First Published: Discussion Bulletin #2, January 15, 1978.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Patrick Muldowney, Anita Hood and Paul Saba
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1. We are living in the era of imperialism and the proletarian revolution. This era is characterised by four principle contradictions:
(a) The contradiction between socialism and capitalism.
(b) The contradiction between labour and capital, hence between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie in the capitalist countries.
(c) The contradiction between the oppressed nations and imperialism.
(d) The contradiction among the imperialist powers and among the monopolies.
For the historical epoch we are living in, the fundamental contradiction is that between socialism and capitalism. In the socialist countries this contradiction expresses itself in the struggle between the socialist road and the capitalist road; in the capitalist/revisionist countries, it expresses itself in the struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
All these contradictions are sharpening. The general line of the international Marxist/Leninist movement and the international line of any Marxist-Leninist party must proceed from the recognition and analysis of these contradictions.
2. The Red Eureka movement believes that the differentiation of the worlds governments into “three worlds” is a correct interpretation of the inter-imperialist contradictions and the contradictions between the oppressed nations and imperialism in the current situation. As such, it is a valuable guide to the proletariat and oppressed peoples in the realm of international class struggle and, in particular, diplomatic struggle.
Proletarian internationalism remains the cornerstone of the international Marxist-Leninist movements general line and we totally reject the attempts of the right opportunists to substitute a distorted view of the “three worlds” as the general line.
We also totally reject the attempts of the right opportunists in Australia to impose a distorted version of the “three worlds” as the general line of the Australian revolution. No Marxist-Leninist can “deduce” the correct line for the Australian revolution merely from an analysis of international affairs and Australia’s relations with other countries. To impose such a line is to liquidate class struggle in Australia; to take superpower contention as the key link instead of class struggle. The general line of the Australian revolution remains the seizure of power by armed force from the imperialist bourgeoisie and the establishment of the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat in broad alliance of the petty bourgeoisie.
3. The two superpowers U.S. imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism constitute the main enemy of the international proletariat and world’s people at present. The contradiction between the superpowers is the most important and far reaching of the many inter-imperialist contradictions and represents the direct threat of a third world war. The only way this world war can be averted is through the isolation and destruction of the superpowers i.e., through revolution, as comrade Mao-Tsetung has correctly pointed out. While the struggle to defend national independence contributes to the isolation of the superpowers, the most effective contribution the proletariat of any capitalist/revisionist country can make to averting imperialist war is the seizure of state power.
If a third world war does break out, it is the task of the proletariat to turn the imperialist war into a revolutionary war aimed at the seizure and defence of state power. This cannot be achieved by the proletariat relying on one superpower to fight the other.
4. Both internationally and in Australia the main danger to the working class movement remains right opportunism – revisionism. This danger has become greatly heightened as a result of the grave setbacks to the class struggle in China since the death of comrade Mao Tsetung.
We believe that “left-wing” communist errors also exist internationally and in Australia. These errors consist largely of confusing the basic and limited differentiation of “three worlds” with revisionist distortions of it peddled by right opportunists who have betrayed Mao Tsetung’s line on this question as well as on the continuing revolution against the party bourgeoisie. This confusion has resulted in the “left-wing” communist error of negating some aspects of the international united front.
While criticising “left-wing” errors, we regard these as non-antagonistic contradictions which can and must be solved through mutual exchange and criticism and the test of revolutionary practice.
But the international and Australian right opportunist line represents an antagonistic contradiction between Marxism and revisionism between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. It must be relentlessly fought overthrown and repudiated because the future of the international Marxist-Leninist movement and the Australian revolution is at stake.
Martin
David
12/12/77
Ron: Please submit this to the three person subcommittee drafting the reply to Vanguard for consideration. Although you will not agree with all of it I think it accurately reflects the majority view. (Note from Martin)