The Workers' Advocate

WORKERS, OPPRESSED NATIONS AND PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, UNITE!

NEWSPAPER OF THE CENTRAL ORGANIZATION OF U.S. MARXIST-LENINISTS

Volume 9, Number 2

February 12, 1979 25¢

P.O. BOX 11942 CHICAGO, IL. 60611

[Front page:

There Is Nothing Good in the Alliance Between U.S. Imperialism and Chinese Revisionism!;

Carter's Foreign Policy: Arming to the Teeth Under the Banner of "Human Rights" and "Peace";

THE "EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE" SLOGAN IS A HOAX TO CUT THE WORKERS' WAGES;

Carter's "Anti-Inflation Program" Includes a Brutal Productivity Drive Against the Workers

HAIL THE PUBLICATION OF ENVER HOXHA'S OUTSTANDING NEW BOOK-- "Zeri i Popullit" Review See Page 10]

In this issue

There Is Nothing Good in the Alliance Between U.S. Imperialism and Chinese Revisionism!

Carter's Foreign Policy: Arming to the Teeth Under the Banner of "Human Rights" and "Peace"

THE "EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE" SLOGAN IS A HOAX TO CUT THE WORKERS' WAGES

Carter's "Anti-Inflation Program" Includes a Brutal Productivity Drive Against the Workers

On this page are reprinted excerpts from a report The Workers' Advocate has received on the murderous conditions in a steel mill in relation to the productivity drive of monopoly capital.

The Steel Capitalists' Productivity Drive Is Slaughtering the Workers

THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT IS A LAW TO BAN STRIKES AND SUPPRESS THE RAILROAD WORKERS

Workers at American Insulated Wire Strike in Defiance of Carter's Wage Controls

THE CAPITALIST MONOPOLIES SHOULD PAY FOR THE CLEVELAND FINANCIAL CRISIS

Farmers Stage Nationwide Protests Against the Policy of the Monopoly Capitalist Government

British Workers Further Escalate Struggle Against Wage Restraint

Defeat the Evil Plans for a Reactionary Civil War in Canada Over the Question of Quebec

Down With the Police Persecution of Iranian Students in Jersey City!

Solidarity Message of COUSML to the Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council and Conference of FISUS - Dec. 26-28, 1978, Dallas

SOLIDARITY WITH SOCIALIST ALBANIA

THE CHILEAN PEOPLE OPPOSE FASCIST OPPRESSION

Nothing Can Divert the Brazilian People from their Road of Struggle

SUPPRESSORS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLES OF LATIN AMERICA

NEW ISSUE OF ERITREA IN STRUGGLE

Condemn Soviet-Ethiopian Aggression in Eritrea

DEMAGOGY OF EPLF LEADERS EXPOSED

ALBANIA IS THE BASTION OF SOCIALISM AND WORLD REVOLUTION

Speech Delivered by a Representative of COUSML on December 9, 1978 in Chicago

Workers' Advocate Editorial-

COMMEMORATE 1979: THE YEAR OF STALIN

Comrade Enver Hoxha's Work "Imperialism and the Revolution"--Powerful Revolutionary Weapon

U.S. Neo-Revisionism as the American Expression of the International Opportunist Trend of Chinese Revisionism

Down with the "RCP-USA's" Shameful Anti-Communist Attack on the Glorious Party of Labor of Albania!

DOES THE "RCP-USA" OPPOSE THE THEORY OF "THREE WORLDS"?

A DAY OF REVOLUTIONARY PROTEST ORGANIZED AGAINST THE WARMONGERING U.S.-CHINA ALLIANCE

There Is Nothing Good in the Alliance Between U.S. Imperialism and Chinese Revisionism!

Teng Hsiao-ping, the arch-revisionist leader of Chinese social-imperialism has recently concluded his nine-day pilgrimage to the United States. This visit, with U.S. imperialist chieftain Carter and his guest from Peking lavishing kisses and praise on one another, marks the open consummation of the warmongering U.S.-China alliance. Teng Hsiao-ping's visit shows just how U.S. imperialism is "playing the Chinese card". Washington has entered into, a counterrevolutionary alliance with Peking to prop up the crumbling U.S. world empire, to suppress the people's revolutions and socialism. It has entered into an alliance with China in order to contend for world domination with the equally savage and imperialist Soviet social-imperialism, to murderously instigate conflicts between the social-imperialists of China and those of the U.S.S.R. and to inaugurate the wholesale plunder of China by the U.S. monopolies.

For their part, Teng Hsiao-ping and Hua Kuo-feng are pursuing an openly counterrevolutionary pro-imperialist policy, hitching themselves to U.S. imperialism for their own great-power chauvinist and warmongering ends. The Chinese revisionists have entered into an imperialist alliance with the U.S. in their drive to turn China into an imperialist superpower by the end of the century, to "modernize" China's capitalist-revisionist economy by subjecting the Chinese people to the slavery of the international monopolies. At the same time they are attempting to carve out their own global sphere of influence with the aid of U.S. imperialism combined with a frenzied warmongering strategy to instigate war between their American and Russian imperialist rivals.

The enormous hoopla and fanfare with which the U.S. monopoly capitalist ruling circles greeted Teng Hsiao-ping's visit is evidence of the fact that the U.S.- China alliance is a dangerous conspiracy against the revolutionary forces. It is an alliance directed against peace, socialism and the liberation of the working class and oppressed peoples. It is an alliance directed against the proletariat and people of China, the U.S. and the world. Therefore, while the U.S. ruling circles celebrated Teng's tour with elaborate banquets and pomp, the U.S. revolutionary proletariat and people along with the progressive people the world over, greeted the visit of the Chinese revisionist renegade and traitor with the greatest contempt and hatred for U. Sc imperialism and Chinese social-imperialism and their fiendish alliance.

TENG HSIAO-PING'S VISIT IS ENTHUSIASTICALLY CELEBRATED BY THE LEADERS OF U.S. IMPERIALISM

That Teng Hsiao-ping was welcomed by Carter and the other leaders of U.S. imperialism with such unprecedented fanfare and warm embraces surprised no one. Teng Hsiao-ping was hailed in Washington not as a leader of the socialist and Marxist-Leninist state that China pretends to be, but as a leader of a big revisionist state, a state where the bourgeoisie is in power and which is following a big-power chauvinist and imperialist course. This is why at the various gala events, where all the U.S. reactionaries, big bankers, monopolists and war criminals from Nixon to the Pentagon generals gathered to celebrate Teng's visit, the "common perspectives" of the big imperialist states of the U.S. and China were toasted with champagne over and over again. As Carter proclaimed to his guest, Teng Hsiao-ping was invited to the U.S. to receive an invitation to link arms in a "common journey" towards "similar goals".

Teng Hsiao-ping and his crew of revisionist renegades, of course, are only too eager to accept Carter's offer. As Teng declared to his hosts, "Though there was a period of unpleasantness between us for thirty years, normal relations between China and the U.S. have at last been restored". In other words, for Teng, the years when China took positions and fought against savage U.S. imperialism was a period of "unpleasantness". However, the previous years of the bloody rule of Chiang Kai-shek, who slaughtered the Chinese people on behalf of the big capitalists and landlords and on the orders of the U.S. imperialists, this was a pleasant period of "normal relations". And today, under the fascist regime of the Teng Hsiao-ping-Hua Kuo-feng clique which rules China on behalf of the revisionist bourgeoisie and its alliance with U.S.-led imperialism, in this period, "normal relations" "have at last been restored". Thus, Teng Hsiao-ping's U.S. tour was aimed at eliminating any "unpleasantness" or "misunderstandings" of the past, and sealing the U.S.-China alliance of today.

The Carter administration and the Chinese leaders held extensive talks and arrived at various agreements to formalize their "new partnership" on the economic, political, cultural, scientific and military fronts. All the important representatives of American monopoly capital, from the most infamous capitalist exploiter Henry Ford to the bloodstained architect of U.S. imperialist aggression, Henry Kissinger, cams to consult and give Teng their blessings. Teng Hsiao-ping, U.S. imperialism's "man of the year", did everything he could to let his hosts know that China has abandoned even its pretensions of supporting revolution and instead stands firmly for the maintenance of the capitalist-imperialist exploitation and oppression of the proletariat and people, and that China will not and cannot hurt American imperialism's interests in the slightest. As a gesture to prove their pro-capitalist nature, during Teng's tour the Chinese leaders declared the restoration of the rights of the Chinese capitalist bourgeoisie, returning to the former businessmen and industrialists their bank deposits, former high salaries and other wealth, with interest. The bourgeois media chortled as it likened Teng's visit to the U.S. pilgrimage of Nikita Khrushchov in 1959 when the grovelled before the leaders of U.S. imperialism. Khrushchov acted the buffoon in order to demonstrate that the revisionist Soviet Union had without question taken the road of betrayal and collaboration with U.S. imperialism. Despite Teng Hsiao-ping's claim that ''something ugly should not be described as beautiful", Teng, like all revisionists, did everything he could to present himself as beautiful to the chieftains of U.S. imperialism, flirting with senators, corporation owners and generals to show just how harmless and well- intentioned are the Chinese revisionist leaders.

In Georgia, Teng's delegation was greeted by a host of big bankers and industrialists eager to invest their capital and unload their goods on China's vast market which has once again been flung wide open to the plunder of foreign monopolies. In Texas, Teng went to the NASA space center, prospecting for military hardware. There his delegation held talks with the oil monopolists who are negotiating the plunder of Chinese oil. In Seattle, Teng discussed the purchase of Boeing jets for China's military and transport needs. He also chatted with Senator Henry Jackson, once again promising that China will be able to pay back the enormous debts to the U.S. finance capitalists with which the Chinese leaders plan to "modernize" their capitalist economy and turn China into a superpower.

AN AGGRESSIVE ALLIANCE OF CAPITALIST- IMPERIALIST POWERS

But the Carter administration did not invite Teng for a U.S. tour only for friendly chats and to negotiate deals for the plunder of China by the U.S. monopolies or for other ordinary business between two capitalist states. Behind Teng's visit lurks a dangerous, warmongering U.S.-China alliance being formed against the proletariat and peoples of the world. Teng Hsiao-ping put the question bluntly: that the normalization of Sino-American relations is a result of "long term strategic considerations" and that "one aspect of it (normalization of relations -- ed.) is the development of relations between the two countries, but what is even more important is from the point of view of global strategy".

Carter put the same point more subtly than his Chinese counterpart, stating that the U.S. and China "share many common perspectives" and "matters of common global interest" which means that "A strong and secure China which contributes constructively to world affairs is in our interest, and a globally engaged confident and strong America is in China's interest."

So what are U.S. imperialism's and Chinese social- imperialism's "common perspectives" and "common global interests" and what are their respective "global strategies"?

Despite the lying sermons of the Chinese revisionists about American imperialism being in "strategic retreat", reduced to a timid mouse that only wants to be left in peace, U.S. imperialism has been and remains the most powerful, savage and barbaric power the world has ever known. The unbroken series of acts of aggression and intervention by the U.S. in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia, including the most ferocious wars of imperialist conquest in Korea and Indochina, has been unprecedented in history. The ongoing slaughter of the Iranian people by U.S. imperialist henchmen is just one example of the fact that American imperialism, just like the equally savage and aggressive Soviet social-imperialism, has not and will not change its imperialist nature until it is destroyed.

As a result of the triumph of revisionism and capitalism, China too has embarked on the road of imperialism. Peking's instigation along with the Kremlin, of the bloody fratricidal conflict in Indochina and the recent open threats from Teng Hsiao-ping of a Chinese invasion of Viet Nam, and especially the Chinese leaders' chauvinist and hostile activities against the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, the only genuine socialist country, and against the revolutionary liberation struggle of the proletariat and people everywhere, are the crimes of a typical imperialist. Under the rule of the new and old bourgeoisie, with the rapid liquidation of anything of a socialist nature in the Chinese economy, China has been transformed into a big, warmongering imperialist-capitalist state which is seeking its own sphere of influence and its own place in the sun among the imperialist powers.

It is this "common journey" on the road of imperialist slavery and world domination which has joined U.S. imperialism and Chinese social-imperialism in an aggressive alliance.

AN ALLIANCE AGAINST THE REVOLUTION

The entire world capitalist system is in the grips of all-round crisis and is sharpening its weapons of repression to suppress the working class and socialism. Socialism is the aspiration of the workers everywhere. The revolutionary movement of the proletariat is causing deep concern among the leaders of world imperialism. Carter's "human rights" fraud is aimed at corrupting the working masses at home and abroad with pacifist phrases in the face of his fascist and warmongering policy. The bourgeoisie is going all out propagating the ultra-reactionary, pro-imperialist stands of the Chinese leaders in order to spread the view that socialism is impossible and create maximum pessimism in the working class. And Chinese revisionism with its "three worlds" theory, like the revisionism of Browder, Tito and Khrushchov before it, prettifies and sanctions the savage dictatorship of monopoly capitalism, corrupting the proletariat with a class collaborationist and social-chauvinist line. Here too, the Chinese revisionists, with their "three worlds" theory which repudiates any role for the proletariat in making revolution and denies the very existence of socialism, who stand in direct opposition to the revolutionary working class movement with the Marxist-Leninist parties at the head and who have savagely attacked the Socialist homeland, Enver Hoxha's Albania, are providing a great service to U.S0 imperialism and world capitalism.

To protect their vast neo-colonial interests in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the U.S. imperialists under the Carter administration are pushing a fraudulent "human rights" campaign to convince the people that U.S. neo-colonialism has changed and is no longer the bloodstained monster it was in the past. In this way, while arming their neo-colonial regimes to the teeth with the most up to date means of slaughter and torture, the U.S. imperialists hope to divert the revolt of the proletariat and oppressed people in these countries against imperialism and its local tyrants such as Pinochet in Chile, Marcos in the Philippines and Mobutu in the Congo (K), etc. The Chinese revisionists, too, in coordination with the State Department's "human rights" are rushing to the defense of U.S. neo-colonialism, for which their "strategic concept of three worlds" is especially suited. According to this revisionist theory, the various neo-colonial regimes of the so-called "third world" are not only "progressive" but are even declared "the motive force pushing world history forward"! Now, for instance, at the same time that the U.S. military advisors are directing the Shah's fascist army in Iran to shoot down the demonstrators in the street and trains the SAVAK agents in the latest means of torture, all to defend the interests of the U.S. multi-nationals, the new Chinese emperors are heaping praise on the "anti-hegemonist" fascist monarchy of the Shah and even send Premier Hua Kuo-feng to Tehran to show him their support.

China, of course, would like its own neo-colonialist domination of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Peking would like to emerge as the undisputed "leader" of the so-called "third world", but only lacks the finance capital, the economic and military capacity to push aside the older imperialists and establish their own neo-colonial slavery. This is why, for the time being, Chinese social-imperialism has chosen to combine itself with U.S., Japanese and European neo-colonialism and in this way find the strength to carve out-its own sphere of influence. Therefore, U.S. intervention and neocolonialism and China's own big power chauvinist ambitions in Asia, Africa and Latin America, their joint efforts to undermine the revolutionary national liberation movement, is a "common perspective " underlying the U.S.-China alliance.

In short, the "common global interests" of U.S. imperialism and Chinese social-imperialism on which their all-round political, economic, military, and ideological alliance is based, are directed first and foremost against the revolution.

THE IMPERIALIST STRATEGIES BEHIND THE ALLIANCE

It is also well known that "from the view of global strategy" the U.S. and China have combined into an alliance against their common imperialist rival, Soviet social-imperialism.

The U.S. imperialist bloc and the Soviet social- imperialist bloc are locked in a sharp inter-imperialist rivalry. Today, this rivalry is bringing untold suffering on the people with imperialism and social- imperialism carrying out intervention and whipping up local conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, all in preparation for a possible devastating world war to bring about a redivision of the world market between the two superpowers.

Under the hoax that the United States is in "strategic retreat" while the Soviet Union is a "rising" superpower, and therefore the only aggressor and the "one main enemy", Chinese social-imperialism has openly merged with the imperialist bloc of the West in its preparations for war against the imperialist bloc of the East. This policy of open collaboration with imperialism the Chinese revisionists justify with their nefarious theory of "three worlds". As Teng Hsiao-ping shamelessly put it in his recent interview with Time magazine:

"According to our view of the three worlds, the first world consists of the U.S. and the Soviet Union, but in this concept of our thinking of three worlds, we proceed from the establishment of a united front against hegemonism and for the defense of world peace and security and stability, and this united front includes the U.S."

That China has included savage U.S. imperialism in its so-called "united front", or more precisely, that China has hitched itself to the U.S. imperialist bloc of imperialist states in rivalry with the Soviet Union, has of course been cause for celebrations in the U.S. State Department and at the Pentagon. Nevertheless, the U.S.-China alliance is part of the dance of imperialist alliances. It is based on the pragmatic policies of the Chinese revisionists and the U.S. imperialists in common pursuit of a temporary advantage over their mutual rival, the Soviet New Tsars. Both Carter and Teng are well aware that their present love affair is not so lasting or deep as it is advertized to be, that each is using the other to serve their own separate imperialist strategies for world domination.

During Teng Hsiao-ping's tour, the Carter administration and all the monopoly capitalist politicians warmly applauded Teng Hsiao-ping as he made open calls for a war alliance "to curb the polar bear", with the U.S., Japan, Western Europe and China as its foundation. Concerning Teng's rabid warmongering the State Department declared that "it was comforting finally to have another world power beating the drums... and taking a harder line that Washington" against the Soviet Union. Indeed, Teng Hsiao-ping proved himself to be a more brazen and gung-ho champion of the U.S. imperialist cause of aggression and war then the most hardened U.S. reactionary politicians.

At the same time, the Carter administration went out of its way to disassociate itself from Teng's ravings for an open military alliance and "united action" against the "Soviet threat". Mr. "Human Rights" Carter is a sly politician and would just as soon have Teng Hsiao-ping exposed as the only warmonger and protect his own "peacenik" image. Meanwhile Carter will continue to draft record military budgets and consolidate in the name of "peace and security" the aggressive alliances which Teng Hsiao-ping is openly demanding.

Teng's extreme warmongering declarations were not empty phrases, but a real reflection of Chinese social-imperialist strategy of incitement of inter-imperialist war. Teng Hsiao-ping in his Time interview outlined the direction of this counter-revolutionary strategy:

"After setting up this relationship between China, Japan and the U.S., we must further develop the relationship in a deepening way. If we really want to be able to place curbs on the polar bear, the only realistic thing for us is to unite. If we only depend on the strength of Europe, it is not enough. We are an insignificant, poor country, but if we unite, well, it will then carry weight."

From this it is quite obvious that the Chinese leaders, who deck themselves out as socialists and Marxist-Leninists, do not rely on the proletariat and the working masses for their strength, but for them the "realistic thing" is to rely not exclusively on the strength of the U.S. imperialists alone, but on the imperialists of Europe and Japan as well! Furthermore, Teng asserts that it is the U.S. and other imperialists, with their great economic and military "strength", with their enormous arsenals of hydrogen bombs, cruise missiles and nuclear submarines, who are "able to place curbs on the polar bear", while China is only "an insignificant, poor country". In other words, China's social-imperialist strategy is aimed at having the other imperialists knock each other out, at having U.S.-led imperialism do the fighting and then afterwards China will "carry weight". Their cynical warmongering strategy is to drive the U.S. imperialist bloc against the Soviet bloc, to push them towards a full-scale inter-imperialist war in Europe, bringing about the mutual destruction of these imperialist blocs and an unprecedented slaughter of the toiling masses, but from which China will emerge untouched and the sole remaining big imperialist power.

However, the U.S. imperialists are not so naive as to not realize Teng Hsiao-ping's plans and have their own equally diabolic and warmongering strategy in response. Carter's answer to Teng Hsiao-ping's call for a "united front" against the Soviet Union, was that he instead favored an "even-handed" and "balanced policy" between the U.S. and Russia. By this Carter meant that the U.S. policy is to play the "China card" and the "Soviet card" at the same time. That is, to welcome China into their lair, working feverishly to instigate the Chinese against the Soviets, supplying China with economic and military support, including technology for nuclear weapons, while at the same time maintaining "good relations" with Moscow, hoping to embroil the new Chinese emperors and the Soviet New Tsars in a war in Asia. The bloody fighting in Indochina and the Chinese threatened invasion of Viet Nam are dangerous indications of the fiendish strategy of U.S. imperialism to hurl China and the Soviet Union against each other.

In either event, whether the U.S. strategy or the Chinese strategy or some other imperialist strategy "wins out" the formation of the U.S.-China alliance is part of the murderous dance of imperialist alliances. Its aim is the suppression of socialism, the world proletariat and the national liberation movement and preparations for a new round of inter-imperialist conflicts in which the working masses are turned into cannon fodder in a war for the redivision of markets and spheres of influence between the U.S., Soviet, Chinese and other imperialist powers.

The U.S.-China alliance, which was further sealed and celebrated from coast to coast with Teng Hsiao-ping's U.S. tour, is part of the imperialist offensive against the proletariat and people of the world, including the people of the U.S. and China. Thus, the Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries in the U.S. and across the globe have condemned this warmongering aggressive alliance. However, despite the wishes and desires of the likes of Carter and Teng Hsiao-ping, no "common perspective" or "united front" of imperialists and reactionaries, whether strong ones or insignificant ones, can prevent the proletarian revolution and the liberation of the oppressed peoples. It is the revolutionary struggle of the peoples which can and must put an end to the dance of imperialist alliances and the warmongering strategies of the imperialists. End.

[Photo: Demonstration against U.S. -China alliance in New York City on Jan. 27.]

