWGinordertointroduceindividualactiviststoMarxism-Leninismandtotrainthemore

edicatedcomradesforcommunisttheoreticalandpracticalwork.WithintheCWGTomwasthesoleauthorurTasksontheNationalQuestion,theprincipaleditorofTheMovementfortheParty,andoneoftheprimary

writersforForward,inwhichhisworkincludedtheFamilyTreeChartofU.S.Anti-Revisionism:1956-1977.

omwasinitiallyasshakenastherestoftheCWGandOCWcomradeswhentheirinvestigationrevealedundamentalcontradictionswithinMarxist-Leninisttheoryandpracticefromitsbeginnings.Buthewastheo

ndividualwithintheCWGwiththewherewithaltoturnshockanddismayintotheclear-headednessandresoequiredtoputtogetherallofthedisparatepartsofthestoryintoacoherentandcomprehensivecritique.Th

torythatneededtobeputtogetherwasthatofthecounter-revolutionarynatureoftheintelligentsia,specific

hesocialistand/orcommunistvariety.

rawingonthehistoricalinvestigationbytheCWG/OCW,Mr.Clarkconcludedthatfortheradicalintellectual

Marxismoffersnotonlyagrandschemeofhistoricalprogressionandaim,butalsoacentralroleforintellectunthisstruggle.Infact,withinallvarietiesofMarxism,theroleofthesocialistintellectualisnotonlytohelpt

istoricalforwardmotionandhastentheadventofthenewsociety(Preface:StateandCounter-Revolution),

lsotoactuallyleadthisstruggleoftheworkingclass.However,asTomrecognized,whentheradicalntelligentsiafallsinlovewiththematerialistbasisofMarxism,theirattachmentisnotwithscientific

materialism,butwithMarxism;notwithamodeofthinking,butwithasystemofbeliefs.(Ibid.)Inconjunctiowiththeideaofhistoricalprogression,thissystemofbeliefsallowstheradicalintellectualtoassignthe

momentumandgrandeurofaworldhistoricalforcetotheirnarrowclassinterests(Ibid.).

heover-archingpointofMr.Clarkscritiquewasthatthepettybourgeoisintelligentsia,whetheradvocatingmperialismorsocialismandregardlessofthesocialstructurewithinwhichtheylive,couldonlycontinuetoe

spartofaparasiticalstrata.Itisparasiticalbecauseinordertobefreetopursueinterestingideas,condu

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principleddebate,research,write,etc.theintelligentsiamustbesuppliedwiththemeansofsubsistencewit

havingtoactuallyworkforaliving(Ibid.).Theessenceofpettybourgeoisideologicalwork,whethercapitalrsocialist,then,issimplytodefineandproselytizehowtheprivilegedstatusoftheirkindistobesecured.

bid.)

omingoutoftheanti-revisionistmovement,Tomsoughttoexposethewaythattheradicalintelligentsia

maintainedandenhancedtheirownclassinterestsinthenameoftheworkingclass.Theanswerwasthesocitate.TCarguedthatthesocialiststatewasarelativelystablesolutionforcapitalistcrisisbecauseitprovideslusionthatthesourceofclassconflictitselfhasbeeneliminated.Thatistosay:Socialismretainscapitalis

monopoly,socialclasses,economicinequality,arepressivemechanism,andsoon,whiledeclaringthatcapital

asses,inequalityandrepressionhavebeenabolished.Andthathasgivenitatremendousadvantageoverthemocraticandfasciststateforms.Ithasbeensoadvantageous,infactthatthesocialiststatehasmaturedfro

nobscureideologyintoaworldhistoricalpower(Introduction:StateandCounter-Revolution).

iventhisanalysis,thefinalworkbasedonthehistoricalresearchandpracticalexperienceoftheCommunist

WorkersGroup,authoredbyTomClark,wastitled:TheStateandCounter-Revolution:ACriticalHistoryofthe

MarxistTheoryoftheState.

