First Published: The Forge, Vol. 2, No. 4, February 17, 1977
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Malcolm and Paul Saba
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The last member of a family of five Quebec-based opportunist groups[1] has just dissolved. The “Cercle Communiste (marxiste-leniniste)” (formerly known as the Noyau des Petites Entreprises) has disbanded and its members are now undertaking their self-criticism and re-education under the League’s leadership.
The disbanding of the CC(ml)-NPE is a good thing and indicates the growing strength of the Marxist-Leninist movement in Canada.
This opportunist group which, after a superficial self-criticism, changed their name in order to better infiltrate the Marxist-Leninist movement, completely capitulated to bourgeois ideology. They used intellectualism, the verbal reference to Marxism-Leninism, as a mask behind which to hide their real character. Marxist in words, their deeds were thoroughly opposed to the fusion of Marxism-Leninism in the working class.
They held on to their own version of the reactionary theory of cadres and thereby were sabotaging the struggle for the creation of the party. This theory maintains that communists must spend years studying in order to develop “a correct political line” before taking up class struggle. This theory was nothing but an excuse to remain passive, and it spread confusion in the ranks of the working class. Furthermore they denied Quebec was a nation, claiming it was a national minority and so liquidated the struggle for self-determination.
This victory was won thanks to the merciless struggle which communists, particularly the League, waged against right opportunism.
The CC(ml)-NPE as well as the other opportunist groups would no doubt have disappeared sooner had certain Marxist-Leninists, especially In Struggle, not displayed a compromising attitude towards them.
In Struggle has always considered groups like Mobilisation and the CC(ml)-NPE as Marxist-Leninist groups which had committed “serious opportunist errors”.
In Struggle’s completely erroneous attitude reflects their own opportunist deviations which have been consolidating since their second congress and which slow down the fight to create the party. Once again In Struggle is treating the fundamental principles of Marxism-Leninism MaoTsetung Thought lightly. Marxism develops in the struggle against that which is anti-Marxist; this is one of the principles which we must unrelentlessly adhere to. The least bit of conciliation with opportunism – In Struggle has given us quite a few examples lately – necessarily leads to the strengthening of bourgeois ideology in the workers” movement.
The dissolution of this family of five groups doesn’t mean that opportunism has been finally uprooted. Far from it. Right opportunism remains the main danger in the workers and communist movements.
Numerous parties and several groups, under different covers, continue to spread bourgeois ideology within the workers’ movement. They nurture and strengthen right opportunism.
Bourgeois parties like the NDP and the PQ continue to spread reformist illusions in the workers’ ranks. The Canadian revisionist party, the so-called “Communist” Party, tries its best to cover itself with the great red flag of the October Revolution while attempting to deviate our movement from its ultimate aim, the overthrow of the bourgeoisie and establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat. Trotskyists and the other counter-revolutionary groups like the “CPC(ML)” work hand in hand with the reformist union leaders to sabotage our struggles.
But for our movement to continue to move forward we must also lead a relentless struggle against right opportunism within our own ranks.
The struggle to create the Marxist-Leninist party, our central task at this time, cannot allow for conciliation – such as displayed by groups like In Struggle – in the fight against right opportunism.
The cobwebs of years of opportunist sabotage are being swept away by the rising force of the young Marxist-Leninist movement. The final and complete dissolution of the opportunist family of five in Quebec has removed five more obstacles on the working class’ road to create the party.
Now is not the time to let up in our struggle against opportunism. Rather we must intensify the battle This is an essential part of our fight to build the vanguard of the proletariat in our country.
[1]The five groups in question were RCT (Regrouping of Workers Committees), APLO (Free Press Agency of Quebec), Mobilisation, GAS (Socialist Action Group), CC (ML)-(NPE).