[Back to Top]

Carter's Foreign Policy: Arming to the Teeth Under the Banner of "Human Rights" and "Peace"

The Carter administration proclaims to the whole world that it is for "peace" and "human rights". In his recent "State of the Union" message he called the U.S. the world's "peacemaker" and he has even accepted the 1979 Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize and called "the need to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression" the "crucial question" in international relations." But behind Carter's pacifist words, lies his warmongering deeds. Under Carter and all the talk of "peace", U.S. imperialism is arming to the teeth. Each of Carter's military budgets have been record breaking ones, and today Carter is calling for the masses to pull in their belts and make sacrifices while the military budget grows and one new horror weapon after another is unveiled. Behind Carter's talk of "human rights", U.S. imperialism is continuing to exploit a vast world empire. Carter fervently supported the fascist Shah of Iran, presenting the Shah as a good example of what the American capitalists mean by "human rights". U.S. imperialism remains a bloodsoaked superpower, a warmongering monster intent on world domination. Fascism, warmongering and neo-colonial slavery under the banner of "human rights" and "peace"--that is the foreign policy of U.S. imperialism and its chieftain, the smiling butcher Carter.

THE CARTERITE "PEACENIKS" ARE ARMING TO THE TEETH

The more the casehardened, cynical capitalist politicians talk of "peace", the bigger arms budgets they vote for. The capitalists are never sincere about peace, because they are holding the masses of people at home and abroad in slavery, exploiting them and living off their toil. The American monopoly capitalist dictators need arms and weapons of mass destruction to exploit a vast empire of neo-colonies and dependent regimes. The U.S. imperialists need arms to fight to divide the world with their imperialist rivals. They are also engaged in militarization to suppress the workers' movement and the oppressed nationalities at home. Only the workers and oppressed masses really stand for peace, and peace can only be obtained through the success of the social revolution, the overthrow of the capitalist system and the exploitation of man by man. Only the revolutionary movement of the masses can stand for genuine peace, while the capitalist talk of "peace" is merely political deception designed to mislead the masses. To fight against world war, one must weaken imperialism through the socialist revolution, the national liberation movement and the just wars against imperialist aggression.

The falsity of Carter's talk of "peace" is shown ^through his concrete acts of frenzied war preparations, of building imperialist alliances, and of instigating war. Let us begin with his recent military budget. Carter has put forward a budget that increases military spending by three percent above the rate of inflation, according to Carter's own assertion, in a November press conference where he announced this, he admitted that the military is the central necessity for the bourgeoisie and stated "there is no way we can cut down the ability of our country (actually, he is talking of the class he represents, the big monopoly dictators -- ed.) to defend itself. Our security peonies first. " True to his words, his record breaking military budget will increase by $12 billion to a total of $123 billion, roughly $600 for every man, woman and child in the U.S. The bible-toting Career has given his blessings for the production of all sorts of new terror weapons, including the neutron bomb and the massive deployment of the Cruise missile. Carter has also called for developing a new, giant-sized strategic missile to replace the Minute-man and Poseidon missiles at a cost of some $33 billion.

Besides producing more and more weapons, the ^Carter administration is also interested in maintaining a big army of cannon fodder ready to fight for the p greater glory of Exxon, AT&T and Coca-Cola. Administration officials are preparing public opinion for the resumption of the draft. They are floating schemes about transitional plans, such as a national ^registration in preparation for the draft later, as well as plans to institute an "alternative" civilian service for every youth who doesn't go into the armed forces. Besides engaging in war production and preparing to resume the draft, the Carter administration is trying to create the proper atmosphere of war hysteria with a program of "civil defense". Both in the 50's and up to the present, American "civil defense" has never served anything but the propaganda needs of creating a warlike atmosphere.

The Carter administration is also strengthening its imperialist alliances. Carter is stepping up the arming of the aggressive NATO alliance, which serves as a base area for U.S. imperialist hegemony and staging ground for aggression. Carter stated in Bonn, Germany this past July that, "The United States is "'increasing its commitment to NATO, and will help defend your land as if it were our own. " And U.S. imperialism does indeed regard other people's land as "its own" in its striving for world domination. NATO is an instrument for U.S. domination and occupation of Western Europe as well as a military alliance with the reactionary big bourgeoisie of Western Europe against their common enemies. In order to prepare this alliance for war, the U.S. government recently sold and leased several billion dollars worth of jet fighters to Great Britain and radar surveillance planes to West Germany. In January, 14,000 U.S. troops were flown to West Germany to join the U.S. occupation forces already in Western Europe to participate in NATO war maneuvers. At the urging of the U.S., the NATO partners of U.S. imperialism -are expected to increase military spending at a rate of three percent over inflation so as to go well past the $50 billion dollars that they spent last year.

U.S. imperialism has also been developing a warmongering alliance with the Chinese revisionists. In this alliance of imperialists, Carter is trying to instigate war between China and Russia, while the Chinese social-imperialists are trying to instigate war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. And this alliance is being carried out under the false banners of "normalization" and "relaxation of world tensions"! The Chinese revisionists, for their part of the alliance, have been running around the world praising U.S. puppet regimes and giving their blessings to such fascist imperialist lackeys like the Shah of Iran. They are also interested in setting up a China-Japan-U.S. alliance to dominate Asia, and to this end the Chinese revisionists have signed an aggressive treaty with Japan and held hands with war criminal Emperor Hirohito under the slogan "let bygones be bygones" and have heaped praise on ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- a five country alliance under U.S. domination consisting of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.) And the Chinese revisionists have treacherously attacked Socialist Albania as part of their deal with world imperialism. Meanwhile, the U.S. imperialists are seeking to make large investments in China, exploit the Chinese people and use them as cannon fodder to maintain the U.S. neo-colonial empire.

There is not a single aspect of Carter's talk of "peace" that is not deception. Carter made a big deal in his election campaign about "restraining arms sales". But under Carter U.S. arms sales continue to grow and grow. Though the sweet-talking liar, Carter, the holy hypocrite, claims that "this government has kept its pledge to take the leadership in restraining arms sales", a quick glance at the statistics shows that arms sales to "non-allies" increased 20 I percent in 1978 to $13.7 billion. The teeny-weeny cut proposed for next year ($117 million is only due to the deferment by Iran of $1 billion. This deferment has enabled the U.S. to make a number of new deals such as the shipment of tanks and fighter planes to Yemen paid for by Saudi Arabia. And for that matter, it is the people's anti-imperialist movement in Iran that may force the cancellation of U.S. military deals, a cancellation that would clearly be against the will of U. S, imperialism and its Iranian lackeys. Other U.S. arms sales include an agreement with the Yugoslav revisionists to sell them jet fighter engines as part of an expanding military cooperation that will include substantial increases in U.S. arms sales over the next few years. Along with the Soviet social-imperialists and Chinese social-imperialists, the U.S. imperialists are trying to make the Balkans a hotbed of war and to spin intrigues against socialist Albania.

THE U.S. IMPERIALISTS ARE EXPLOITING THE WORLD UNDER THE BANNER OF "HUMAN RIGHTS"

Carter talks not only of "peace", but also of "human rights". But the only right that Carter is willing to grant, is the right for the international monopolies to exploit the world. The fraud of "human rights" is exposed by Carter's support of the fascist Shah of Iran.

In Iran, Carter's "human rights" and "peace" have been shown to be so many bold-faced lies. According to Carter's gospel of "human rights", "our pursuit of human rights is part of a broad effort to use our great power and our tremendous influence in the service of creating a better world, a world in which human beings can live in peace, in freedom and with their basic needs adequately met". In this statement Carter gives U.S. imperialism the right to use its "great power" and "tremendous influence" all over the world. One week later, however, Carter swore that, "We have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of Iran..." in order to pretend that the Shah's bloody massacres of the Iranian people were not due to the "great power" of U.S. imperialism. With this typical imperialist double-talk Carter reveals the essence of his "human rights", that is, use the "great power" of the U.S. military and that of their puppet armies, such as the Shah's, and then cover up the atrocities with pious phrases like "no intention of interfering". An examination of the history of U.S. imperialism's relations with Iran show how the U.S. used its "great power" to create a "better world" and how it is continuing to use its great power under the guise of "not interfering".

In 1953, the U.S. imperialists began a process through which they soon became the dominant imperialist power in Iran. In that year the CIA organized the overthrow of the nationalist government of Mossadegh and returned the Shah to power. The U.S. and its Iranian lackeys converted the economic, military, political and cultural life to meet the needs of U.S. imperialism. The U.S. sent in over 50,000 military "advisors" and organized the current army of over 400,000. Backed by this military force, the U.S. and other imperialists robbed the land of the Iranian peasants and forced them to beg in the cities. Thousands of imperialist financial and industrial concerns poured into Iran to reap super-profits from the Iranian working class which was denied the right to strike or even to express political views. The natural resources of Iran flowed into the hands of the imperialists, and since the removal of the peasants from the land, Iran has gone from being an exporter of food to an importer of food. Prices have increased 900 percent in the last five years while wages have remained the same. Iran has served as a base of aggression for U.S. imperialism on whose behalf the Iranian army invaded Oman and Iran's jets and oil are at the disposal of the Israeli Zionist aggressors. This is the "peace", "freedom" and "adequately met" "basic needs" that the "great power" of U.S. imperialism has brought the masses.

The conditions of life imposed upon the Iranian masses by U.S. imperialism and the lackey regime of the Shah have given rise to a massive revolt against them by the Iranian people. In order to protect the interests of U.S. imperialism, the Shah unleashed a bloodthirsty campaign of terror and death in an attempt attempt to suppress the Iranian peoples' struggles for genuine freedom and independence. The Shah's troops murdered thousands and 100,000 revolutionaries fill Iran's jails. Seeing the ruthless attacks on the people carried out by the American led and armed army of the Shah, Carter reaffirmed his support for the "democratic" and "liberal" Shah and lectured against "interfering in the internal affairs of Iran. " When the heroic Iranian masses forced the Shah to flee the country, the U.S. imperialists continued their phoney "non-interference" by installing the lackey Bakhtiar and maintaining the Shah's fascist state apparatus intact. Naturally the U.S. imperialists back Bakhtiar and the generals who are working for the Shah's speedy return. This is the "non-interference" of the Carter administration; the non-interference with the exploitation, suppression, and murder of the Iranian people by U.S. imperialism and their puppet regime.

CARTER'S "HUMAN RIGHTS" CAMPAIGN IS IMPERIALIST PACIFISM

These examples show that a most notable feature of Carter's "human rights" campaign is its close combination of the two methods or tactics customarily used by imperialism to prepare for war: "hard" tactics of outright warmongering and war hysteria and "soft" tactics of imperialist pacifism and cynical phrase-mongering about "peace". On one hand, Carter's "human rights" demagogy is reminiscent of the typical shrill "Cold War" cries about protecting the "free" (for capitalist exploitation) world. Thus in that model of "freedom", Iran, U.S. imperialism has propped up the fascist Shah of Iran first under the banner of protecting "freedom" and now Carter does it under the banner of "human rights". On the other hand, Carter presents himself as a liberal pacifist, interested in reducing armaments and making some adjustments in the U.S. neo-colonial empire, and in his State of the Union message he presented U.S. imperialism as the world's "peace-maker". Comrade Stalin long ago exposed this double-dealing policy of the imperialists, "many think that imperialist pacifism is an instrument of peace. That is absolutely wrong. Imperialist pacifism is an instrument for the preparation of war and for disguising this preparation by hypocritical talk of peace. " (Works, Vol. 11, p. 209) The U.S. monopoly capitalist class installed the Carter administration to implement the "human rights" campaign not because it is giving up its design for world conquest, but because the tremendous hatred of the working class and all progressive people against U.S. imperialism have forced U.S. imperialism to disguise its warmongering with hypocritical talk of "peace". The toiling masses have not forgotten the crimes of U.S. aggression in Indochina and the smell of burning flesh from the napalm lingers on. The imperialists are scared of the revolution, scared of the seething hatred and indignation of the proletariat and working people both in the U.S. and all over the world. The spectre of the mass movements of the 60's remains in their eyes, and they can feel the discontent growing today. So to lull the masses to sleep, to divert them from the revolution, the U.S. big bourgeoisie clothes its aggression and war preparations with the fake imperialist pacifism.

Thus Carter's policy is to disguise U.S. imperialism, which is dripping blood from every pore, under a thin veneer of "human rights" and "peace". Imperialist pacifism means that the masses should be pacifists while the imperialists are allowed to build bigger armies, more prisons and train more political police. This is why at the same time that Carter presented his record breaking military budgets, he accepted in mid-January the 1979 Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize and called "the need to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression" the "crucial question" in international relations. In other words, let the workers, the-Afro-American people and all oppressed and exploited people be "nonviolent" while the capitalist imperialists and racists preserve a monopoly of "violence and oppression".

Another typical example of imperialist pacifism is the SALT negotiations. First we will show the falsity of the "peaceful" nature of these negotiations, and then show how they are designed to disarm the toiling masses and lull them to sleep with fatalism. To begin with, all of the propaganda on "arms reduction" surrounding the Strategic Arms "Limitation" Talks (SALT) being promoted by U.S. imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism is just a big fraud. Even the imperialist press is forced to admit that even if the SALT H agreement is reached, it will permit the imperialists of the U.S. and the Soviet Union to invest billions of more dollars in new weapons systems, and will allow these two superpowers to increase their combined nuclear arsenal by 25 percent. The value of the SALT talks for the imperialists lies in the fact that they can portray themselves as "peacemakers" and the saviors of mankind, while simultaneously arming to the teeth.

As a matter of fact, the Carter administration even uses its imperialist pacifism as a means to create war hysteria. Thus the Carter administration makes use of the SALT talks as a way to promote big debates on exactly how many armaments are needed by U.S. imperialism and to create a scare atmosphere about the fear of allegedly making too many concessions to the Soviet Union. Carter's new record breaking military budget is even being promoted as a tool for "peace" -- because it is needed to get the Senate to ratify a new SALT agreement. In these endless debates on SALT, the allegedly "liberal" "pacifists" of the Carter administration pose as a phoney opposition to the open fascist warmongers like Reagan and Goldwater. The open fascists oblige by portraying every bit of lying sweet-talk from the Carter administration about its desire for "peace", "arms reduction", "non-interference" and "human rights" as genuine. The open fascists pretend that Carter is a "weak" pacifist who will damage the interests of U.S. imperialist world domination and "give away" the U.S. imperialist world empire, that the Carter administration is allegedly "soft" on the Russians and has lost its will to fight, is showing a 'lack of leadership", etc. The open fascists and warmongers present the Carter administration's stance at the SALT talks as "capitulating" to the Soviet social-imperialists, or as "appeasement", while the Carter administration presents its requests for new weaponry as mere concessions to the Pentagon, to the "hawks", unwillingly forced on a reluctant administration.

But the main thing is that through the SALT talks and the various summit conferences and "security" conferences, the U.S. imperialists (in league with the Soviet social-imperialists and the Chinese social- imperialists) try to create the illusion that the world's people must entrust their fate and the cause of world peace to the big imperialist powers. The masses are told that it is the imperialist warmongers themselves who are going to bring about peace, and that there is no salvation without the "nuclear umbrella" of one or the other superpower. By conducting such propaganda day and night, the imperialists try to wipe out any thoughts of rebellion and revolution, to sidetrack the peoples' revolutionary struggles and induce the proletariat and oppressed peoples to humbly beseech the imperialists for mercy on bended knees.

Commenting on this danger, Comrade Enver Hoxha has stated, "The important thing is that the peoples should not fall into fatalism, become passive observers and be caught unawares; they must prepare for the worst and fight to prevent it from occurring.

"Marxism-Leninism teaches us, that imperialism and the warmongers must be weakened through the revolutionary and liberation struggles of the peoples. If an aggressive imperialist war cannot be prevented, then it is the task of the revolutionaries and the proletariat to turn it into a liberation war." (Report to the 7th Congress of the PLA, p. 191).

DOWN WITH U.S. IMPERIALISM!

The American proletariat and working people must oppose both the open and concealed imperialist warmongers and the "human rights" campaign of the Carter administration. The only true path for those who hate U.S. imperialism is to launch revolutionary struggles against our "own" bourgeoisie and to vigorously sup- • port the revolutionary struggles of the proletariat and people on a world scale. The imperialist pacifism of Carter shows that the imperialists are scared of the masses, that they are going into a frenzy to try to deceive the masses. The only path for those who wish to fight against the threat of world war is,however, to expose the deceptions of the Carter administration, expose the warmongering nature of imperialist pacifism, and fight to overthrow the monopoly capitalist class. By waging revolutionary struggle today, the proletariat and people undermine the aggressive activities Of U.S. imperialism, Soviet social-imperialism, Chinese social-imperialism and their allies and prevent them from launching world war. By eliminating imperialism altogether, the source of war is done away with. End.

[Cartoon.]

[Back to Top]

THE "EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE" SLOGAN IS A HOAX TO CUT THE WORKERS' WAGES

Soaring inflation has become a chronic and grave disease of the capitalist economy. Over the last decade, the government's Consumer Price Index has registered an increase of over 100 percent. That is to say, the same goods and services which cost $100 in 1967, cost over $200 at the end of 1978. Furthermore, the cost of the basic necessities of life for the working masses such as food, housing, medical care and energy have been rising at a still-greater rate.

The high cost of living has become an ever more intolerable burden on the masses, systematically driving down the standard of living of the working class and working people.

Nevertheless, the bourgeoisie has no solution to inflation whatsoever. The Carter administration does not even pretend that it can eliminate inflation, but claims that it can only "control" it. Allegedly, what is required to "control" inflation is for "all interest groups", the workers and the capitalists, the poor and the financial oligarchs, to "pull together" and make "substantial sacrifices" in a common "fight against inflation". Under the slogan of "equality of sacrifice" Carter has issued his Phase II wage-price controls which impose heavy sacrifices, severe wage cuts, on the workers by restricting their wage demands to 7 percent in the face of a muck higher rate of inflation. According to the Carter administration and its labor bureaucrat allies, Meany and Fraser of the AFL-CIO and the UAW, the workers should be more than willing to restrain their wage demands provided only that there is "equality of sacrifice" between the workers and the capitalists. All this claptrap from the flunkeys of the capitalist moneybags raises the question: what is the class nature of inflation -- who actually sacrifices and who actually benefits from inflation?

THE "EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE" SLOGAN IS A FRAUD TO HIDE THE CLASS NATURE OF INFLATION

By raising the "equality of sacrifice" slogan the representatives of monopoly capital are trying to create the illusion that inflation is an economic ailment which afflicts all classes in society, capitalist and worker, rich and poor alike. They claim that while it is true that the working masses have to pay more for the necessities of life, the capitalists, too, must pay higher labor and other costs, etc. --and so the argument goes, over and over again. The natural conclusion drawn from this deceptive logic is that all classes should "sacrifice equally", the workers should give up their struggles for higher wages and the capitalists should curb their price increases and in this way inflation will be brought under control.

But this logic is a fraud. Inflation does not stand above classes. The effects of inflation further impoverish the workers and the poor on the one hand and further increase the profits and fabulous wealth of the rich on the other.

In fact, inflation is a special device whereby monopoly capitalists as a class cut the wages of the working class as a whole. The rate of profit realized by a given capitalist firm is directly tied to the wage levels of its workers and hence, the never ending efforts of the employers to cut the wages of their employees. However, acting through their state power, by way of government inflation of the currency, the capitalist monopolies bring about a general increase of prices and a general devaluation of the workers' wages -- a massive wage cut for the workers on a class-wide scale and a corresponding increase in profits for the entire class of capitalist parasites.

The actual effects which soaring rates of inflation have had over the last several years of economic crisis -- the decline in the real wages of the workers and the parallel increase in the profits of the capitalist moneybags -- completely expose the hoax of the "equality of sacrifice" slogan and reveal the true class character of inflation.

THE WORKING PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SACRIFICING GREATLY DUE TO INFLATION

While the mass media of the bourgeoisie creates hysteria about how it is the workers' wage demands which are the source of price increases and therefore the workers must sacrifice in the fight against inflation, it is the working people, not the rich, who are the ones already sacrificing due to inflation.

From 1972, the year before the onset of the present and ongoing economic crisis, to date, the working masses have been burdened with enormous increases in the cost of living as shown by the government's Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures:

This means that the same item that cost $12. 53 in 1972, cost over $20.29 at the end of 1978. That is, prices increased by over 60 percent in a six year period. Furthermore, these CPI figures actually minimize the effects of inflation on the masses.

In 1978, due to inflation, prices rose at a soaring rate of nine percent according to the CPI, an annual rate of increase surpassed only twice before in U.S. history. This however does not take into account the still greater rate of price increases for the basic necessities of life, increases which hit the masses, particularly the poorest sections of the working people, especially hard. According to a study recently released by the National Center for Economic Alternatives, a bourgeois economics "think tank", such basic necessities required by the working people as food, shelter, medical care and energy, constitute 70 percent of the consumer spending of 80 percent of American households. The study reported as an example that these basic necessities rose at an annual rate of 15 percent between March and June 1978, a four percent higher rate then the CPI. Thus, according to the study, the workers' real wages, after compensating for inflation and taxes, were cut by three percent in the first half of 1978 alone! This figure is twice the decline in real wages calculated by the government which itself admits to a devastating decline of three percent in the workers' real wages over the whole of last year.

These figures show the utterly intolerable burden, the bitter sacrifice, which is being shouldered by the workers today due to inflation. In response, the workers have been waging countless strikes and a stern struggle to raise their wages and maintain their standard of living. Nevertheless, the workers' real spendable income has continued to decline over the last years of economic crisis due to inflation. This can be seen in the following figures which give the average weekly spendable real earnings (after taxes) of a worker with three dependents in the private sector (shown in constant 1967 dollars, calculated on the basis of the CPI).

Thus, while the workers through tenacious struggle increased their dollar wages by over 50 percent since 1972, the workers' real wages have, in fact, been cut by five percent over the same period according to the government's minimized figures. It is crystal clear that it is the working class which has already sacrificed plenty due to inflation, and its sacrifice is increasing all the time. For the workers to restrain their wage demands, to give up their strike struggles for wage increases can only mean further devastation and ruin at the hands of the capitalist billionaires. For the workers to submit to further sacrifices in the name of "fighting inflation" means to sacrifice at the altar of the profits of the capitalist financiers whose vast wealth increases in direct proportion to the impoverishment of the working masses through inflation.