HESTATEANDCOUNTER-REVOLUTION

heStateandCounter-Revolution[S&CR]wascompletedin1983andrevisedin1990.Itwasneverpublished

ecause,ontheonehand,Tomcouldnotfindaleftistpublisherwillingtotakeonsuchablasphemouspiece

work.Ontheotherhand,noregularpublisherwasinterestedbecausetheNCMhadalreadyimploded,theSovlocwasfallingapartandChinahadunabashedlyrestoredcapitalismviathesocialistmarketeconomy.Durin

he1980sitappearedthatMarxism-Leninismhadbeenrelegatedtothedustbinofhistory.However,giventh

evivedinterestinMarxismandtheincreasedactivityoftheradicalintelligentsiainternationallyduringthelaenyears,thereisnobettertimethannowforS&CRtobestudiedindetail.

hesimplestwaytointroduceS&CRistoquoteMr.Clarkfrom1990:

Irealizedthatthewholethingispredicatedonthereaderreallygivingagoodgoddamnaboutthesubject

matter.(PersonalCorrespondence)

itshouldntreallyhaveacademicvalue,orself-referencewithsomeongoingdebate,i.e.,bebyandforthelntelligentsia.(PersonalCorrespondence)Thecentral(andforthesocialistintellectual,mostabrasive)conclusionfromthisanalysisisthatMarxism-

eninismisnotaproletarian,butamiddleclassideology,andthatwhathasoccurredinthesocialistmovemeverthepasthundredplusyearshasbeenahistoricalcounter-revolutionagainsttheworkingclass.

Theverypeople,who,withthebestofintentionsandoftenatpersonalsacrifice,gavethemselvestothecausworkingclassemancipation,haveinrealitybeentheleadingforceinanobjectiveclassefforttoperpetuateth

wnsocialprivilegesoverthemassofworkers.Wherethecommunistparties,thevanguarddetachmentsoftmiddleclass,havetakenstatepower,theyhaveinstitutedakindofcapitalismwithahumanface,anofficiallenevolentdictatorshipthatenforcesclasspeacethroughbribesandsubsistenceguarantees,butwhich

ltimatelyrests,likeallbourgeoisgovernments,onthepowerofarmedforce.(Introduction:S&CR)

Yeah,thereareNewClasstheoriesandcriticalself-knowledgeoftheintellectualstheoriesandLeninasha

sstheoriesanddialectics+19 thCenturyMaterialism,thecommonapproachofwhichistocreatenew

efinitionsinanacademicway,i.e.generatemorepettybourgeoisintellectualbullshit.ButwhatIwantS&CR

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oissimplydocumenttheoldbullshitbyexposingtheinternalinconsistenciesandcontradictionsthatarise

whenprinciplesgetinthewayofclassprejudice.(PersonalCorrespondence)

Sohopefullyitllbeenoughtorephrasethethingsothatitsabsolutelysky-blueclearthatyes,thegeneral

ritiqueofcapitalism,classes,exploitation,parasitism,etc.generatedbyMarxismistheacceptedstartingpoinndthatthepointofS&CRbeingwherethatgeneralcritiquebreaksdowninthefaceofissuesofwinningpolit

ower.(Ibid.)

Frommynarrowstandpoint,itsbettertolookatwhathasactuallyoccurred.LeninslineinWhatIsToBeDoegardingtradeunionismandtradeunionpolitics,theneedforrevolutionarytheory,theorycomingfromthe

utside,etc.,areallmateriallygroundedarguments.Asageneralphenomenonitsaccurate.Whichisnottos

hattherewontbeworkerswho,fromtheirownexperience,begintodrawgeneralconclusionsonclasssocieheroleofthestate,etc.,withoutoutsidehelp.Butagain,wherearetheseguys?Ifyouregoingtomakegene

heoreticalconclusions,youhavetodrawthelinesomewhere.Moreuseful,fromamaterialstandpoint,toxaminewhathasoccurredandtrytounderstandwhyandkeepitinapracticalarena,thantothinkanyheadw

thisisapun,yousee)ismadebyapproachingtheissuefromaseeminglyscientific,philosophical,abstra

nglewhichreallyendsupbeingalotofblah-blah-blahsaysomeshit.(Ibid.)

nfact,whatsnewintheviewisshowingthatthespecificcriticismofpettybourgeoisopportunismmadearioustimesbyMarx,Engels,andLenin,criticismswhichhaveavalidclassbasis,reallystandasageneral

riticismoftheintelligentsiaasawhole+hereshowitworkshistorically.(Ibid.)

Themostneededexpositionofnewviewsisreally:whatformsoforganizationofpowercombatthe

endenciestoregeneratepettybourgeoisandbigbourgeoisclassinfluence.Whatpracticalmeasuresforsocontrolwillkeepeveryonehonest,eliminatecareerism,bureaucracy,etc?Whatpricedoyouhavetopaytok

omgoingthroughallthesethingstwice?(Ibid.)

ickAtkinson

ormermember:OrganizationofCommunistWorkers(Marxist-Leninist)