THE CAPITALIST MONEYBAGS ARE THE ONES WHO BENEFIT FROM INFLATION

Far from afflicting all classes alike, soaring inflation has brought a rain of gold into the bank vaults of the capitalist moneybags. Throughout the entire period of the capitalist economic crisis -- a crisis which broke out in full force in 1974 with drastic cutbacks in industrial production and corresponding crises in the financial and other spheres, a crisis which continues at present with severely stagnating industrial production -- throughout this entire period, monopoly capital has been able to keep its profits intact and has even increased its profits at the expense of the working people. This is due, in part, to the soaring rate of inflation. The general raising of prices has meant that, while sales of commodities decline or stagnate, profit margins are protected or even increase. The following figures on corporate profits show just how little the capitalist billionaires have sacrificed during the period of galloping inflation from 1972-1978.

Corporate Profits (before taxes) in billions of dollars

* Figures are for third quarter 1978 calculated on an annual basis

Thus, over the same period when the workers' real wages have been cut, the profits of the big bourgeoisie have increased considerably in real terms. In fact, the decline in the real wages of the workers due to inflation has meant a corresponding increase in the profits of the capitalist monopolies. Just as Karl Marx pointed out, while a general decline or increase in the wages of the workers does not and cannot effect a general decline or increase in prices, it does and can determine a decline or increase in the rate of profit of capital.

Therefore the "equality of sacrifice" slogan is clearly absurd in that inflation has a definite class nature. On the one hand, for the workers to sacrifice their wages, as they are presently being forced to do, only means greater benefits, bigger profits for the capitalist moneybags. Where is there a trace of "equality of sacrifice" in this? And on the other hand, to expect the big monopolies to "sacrifice", to "hold down prices", to "limit profits" pr any such thing in the "fight against inflation", is simply nonsensical. Soaring inflation serves the rich in the first place and has been created by monopoly capital itself. It is a special weapon in the hands of the big bourgeoisie to realize maximum profits through the impoverishment and ruin of the working class and people.

INFLATION IS A DEVICE OF THE CAPITALIST MONOPOLIES TO STEP UP THEIR ROBBERY OF THE WORKING PEOPLE

Rampant inflation in the U.S. is a product of the capitalist-imperialist system and the deep crisis confronting this decaying system on a world scale. Faced with the revolt of the proletariat and the oppressed people everywhere, the entire capitalist- revisionist world has been gripped by a severe economic crisis and the maintenance of the profits and super-profits of the imperialist monopolies has become ever more difficult. The creation of soaring rates of inflation is a device for protecting these profits, for shifting the burden of the crisis onto the backs of the workers and the oppressed peoples. It. is a means for intensifying the process whereby the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Furthermore, the creation of inflation is directly connected with the terrific growth of the bureaucratic- military state machine, the pillar of the monopoly capitalist dictatorship, with the financing of the enormous police forces, overgrown bureaucracy and colossal army for the suppression and exploitation of the working class and people at home and for aggression and war abroad.

Inflation comes about through the expansion of the money supply in excess of the growth of actual production. An excess of paper currency or its equivalent in relation to the amount required for the circulation of commodities results in inflation, a depreciation of the currency. In the first place, the currency is inflated to cover the huge budget deficits to finance the reactionary activities of the ever-expanding state apparatus. For example, in 1980 most of the enormous sum of over $530 billion to cover the proposed record federal budget will come from direct taxation of the working masses. However, it is estimated that Carter's 1980 budget will include a deficit of at least $30 billion. This tremendous deficit will be covered by the federal treasury through the expansion of the money supply.

Besides deficit spending, the money supply is also increased by the wild speculation of the big monopoly financiers in investments of various sorts which swells the paper values of finance capital, also independent of the actual growth of production. Part of the stocks and bonds thus created by the wizards of financial speculation also circulate as money, so this increase in paper values also inflates the currency.

On the basis of this inflation of the currency, the capitalists, especially the powerful monopolies, raise their prices resulting in a general increase in the cost of living for the working people. Only wages, the price of the only commodity the workers own -- their labor power -- do not increase as readily. For the workers to raise their wages, a stern struggle and fierce strikes are necessary and even then these wage raises generally cannot keep pace with the rise in prices. And so, through inflation a hidden tax has been placed on the workers and their real wages have been cut at the expense of the profits of the capitalist billionaires.

REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE AGAINST THE RICH -- NOT "EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE"--IS THE WORKERS' ONLY ANSWER TO SOARING INFLATION

Thus, the cry for the workers and the capitalists to "pull together" to make "equal sacrifices" in a common "fight against inflation", is a monstrous hoax. Inflation is not a misfortune imposed from the heavens afflicting one and all. Soaring inflation is a product of the monopoly capitalist system, created by capital to step up its exploitation of the workers, to fatten the profits of a handful of monopolies on the one hand and to starve the masses on the other. Therefore, for the workers, the disastrous consequences of the class collaborationist line of "making sacrifices" to "control" inflation, are quite obvious. The only course open to the working class is a resolute and uncompromising struggle against the rich, for higher wages and for better conditions of life.

The "equality of sacrifice" slogan is part of a massive ideological campaign by the bourgeoisie and its various agencies, from the Carter administration to the leaders of the capitalist trade unions, to prevent the revolt of the working people from breaking out. The heart of this diversionary campaign is to convince the workers to kneel down and submit to the cutting of their real wages and to the entire offensive of capital. "Equality of sacrifice" is the pet slogan, the preferred class collaborationist line of the so-called "friends of labor" Democrats of the Carter administration and the sold-out trade union hacks for deceiving the workers. It is but a variant of the capitalists' fraudulent "wage-price spiral" theory, a nonsensical theory concocted to convince the workers that they are to blame for inflation, or at least partially, and thus must pay the consequences.

At the same time, besides ideological diversion, to realize maximum profits from inflation the capitalist monopolies and their state power are resorting to the most repressive measures to enforce their robbery of the working people. No matter how limited in scale, the struggles of the Workers to increase their wages and better their conditions are confronted by the capitalist employers with fury. To prevent any struggle or protest, the workers face a mesh of bureaucratic laws, rules and regulations and court orders against strikes and police attacks on their picket lines, etc. The workers are also saddled with a reactionary trade union officialdom to sell out the workers' struggles from within. When the struggle comes to the point of threatening the interests of the capitalists in the slightest, the most brutal measures are taken such as Carter's attempted suppression of the coal miners' Strike with a Taft-Hartley injunction backed up with threats of the use Cf troops against the miners and Carter's suppression of the railroad workers and postal workers in a similar fashion. Presently, the Carter administration is working feverishly to impose Phase H of his wage controls, a standard 7 percent wage limit on the workers. Phase H of Carter's "anti-inflation" program is in preparation for outright mandatory wage controls (such as the wage controls of the Nixon administration in 1971-73); for the straightforward banning by government decree of the struggle of the workers to raise their wages in the face of soaring inflation.

Thus, the working class must prepare for struggle. The class collaborationist demand for "equality of sacrifice" being foisted on the masses by capitalist chieftain Carter and his "friends", the labor traitors, must be Rejected as a capitalist fraud. The workers must vigorously develop their strike movement and organize revolutionary mass struggle against the anti-working class wage controls of the Carter administration and against the entire fascist offensive of the monopoly capitalist dictators. Revolutionary struggle against the rich is the workers' only answer to soaring inflation. Only the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat can make the rich bear the burden of the crisis and overthrow the man-eating monopoly capitalist system once and for all. End.

[Back to Top]

Carter's "Anti-Inflation Program" Includes a Brutal Productivity Drive Against the Workers

Under the false slogan of "fighting inflation", the monopoly capitalist exploiters are waging a productivity drive against the working class. Carter has announced that the "number one priority" of his administration is to "control inflation". Last October Carter outlined his campaign for wage-price controls as the centerpiece of his "anti-inflation" program. In recent weeks, in his Economic Report to Congress and elsewhere, Carter has loudly proclaimed that in the "fight against inflation", "higher productivity gains", the further intensification and exploitation of the workers' labor is also "an important contribution to reducing inflation". For this purpose, Carter has set up a "National Productivity Board" to look into ways to increase the "output per man hour" of the workers. Thus, the declared "number one priority" of the Carter administration is to impose a system of oppressive wage controls to drive down the workers wages combined with a productivity drive to intensify the exhausting overwork and savage capitalist exploitation of the working class.

However, this anti-working class policy of wage- cuts and overwork has nothing to do with "fighting inflation". Carter's claim that "a large part of the worsening of inflation stemmed from poor productivity", is simply a capitalist lie. It is a variation of the so-called "wage-price spiral" theory, that inflation stems from "growing labor costs", from the "high" wages of the workers, or, in the case of productivity, from the workers being "unproductive", "lazy" and "unwilling to work". The sole aim of this fraudulent pseudo-theory is to do propaganda that the working class should sacrifice to overcome the crisis of the monopoly capitalist system -- that the workers should have their standard of living ravaged by soaring inflation and shed more blood and sweat for the sake of the profits of the capitalist monopolies.

It is well known to the industrial workers, that over the last several years of economic crisis, the capitalist employers have maintained the policy of laying off large numbers of workers and working those who remain to the bone. The factories, plants and mills in the U.S. are hellholes where a system of extremely intense labor, long hours and brutal overwork in general is enforced on the workers. Every year, hundreds of thousands of proletarians are maimed or killed in industrial accidents, stricken by work-related illnesses, and literally worked to an early death.

However, flying in the face of this reality, the bourgeois propagandists have launched a big campaign to the effect that today's workers are a class of loafers, with a "bad attitude towards work" and "bad work habits", and who are pampered on the job.

Charles Schultze, the Chairman of Carter's Council of Economic Advisors, in a recent report claimed that inflation and unemployment are an inevitable result of "low productivity" stemming from two sources in particular. First, it stems from "shifts in the composition of employment". Allegedly, "output per work-hour has lagged" because of "rapid increases in the participation of women" and "adding many young and inexperienced workers to the labor force". Hence, the "composition" of the workforce is the source of the problem and to increase the "output per work-hour" to "control inflation", the workers must be made to sweat harder for their capitalist bosses.

And the second major "finding" of the hack professors and big bankers of the Economic Council, is that "environmental, health and safety standards" have hurt "productivity growth". This is part of the hoax that the big capitalist owners are being forced by the government to go overboard protecting the health and safety of their employees, "resulting in inflation".

To "prove" this outrageous lie, the newspapers have carried recent articles on a "new" pseudo- "science" called "Risk-Benefit Analysis" in which government bureaucrats put a dollar value on the life of the "average worker". The fancy and expensive computers and high salaried economists of the bourgeoisie set the "price" of a worker's life at, say from $200,000 to $300,000, and then contrast this "price" to the cost of introducing various safety devices to industry. If it is figured that it will cost more than $300,000 for each life saved by the introduction of a certain safety device, then it is declared "inflationary" and its use is opposed on the grounds of "fighting inflation"!

This cool and profits-calculating "science" for justifying the slaughter of the workers in industrial accidents has the enthusiastic backing of both Alfred Kahn and Barry Bosworth, the "top inflation fighters" of the Carter administration. The White House Council on Wage and Price Stability is openly discussing the need to "trade lives for dollars". Pointing to the small number of multi-million dollar safety devices in industry, while completely denying the everyday extreme hazards in the workplace, from oil on the floor to bare electric wires, etc., as if each worker were protected by OSHA safety regulations like a glass flower, Bosworth and company are demanding "cheaper lives" -- less spending on safety equipment. On the basis of this murderous and fraudulent method of "controlling labor costs" to "control inflation" Carter has declared his plans to "eliminate unnecessary environmental and safety regulations" in industry.

Contrary to the lies of Carter and the other flunkeys of capital, the figures on "low productivity growth" are a direct consequence of the deep economic crisis of the monopoly capitalist system and the general decay of this system, of the stagnation of industrial production resulting in low capacity utilization of the factories, and so forth. And, likewise, the heavy overwork being placed on the backs of the workers is not a "solution" to economic crisis, inflation, unemployment and the other ills of the capitalist system.

The productivity drive of the capitalist monopolies is a big campaign to cut production costs at the expense of a more savage exploitation of the working class. The rate of capitalist exploitation of the workers is presently increasing not only with the cutting of their real wages through inflation but also through the intensification of their labor. The intensification of the workers' labor is enforced by means of capitalist rationalization, the re-organization and speed-up of the production process and the introduction of new techniques and machinery. Besides stepping up the intensity of labor, increasing the duration of labor, through long hours of overtime, also means a greater quantity of labor-power extracted from the workers in the working day. By way of these devices, as well as through such means as curtailing to the minimum expenditures for the health and safety of the workers, the costs of production are reduced.

However, for the workers, under the capitalist system of wage slavery such a reduction in production costs, while possibly achieving a higher productivity of their labor-power, can only mean a more terrible slavery. For some it means layoffs or even permanent unemployment. For those workers who remain on the job, it means to be chained more tightly to the machine, to be sped-up to an unbearable pace, to work ten and twelve hour days, to be crippled by their work and slaughtered in industrial "accidents". It is only the capitalist multi-millionaires alone who enrich themselves from cutting the costs of production and from a greater productivity of labor, reaping greater rates of profit in direct proportion to the over-work and terrible working conditions suffered by the workers.

[Back to Top]

On this page are reprinted excerpts from a report The Workers' Advocate has received on the murderous conditions in a steel mill in relation to the productivity drive of monopoly capital.

The Steel Capitalists' Productivity Drive Is Slaughtering the Workers

Over the last several years, a large-scale program for the rationalization of the U.S. steel industry has been under way. The steel monopolies are closing down their old mills, firing tens of thousands of workers in the process, while forcing a fierce rate of exploitation on the workers at the more modern mills. At some of the remaining older mills such as the one in which we are employed, the capitalists are investing large sums of capital towards automating steel making. Over the last decade and more, the workforce at our mill has been reduced by nearly one half its previous size, yet through the rationalization of production and the introduction of new machinery, the mill's productive capacity has increased by about 30 percent over the same period. For the workers, the steel capitalists' productivity drive has meant lay-offs, speed-up, job combination and long hours of overtime, combined with the most unsafe and unhealthy working conditions imaginable, with the steel capitalist cutting costs for even the most minimal safety requirements and maintenance of the plant.

The management of the mill has not advertised the present intensification of its productivity drive, but its effects can be seen everywhere, with time-study overseers on all the big maintenance jobs to rush the work and stepped-up harassment of the workers to enforce labor discipline. However, it is the deterioration of safety conditions which has become the most serious issue confronting the workers as a result of the company's productivity drive.

Recently, over a 13-month period alone, five workers in our mill have been murdered in industrial "accidents", while numbers of workers are injured or maimed on a daily basis. Each of the five workers were killed as a result of the steel capitalists' drive to cut costs and reap maximum profits at the expense of the workers' safety:

-- One worker was gassed to death along with ten other workers who were poisoned by gas, four of whom required emergency hospital treatment. This "accident" was the result of a blast furnace gas valve out of repair and the failure of the company to install necessary gas testers for the odorless and deadly gas.

-- An overhead crane operator was burned to death on the blast furnace. For months there had been water flooding under the blast furnace which the company refused to drain. When a hot iron bottle was overfilled, the molten iron hit the water and exploded, causing severe burns to the crane operator from which he soon died. (Several months later, the water flooding under the blast furnace still hasn't been drained.)

-- Another worker was crushed to death by the giant moving door machine car on a coke battery. While he was an experienced employee at the mill, the day before his death he had been cut back from his usual department and temporarily assigned without previous experience to the very dangerous job of putting out fires on the doors of the coke ovens.

-- A truck driver was crushed to death by a crane.

-- And a fifth worker was run over by a slag pot truck. The truck's cab visibility was so poor and the noise in the area so loud that the worker was unable to hear the other workers yelling for him and the truck backed over the worker, set down its load and ran over his body again before the driver realized what had happened.

Every one of these five fatal industrial "accidents" were perfectly preventable with the proper safety measures, measures which were not taken because they would have cut into the enormous profits of the bloodstained capitalist exploiters.

In order to cut production costs, the mill owners maintain poorly kept, faulty and broken equipment, machinery with either non-functioning or inadequate safety equipment, and dangerous working areas without proper safety procedures. The management refuses to adhere to or enforce the already existing safety regulations. In fact, these regulations are usually only brought up by the company after an "accident" already takes place in order to say that the blame lies with the maimed or killed worker for failing to follow proper safety procedures. This is a criminal joke because it is well known that if a worker demands that the safety regulations be followed, he is taking the risk of being disciplined for job refusal. Furthermore, while without fail the worker who is murdered is declared responsible for his own death for "ignoring regulations", almost always, the company refuses to repair the dangerous condition which caused the "accident" in the first place, or does so only temporarily.

With the company's productivity drive, the very hazardous conditions in the mill, which is already a real slaughter house, are becoming worse. The push on the workers to work faster, harder and do more jobs, means a growing "accident" potential.

The company's new so-called safety regulations are a striking feature of their productivity drive* These new "safety" rules are aimed at cutting the number of interruptions in the work, that is they are rules for enforcing more dangerous conditions on the workers. An example of this are new procedures forcing the workers to work under overhead cranes and around hot steel where before the work would be temporarily stopped for the workers' safety. The maintenance departments now have to work in the soaking pits during drawing and charging in adjacent pits, despite the danger that there is soup (molten steel) in the pits which could splash on them. Before, the crews could come out at anytime the cranes went into adjacent pits, but the company claimed that this caused too many "interruptions" so the management, adopted this new procedure. Similarly, the big front- end loader operators are now being forced to, drive underneath vessels when they have hot steel or slag in them, instead of waiting to let them cool. This is being done without needed safety men to stop the furnace operators from tipping the vessels, possibly causing spills on the operator below. As well, the company refuses to replace the cab windows, which have all been knocked out by falling hot slag, exposing the operator to the danger of being hit by the hot metal pouring from the vessels which, in fact, has happened before.

Heavier workloads are compounding the hazardous working conditions. For example, the company is combining jobs, having one department do the work of another. They are trying to combine, for instance, the riggers and the millwrights into one department. In this way, during a millwright's slack time, he can be forced to fill in as a rigger, and vice versa. Job combination and transfers which have the workers performing unfamiliar jobs, is a safety hazard which, for example, led to the recent death of the transferred worker on the coke battery.

The steel capitalists are also imposing long hours of forced overtime in almost all departments. The company is both extending the working day to nine or even 12 hours, and lengthening the work week to six or even seven days. Besides stepping up the exploitation of the workers, these long hours of overtime also aggravate the dangers involved in the work. While the workers face discipline and firing for refusal to work the scheduled overtime, so-called voluntary overtime is voluntary only in name.

With the deterioration of the safety conditions in the mill, the workers are often placed in the position of having to either refuse an unsafe job or work the job regardless of the hazards. The steel capitalists' productivity drive has meant harsh disciplinary measures and reprisals against job refusal and other resistance, giving the worker the ''choice" of losing his livelihood, his job, or risk his very life and limb.

The deaths and maimings of our class brothers in the mill are not "accidents" as they are claimed to be. The steel monopolies' productivity campaign in the already very dangerous steel mills is killing the workers. This is cold-blooded murder -- murder by the steel monopolists in their drive for maximum profits.

Frederick Engels exposed the nature of such murder of the workers by capital over 135 years ago and his indictment remains in force today:

"When one individual inflicts bodily injury upon another, such injury that death results, we call the deed manslaughter; when the assailant knew in advance that the injury world be fatal, we call his deed murder. But when society (... I mean of course the ruling power of society, ... the bourgeoisie...) places hundreds of proletarians in such a position that they inevitably meet a too early and unnatural death, one which is quite as much a death by violence as that by the sword or bullet; when it deprives thousands of the necessaries of life, places them under conditions in which they cannot live--forces them, through the strong arm of the law, to remain in such conditions until that death ensues which is the inevitable consequence --knows that these thousands of victims must perish, and yet permits these conditions to remain, its deed is murder just as surely as the deed of the single individual; disguised, malicious murder, murder against which none can defend himself, which does not seem what it is, because, no man sees the murderer, because the death of the victim seems a natural one, since the offense is more one of omission than of commission. But murder it remains." (F. Engels, Conditions of the Working Class in England, pp. 134-5, Moscow, 1973) End.

[Back to Top]

THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT IS A LAW TO BAN STRIKES AND SUPPRESS THE RAILROAD WORKERS

On January 9, an agreement was reached between the Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks union and the Norfolk and Western Railway in a 22-month dispute over job elimination. This agreement was imposed under the provisions of the anti-working class Railway Labor Act (RLA). When the clerks' struggle broke out into a national rail strike 330,000 workers strong last September, President Carter invoked "presidential emergency powers" under the RLA to ruthlessly crush the rail strike. Mr. "Human Rights" ordered the railway workers back to work for a 60-day "'cooling off' period under the threat of the use of the armed forces against the strikers.

Just as the use of the Taft-Hartley strike-breaking act last year by the Carter administration in a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to break the coal miners' strike, the suppression of the railroad workers' struggle under the RLA is a big exposure of the oppressive rule of the monopoly bourgeoisie. It reveals the thoroughly anti-working class nature of the capitalist state and its entire system of reactionary laws which defend the profits and the class interests of the capitalist billionaires alone and their undivided rule. The Railway Labor Act, along with the Taft-Hartley Act and countless other measures, demonstrate the reality that the rule of the rich means on the one hand, freedom for the capitalist monopolies to exploit and oppress the working class and working people; and on the other hand, no genuine freedom for the working masses to resist this savage exploitation and oppression.

The system of labor laws in the U.S. has been tailored to strip from the workers any rights and to chain them firmly to the system of capitalist wage- slavery. "The laws concerning the workers' activity and struggle for economic, social and other demands, have been constructed and doctored by big capital in such a manner that every action must take place within the limits allowed by the bourgeoisie, that nothing should damage its interests, and in particular must not threaten the foundations of the capitalist state power. When it finds it impossible to cope with the revolts of the workers and people in the pseudo-democratic forms or with the 'talking-shop' methods of parliaments, then the bourgeois state clamps down on them with its laws, its violence, its bludgeon. That is what is happening now in most countries where the crisis has sharpened the contradictions between labor and capital, and the revolt of the working people at the situation created is becoming ever more powerful." (Enver Hoxha, Report to the 7th Congress of the Party of Labor of Albania, p. 164-5.)

The Railway Labor Act is such a law to limit the resistance and ultimately suppress the revolts of the workers against big capital.

The Railway Labor Act of 1926 was a measure enacted to outlaw strikes and suppress the railroad workers who comprised a militant contingent of the working class movement at that time. It is a predecessor of the fascist Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and remains an important anti-working class law today. The RLA has two outstanding features. First, it is a straightforward no-strike law. And second, it brings the trade unions into the capitalist state machinery as instruments of the bourgeoisie against the workers, bolstering the positions of the traitorous labor bureaucrats. The RLA is a club in the hands of the capitalist monopolies in their drive to shift the burden of the economic crisis onto the working masses, to enforce on the railroad and other transportation workers increased work loads, job elimination, wage cuts, etc.

The Railroad Labor Act sets down a complex tangle of legal procedures through which any and all disputes between labor and capital on the railroads must proceed (as later amended, the airline industry was included under the RLA as well). The Act strictly forbids the workers from taking direct action and striking to press their grievances against their employers. Instead, all disputes must be submitted to mediation and possibly to arbitration, placed in the hands of an array of government "mediators" and "arbitrators" and must go through an endless series of "cooling off periods" and bureaucratic procedures. If and when this process fails to make the workers capitulate and drop their demands and the no-strike provisions of the RLA run out leaving the workers legally "free" to strike, these provisions are simply extended by the courts or by an act of Congress or by presidential decree.

Here, briefly, is how the provisions of the Railway Labor Act work:

First, the unions (or the companies) must submit to the government a written notice of their demands, any intended change in working conditions, wages, etc. Within 30 days after this notice is filed, "conferences", that is negotiations between the owners and the unions, begin. If in these negotiations no agreement can be reached, the dispute must be placed under mediation by the federal government's National Mediation Board (NMB). If both sides can't agree to accept the decision of the NMB, the NMB then offers to establish a Board of Arbitration to arbitrate the dispute. If both sides agree to arbitration, then the decision of the government's Arbitration Board is binding and the workers must submit to it. Binding arbitration is compulsory and there is no option to refuse it in all disputes concerning previous contracts. The arbitration process is based on the hoax of the so-called "neutrality" of the government, hiding the fact that it is the government of the rich, the state power of the capitalist monopolies dictating the terms of a dispute between monopolist and worker. (This disguise is quite thin considering the fact that the government itself is the biggest single railroad capitalist, owning the Conrail and Amtrak systems.) Obviously, such an arbitration process is to the advantage of the capitalist employer.

However, if arbitration is refused, then a "cooling off period" is imposed and the workers may not strike for 30 days following the NMB notice that mediation has failed and arbitration was refused. After this period, "If in its judgement the dispute threatens a substantial interference with interstate commerce" (or in plain English: if the workers threaten to strike), "the NMB so notifies the President". In turn, the President is granted "emergency powers" to create a Presidential Emergency Board to "make recommendations". Once its members are appointed by the President, the board has 30 days to come to a decision. The union then has 30 more days to consider the findings of the board. Again, during both these 30 day periods, the workers, are forbidden to take action and strike. (The suppression of strikes through the "emergency" powers of the President is not an infrequent possibility as the title "Presidential Emergency Board" might suggest. In fact, the board recently appointed by Carter was the 188^th emergency board set up since the enactment of the RLA in i926! The suppression of the workers' strikes by the President is a year-in-year-out business under the RLA.)

Thus, at this point, the original demands of the workers, if they haven't been arbitrated away, have been "mediated" and "cooled off" for several months or often years. The purpose of these RLA provisions are to ensure that any sustained motion by the workers will be dissipated and broken. By placing the conflict in the hands of a host of government "mediators", "boards" and bureaucrats, the workers have been robbed of their initiative and blocked from taking matters into their own hands.

But what happens when the workers persist in pressing their demands and the RLA no-strike provisions run out ? Are the workers then "free" to strike the railroads ? Never. Without fail, the capitalist laws will still be used to block the workers from taking action. Over the years, the capitalist government has perfected its various means of brutally suppressing strikes on the railroads after the RLA no-strike provisions have rim their course.

Truman was confronted with several rail strikes during his administration. These strikes were part of the railroad workers' struggle for the still unrealized 40-hour week. Truman dealt with the provisions of the RLA running out by simply having the federal courts issue injunctions to "outlaw" strikes and backing up these injunctions with the threat of the use of troops. On three occasions, Truman had the government seize the railroads. In the third of these instances, when the workers persisted in an illegal strike in defiance of the court injunction, Truman ordered the army to take over running the railroads and to put the workers back to work at the point of a gun. The Secretary of the Army proceeded to issue a "General Order" declaring that any worker who refused to work would be immediately fired.

Another method resorted to for suppressing rail strikes after the provisions of the RLA run out, was devised by the arch-imperialist J. F. Kennedy. In 1963 the railroad workers became legally "free" to strike under the RLA. To cope with the threatened walkout, Kennedy hurriedly called together a midnight session of Congress to pass an "Emergency Law" setting up an "Arbitration Board". This government board was given the power to impose compulsory, binding arbitration of the dispute. This was the first time in U.S. history that Congress enacted a law that dictated binding arbitration for the suppression of one particular strike.

Between 1963 and 1972, Congress has in a similar manner extended the Presidential Emergency Board provision of the RLA; and in all, nine times passed emergency legislation of some sort in those years to outlaw rail strikes.

The struggle suppressed by Kennedy in 1963 illustrates just how long the RLA can be used to postpone the strike actions of the workers. This was the well known struggle of the railroad workers to stop the elimination of firemen from engine crews. This struggle began with a notice filed under the RLA on November 2, 1959. The no-strike provisions of the act didn't run their course until three years and nine months later at which time Kennedy's "Emergency Law" was passed, on August 28, 1963. Nevertheless, the workers did not give up their demands which finally led to a strike in July 1970, a strike which was again suppressed by Congress acting to extend the Presidential Emergency Board. In all, under the RLA this struggle was suppressed and delayed for a full decade so as to force the capitalists' terms on the workers.

During the recent struggle of the Norfolk and Western clerks against job elimination, Carter, the smiling "friend of labor", developed his own twist to the extension of the RLA for the suppression of the workers. After a long 22 months of "cooling off", the no-strike provisions of the RLA ran out in July 1978. At that time the federal courts made a big show of granting the N&W clerks the "right" to strike while, of course, placing severe restrictions on picketing and against spreading the strike to other railroads and railroad crafts. This "right" to strike was quite hollow to say the least, with scabs running most of the N&W operations and 73 other railroad monopolies paying the N&W $800,000 a day to hold out. However, when the N&W clerks succeeded in expanding their strike into a national walkout of 330,000 workers, threatening the sacred profits of the capitalist moneybags, the capitalist state came crashing down on the workers, revoking any "right" to strike which they had so magnanimously granted before. Instead of requesting Congress to pass a measure to extend the RLA, Carter threw aside even this formality. In the most arbitrary fashion, trampling on the bourgeois legality itself, Carter simply decreed on his own that a Presidential Emergency Board be set up, and that the workers must return to work for a 60-day "cooling off period", or else. The federal courts fully sanctioned Carter's decree and the strike was suppressed.

Thus, the first feature of the RLA is that it denies the workers under it any right to take action and strike in defense of their vital interests. Hence, the terms under which the workers labor on the railroads, working conditions, wages, job security etc., are dictated by the capitalist railroad magnates in conjunction with the "mediators" and "arbitrators" of the capitalist state.

The second feature of the RLA is that it binds up the trade union bureaucracy with the repressive government bureaucracy, thus integrating the unions into the capitalist state for the suppression of the workers. From the time of its enactment, the sold-out labor hacks at the head of the rail unions have raved about the "guarantees" and "wonderful rights" provided for in the RLA, an act which props up and guarantees the positions of the labor bureaucrats over the workers.

The bosses of the capitalist trade unions praise the RLA as the "great guarantee" of the "democratic right to collective bargaining". But this is sheer deception. If the workers are deprived of the strike weapon and are given no rights to resist the capitalist exploiters, then it is the capitalists who have been guaranteed all rights to dictate wages, working conditions, etc., to the workers. The much heralded "collective bargaining" process which can take place when the workers have been stripped of all rights, is freedom of the traitorous labor bureaucrats to barter with the capitalists the terms of labor of the workers in much the same manner in which a slave dealer negotiates the sale of his slaves. The workers are placed in a completely passive position to press their demands, while the trade union bosses live a luxurious life, sitting year after year in "conferences", mediation boards, arbitration boards and emergency boards, "negotiating" with the employers and government officials how best to oppress the workers and sell out their struggles. This feature of the RLA, which entangles the apparatus of the trade unions with the governmental apparatus, (the numerous boards, the Labor Department, the federal courts, etc.) and which saddles the workers with an anti-working class trade union officialdom, is an important measure for the suppression of the workers by monopoly capital.

The Railway Labor Act of 1926 has often been cited by various administrations, the courts and Congress as a legal precedent for the suppression of the working class movement. The anti-working class legal principles codified in the RLA are contained in other repressive labor laws enacted over the last fifty years. The entire "collective bargaining system" in the U.S., which is regulated by the Taft-Hartley Act (which is the same thing as the present-day National Labor Relations Act), the RLA and other anti-working class legislation, is directed at confining and limiting the struggle of the proletariat, at ensuring that it "goes through proper channels" and does not "get out of hand", endangering the capitalists' profits. This system both outlaws the active revolutionary struggle of the workers and bolsters the class collaboration- ism of the labor aristocracy to stifle the working class movement.

Presently, in their drive to suppress the growing revolt of the proletariat and fascize their rule, the capitalists, with the "friends of labor" Democrats of the Carter administration and the labor traitors in the lead, are attempting to expand their arsenal of repressive labor legislation.

Recently, the Civil Service Reform Act was passed into law. Hailed by the scab leaders of the AFL-CIO as an act to "strengthen collective bargaining rights of federal workers and their unions", it is admitted by the government itself that this so-called "reform" is a measure to "pacify" the several hundred thousand federal employees who are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their situation. The CSRA contains severe provisions for stepping up the oppression of government employees, including additional brutal sanctions against the possibility of "a strike, work stoppage, or slowdown, or picketing of a (government) agency", all of which are strictly illegal. At the same time, the CSRA allows for "collective bargaining rights" -- in other words a large number of soft jobs for union hacks and a bigger role for the labor bureaucracy in oppressing the employees. Under these so-called "collective bargaining rights" even wages are not negotiated, allowing, for instance, for President Carter to decree a 5.5 percent wage limit, a real wage cut, on 1.5 million federal employees last October.

Another anti-working class measure is the proposed Labor Law Reform Act, an alleged "pro-labor" "reform" of the hated Taft-Hartley Act. However, the only thing "pro-labor" about this act is that it will strengthen the positions and expand the role of the labor aristocracy in suppressing the workers. And the only significant "reform" in this act is that it contains harsh provisions against the coal miners' strike movement in particular and the working class movement in general, outlawing roving pickets and the miners' strikes between contracts which are frequently waged to enforce safety and other demands.

But no amount of savage capitalist laws to outlaw the revolutionary struggle of the working class and perpetuate the dark rule of the capitalist exploiters forever will succeed. Nothings on earth can prevent the revolt of the proletariat. The everyday strikes of the workers for higher wages and better conditions of life, take place on a continual basis in defiance of the laws, court orders, rules and regulations and police attacks of the bourgeois state. The illegal strike of 330,000 railroad workers which broke out in solidarity with the N&W clerks in defiance of the RLA procedures and the historic coal strike of last year, where the miners persisted in vigorous struggle in defiance of Carter's Taft-Hartley injunction, are proof that the proletarian movement cannot be eliminated by denying the workers any rights or freedoms.

Under the leadership of its Marxist-Leninist Party the working class must take the path of revolutionary struggle in defense of its basic interests and against the monopoly capitalist system. For this revolutionary struggle to develop, the proletariat must defeat the influence of the labor aristocracy through which the bourgeoisie imposes legalism -- subservience to the capitalist laws and dictates -- on the working class movement. It is the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat which will put an end to the monopoly capitalist system and smash the capitalist state machinery, including its system of repressive laws. The working class will then establish its own power, the dictatorship of the proletariat which will ensure full freedom and democracy for the working people under the socialist system. End.

[Back to Top]

Workers at American Insulated Wire Strike in Defiance of Carter's Wage Controls

(The following leaflet was issued by the Providence Branch of the Central Organization of U.S. Marxist-Leninists, on January 8, 1979.)

The workers at American Insulated Wire in Pawtucket and at Northeast Cable Co. in South Attleboro have gone out on strike against starvation wages, against the company's three year contract offer of a wage "increase" of seven percent per year (or possibly nine percent with the cost of living increase added on), and against Carter's fascist wage controls. This militant strike is an extremely significant event for all the workers in this area, especially because it is the first strike in Rhode Island against Carter's wage controls. It is an inspiration to the whole working class, setting an example that the only correct path to take is active resistance to the fascist offensive of the Carter administration against the working class and people.

The monopoly capitalist owners of American Insulated Wire, Leviton Manufacturing, along with their henchmen, the labor traitors like Doran, tried to shove this so-called wage "increase" of seven percent down the workers' throats. Their excuse was that the company must comply with Carter's wage control guidelines. This seven percent "increase" amounts to a huge wage cut at a time when overall inflation is officially running at 10-11 percent a year, with the basic necessities of life increasing even faster. This paltry wage "increase" being so generously offered to the workers is even more vicious when it is considered that American Insulated Wire is a notorious sweatshop. The workers have been suffering for years from extremely low wages (the average wage is $4.19 an hour and many workers who have worked there 10 years and more make barely above this average wage) and brutal working conditions.

Carter's "anti-inflation" program, which the "voluntary" seven percent wage increase guidelines is a ! part of, is a program which means nothing else except wage cuts for the workers and maximum profits for the rich. It is a repeat on a new scale of the brutal anti-working class wage controls of the hated fascist -- Richard Nixon. Is it any wonder that the owners of American Insulated Wire are so eager to patriotically uphold the seven percent guideline? What a great opportunity for them to attack the just demands of the workers for higher wages and continue their 55 year practice of vicious exploitation of them!

Carter's wage-price controls are a complete fraud, as far as stopping inflation is concerned, since they don't deal with the cause of inflation -- the monopoly capitalist system itself. Wage controls cannot stop inflation. The theories that the capitalist class promotes such as "higher wages lead to higher prices" or that we must quietly accept wage controls as "the only alternative to depression" are outright lies and deception. A general increase of wages doesn't even effect the general level of prices, but, only reduces profits. Conversely, wage-cuts such as those that Carter is trying to ram down the throat of the workers' movement do not lower the general level of prices, but only increase profits.

So the essence of Carter's "anti-inflation" program is this: wage cuts for the workers, suppression of the growing strike movement of the working class, and lavish subsidies for the monopolies.

Not only have the workers at American Insulated Wire stood up against the attacks of their employer, but they have also resolutely stood up to the betrayal and sabotage of the labor traitors in their union. Right from the beginning, these labor traitors opposed the workers' just struggle for higher wages. Doran, who had to resign because of his criminal activity, openly stood up for the company with such drivel as, "The cable industry is a depressed industry, and their wages are low. Any contract proposal we submit to them won't change that."

These so-called "representatives of labor", the top labor bureaucrats, are in full cahoots with Carter and the capitalists in instituting Phase II wage controls (which include the seven percent wage guideline) to suppress the workers' movement and cut the workers' wages. Today the trade union apparatus has been integrated into the capitalist state machine, and the top labor hacks serve as state bureaucrats suppressing the workers' movement.

Fellow Workers:

The struggle of the workers at American Insulated Wire is entirely just. The working conditions at this plant are almost unbelievable -- mandatory 12 hour shifts for the men, sometimes seven days a week. With the extremely low wages paid, these long hours are the only way to make a living wage. The company benefits tremendously from this arrangement, only having to pay two shifts of workers, rather than three shifts at a regular eight hour day.

The majority of the workers at American Insulated Wire are Portuguese or Cape Verdean immigrants. This means that they are not only subject to the everyday exploitation at the place of work, but are subject to vicious discrimination and the denial of their basic social and political rights on a daily basis. The state and the bourgeois news media slander the immigrant workers to split and isolate them from the rest of the working class. The militant fight they are waging in defense of their basic interests shows the complete bankruptcy of this slander. This strike is an inspiration to the whole working class.

The Providence Branch of the Central Organization of U.S. Marxist-Leninists fully supports the strike of the workers at American Insulated Wire for higher wages and better working conditions and against Carter's wage controls. Their struggle certainly has the full support of the entire working class and people.

VICTORY TO THE WORKERS AT AMERICAN INSULATED WIRE!

DOWN WITH CARTER'S WAGE CONTROLS! End.

[Back to Top]

THE CAPITALIST MONOPOLIES SHOULD PAY FOR THE CLEVELAND FINANCIAL CRISIS

(The following leaflet was issued by the Cleveland Branch of the Central Organization of U.S. Marxist-Leninists, on January 9, 1979.)

The current financial crisis of the city of Cleveland is not simply the result of economic mismanagement by one or two corrupt officials or simply a ploy by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company to force the sale of the Municipal Light Plant. The city crisis is the result of the economic crisis gripping the entire capitalist world and of the program of the rich to make the people pay for that crisis. It is a manifestation that the rich are no longer fit to rule.

For almost a year now City Mayor Dennis Kucinich and the President of the City Council George Forbes have been grandstanding and debating to create maximum confusion on the cause of this crisis. They hope that no one will notice that every program that either one of them puts forward to resolve the city's financial crisis is a new program to shift the burden of the crisis onto the backs of the workers and the people as to pay more tribute to the rich.

George Forbes plays the "reasonable" man who wants to put the city's financial house in order. To do this he says the taxes on the people must be raised, city services must be cut back and city employees (except for police) must be laid off, and finally, Muny Light should be sold. Forbes practically licks the boots of the rich. He tells the workers they should sacrifice to help the rich get out of this crisis.

In this situation Dennis Kucinich, who is a sly politician, comes forward screaming "Forbes is selling out the people to the big monopolies." Kucinich claims that he will defend the interests of the people against "Cleveland Electric Illuminating and the greedy banks which are trying to force the city to sell Muny Light." Kucinich claims he will never sell Muny Light, and that in order to save it he will raise people's taxes (the one-half percent income tax proposal), pay even higher interest to the banks, cut back city services and lay off city workers, even police.

(of course, as soon as Kucinich talks about laying off police the capitalist news media goes hysterical, screams about crime in the streets, etc. Then Kucinich at the last minute changes his mind and only ordinary laborers get laid off.)

So the only difference between Forbes and Kucinich is that one wants to sell the Light Plant and the other doesn't. What Forbes presents openly as tribute to the banks, Kucinich presents as measures necessary to save the Light Plant from the clutches of greedy Cleveland Electric Illuminating monopolists. Forbes is an open lover of the rich, while Kucinich cloaks his service to the rich in phrases against certain capitalists. The big capitalists that run the U.S. are quite conscious of the service Kucinich is rendering them. That is why they give him so much press coverage nationally. (Incidentally, bourgeois politicians are bribed not just through economic payments, but also by political favors such as free press coverage.)

The immediate source of the present city financial crisis can be found in two things:

1. the program of the government to shift the burden of taxation onto the backs of the working masses. In 1971 this resulted in an Ohio Supreme Court decision which cut the taxes on businesses and industries in Cleveland by $15 million a year.

2. the enormous growth of the police and bureaucracy since the 1960's. In the 'GO'S the police force was increased by 20 percent to suppress the revolutionary movements of the people, especially the Afro- American people's movement. (As the current situation in Iran shows, police forces are not built up to deter crime, but to keep the rich in power.) Today the police force is again being beefed up to suppress the growing workers' movement. The ratio of police to citizens is over 50 percent higher today than in 1959.

Today President Carter, as part of his so-called "anti-inflation" program, is making plans for drastic cuts in aid to the cities. This will lead to further cutbacks in city services, further attacks on the livelihood of the city workers, and more shifting of the burden of taxation onto the backs of the people, while the national budget is directed towards open handouts to the big monopolists and towards war preparations.

The one-half percent income tax increase that has been put on the ballot for February 27 is just another measure to make the people pay for the crises created by the rich and for the maintenance of the ever-growing military-bureaucratic machine which the rich use to maintain their power. This is what Kucinich and his allies -- the United Auto Workers Region 2 top leadership, notorious racist Milt Schulman, Norbert Denerell of the "CORK" fascist anti-busing group, and others -- are trying to hide by all their demagogy about "Muny Light." And this is what Forbes, the capitalists' "Growth Association," and Mel Witt of the Cleveland Federation Of Labor, are trying to hide with their demagogy to "pull together to save Cleveland."

The whole issue of Muny Light is a false issue raised by Kucinich and Forbes. The existence of the Municipal Light system in no way protects the people of Cleveland from soaring electric utility rates as Kucinich claims. The soaring utility rates are part of the program of the rich to make the people pay for the capitalist "energy crisis." A handful of big oil monopolists control all the energy resources and power in the country. In no way is a Municipal Light Plant, which has 46,000 customers and which buys its power from Cleveland Electric Illuminating, going to even retard the rise in electric rates.

The issue facing the workers in the city financial crisis is not to help the rich get out of it, but to resist the attempts of the rich to saddle the workers with the burden of the crisis, to refuse to vote more taxes on themselves, to resist any layoffs and cutbacks in city services, and to prepare for revolutionary struggles to make the rich bear the burden of all the crises they have created and to overthrow their evil dictatorship. End.

[Back to Top]

Farmers Stage Nationwide Protests Against the Policy of the Monopoly Capitalist Government

Farmers across the U.S. have launched another campaign against the policies of the monopoly capitalist government. The farmers, with the exception of the big capitalist farmers, are being squeezed to the wall by the monopolies, by the banks and the government bureaucracy. The small and poor farmers in particular are being driven into dire poverty, massive debt and ruin. The farmers' movement has developed against the heavy burden which is being placed on the farmers, confirming the fact that the economic crisis gripping the monopoly capitalist system is deeply affecting every sector of the economy, including agriculture. The demonstrations of the farmers are part of the growing resistance movement of the proletariat and people against the attempts of the rich to shift their burden of the crisis onto the people's backs.

Thirty-five hundred farmers drove a tractorcade through the streets of Washington, D. C. this month protesting the government's policy of low prices for the farmers. On route the farmers fought with the police who were intent on stopping the farmers' march. All the police received for their efforts were rammed police cruisers, broken windows and slashed tires. Neither the armed force of the state, their tear gas, mace and billy clubs nor their threat of arrest slowed the farmers' demonstration from making their point. Upon arriving at the capital a large rally was held explaining the farmers' plight and demanding higher price supports.

The present movement of the farmers which started in mid-1977, is a response to the monopolization of the market by the big food-processing barons, the grain speculators and food-wholesaling capitalists who force the farmers to "accept" minimal prices; it is a response to the banks who are plundering the farmers through high interest rates; and to the greedy farm equipment monopolists, and fertilizer and seed conglomerates who are raising the prices they charge the farmer to the maximum. It is also a response to the federal government whose programs are squeezing the majority of farmers for the benefit of the profits of the big capitalist farmers and landholders, the banks and monopoly enterprises.

The administration for its part has issued a wealth of statements lamenting the condition of the farmer. Carter who presents himself as the friend of the farmer, a "farmer" himself pretended to show his concern for the condition of the farmers by saying: "I don't know any other group that has suffered more from inflation than farmers". Carter's statement is part of the federal government's demagogy that the "cause" of the high prices for equipment, fertilizer, etc., can be found in the "high" wages of the workers in industry. While through the other side of his mouth he claims that if the farmers receive higher support prices it would actually cause greater inflation and would stand in the way of a balanced budget. That is, the high cost of living that the workers in the cities face, would be made more severe by the "high" prices of the farmers' produce.

The Carter administration uses all the tricks of the bourgeoisie. First the food-processors, wholesalers, etc., drive down the prices paid to the farmers; then the tractor monopolists, seed conglomerates, etc., raise their prices to the maximum; and the banks raise their interest rates to get a stranglehold on the farmer. This process is driving the farmers into bankruptcy. Then when the farmers resist these attacks, the rich blame all the problems of high food prices, more inflation and an unbalanced budget on the farmers. Conversely, when the industrial workers, whose real wages have dropped nearly five percent in the last six years, fight to keep pace with inflation, to ensure that their standard of living does not fall to the depths of poverty, the rich claim it is the "greedy" workers who are ruining the farmers, who are the cause of the farmers suffering from inflation, who are sinking them deeper and deeper into debt. The rich moneybags and their government heap abuse on the farmers and workers trying to blame each for the other's problems, hoping to pit them against each other leaving the monopoly capitalists and their state off the hook.

For the Carter administration to make the claim that it is the friend and firm supporter of the farmer is treachery of the highest degree. It is the policy of the federal government to further the monopolization of agriculture through the ruination of the small and medium farmers. All its programs are designed to meet that end. It is under the Carter administration that the Department of Agriculture makes the brazen statement: "Get big or get out".

The Carter administration and the Congress are trying to pass off as fact that the farmers cashed in last year and in fact made big profits. Nothing could be further from the truth. The administration's own sources, the General Accounting Office reported: "real net cash income in 1978 to be more than four percent lower than in 1977 and more than 25 percent lower than in 1973." As well the Producers Price Index reports that crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs have declined at a 90 4 percent rate in the third quarter of 1978. Because of the low prices farmers receive for their crops and livestock and the high prices for machinery, fertilizer, seeds, interest on bank loans, etc., it is estimated that by 1985 one and a half million more farmers will go bankrupt.

The revolutionary proletariat takes a most sympathetic attitude towards the small and poor farmers who are being crushed by monopoly capital. The liberation of the toiling masses of the countryside is the concern of the working class. The small and poor farmers, who do not exploit the labor of others and who suffer the heavy burden of monopoly capitalist oppression, are an important ally of the proletariat. The struggle of the small and poor farmers and of the farm laborers and rural proletarians to better their situation are directed at the common enemy of the urban workers, the rich capitalist parasites, who live off the sweat and blood of the toilers, and their state power.

The facts clearly show that it is the monopoly capitalists and their state who are impoverishing the small farmers. It is only the working class which can and will emancipate the working masses of the countryside. The plight of the small farmers shows that there is no future for them under monopoly capitalism. According to Lenin: "Only the urban and industrial proletariat, led by its Communist Party, can liberate the working masses of the countryside from the yoke of capitalism... There is no salvation for the working masses of the countryside except in alliance with the communist proletariat..." (V. I. Lenin, "Preliminary Draft Thesis on the Agrarian Question", Collected Works, Vol. 31, p. 152)

While it is the policy of monopoly capitalism to drive the small and poor farmers into the ground for the maximum gain of the rich moneybags, the working class seeks to abolish capitalist oppression and exploitation of the working masses of the countryside. With the socialist revolution, the workers' state will expropriate the large land holding of the monopoly capitalist agribusinesses, etc., eliminate the exploitation of wage labor by the rich farmers and demonstrate to the poor and small farmers that the voluntary collectivization of agriculture, the setting up of the superior system of large-scale socialist farming is the only way out of their miserable condition. End.

[Back to Top]

British Workers Further Escalate Struggle Against Wage Restraint

(The following article is reprinted from, Workers' Weekly, newspaper of the Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist), Vol. 5, No. 13, January 20, 1979.)

The upsurge of the entire working class against the reactionary wage restrain policies of the "Labour" government is increasing powerfully. Ever greater sections of the working class are initiating militant strike struggles and fighting back against all attempts to make them pay for the capitalist crisis, including the fraudulent "three-point" program introduced by the "Labour" government with the hope of liquidating the workers' struggles.

LORRY DRIVERS DEFY SABOTAGE BY UNION ARISTOCRATS

The haulage lorry drivers are intensifying their just strike struggle for a basic weekly rate of £65 and a 35-hour week together with other demands for better holiday and working conditions.

The lorry drivers are courageously defying the vicious threat by the "Labour" government to break their strike with troops. The huge propaganda campaign of abuse and lies against them, launched by the monopoly capitalist class through its newspaper, T.V., radio, etc., has completely failed to intimidate them. Together with this, the lorry drivers are vigorously fighting back against the attempts of the labor aristocrats of the trade unions to betray their struggle from within.

The labor aristocrats of the trade unions are the paid agents of the monopoly capitalist ruling class in the ranks of the working class. This fact has once more been vividly exposed by the events of the lorry drivers' strike. The trade union aristocrats have declared the strike "official" with a view to seizing control of it, pulling its teeth by banning militant picketing and other militant methods of struggle, and thus creating conditions to wreck the strike and force it to be called off.

The top union aristocrats and the "Labour" government have been meeting daily to plot and implement this treacherous scheme. As soon as the strike was declared "official" the union aristocrats issued orders that militant "secondary" picketing "must" stop and that the workers "must not" picket a whole range of goods. At the same time they issued orders for the workers to dismantle the committees and organization they had built up, and to hand over control of the strike to the union hacks. Further, they attempted to split up the workers. For instance in the West Midlands they attempted to stop the drivers from striking by saying that various sold out deals they had made with the haulage capitalists "must" be upheld and that therefore there would be no "official" support for the strike.

The workers have defied the union aristocrats on all these questions. Resolutely ignoring the union's ban on militant "secondary" picketing, the drivers have intensified their pickets right across the country. They are deciding for themselves what should and should not be allowed to cross the picket lines. In the West Midlands the drivers have gone right ahead and intensified their strike. On January 16 over 500 drivers militantly demonstrated against the treachery of the union aristocrats, outside the TGWU offices in West Bromwich. The union aristocrats have been complaining to the capitalist press that they are meeting "unexpected resistance" in their attempts to take over the organization of the strike.

All of this shows how the union aristocrats are a kind of transmission belt used by the monopoly capitalists and the government to put brakes on every struggle of the workers. It also shows how the working class is increasingly breaking loose from these brakes and is coming to recognize the union aristocrats for what they are: hired agents and stooges of the rich.

The powerful support given to the lorry drivers by. the rest of the working class is continually on the increase. For instance oil tanker drivers are firmly supporting the strike by respecting all picket lines. Drivers for the state owned National Freight Corporation are stepping up their campaign of solidarity for the striking drivers (who work for the Road Haulage Association). On January 15 they launched a one-day strike in sympathy with the striking workers. The militant support rendered by the dockers in helping to close down the ports continues to have effect.

The spirit of militant class struggle with which the lorry drivers are waging their strike, their resolute defiance of all attacks, intimidation and sabotage by the monopoly capitalists, their state and the reactionary union, and the militant unity of the working class in their support, are powerful conditions contributing to the struggle of the drivers and the struggle of the entire Working class against capitalist exploitation.

TRAIN DRIVERS INITIATE STRUGGLE

The 26,000 train drivers are waging militant struggle against the attempts of the government to considerably diminish their living standards. They have rejected a ten percent "offer" which would have meant an "additional" £6, a meager sum which does nothing to offset the massive cuts in living standards forced on the workers by the capitalist inflation. They have also rejected this "offer" tied to which are conditions that the workers accept massive layoffs (which would total 20,000 among railwaymen as a whole) and also changes in working practice. This would result not only in the impoverishment of the workers thrown out of work but also in a considerable increase in the intensity of labor performed by the remaining men (with a consequent reduction in safety standards for both workers and passengers).

The train drivers have very justly backed up their rejection of this super-exploitative deal by launching one-day national strikes on January 16 and 18 with further one-day strikes in the coming week.

HOSPITAL WORKERS ADVANCE THEIR STRUGGLE

The ancillary hospital workers, the ambulance men and the nurses, who for years have been severely exploited by the monopoly capitalist government, are initiating militant actions.

The 400,000 nurses are demanding a 40 percent increase in their minimum wage to £60 from the present, well below subsistence level of under £43. In support of this entirely just demand they are launching a campaign of selective actions from January 22. The nurses are pointing out that the government propaganda that the nurses are "causing hardship to patients" is a fraud, and that it is the government by its reactionary wage restraint which is causing hardship to the patients and to the entire working class. On January 18 some 2,000 nurses held a militant mass lobby in support of their demands.

The 18,000 ambulance men and 250,000 ancillary workers are also launching a program of actions from January 22. In the North West the ambulance men, who are demanding a basic £74 for qualified drivers and a 35-hour week, are launching an all out strike from the 22nd.

PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS FIGHT BACK

The over one million local authority manual workers are also launching actions from the 22nd, on which day they will hold mass demonstrations against the government's reactionary wage restraint. Many of them are initiating all out strikes from this time. The workers have overwhelmingly rejected the "choice" offered by the government between a five percent "increase" or a £3.50 "increase" both of which mean a further massive decrease in living standards. In opposition to this the gas industry manual workers are, for instance, demanding 20 percent. Many of the workers have already launched strike action. Six hundred sewage and water workers In North Manchester have been on strike for over a week and are militantly stepping up their picketing activities.

BROAD SECTIONS OF THE WORKERS FIGHT BACK

The struggle of the working class against all attempts to make it pay for the crisis is growing stronger every day. More and more sections of the working class are joining in the struggle to defeat "Labour's" attacks on them.

For example, several thousand construction workers on the North Sea oilfields have launched a militant strike for better shore leave conditions. The strike has spread to the Dunlin, Cormorant, Brent, Piper, Ninian, Heather and Bery oilfields and the workers are carrying out widespread picketing onshore in Scotland.

At Heathrow Airport 2,250 Airport Authority staff and other check-in and clerical staff are preparing 24-hour strike struggles in the coming week.

These mounting struggles of the working class against all attempts to make it pay for the crisis are a part of the overall class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. These struggles are a preparation and a training ground for the workers for the battles against the entire monopoly capitalist order. In the course of these struggles the working class and its Marxist-Leninist Party, the Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist), must prepare the conditions for the overthrow of the root cause of all exploitation and oppression, which is the monopoly capitalist system itself, and for the establishment of a socialist society where the working class is the ruling class. End.

[Back to Top]

Defeat the Evil Plans for a Reactionary Civil War in Canada Over the Question of Quebec

(The following article is reprinted from People's Canada Daily News, organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist), Vol. 9, No. 26, January 30, 1979.)

DEFEAT THE EVIL PLANS OF THE MONOPOLY CAPITALISTS FOR REACTIONARY CIVIL WAR! DOWN WITH TRUDEAU'S "NATIONAL UNITY" AND LEVESQUE'S "INDEPENDENCE" FRAUDS!

The evil plans of the monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism for unleashing a reactionary civil war in Canada over the question of Quebec became very clear during Levesque's most recent trip to the United States to promote his "independence" fraud. It is very clear that the sinister purpose behind Levesque's "independence" fraud and Trudeau's "national unity" fraud is to split the proletariat and people, to foster antagonisms among the proletariat and people and to line them up behind the sectional interests of the monopoly capitalists in order to unleash a reactionary civil war for the purposes of drowning in blood the revolutionary struggles of the proletariat and people for national and social emancipation and progress. Levesque made this abundantly clear in his speech in Washington, D. C., last week.

Levesque declared that if Quebec became "independent" according to the schemes of the PQ, Quebec would raise its own army, although the Quebec government would permit Canadian troops to "remain as guests". These declarations give Levesque's denial that the monopoly capitalists have reactionary civil war on the agenda a hollow ring. If the monopoly capitalists are not planning a reactionary civil war over the question of Quebec, as Levesque claims, then why are they raising a separate army for Quebec ? No one goes to the tremendous expense of maintaining a standing army unless one is planning on using it. Levesque's demagogic answer, of course, is that the army is for the purpose of defending the "sovereignty" of Quebec. But if the purpose of this army is to defend the "sovereignty" of Quebec, then why are the Canadian forces going to be permitted to "remain as guests" ? Clearly, the reason that the monopoly capitalists are planning on raising a Quebec army is precisely because they need this army as the "other side" in the reactionary civil war they have on the agenda. It is also clear that this army has nothing to do with defending the "sovereignty" of Quebec, since Levesque has indicated time and again, both in his words and in his deeds, that he intends to continue selling out the sovereignty of the Quebec people to U.S. imperialism. The "independence" that Levesque is engineering on the orders of a section of the monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism has nothing to do with the aspirations of the Quebec people, so how can an army raised by Levesque defend the interests of the Quebec people ? It cannot. The "independence" fraud of Levesque and the PQ is designed to prevent the Quebec people from realizing their aspirations in deeds and to perpetuate the enslavement of the Quebec people by the Canadian monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism. It is not genuine independence that Levesque is promoting, but reactionary cultural nationalism of the Hitler type and Levesque and the monopoly capitalists he represents have the same sort of evil plans in mind for the Quebec people as Hitler did for the German people.

The plans of the monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism for unleashing a reactionary civil war in Canada over the question of Quebec are not new. These plans have been and are an integral part of both the "national unity" fraud of Trudeau and the "independence" fraud of Levesque, and the monopoly capitalists, through such spokesmen as Allan Blakeney, John Evans, Pierre Bourgault and others, as well as Trudeau and Levesque themselves, have carried open propaganda!! on this question right from the time that the' PQ came to power in November 1976. *Both the "national unity" fraud and the "independence" fraud promote the chauvinist "two nations" theory and reactionary cultural nationalism, especially on the question of language, in order to split the proletariat and people and convert them into cannon fodder for the evil plans of the monopoly capitalists and U.S. imperialism.

These schemes of the monopoly capitalist class and,U.S. imperialism were also evident in the recently released report of the Task Force on "Canadian Unity". While demagogically proclaiming Quebec's right to self-determination, just as Levesque does, the Task Force recommended that "an emergency power should be assigned expressly by the constitution to the central government, for both wartime and peacetime. The wartime emergency power may be invoked in time of real or apprehended war, invasion or insurrection. The peacetime emergency power may be invoked in highly exceptional circumstances. " Thus while the Task Force demagogically declares that "Canadians must renounce the use of force as a way of keeping Quebec in Canada", it at the Same time provides for the military occupation of Quebec such as occurred in October 1970 and at other times in order to terrorize the people and suppress the genuinely patriotic and democratic forces. The evil plans of the monopoly capitalists are also seen in the fact that the lip-service paid to "Quebec's right to self-determination" is couched in the language of war amid ominous threats. The Task Force threatens that secession could result in "economic hardship, social turmoil and violence" and that "very few countries dissolve themselves in an atmosphere of sweet reason". It is clear that the Task Force is not promoting Quebec's democratic right to self-determination, but rather a reactionary civil war for the purposes of drowning in blood the revolutionary struggles of the proletariat and people and sorting out the contradictions which exist within the camp of the monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism.

The monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism are caught in the grips of a profound all-sided crisis, with the economic crisis at the base. They are striving to avert this crisis and to preserve their own moribund class rule with fascism and war. The proletariat and people can have no illusions about what the monopoly capitalist class and U.S. imperialism have on the agenda for Canada. The proletariat and people must vigorously oppose both the "national unity" fraud and the "independence" fraud of the monopoly capitalists, and must not give the monopoly capitalists a moment's peace to implement their nefarious schemes. The proletariat and people must prepare for revolution against war by uniting in action against the common enemy and by actually going on the offensive against the monopoly capitalists and U.S. imperialism. This is the only way to defeat the plans of the monopoly capitalists for fascism and war and the only path for genuine national liberation for Quebec and genuine independence, democracy and socialism for Canada. End.

[Back to Top]

Down With the Police Persecution of Iranian Students in Jersey City!

Twenty-one revolutionary and progressive Iranian students were arrested on February 6, 1979 outside the Jersey City, New Jersey Municipal Courthouse while demonstrating against the persecution of Iranian students by the U.S. government's Immigration. Department and against fascist repression of their progressive movement by the police and other government authorities.

The February 6 picket line and demonstration was organized particularly to protest recent arrests of Iranian students at Jersey City State College. The local police in collaboration with the Immigration Dept, launched an outrageous, pre-meditated attack on the demonstrators. They pulled guns in an attempt to frighten the students and pistol-whipped two of them to the extent that they required hospitalization. The police did so because the Iranian students were not, and are not, intimidated by the violent repression of their struggle by the U.S. monopoly capitalist class.

Once in jail, the 21 students were also subject to beatings and the women students were subjected to special attacks. The courageous students immediately responded with a spirited hunger strike and have won broad sympathy and support from the prisoners in the jail who. have offered them their blankets and other assistance.

The Iranian students are subject to blatant fascist persecution by the U.S. authorities because of their support for the revolutionary upsurge in Iran against the U.S. -backed medieval regime of the Shah and his appointed replacement Bahktiar, and because of their determined efforts to1 inform the American people of the justness of the Iranian people's struggle. They expose the naked plunder of Iran by U.S. imperialism and the bloodthirsty violent repression of the Iranian masses by the imperialists and their domestic servants.

The monopoly capitalist police have been used to try to silence the Iranian students by conducting many arrests and large-scale violent attacks on them in Los Angeles, Chicago, Oklahoma City and many other places. But the Iranian students will not be silenced. This infuriates the bourgeoisie who become more naked in their use of outright force against them. The thin veil of "democracy" in the U.S. is shown to be a complete fraud by the U.S. authorities' persecution of the Iranian students. It is also exposed by the massacres conducted by the U.S. imperialists and their agents in Iran, which no amount of chatter by Jimmy Carter about "human rights" can cover up and hide.

A joint leaflet issued by the Iranian Students' Association of Jersey City and the Federation of Iranian Students of Jersey City calls for the peace-loving American people to support their just struggle. This is entirely correct. The American working class and people are fighting the same enemies as the Iranian people, U.S. imperialism. End.

[Back to Top]

Solidarity Message of COUSML to the Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council and Conference of FISUS - Dec. 26-28, 1978, Dallas

Comrades!

On behalf of the Central Organization of U.S. Marxist-Leninists, I extend our militant revolutionary greetings to this extraordinary session of the Supreme Council and Conference of the Federation of Iranian Students in the U.S. The Marxist-Leninists of the U.S. fully support the efforts of the revolutionary Iranian students resident in the U.S. to organize themselves and to participate in the titanic battle of the Iranian people to overthrow the U.S. -backed fascist Shah and to achieve genuine independence and democracy.

During recent weeks, the demonstrations and revolts of the courageous Iranian people have reached unprecedented heights. They have contemptuously disregarded, the Shah's martial law, his curfews, and the bullets of the military government, and risen up in a massive wave with the goal of overthrowing the Shah's fascist dictatorship, backed by U.S. imperialism. And the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists of the U.S. are also conscious of the powerful strikes of the workers, as well as the determined struggles of the students, peasants and other patriotic people.

We are all aware of the heinous crimes of mass murder that have been committed by SAVAK and the fascist gangs, by the Shah's police and army, by the Israeli Zionists and U.S. imperialist gangsters. And despite all of this, the heroic Iranian people are not intimidated, but continue to rise up!

The exploitation and plunder of Iran by the imperialists, the savage rule of the Shah, have become completely intolerable to the masses of people. The contradiction between the exploiters and exploited in Iran is at the bursting point and nothing can resolve the problem except the anti-imperialist revolution of the Iranian people.

The events in Iran are a further confirmation of Lenin's great thesis that "imperialism is the eve of the social revolution of the proletariat": they are a further proof of Comrade Enver Hoxha's statement that all over the world, revolution is not just an aspiration and future prospect, but a practical problem to be taken up for solution.

The Chinese revisionist clique of Teng Hsiao-ping and Hua Kuo-feng, lackeys of imperialism and traitors to Marxism-Leninism and socialism are shouting that U.S. imperialism has lost its teeth and is no longer war-like and aggressive. They rush to Iran, 'embrace the Shah, and have even recently published, in their yellow news bulletin Hsinhua, an "account" of a "demonstration" by so-called Iranians in support of the Shah. These contemptible dogs, these would-be emperors, are nothing but social-imperialists with the desire of becoming a superpower, the desire for world domination. They are fully exposing what their bankrupt and anti-Leninist theory of "three worlds" means in practice.

Recently, Carter and Teng Hsiao-ping agreed to establish diplomatic relations and issued a communique. These activities are part of their efforts to develop an aggressive bloc between U.S. imperialism and Chinese social-imperialism, a war-mongering alliance directed against their imperialist rivals, principally the Soviet social-imperialist bloc, and a counter-revolutionary alliance against the people of China, the U.S. and the revolution on a world scale. For some time now the U.S. imperialists have been shouting: Look at China! Revolution is hopeless, socialism is impossible!

But right in the middle of this disgusting display, the Iranian people have risen up in titanic battles, sacrificing their best sons and daughters to puncture the arrogance of U.S. imperialism and to inspire the progressive people of the U.S. and the entire world to to step up their revolutionary struggles and to defy the reactionaries.

The mass uprisings of the Iranian people have sent deep fear and frenzy into the hearts of the U.S. and Soviet "advisors and technicians" who are supervising the plunder of Iran. Thousands of them are fleeing the country, fearing for their lives. But in the final analysis, where will imperialism find sanctuary? Nowhere! Revolution is maturing on a world scale, including the U.S., and the imperialists and their agents are nearing their doom.

Comrades,

The revolutionary Marxist-Leninists in the U.S. are confident in the eventual victory of the Iranian people. This is especially so because we are aware of the existence and struggle of the Workers' and Peasants' Communist Party of Iran to stand in the forefront and lead the revolutionary movement. We rejoice at this development, fully realizing the decisive importance of the Marxist-Leninist Party for the success of the revolution. The Workers' and Peasants' Communist Party of Iran is carrying out wide-scale propaganda and agitation inside the country, presenting the correct analysis and slogans for the masses to unite around. Not only this, but the Party has taken the initiative and played the leading role in the demonstrations of thousands of people in Kochtarga and other regions. This clearly demonstrates that although the Party is young and small, it has not only the will to provide leadership to the revolution, but the ability to do so as well. The opportunists can yell and scream like ants on a hot pan, slander the party and hide its contributions, but this won't help them because history marches forward anyway despite their desire to stop it.

Like all fascists, the Shah does not rely on violent suppression alone, but also utilizes political deception and demagogy to try to confuse the people. But who believes the lie of the Shah's "democratization of Iran"? The Shah's arrest of a few corrupt officials is a fraud and everyone knows it.

President Carter speaks often of "human rights" in Iran under the Shah. He recently said: "We are thankful of his move toward democracy". This shows that when Carter says he desires "human rights" he actually means Hitlerite fascism. The U.S. imperialists would actually like to prepare conditions for replacing the Shah with a new and therefore less exposed and less hated U.S. puppet, but with the Iranian masses rising up in revolt, Carter has not yet dared to take such a step.

Comrades,

The COUSML is in full solidarity with the efforts of FISUS to contribute to the Iranian people's revolutionary struggle. And you too are in support of the progressive and revolutionary struggles of the American working class and people. We face the same enemies, first and foremost U.S. imperialism^, and also the Soviet and Chinese social-imperialists, and other imperialist countries. We are fighters on different fronts, whose efforts assist each other. In the U.S., the class contradictions are sharpening, the all-round economic, political and cultural crisis and degeneration of the bourgeoisie is continuing. The working class movement is flexing its powerful muscles. The farmers too are launching protests and the Afro-American people and other oppressed nationalities are persisting in struggle against racial discrimination and violent fascist repression. The U.S. Marxist-Leninists, led by COUSML,, are further consolidating themselves. We are defending the purity of Marxism and opposing all types of revisionism, particularly the bankrupt theory of "three worlds". The opportunists, with their social-chauvinist line of uniting with the U.S. imperialists to "direct the main blow at the Soviet Union", are in disorder and retreat. This struggle is irresistibly leading to the reconstitution of the Marxist-Leninist Party in the U.S., the decisive factor for the advance of the revolutionary movement. And our revolutionary struggle is the most important way we provide assistance and support to the Iranian people.

The present uprisings of the Iranian people clearly show their deep yearnings for true national independence and social liberation. It is only through the armed struggle, led by the proletariat with the Workers' and Peasants' Communist Party of Iran at its head, that the Shah's fascism, the old social order and the domination of Iran by imperialism can be ended.

VICTORY TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE!

DEATH TO THE SHAH!

DEATH TO U.S. IMPERIALISM, SOVIET SOCIAL-IMPERIALISM, CHINESE REVISIONISM AND ALL REACTION!

DOWN WITH THE THEORY OF "THREE WORLDS"! LONG LIVE THE WORKERS' AND PEASANTS'

COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRAN! End.

[Photo: Heroic Iranian youth in battle against the fascist troops of the Shah.]

[Back to Top]

SOLIDARITY WITH SOCIALIST ALBANIA

Writes the Venezuelan Newspaper "Que Hacer?"

(The following article is reprinted from the Albania Telegraphic Agency (ATA) News Bulletin, December 12, 1978)

The Venezuelan newspaper ¿Que Hacer? published an article entitled,-"Solidarity with Socialist Albania" in which it emphasizes:

The cessation of aid for the People's Socialist Republic of Albania by the Chinese revisionist leadership is a manifestation of the road of the restoration of capitalism in China. The newspaper adds that the real causes of this hostile and reactionary act against Albania have a political and ideological nature, because no concession at all has been made by Albania in the face of the wavering and reconcilable stands maintained for many years by the Chinese leadership towards the Titoite and Khrushchovite revisionists and the approach with the United States of America taking place since 1971.

The theory of "three worlds", continues ¿Que Hacer? is the key point of divergency between the Party of Labor and the government of Albania with the Chinese leadership. Through this theory, the Chinese revisionists try to conceal their aims to turn China into an imperialist power and to establish China's hegemony Over those countries it calls the countries of the "third world". They try to extinguish the revolution in the world and hinder the construction of socialism, try to replace Marxism-Leninism with an opportunist and reactionary policy, they try to obstruct the class struggle and force the oppressed peoples and nations to reconcile themselves with the bourgeoisie and imperialism to fight against what they call the main enemy of the peoples, Soviet social-imperialism, thus practically negating that U.S. imperialism too, like Soviet social-imperialism, continues to be the main enemy of the peoples and that it must be destroyed.

The Chinese leadership did not accept the polemics with the Albanian comrades on this theory because it knew? that these reactionary theses would not have been accepted by the world Marxist-Leninists. It openly opposed discussion and tried to violate the principles that should guide every Leninist party, such as autonomy in its internal and foreign policies. It sought to impose its imperialist criteria on the basis of its chauvinist interests and big-state claims being afraid that criticism in the light of Marxism-Leninism would refute the bases of the theory of "three worlds".

Albania, the newspaper emphasizes, did not submit and will not submit, just like the other Marxist- Leninist parties, oppressed peoples and nations, will not submit in the face of the pressure of China's imperialists or any other superpower. The Chinese leadership not only did not isolate Albania, as it liked, but on the contrary, Albania enjoys more and more the support of those who believe in and develop the theses of Marxism-Leninism, the proletarian revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat in the world.

Albania is not alone, the Marxist-Leninists, the oppressed peoples and nations of the world, who defend the principles of Marxism-Leninism and fight against all the imperialist powers until their complete destruction and for the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat in all the countries of the world, are on her side, ¿Que Hacer? writes in conclusion. End.

[Back to Top]

THE CHILEAN PEOPLE OPPOSE FASCIST OPPRESSION

(The following article is reprinted from the Albanian Telegraphic Agency News Bulletin, Jan. 7, 1979.)

The Anti-Fascist Chilean News Agency (ANCHA) in one of its latest bulletins writes about the growing resistance by the Chilean people against the fascist junta of Pinochet. In the recent months, ANCHA emphasizes, exceptional upsurge of the development of the struggle of the Chilean people is observed. On the one hand, the copper miners intensified their movements and this once again forced the fascist authorities to take other repressive measures. They imposed the state of emergency in several northern regions of the country and sent military forces into the mining centers, imprisoning tens of workers' leaders, etc.

In the southern part of the country, too, in the Concepsion region, 5,500 people; including also the working people of "Pacific Steel" company, launched a movement similar to that of the copper miners. In this wave of protests are involved also 13,500 workers of the coal mines in the region of Lata.

At the same time, at the universities and higher schools, anti-fascist demonstrations are being organized more openly in which are involved an ever larger number of students. This was clearly evident in a demonstration of solidarity with the people of Nicaragua which was organized in Santiago. This demonstration was quickly transformed into a powerful denunciation of the Pinochet tyranny.

Regardless of this existing situation, as ANCHA emphasizes, the fascist junta seeks to present Chile as an "island of peace". However, it is clear that the statements on peace and calm employed by the junta and its scribblers, aim at concealing their grave internal and external problems, above all, they seek to prettify their image in the outside world. Through these statements, they attempt also to minimize the drive the struggles of the people and the anti-fascist resistance have assumed. End.

[Back to Top]

Nothing Can Divert the Brazilian People from their Road of Struggle

(The following article is reprinted from the Albanian Telegraphic Agency News Bulletin, Jan. 21, 1978.)

The newspaper Bashkimi emphasizes in an article that since the time of the establishment of the fascist dictatorship in Brazil, the presidents who came to power clamorously proclaimed "democracy", "the eradication of corruption", etc. In this game of the falsifiers were included also the revisionist traitors of Prestes, who did not fail to exploit every occasion to propagate the democratization of life and the "democratization" of the army and the "state apparatus", thus openly aiming at the political demobilization of the masses and their alienation from the fierce battles of the class struggle. Today, the bourgeoisie in power, through the open support of U.S. imperialism, is once again playing this role to an even larger extent. The main aim of this deceptive game, the newspaper writes, as always, remains the defense of the regime in power, the continuation of the neo-colonialist rule and exploitation by the predatory monopolies, chiefly the U.S. ones, as well as the West German, Japanese, British, and others over the broad working masses, their alienation from the struggle for democratic rights, freedom, land and social progress.

The newspaper emphasizes that the regime perceives very near the danger of the movement of the masses of the people, who as life is showing, do not approve and do not believe in these palavers of the bosses of reaction who substitute one another. As the newspaper A Classe Operaria, organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Brazil also emphasizes, "the masses of the countryside and town will express their revolt through ever broader and energetic movements, especially when they have a determined leadership in defense of their rights". End.

[Back to Top]

SUPPRESSORS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLES OF LATIN AMERICA

(The following article is reprinted from the Albanian Telegraphic Agency News Bulletin, Dec. 13, 1978.)

The newspaper Zeri i Popullit writes in an article that today Latin America has become one of the typical regions where democracy completely lacks and the working masses are completely deprived of the fundamental political and economic rights.

To conceal this reality, the newspaper continues, a great fuss is being raised concerning the so-called "liberalization process" which is allegedly taking place in Latin America. Such a deceptive propaganda is fanned both by the local reactionary and fascist regimes and their main bosses, the U.S. imperialists, as well as the Soviet social-imperialists and the other capitalist powers. The Chinese social imperialists too, have come out openly in support of the military juntas trying to conceal their sanguinary nature through eulogies and their presentation as "progressive regimes.

Exposing the falsity of this propaganda, the newspaper quotes facts which clearly show that political terror, the murders of the revolutionaries and the tortures of patriots and democrats constitute the ordinary method of the dictatorial and oligarchic regimes to suppress the struggle and aspirations of the peoples of Latin America for freedom.

The establishment of the state of emergency and curfew, the newspaper writes, is another expression of suppression and an ordinary method of governing employed by the dictatorships and reactionary regimes of Latin America. Along with this, in many countries of Latin America the activities of the progressive political parties have been prohibited, many progressive and democratic mass organizations have been outlawed while the working people are deprived even of such elementary rights such as that of trade union organization, strikes, etc.

The elections that are practiced in these countries, too, are completely controlled and manipulated by the forces of the dictatorial order. This is explained also by the indifferentism and lack of confidence of the working masses of Latin America towards the election farces.

The peoples of Latin America, the newspaper writes, are waging a powerful class struggle which is expressed through the large-scale strike movement, the numerous anti-fascist and anti-dictatorial demonstrators down to the armed struggle.

Through these battles, the peoples of Latin America are becoming ever more conscious of the need for the violent overthrow of the odious dictatorial and oligarchic regimes and proceed towards the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat, which is the most ample, profound and complete democracy for the working masses, the newspaper Zeri i Popullit concludes. End.

[Back to Top]

NEW ISSUE OF ERITREA IN STRUGGLE

[Eritrea in Struggle masthead.]

The Workers' Advocate has recently received the December 1978-January 1979 issue of Eritrea In Struggle (Vol. in, No. 2), Newsletter of the Eritreans for Liberation in North America (EFLNA). This publication is well-written and to the point. If defends the revolutionary positions of the EFLNA and their staunch stand in opposition to Ethiopian/colonialism, U.S. imperialism, Soviet revisionism ind all reaction. Today the EFLNA is persisting in its principled stand against the capitulation of the leaderships of the ELF (Eritrean Liberation Front) and the EPLF (Eritrean People's Liberation Front) to Soviet revisionism. This capitulation which has been carried out under the revisionist thesis that no one can survive without an imperialist patron, has caused grave setbacks to the liberation struggle of the Eritrean people for genuine independence and has placed the Eritrean people in a grave and dangerous situation. The revisionists and capitulators have vented their hatred on the EFLNA, but this has only served to further demonstrate the truth of the revolutionary stand of the EFLNA.

We are reproducing two articles from Eritrea in Struggle in order to keep our readers informed on the struggle in Eritrea. We are also reproducing a list of the contents below. We urge all progressive people to support the EFLNA and read their newsletter, Eritrea in Struggle.

-- Condemn Soviet-Ethiopian Aggression in Eritrea...

-- E. European Revisionists Pledge Support for Fascist Dergue...

-- Soviet Crimes Against Eritrean People...

-- USSR and Ethiopia Sign 20 Year Treaty Pact...

-- Soviet Stand on Eritrea: In 1950 and Now... (This article shows how under Stalin, when the Soviet Union was the glorious socialist homeland and bastion of revolution, the USSR supported the Eritrean struggle for independence. It is modern Khrushchovite revisionism which has destroyed the dictatorship of the proletariat, betrayed Marxism-Leninism and turned to counter-revolutionary activities around the world.)

-- Demagogy of EPLF Leaders Exposed.... Reactionary Slanders Against EFLNA...

-- EPLF Leader Says Ethiopian Dergue Is Not Fascist...

-- EFLNA and AEWNA Hold Successful Rallies and Forums...

-- Opposition to EPLF Leadership Mounts...

-- Powerful Mass Upsurge Sweeping Over Iran...

-- ELF Leaders Openly Kneeling Before Kremlin. End.

[Back to Top]

Condemn Soviet-Ethiopian Aggression in Eritrea

The Russian revisionists, their Cuban mercenary troops and the Ethiopian fascist junta are today in the middle of yet another genocidal offensive against the just struggle of the Eritrean people. Frustrated by the failure of their recent large scale offensive to "once and for all" crush the 17 year of Eritrean national liberation struggle, these combined counterrevolutionary forces have now deployed all their human and military resources to launch their biggest "final" offensive, the most barbaric and ruthless yet in Eritrea and with few parallels in history.

It is no accident that Menghistu's "working visit" to the Soviet Union has coincided with the escalation of the war of aggression in Eritrea. It was no doubt for a final consultation at the top level on the final details of the offensive. The entire operation of the bloody counter-revolutionary war exercise is planned, directed and led by Soviet generals and many Cuban and East German military experts. These Kremlin-directed war experts are taking charge of operating the sophisticated weapons, the MiG's, tanks, rocket launchers, artillery, etc., in this unjust war being waged against the Eritrean revolution. In addition to the over 200,000 Soviet aggressor troops already in Eritrea, thousands more have been airlifted to the occupied Eritrean cities such as Massawa, Asmara and Agordat. An unprecedented size of Soviet heavy arms, napalm bombs and chemical defoliants similar to those used by the United States in Viet Nam are being used in this genocidal offensive, according to the international press. MIG fighters flown by Soviet and Cuban pilots are spraying defoliants throughout the countryside, with special concentration on densely populated areas. The spraying of defoliants in the countryside is a criminal design by the Soviet revisionists to lay bare the hundreds of thousands of displaced Eritreans and expose them for a mass genocide by depriving them of food and the only shelter they have, the forests.

Thus, the Soviet revisionists, their Cuban mercenaries and the Ethiopian fascists are using the most savage methods of annihilation to commit mass genocide of the heroic Eritrean people. Unable to subdue our people and maintain their colonial occupation of our country, their current war campaign indicates that the Soviet revisionists and their Ethiopian puppets are practicing the only fascist solution they could think of -- the complete extermination of our people. Hundreds and thousands of innocent men, women and children are being killed, displaced, and made refugees; crops, forests and plantations are being destroyed on a large scale. Soviet MiG's are engaged in a round the clock bombing mission leveling hundreds of villages to the ground.

The Soviet revisionists' all out offensive to crush the Eritrean struggle and annihilate the Eritrean people is not confined to their military intervention and their concerted propaganda campaign, hi their further attempt to "break" the fighting will of the Eritrean masses, they have launched a campaign of terror against Eritreans residing in the Soviet Union„ According to a recent report from Amnesty International, for example, two Eritreans attending school in the Russian city of Odessa were recently rounded up in Moscow for deportation to Ethiopia where they will inevitably face execution at the hands of the fascist Menghistu regime. Furthermore, the revisionists have unleashed their full propaganda might in a campaign of slander and vilification of the just struggle of the Eritrean people.

The Soviet revisionists are in the most glaring manner exposing their true counter-revolutionary colors, as the declared enemies of the Eritrean people and the world's peoples. Although they had for a long time made every attempt to hide their direct military intervention in Eritrea, with the help of the capitulationist "leaders" of the Eritrean revolution, they have now unmasked the real meaning of their bankrupt "peaceful" solution proposal as well as the diversionary stories they have been spreading about their "unwillingness to intervene" in Eritrea, which they have used to cover for their true intention of militarily crushing the Eritrean struggle. In pursuit of their expansionist designs in the Horn of Africa as elsewhere, the Soviet revisionists have definitely assigned themselves the task of instigating, planning, directing and leading counter-revolutions in Eritrea and Ethiopia.

While the Soviet revisionists are engaged in such counter-revolutionary machinations, to achieve uncontested domination of the area, their chief rivals, the U.S. imperialists are also making feverish attempts through collusion and contention with the Soviet revisionists, to subvert the Eritrean struggle and gain dominance in Ethiopia. In order to sabotage the Eritrean struggle from within, U.S. imperialism has of late deepened its alliance with the counter-revolutionary Sabbe clique through its puppet regimes in the region.

The Eritrean struggle is no doubt facing the biggest onslaught in its history. The Soviet-Ethiopian forces of aggression have made some temporary gains in recapturing most of the towns and cities and are boasting of "once and for all smashing" the Eritrean struggle. However, there is one thing these counter-revolutionary forces cannot foresee -- and that is the indomitable will of the Eritrean people to resist, and our people's unflinching determination to carry their revolution through to victory. No matter how long it takes, or whatever sacrifices it entails, in the end victory belongs to the Eritrean masses. This is the merciless verdict of history.

The Soviet revisionists have also succeeded in enlisting the complicity of the "leaders" of the Eritrean revolution in their attempt to hide their counter-revolutionary aims and deeds in Eritrea and their propaganda to isolate and strangle the Eritrean struggle. The "leaders" of the Eritrean revolution, rather than opposing and exposing the counter-revolutionary intervention of the Soviet revisionists in Eritrea and correctly identifying them as the primary enemies of our people's struggle have instead capitulated to them. All along, in face of the growing involvement of Soviet- led revisionists in the war of aggression in Eritrea the "leaders" of the Eritrean revolution have shamelessly cooperated with them by not exposing them to the world's peoples, and have hidden their true nature amongst our people. They have betrayed our heroic people by calling the butchers of our people, the Soviet-led revisionists as the "strategic allies" of the Eritrean revolution. Although now in the face of the Russian and Cuban planned, directed biggest onslaught against our revolution, the "leaders" are out of fear of being exposed voicing "opposition"; they have been calling on their "strategic allies" to rectify their "erroneous stand".

However, in spite of the treachery of the "leaders" of the Eritrean revolution, in spite of their failure to lead the struggle at its most difficult juncture, our heroic fighting masses will through much sacrifice correct the errors committed by the "leaders" and surely frustrate the enemy's criminal designs through a protracted struggle. Displaying the revolutionary qualities of defiance and heroism they have accumulated in the course of their 17 years long heroic armed struggle, our people will, at any cost, persevere on the road of armed resistance until they achieve their goal of national independence and democracy.

In conclusion, we call upon all progressive, democratic and peace-loving forces of the world to be cognizant of the dangerous precedent taking place in Eritrea, a precedent which is of colossal threat not only to the Eritrean people and Ethiopian peoples but also to all fighting peoples of the world. At this difficult moment of our people's struggle we call on all revolutionary and progressive forces to stand on the side of the Eritrean people and intensify their support.

We call upon all progressive forces to strongly condemn and expose this latest genocidal campaign of the Soviet revisionists and their puppets the Ethiopian fascists and the Cuban mercenaries against the Eritrean people and also condemn the subversive activities of the U.S. imperialists against the Eritrean struggle.

DOWN WITH THE SOVIET-ETHIOPIAN WAR OF AGGRESSION IN ERITREA!

SOVIET AGGRESSORS, CUBAN MERCENARIES OUT OF ERITREA!

LONG LIVE THE STRUGGLE OF THE ERITREAN PEOPLE FOR NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND DEMOCRACY!

DOWN WITH THE FASCIST DERGUE, SOVIET REVISIONISM, U.S. IMPERIALISM, ZIONLSM, AND ALL REACTION! End.

[Photo: Militant demonstration of EFLNA in downtown Chicago on December 2, 1978. A vigorous meeting to explain the present situation in Eritrea was held later that evening.]

[Back to Top]

DEMAGOGY OF EPLF LEADERS EXPOSED

The 17 year old national liberation struggle of the Eritrean people is today facing the most vicious attack of the Soviet revisionists and their puppets, the Ethiopian fascist Dergue and the Cuban mercenaries. A scorched earth campaign of genocide planned and conducted by the Soviet revisionists, now in its height, has placed our people's struggle in a grave situation. As a result, the strategic highways as well as several cities and towns including Keren have been recaptured by the aggressor forces,, The suffering that our people are enduring is enormous: many densely populated villages have been razed to the ground, crops burnt on a mass scale, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and thousands more killed.

At the same time, at this crucial stage of the Eritrean revolution, when the situation has demanded full preparation in every aspect of the struggle so as to frustrate the multi-faceted attacks of the powerful enemies, the line of capitulation, spearheaded by the 1'leaders" of the Eritrean revolution, has reared its head in the ranks of our peoples national liberation struggle. The EPLF and ELF leaders have tailed behind failing miserably to appropriately answer the burning question of identifying the Soviet Union as our enemy and effectively countering in every aspect its counter-revolutionary intervention and that of its mercenaries. The so-called leaders have knelt before Soviet revisionism by presenting it as "the strategic ally of the Eritrean revolution," thus leaving the struggle without a correct leadership and the masses without the necessary weapon to fight their enemies.

Throughout the past two years, which saw growing Soviet intervention against our revolution, the so-called leaders kept silent and several times openly apologized for the crimes of the Soviet revisionists against our people and their just struggle. The EPLF leaders have been teaching the masses that the Soviet Union is socialist and the contradiction our revolution has with it is a secondary contradiction "within the world revolutionary forces" that can be "rectified" through criticism and self-criticism. At the time when the latest massive Soviet aggression was being launched in mid-November 1978, the EPLF Secretary-General had this to say. "One can no longer deny the presence of Soviet aid Cubans in the war. Therefore, we will continue, as in the past, to work toward changing these countries' mistaken attitudes. We will continue this effort vis-a-vis the world's democratic forces, in the certainty that ultimately our toils will be crowned by success." (L'Unita-- Newspaper of the revisionist Italian Communist Party, November 14, 1978) Thus, not only have the EPLF leaders by openly cooperating with the primary enemy failed to prepare the masses for a life and death struggle but also have been branding those revolutionary and patriotic Eritreans who opposed Soviet revisionism as "anarchists", "adventurists" and "pro-imperialist reactionaries" (See Eritrea: Revolution or Capitulation pp. 91 and 96).

But also like all opportunists and demagogues, the EPLF leaders are employing deceptive tactics to camouflage their true reactionary nature and in order to continue riding over the mass movement. Lately, when the intervention of the Soviet revisionists has assumed peak height, when as the EPLF leaders themselves have confessed that "there is nothing to hide now, the Russians are commanding the battles" and "their direct participation in this war is known to everyone here," (Vice-Secretary General of EPLF interview, Observer, November 12, 1978), the EPLF leaders have issued seemingly strong and militant statements of "condemnation" of Soviet aggression in Eritrea. Their counterpart, the ELF leaders, as if they haven't said "We believe that since these countries are progressive, they cannot possibly be against self-determination... and the fact remains that we don't see them intervening against our armed forces" (Eritrean Newsletter,No. 26, August 1978), have also begun "criticizing" their Soviet masters (for the emptiness of this "criticism" see the revelation on page 18). In its October 9, 1978 meeting the Executive Committee of the Revolutionary Council of the ELF stated, "The EC asked the Socialist Camp, especially the Socialist Republic of Cuba and the Soviet Union to terminate their military supplies to the regime in Ethiopia. The statement emphasized that increased military support to the Dergue does not only threaten the Eritrean revolution but the whole liberation movement in the Horn of Africa. This also jeopardizes the interest of peace and security of the peoples of the area at large. The EC urged the Socialist Camp to stand on the side of the just struggle of the Eritrean people. " (Eritrean Newsletter, November 1, 1978)

These so-called "opposition" statements, are, however, sham ones which only go to show the demagogy of the so-called leaders. The fact that to come out as an "opponent" of Soviet aggression after apologizing for it for the past two whole years clearly manifests their opportunism. What were these "leaders" doing during the past two years when the Soviet revisionists were viciously attacking our people's struggle both militarily and politically ? What was the deal behind the cover-up of Soviet intervention, behind these "leaders" portrayal of the Soviet revisionists as strategic allies, as peace seekers and as supporters of Eritrean self-determination ? There is no other explanation except to prove their open capitulation. To portray oneself "opponent" of Soviet aggression when in fact the Soviet revisionists and their mercenaries have already caused enormous suffering to our people and have caused serious setbacks to our people's struggle is sheer demagogy. As an opportunist clique the EPLF leadership is tailing behind the mass movement. Now in the face of the most massive Soviet intervention, the EPLF leaders know fully well that unless they "join in" with the mass movement and enlist their "opposition" they would be exposed. The EPLF leaders might say that now is the opportune time to expose Soviet aggression. This kind of reasoning is, however, fallacious. Even from the nationalist stand point the opportune time for exposing the Soviet revisionists was when they set foot on our soil. As we stated in our May 1977 letter to the EPLF Political Bureau a strong opposition to the Soviet revisionists from the outset would "shake them badly". The only correct way to expose the enemy is to do it immediately. As Lenin says, "As for calling the masses to action, that will come up itself as soon as energetic political agitation, live and striking exposure come into play. To catch some criminal red handed and immediately to brand him publicly in all places is of itself far more effective than any number of 'calls'." (What Is to Be Done)

At a time when Eritrea has become the Soviet Union's Viet Nam it is natural for opportunists like the EPLF leaders to pose themselves as "opponents" of Soviet aggression. This, however, doesn't amount to anything other than a self-saving demagogic venture.

Furthermore, in their so-called opposition statements the EPLF leaders portray Soviet aggression as a very recent development when in fact this has been a fact for the past two years. The EPLF leaders state that "the U.S.S.R. decided to intervene directly on 18 November at a time when the Ethiopian army had demonstrated its inability to complete the 'military solution' by itself". (Ermias Debessai, EPLF Central Committee member, press statement -- L'Unita, December 7, 1978). Direct Soviet intervention against the Eritrean revolution has been a fact ever since the Soviet revisionists began hailing the Dergue's fascist rule as "revolution" and slandering the Eritrean struggle as "imperialist instigated separatist movement" as well as arming and training the junta's troops. Stalin teaches that, "intervention is by no means confined to the incursion of troops, and the incursion of troops by no means constitutes the principal feature of intervention. In the present day conditions of the revolutionary movement in the capitalist countries, when the direct incursion of foreign troops may give rise to protests and conflicts, intervention assumes more flexible and more camouflaged forms. In the conditions today imperialism prefers to intervene in a dependent country by organizing civil war there by financing counterrevolutionary forces against the revolution." (Stalin: "On Chinese Revolution"). Even if the EPLF leaders argue that foreign intervention means merely the incursion of foreign troops, the incursion of Soviet, Cuban and South Yemeni troops in Eritrea is also of long standing. Cuban and South Yemeni mercenary troops actively participated in the battles against the heroic Eritrean People's Liberation Army fighters which were fought on the Asmara Dekemhare road between the months of August and December 1977. In the battle for Massawa in December 1977 Soviet advisors, warships and Cuban as well as South Yemini mercenary troops played key role in defending the positions of the Ethiopian aggressor troops. In early 1978, by the EPLF's own admission, over 3,000 Cuban mercenary troops were dispatched to Eritrea. During the June 1978 Ethiopian offensive, in which all of the ELF held cities along with the EPLF held cities of Segeneiti and Dekemhare were recaptured by the aggressor forces, Soviet and East German advisors played decisive role in planning and coordinating the battles. At the present moment Soviet intervention has asserted itself in an all-round and intensive way. Evidence thus discredits the EPLF leader's assertion that Soviet intervention is a new phenomenon. After all, haven't the EPLF leaders admitted to releasing Cuban and South Yemeni prisoners of war as "a gesture of reconciliation"!

In presenting Soviet intervention as a new development, the EPLF leadership is hopelessly trying to justify for its cover up of and apology for the long standing Soviet intervention, thus once more exposing their opportunism. Contrary to what the EPLF leaders would like to have people believe, Soviet intervention against our peoples struggle is of long standing and the correct step was to expose it from the outset and teach the masses about its military, political and ideological implications.

Another aspect where the EPLF leaders expose their opportunism is in that their statement of "opposition" leaves out the Cuban mercenaries. There is no mention of Cuban involvement in the war. Justifying their apology the EPLF leaders say, "No Cuban presence had been observed. We are not denouncing their presence, because we have not seen them, even though they were indeed present in the first offensive, in the summer. " (L'Unita, December 7, 1978) Astonishing. That thousands of Cuban mercenary troops have invaded our country is an open fact which even the EPLF leaders have themselves admitted sometime ago, then what is the reason that makes the Cuban mercenaries "immune" from condemnation. When the Cuban mercenaries constitute our enemies the EPLF leadership is trying to portray them as "innocent", thus objectively whitewashing the crimes they are committing against our people.

The hypocrisy and demagogy of the EPLF leaders is even more revealed in their statement being nothing more than a "strong criticism" of the "strategic ally" the Soviet Union to rectify its "errors". The EPLF leaders are not condemning the Soviet Union as an enemy; their "opposition" is only in regards to its intervention in Eritrea and in that, only its recent activities-. In a statement entitled "Condemn Soviet Aggression in Eritrea" dated November 29, 1978, the EPLF leaders state."Having reached the '.threshold of victory after 17 years of bitter struggle, the Eritrean people are today threatened with extermination through the criminal aggression of the Soviet Union which, in the 1940's and 1950's was itself, the ardent advocate of Eritrean independence. " The EPLF leaders place on equal footing the Socialist Soviet Union under Stalin which was the defender and advocate of not only Eritrean independence but also of the freedom of all oppressed peoples with the present day revisionist Soviet Union which constitutes one of the main enemies not only of the Eritrean people but also of all the world's peoples. Here lies the heart of the theoretical bankruptcy of the EPLF leaders.

What is even worse is that the EPLF leaders, in spite of issuing a statement of "condemnation" of Soviet aggression in Eritrea, still continue to teach the masses that the Soviet Union is a socialist country and a strategic ally of the Eritrean revolution. Through such false statements of "opposition" the EPLF leadership is further confusing the situation and is the main hindrance to the masses in their struggle to identify their real enemies on the basis of a scientific study. They are teaching the masses to conceive socialism as something that thrives on aggression. In speaking about demagogues like the EPLF leaders Lenin says they are "the worst enemies, because in the period of disunity and vacillation, when our movement is just beginning to take shape, nothing is easier than to employ demagogic methods to mislead the masses, who can realize their error only later by bitter experience." (What Is to Be Done) At a time when the Eritrean masses have developed deep hatred towards the Soviet Union and have questioned its "socialism", the EPLF leaders for the sake of their selfish class interests, are by posing as "opponents" of Soviet aggression obscuring the situation and have become the main obstacle to the much needed political and ideological clarity in our revolution.

By attributing the serious setbacks in the Eritrean struggle to the military aspect only, the enemy's superiority in weapons and in men -- the EPLF leaders also in order to hide the disastrous consequence brought about due to their capitulationist line, are making much noise about continuing the peoples war. The main problem in the Eritrean struggle today is the absence of a correct political and ideological line on major questions of principle and strategy -- and in particular on the question of identifying Soviet revisionism as a primary enemy. It is precisely the capitulating attitude the EPLF leaders have adopted towards the U.S.S.R. that has become the biggest stumbling block in our struggle. Thus, any talk about waging protracted peoples war without political and ideological clarity, clarity on who is the enemy and friend of our revolution doesn't make sense. In order to conduct protracted peoples war identifying the Soviet Union as our primary enemy must among other things be resolved first. Since the EPLF leaders have embraced the Soviet revisionists as strategic allies instead of primary enemies -- they have failed to lead the struggle and cannot lead the peoples war. Therefore, their talk about peoples war is another aspect of their demagogic schemes to confuse the masses and mask their treachery. For our people to wage protracted peoples war the capitulationist line of the EPLF leaders must be unmasked and done away with, and the party of the proletariat must assume leadership.

Through demagogy and deception of the most refined type the EPLF leaders are riding over our peoples' heroic struggle. They are using the victories reaped with the enormous sacrifice made by our masses for furthering their selfish class interests.

But our heroic people will through bitter struggle correct the errors being committed by the so-called leaders. Today, the Eritrean people are putting up stiff resistance with a firm NO to Ethiopian colonialism and Soviet aggression. Despite the military and political setbacks caused due to the massive intervention of the Soviet revisionists and the capitulationist line pursued by the so-called leaders of the Eritrean revolution our peoples' determination to fight till final victory is unshakable. As a ten year old youth expressed it,our peoples' will is that "we don't mind about the towns. Let the Ethiopians have them. We will attack from the countryside and we will smash them. End.

[Back to Top]

ALBANIA IS THE BASTION OF SOCIALISM AND WORLD REVOLUTION

Today, the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, the only genuine socialist country in the world, stands as the bastion of socialism for the workers of all countries. When the Albanian people celebrate the 34th anniversary of the liberation of their country and their complete break for all time from the world imperialist system, they are joined by the communists and class-conscious workers of all countries.

During November and December 1978 the Central Organization of U.S. Marxist-Leninists carried out vigorous propaganda and agitation nationwide to hail the 34th anniversary of the liberation of Albania. The enthusiastic response of the American people to this work was reflected in the extremely militant and spirited public meetings that were organized in Chicago, Boston, New York, Oakland and Seattle, attended by over 500 revolutionary people. The entire campaign was permeated with the basic theme to learn from and defend Albania, the bastion of socialism and world revolution. It was organized under the slogans: "Glory to Albania, beacon of socialism!", "Denounce the hostile acts of the Chinese revisionists against socialism in Albania!", "Uphold Marxism- Leninism in struggle against the 'three worlds' theory and all revisionism and opportunism!", "Hail the Party of Labor of Albania, organizer of the victories of the Albanian people!" These slogans and their detailed elaboration were used to widely popularize among the American people the existence of genuine socialism in Albania and the importance of this for the workers of all countries.

On the basis of these clear-cut politics the campaign was carried deep into the ranks of the working class and the oppressed people. The COUSML and its supporters throughout the country conducted vigorous propaganda and other activities in the communities, universities and factories. The Workers' Advocate and tens of thousands of pieces of revolutionary literature supporting socialist Albania were distributed. As well, the periodicals, New Albania and Albania Today were widely popularized and numbers of progressive persons purchased subscriptions to them.

The public meetings were conducted in a militant fashion and were marked by the profound revolutionary sentiment of the participants to learn from and defend Albania. Framed by red banners containing the above-mentioned slogans, the main speakers were listened to attentively and were interrupted time and time again with vigorous applause. (The speech presented to the meeting in Chicago on December 9 is reprinted below.)

In all of the meetings, numerous messages expressing solidarity with Socialist Albania were presented beneath the portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin, the glorious teachers of the international proletariat. In all, messages were presented by the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist), Eritreans for Liberation in North America (EFLNA), the Federation of Iranian Students in the U.S. (FISUS), a representative of the People's Front of Chile, a supporter of the Hindustani Ghadar Party -- Organization of Indian Marxist-Leninists abroad (HGP- OIMLA), Indian Progressive Study Group, Caribbean Progressive Study Group and the Turkish Students' Association. The presentations by speakers from seven different countries and four continents was a small demonstration of the tremendous respect and admiration the people of the entire world hold for Socialist Albania.

An extremely militant speech was presented by a representative of COUSML's fraternal comrades of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) in Chicago and other cities. In his speech he stated that CPC(M-L) has tremendous respect for the work of COUSML in the U.S. and that COUSML and CPC(M-L) are fighters on the same front in North America against imperialism, social-imperialism and all reaction, and against revisionism and opportunism of all hues. He spoke of the militant fraternal friendship between the PLA and CPC(M-L) and called for the strengthening of the iron-like unity of the international Marxist-Leninist communist movement and for the resolute defense of the glorious homeland of the international proletariat, socialist Albania.

In Oakland, the representative of Eritreans for Liberation in North America (EFLNA) stated: "The Albanian working class, cooperativist peasantry and revolutionary intelligentsia have transformed their once poor and backward country into an advanced socialist society with modern industry, flourishing agriculture, progressive culture and education and genuine democracy for the working people... What is possible for the Albanians to accomplish is also possible for the Eritrean revolution... At this moment of grave danger to the Eritrean people, we the patriotic and revolutionary Eritreans of EFLNA and the Association of Eritrean Women in North America have stood up to resolutely and unflinchingly expose and denounce Soviet revisionism, to continue resolute opposition to the fascist Dergue and to continue the revolution to the end".

The Federation of Iranian Students in the U.S. (FISUS) presented messages of greetings to the meetings in New York, Boston and Oakland. In the latter meeting their representative stated: "The Party of Labor of Albania... has put forward the slogan: 'The only path to salvation for Iran is the path of armed struggle and the overthrow of this reactionary regime'. Radio Tirana, in its reports, along with its resolute support of the struggles of the peoples of Iran, has also exposed reactionaries of all hues … If Carter, this phony hero of 'human rights', sends a message to the butcher Shah and formally supports him; if the Soviets sign heavy agreements with the Shah on the first day of martial law and the next day after the massacre of bloody Friday; if the hegemonist Chinese decide to send Hua Kuo-feng to Iran in order to support Mohamad Reza Shah; all want to protect their plundering interests and to exploit the products of labor of the working people of Iran. But socialist Albania, the communist parties, the international proletariat and the people of the world defend the struggles of the Iranian people and its heroic working class, because this is the defense of freedom, true democracy and socialism. Because the revolution in Iran is part and parcel of the international socialist revolution."

In Chicago a representative of the heroic revolutionary and anti-fascist people of Chile spoke on behalf of the Peoples' Front to the meeting: "We have received extraordinary lessons from the Albanian patriots and communists. The People's Socialist Republic of Albania is a valuable example, especially for the hard struggle that is being fought today by the Chilean people against the domination of the imperialist yankees, with whom the national reactionary forces represented by the fascist military junta have united. The People's Front of Chile in the exterior unites with the Albanian people and their party, the Party of Labor of Albania, in celebrating their 34th anniversary."

In Oakland, a supporter of the Hindustani Ghadar Party -- Organization of Indian Marxist-Leninists Abroad (HGP-OIMLA) stated: "Under the so-called 'peaceful path to socialism' the revisionists of 'C'PI and 'C'PM try to avert the revolution in India at all costs by keeping the working class stuck in the mire of economism. The opportunists peddling the anti-Leninist theory of 'three worlds' also try to accomplish the same mission... The struggles being waged internationally by the forces of Marxism-Leninism with the PLA at the head against the revisionism and opportunism of all colors greatly assist the Indian Marxist-Leninists in their struggle to reconstruct the Party and advance the revolution". A message from the Caribbean Progressive Study Group was also warmly received at the Chicago meeting, as was that of the Turkish Students' Association at the meeting in New York city.

Each meeting featured beautiful photograph displays and art work from Albania. In Chicago, the two and one-half hour color film produced by CPC(M-L) of the proceedings of the historic Internationalist Rally of Marxist-Leninist Parties held in Montreal on April 30, 1978 was shown amid high enthusiasm. In introducing the film, the following remarks were made among others: "The Internationalist Rally in Montreal was the fifth such gathering of Marxist-Leninist Parties since the historic Seventh Congress of the PLA in November 1976. It was the first time in history that such a rally, such a gathering of Marxist-Leninist Parties was held in North America. At this rally the Marxist-Leninist Parties strengthened their unity and collaboration in struggle for revolution and socialism. The work of strengthening the unity and collaboration of the Marxist-Leninist vanguard organizations of the proletariat of the various countries is of decisive importance for the victory of the revolution. In this work the PLA has played a glorious leading role".

In the other meetings, a film clip of the proceedings of the historic Seventh Congress of the PLA and Comrade Enver Hoxha delivering his Political Report to the Congress was shown to the accompaniment of a specially written narration that explained the world historic significance of Comrade Hoxha's Report. At the end of the film, thunderous applause shook each meeting room, while in Oakland, the audience demanded that the film be shown again, which was done.

At the public meetings, as took place throughout the course of the campaign, large amounts of literature were sold, including popular materials explaining socialism in Albania and important writings of Comrade Enver Hoxha, First Secretary of the PLA.

While the meetings were conducted in a militant revolutionary atmosphere of opposition to imperialism and all forms of revisionism, and the grave danger they present to the world's people, they were also an occasion to joyously celebrate the tenacious advance of the world revolutionary struggle and the achievements of socialism in Albania. Many revolutionary songs were sung at the meetings, some denouncing the betrayal by the Chinese revisionists, and many hailing the revolutionary struggle of Albania. For example in New York, some highlights of the cultural program included an Eritrean song denouncing Soviet revisionism, a new revolutionary Indian song defending Albania, a revolutionary calypso song "Active Resistance is the Only Way" by CPSG, and the joint singing of the Albanian song "The Proletarian Barricades" by FISUS and COUSML. In each meeting, following the spirited singing of the Internationale, refreshments were served and informal discussion continued until the early hours of the morning.

This campaign clearly manifests the growth of the support of the American proletariat for socialist Albania. It is a blow against the bourgeoisie, and revisionists and opportunists of various sorts who slander and vilify socialist Albania in order to attack socialism and Marxism-Leninism. A significant feature of this campaign is that it posed the question of support for Albania as a concrete task of the proletarian revolution and won broad support on this basis.

The conclusion of this campaign has given way to the continuation of ongoing work in support of socialist Albania with renewed vigor through the pages of The Workers' Advocate, the circulation of Albanian periodicals, and other means. It is certain that the movement in support of socialist Albania will continue to develop. End.

Vigorous Nationwide Campaign to Hail the 34th Anniversary of the Liberation of Albania

[Photos: New York City; Boston; Chicago; New York City.]

[Back to Top]

Speech Delivered by a Representative of COUSML on December 9, 1978 in Chicago

Comrades and friends,

Our meeting here today is a great victory for the cause of proletarian revolution and socialism. The bourgeoisie has spared no effort to push the line that socialism is dead, that the proletariat is no longer revolutionary. But right here in Chicago, heartland of U.S. imperialism, a meeting of 200 people is being held to swear our allegiance to the cause of revolution and socialism. Nothing the bourgeoisie can do can stamp out the aspiration and struggle of the proletariat for socialism and revolution. But socialism is not only an aspiration, it is physical reality in Socialist Albania. In spite of every attempt of the imperialist bourgeoisie to wipe out socialism, it has existed as a social system continuously in the world since 1917 and is shining more gloriously than ever in Socialist Albania today. The great struggle of the international proletariat has, given rise to socialism. This is our greatest victory! Today Socialist Albania is upholding this victory; it is proving to millions of toilers throughout the world that we can do perfectly well without the capitalist exploiters. This is an important fact to grasp because the imperialist bourgeoisie and their hired scribblers, politicians, and news broadcasters carry out daily propaganda to create pessimism in the ranks of the working class about the revolution and socialism.

Not only do the capitalists try to discourage our fellow workers from taking the path of revolution, but they attempt to make them feel there is no alternative but to patiently bear the burden of all the crises of the capitalist system while the rich wallow in their profits.

We have all heard the capitalists' propaganda that inflation is an incurable disease of modern society, a necessary companion of an industrialized world -- that even proletarian revolution and socialism cannot solve this problem. President Carter has in recent months made much ado about the problem of inflation, which he admits he cannot solve but only control. And his "control" of inflation is to use the full force of the state to cut the workers' wages. This he calls "voluntary wage-price controls". How completely bankrupt the rich are. They cannot solve a single problem; they can only come up with new schemes to make the laboring masses bear the burden of every evil arising from the capitalist system.

But comrades and friends, the international proletariat has a sharp weapon which punctures the pessimistic propaganda of the bourgeoisie and thoroughly exposes the bankruptcy of their dismal social system and state power. That weapon is the reality of Socialist Albania. In Albania socialism is being built according to the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin.

The capitalists today tell us that inflation and continuous impoverishment of the masses are inevitable. If that is the case why is it that in Albania there has been no inflation.for 34 years while every year the standard of living of the people rises ? They tell us that a high-living, tax-gobbling, oppressive bureaucracy is a necessity for the complexity of modern life. If that is the case, then why is it that Albania has eliminated this evil ? Why is it that in Albania even the highest official can make no more than two times the wage of an unskilled worker ? And even the highest official or manager spends at least one month a year working with his hands in production. Why is it that there are no taxes in Albania and the number of officials and their staffs is constantly reduced while ordinary workers and peasants more and more take up the tasks of administering the state and democratically participating in the planning and development of the society?

The capitalists tell us that there can be no reduction in inflation without an increase in unemployment. Then how is it that in Albania there is neither inflation nor unemployment?

The capitalists tell us that racism and fascism are inherent in the human nature. Then why is it that in Albania these things have been abolished and forming any organization to promote these things has been outlawed in the constitution?

We could go on, but the point is that the physical existence of Socialist Albania proves the correctness of Marxism-Leninism, it exposes the bankruptcy of the capitalist system and the fact that the bourgeoisie is no longer fit to rule. Socialist Albania inspires in the workers of all countries confidence that they can make the revolution and can do perfectly well without the exploiting capitalist parasites.

In their propaganda campaign against socialism the bourgeoisie takes the crimes of the revisionists in the Soviet Union, China, and other countries where the revisionists have restored capitalism. They take the evils resulting from the restoration of capitalism and they say to us, "This is socialism -- you see it's no different than capitalism. Marxism may sound nice in theory, but in practice it is just like capitalism with unemployment, inflation, fascism, etc. So why take the path of revolution when you will wind up with the same thing ? Why go to all that trouble when here we are, your ready-made exploiters and oppressors? " That is what the capitalists are saying when they talk about inflation in China, a high-living and oppressive bureaucracy in Russia, bread shortages in Poland, etc.

But comrades and friends, you cannot discredit Marxism-Leninism by the crimes of those who are fighting against Marxism-Leninism. In the Soviet Union in the time of Lenin and Stalin the Bolshevik Party adhered to Marxism-Leninism in theory and practice, and the evils that afflict the Soviet people today did not exist then.

It was the Khrushchovite revisionists who attacked Comrade Stalin and viciously slandered him after his death. It was the Khrushchovite revisionists who attacked all the fundamental principles of Marxism- Leninism, who departed from the policy of Lenin and Stalin and liquidated the dictatorship of the proletariat. It was these same Khrushchovite revisionists who built up a new dictatorship of a high-living bureaucratic bourgeoisie, who re-introduced taxes, who restored capitalism with all its evils of inflation, unemployment, cultural degeneration, etc.

The betrayal of the Soviet and Chinese revisionists does not discredit Marxism-Leninism: it discredits revisionism and highlights the necessity for the revolutionary proletariat to zealously defend the purity of Marxism-Leninism and resolutely oppose every form of revisionism. The Party of Labor of Albania and Socialist Albania have fought all the revisionists tooth and nail from the beginning. They have defended the theory and practice of the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin and built socialism in that way. That is why in Albania today the working class is emancipated from all the evils of capitalism and is building a happy new socialist life, free of exploitation and oppression, with high cultural and moral level and with genuine democracy for the working masses.

Comrades and friends,

The bourgeoisie not only runs propaganda that socialism doesn't work, it carries out a war against socialism and the revolution.

For 61 years the imperialist bourgeoisie has had as its number one policy to wipe out socialism and proletarian revolution from this planet. But they have failed miserably. Socialism has not been wiped out. It has existed not only in tie hearts of the workers but as a real live social system continuously since 1917. Since 1917 the revolutionary struggles for national liberation and socialism have grown stronger and reached every single corner of the globe.

In 1917 the U.S. along with Britain, France, Japan and other imperialist powers invaded the Soviet Union and tried to crush the new workers' state. But they were defeated in this attempt by the Soviet workers and the workers in other countries who rose up against these actions of the imperialists. The result of their invasion of the Soviet Uni«n was that millions of workers throughout the world were aroused to fight for socialism. And millions cf oppressed people in Asia, Africa and Latin America came to see that only by alliance with proletarian resolution could they win their freedom from imperialist enslavement.

In 1941 world imperialism threw the entire Nazi war machine at the Soviet Union to crush the land of socialism. But again imperialism was defeated and 700 million people went over to socialism.

Since World War II the work imperialist bourgeoisie, led by the U.S. imperialists, made every effort to capture the fortress from within and wipe out socialism and the revolution by aiding and encouraging the Soviet and Chinese revisionists. The U.S. built up a huge military machine with thousands of bases all over the world. It sent the CIA everywhere, it launched aggression everywhere and propped up every fascist in the world. And when the Soviet revisionists restored capitalism in the Soviet Union, they too did the same thing as the U.S.. imperialists. But for all this was socialism wiped out ? Was the revolution extinguished? No!

Today socialism -- in spite of imperialist encirclement, in spite of all the pressure of the revisionists - - exists and is growing stronger in Socialist Albania.

How is it that for all the efforts of the imperialists and revisionists to crush it socialism can exist in a country of two million people with the size of the state of New Jersey ? It is because the forces of socialism and revolution are stronger than the forces of imperialism.

The imperialist revisionist bourgeoisie jumped for joy when the Chinese revisionists came out openly on their side. They thought, "We are saved, Marxism is dead". But of course they spoke too soon.

Socialist Albania and the Party of Labor of Albania stuck to Marxism, and the Marxist-Leninist parties and revolutionary proletariat rallied round socialist Albania.

The imperialists thought "We will make short work of the revolutionary movement now." But bang, look what has happened. A great revolutionary movement broke out in Iran. Everywhere the Marxist-Leninist parties have strengthened themselves in struggle against the Chinese revisionists and deepened their influence in the revolutionary movement.

Comrades and friends,

It is not Marxism that is dead, it is imperialism and revisionism which are dying. Capitalism has had its day.

Socialism cannot be wiped out because the struggle of the working class against wage-slavery and every type of oppression inevitably leads to its triumph. It is the heartfelt aspiration of the proletariat and of the vast majority of mankind. It is not socialism that will be wiped out but imperialism. This is as certain as the sun will rise tomorrow.

Comrades and friends,

The bourgeoisie tries to discourage the workers from the revolutionary struggle for socialism with a huge propaganda campaign. The bourgeoisie wages a war to wipe out socialism, but when they have done all this they still find that the workers hate them and aspire for socialism. So the bourgeoisie sends its revisionist and opportunist agents to provide the workers with false models of socialism in order to divert them from the path of revolutionary struggle which is necessary to achieve genuine socialism. These false models of socialism are nothing but capitalism with a few reforms which are designed to reconcile the workers with the interests of the bourgeoisie so as to keep them enslaved.

For example, if you pick up any publication of the social-democratic leaders of the UAW you will find one article after another claiming that the workers can eliminate all the evils of capitalism without overthrowing the capitalists and without taking away their wealth and the means of production, but simply by electing more liberal Democrats like the nice millionaire Teddy Kennedy to government office. These fine gentlemen tell us that if the right Congressmen are elected, the government will institute National Economic Planning which will eliminate inflation, employment and all kinds of evils of the capitalist system, that the government will make the capitalists do things in the interests of the people and not in the interests of maximum profits. Perhaps the UAW leaders will next tell us that if one elects the right Congressmen, laws will be passed that will make mad dogs not bite.

A state which is made of officials, bureaucrats, military men, police chiefs, etc., who make $60- 100,000 a year, who have 1001 ties with the big capitalists, and a government where in order to run for office you must be a millionaire or be blessed by a millionaire is incapable of doing anything to harm the interests of the capitalists.

In fact, the UAW hacks might be interested to know that the U.S. government already carries out National Economic Planning. There are laws already for this. And what is the nature of these plans? These plans are are plans of how the capitalist government will help the capitalists increase the exploitation of the working class. Such is the nature of Carter's anti-inflation program.

Can anyone ever expect the same state machine which carried out Nixon's barbaric genocidal aggression in Viet Nam and Cambodia, which murdered the leaders of the Afro-American people's movement of the 1960's and which is viciously persecuting the Afro- American people today, which sent the National Guard against the coal miners, and which enforced Nixon's fascist wage-price controls ever to become a defender of the working class, of the Afro-American people, to ever give up its aggressive policy?

What dangerous illusions these opportunists promote.

Comrades and friends,

Genuine socialism cannot be won through capitalist elections, cannot be won through the peaceful road of relying on the military bureaucratic apparatus of the state of the rich.

Genuine socialism, genuine emancipation can only be won by armed revolution of the laboring masses led by the working class and its Marxist-Leninist party. Such a revolution must smash up the state power and apparatus of the rich and build up a new state power based on the armed workers themselves which will take away the means of production from the rich and make them the common property of society.

Who but fools and conscious liars can try to make people believe that one can take away from the rich their wealth, their power and their life of ease, in short their paradise which is built on the exploitation of the working masses, without bloodshed, without force? The tyranny of the exploiting classes which is maintained by force can only be done away with by force.

In Albania too this fundamental principle of Marxism-Leninism was also applicable. The construction of socialism in Albania was only possible after achieving victory in a three-year war of national liberation in which the Albanian people, led by the Communist Party of Albania, now the Party of Labor of Albania (PLA), drove out the Italian fascist and German Nazi occupier troops and smashed up the state apparatus and the armed bands of the Albanian exploiting classes that collaborated with the Nazis and fascists.

For many years, in fact centuries, the Albanian people had suffered under the yoke of foreign domination and the local bourgeois-feudal classes. The Albanian people had a heroic history of struggle against this oppression, but until the leadership of the Marxist-Leninist party of the working class was established, the Albanian people were not able to win victory.

In November 1941 the Communist Party of Albania, today the Party of Labor of Albania, was established.

It immediately took up the task of organizing the Albanian people for the armed uprising against the fascist occupiers and the traitorous Albanian exploiting classes who were in alliance with the occupiers. Through its correct Marxist-Leninist political line, through its work of educating, training and mobilizing the masses to take up this line, and through the heroic example of the communists as fighters and organizers, the Communist Party of Albania inspired the Albanian workers, peasants and townsfolk to take up the armed struggle and wipe out the fascists and their collaborators. Within three years Albania was completely liberated.

In the course of this war the Communist Party of Albania explained to the masses that after achieving victory, after driving the occupiers out they could not surrender their victories to the old exploiting classes but that they must consolidate the people's state power that they had built up during the course of the war of national liberation and embark on the socialist path.

It was only by the revolutionary struggle of the laboring masses led by the working class and its vanguard party that the Albanian people were able to smash the power of the bourgeois-feudal classes and build the new state power capable of expropriating the means of production from the capitalists and landlords and embarking on the path of socialist construction.

Comrades and friends,

The socialism that exists in Albania, genuine socialism, has nothing in common with the bureaucracy that the opportunists promote. The socialist revolution does not follow a course whereby the workers overthrow the bourgeois state, install a new government, and then go back to work and forget about politics. Socialism is a new form of state and social system. It is the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat based on the armed workers.

To build socialism requires that the armed workers, united closely around their Marxist-Leninist party, lead all the toiling masses in suppressing the exploiting classes and the bureaucracy. They must take the banks and factories, the means of production away from the capitalists and organize production in a planned socialist way so as to raise the material well-being of the masses and create conditions for the elimination of classes altogether. They must see to it that education is revolutionized so that it trains technicians and intellectuals who are loyal to the proletariat and not to the former exploiters.

They must root out all leftovers of capitalist society -- customs, habits, inequalities, prejudices, etc. If the proletariat does not wage this tremendous struggle and build a new morality which puts general interest above personal interest, capitalism will grow up again and come back. For example, if the party does not mobilize and help the ordinary non-party workers learn to run the affairs of the state, the economy, education, etc., then the difference between the officials and the administrators and the ordinary workers will grow and the officials will become a new bourgeoisie.

The building of socialism requires the firmest, most scientific leadership of the Party and the broadest democratic participation of the masses. As Comrade Enver Hoxha has said, "Socialism is built by the masses, the Party makes them conscious".

To give you some examples of socialist democracy in Albania:

In Albania, every economic plan of the government, with all its whys and wherefores, is discussed and criticized, and amendments are proposed to it in all the mass organizations of the workers and the people before it is approved. In developing the latest five- year plan the Party raised the necessity to achieve 95 percent self-sufficiency in spare parts by 1980 in order to deal with the intensified imperialist-revisionist encirclement, to defend the victories of socialism from the blackmail of its enemies. The Albanian workers workers do not work just for their daily bread; they are noble fighters for socialism. They grasped the political importance of the economic plan and enthusiastically endorsed it and have fought to implement it. The struggle against the Chinese revisionists' sabotage has further heightened the determination of the workers to achieve this goal and they have already done so -- two years ahead of schedule.

Another example of socialist democracy is supervision of officials by the masses. The Party of Labor of Albania constantly educates the masses in the line and directives of the Party and why they must be carried out in order to advance and defend the cause of socialism. The Party directly mobilizes the masses to fight for the implementation of its line. In this way the masses also are able to supervise and assist the cadre and make sure they are acting in accordance with the line of the Party and the interests of the masses. Every factory administrator, every municipal official, etc., must on a monthly basis render account of his activities to meetings of the masses and accept their criticisms and recommendations.

There is also the system of workers' direct control. For example, there could arise in the Albanian schools a problem such as bureaucratic or liberal tendencies that allow the youth to be taught bourgeois ideas which of course undermine socialism. The Party will go to the party committees in the factories and direct them to prepare a group of workers to form a workers control team to go into the school system and check up on how the proletarian policy of their party is being implemented or not implemented. It will criticize the liberal and bureaucratic tendencies of those responsible, demand an accounting and make recommendations. In this and many other ways the workers directly participate in exercising their supervision over every aspect of society.

So it is in Albania that the working class, led by its Party, carries out all-round struggle to transform society and raise the economic, cultural and political level of the masses, and to give birth to a new socialist man who has a bold scientific, revolutionary outlook, and who has collective spirit, putting the general interest above personal interest.

Comrades and friends,

Socialist Albania stands as a powerful beacon inspiring the workers and oppressed masses throughout the world to fight for the realization of the glorious ideals of genuine independence, democracy and socialism. Socialist Albania makes monumental contributions to the world revolution by its own example in building socialism and by its concrete assistance to the movements for national and social liberation and to the genuine Marxist-Leninist parties which are marching at the forefront of these revolutionary struggles.

In spite of the fact that Albania is encircled by the imperialists and revisionists, she boldly speaks out and fights in the international arena for the interests of the revolution and the peoples. Most importantly the PLA wages a relentless struggle against every form of international revisionism and opportunism which seeks to block the world revolution. The PLA has educated the Albanian working class and people in genuine proletarian internationalism. It has taught the Albanian people that building socialism in Albania is part of the world proletarian revolution and what harms the revolution in the various countries harms Socialist Albania.

In this way Albania acts truly as a bastion of world revolution.

Comrades and friends,

While the working class and the oppressed peoples see in Albania their bright future and a loyal friend, and ally, the imperialists and social imperialists see in Albania a mortal enemy and their doom. Therefore, the imperialists, the social-imperialists and their-opportunist and revisionist agents are waging an unceasing economic, political, ideological, cultural and military war to wipe out socialism in Albania.

Since 1944 the U.S. and British imperialists have tried to crush socialism in Albania through blackmail, bullying, economic blockade, espionage and subversion. The U.S. imperialists have also backed the revisionist Tito of Yugoslavia in his aggressive military provocations against Albania.

The Khrushchovite revisionists, when they betrayed socialism in the Soviet Union, tried to crush it in Albania too. They used blackmail, they cut off aid, they organized an economic blockade and attempted to weaken Albania's defenses.

Today the Chinese revisionists, who the U.S. newspapers heap so much praise on, have come out openly to join the imperialist-revisionist blockade of Albania. In July they cut off aid and made certain defense secrets public. Since July they have introduced a trade embargo on Albania just like the U.S. and the Soviet Union and have been actively instigating other Balkan countries to attack Albania.

Recently Hua Kuo-feng made a visit to the Balkans, visiting Yugoslavia and Rumania. In Yugoslavia he embraced as a comrade the arch-revisionist Tito who has been trying to crush Albania for 30 years. He visited a province in Yugoslavia where the Albanian national minority lives and is brutally persecuted, and praised Tito for his just solutions to national oppression. In other words, he was telling Tito, if you attack Albania we will support you. No sooner did Hua Kuo-feng arrive home, than his friends, the U.S. imperialists increased their military aid to Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Greece, Albania's neighbors.

These acts completely expose the Chinese revisionists as thorough-going enemies of the revolution and socialism. It exposes their much-touted "three worlds" theory, which they peddle as the strategy for world revolution, to be in fact the Chinese revisionists' program of counter-revolution and attack against socialism. Revolutionary and progressive-minded people can no longer doubt that these traitors have gone over to the camp of world imperialism. Revolutionary workers have nothing but contempt for the Chinese revisionists, while support for Albania grows from day to day.

The Party of Labor of Albania has mobilized the Albanian people to stand up to the attacks of the Chinese revisionists in the same way as they have stood up to the attacks of the U.S. imperialists and Soviet revisionists -- they refuse to budge an inch. As Comrade Enver Hoxha has said, "Even if we have to go without bread, we Albanians do not violate principle, we do not betray Marxism-Leninism." Today the Albanian people persist in building socialism with their own hands, they continue to defend the world revolution and to militantly defy the imperialists and revisionists who seek to crush them. This stand is a great inspiration to the revolutionary forces throughout the world.

The victory of socialism even in one country is a great victory that belongs to the entire international proletariat. It is the duty of the revolutionary proletariat in every country to defend that victory, to defend Socialist Albania. Not to defend Socialist Albania is not to be serious about the revolution and socialism.

Comrades and friends,

When the Albanian people were fighting German Nazi and Italian fascist occupiers, the Albanian communists learned from the experience of the Soviet Union and built the Marxist-Leninist party to lead the revolution to victory. The Albanian communists constantly told the Albanian people about the glorious land of socialism that the Soviet Union was at the time when Comrade Stalin was alive. They told the Albanian people how the Soviet Union represented their future and how the same Nazi imperialists that were butchering the Albanian people were trying to drown socialism in the Soviet Union in blood. They told the Albanian people how the Soviet Union was waging a heroic battle against, the- German imperialists and they inspired the Albanian workers and people to redouble their efforts in the revolutionary war to wipe out the Nazis and Albanian reactionaries.

This is the way the Albanian communists defended the Soviet Union and this is the way we should defend Albania.

Today to defend Socialist Albania means to hold up Socialist Albania for the broad masses of workers to see as the model of the glorious future of the proletariat on the path of revolution and socialism. It means to break the conspiracy of silence which the imperialists and revisionists maintain in order to keep the workers in the U.S. ignorant of the existence and construction of socialism in Albania.

Today to defend Socialist Albania means to expose and denounce the plots of the imperialists and revisionists, especially the Chinese revisionists, against Socialist Albania. It is the duty of the revolutionary workers and Marxist-Leninists to help the masses of workers in our country see and feel that Socialist Albania is their future, their great ally, and that they must defend Socialist Albania from the attacks of our common enemies.

But most important of all, to defend Socialist Albania means to defend the purity of Marxism-Leninism, to resolutely struggle against "three worlds- ism", revisionism and opportunism which are trying to block the development of the revolution on the world scale. It means to build the Marxist-Leninist party and lead the proletarian socialist revolution in our own country to victory.

ALBANIA IS THE BASTION OF SOCIALISM AND WORLD REVOLUTION!

GLORY TO ALBANIA, BEACON OF SOCIALISM! DENOUNCE THE HOSTILE ACTS OF THE CHINESE REVISIONISTS AGAINST SOCIALISM IN ALBANIA! UPHOLD MARXISM-LENINISM IN STRUGGLE

AGAINST THE "THREE WORLDS" THEORY AND ALL REVISIONISM AND OPPORTUNISM!

HAIL THE PARTY OF LABOR OF ALBANIA, ORGANIZER OF THE VICTORIES OF THE ALBANIAN PEOPLE! End.

[Back to Top]

Workers' Advocate Editorial-

COMMEMORATE 1979: THE YEAR OF STALIN

The National Committee of COUSML has decided to commemorate in 1979 the centennial of the birth of the great Marxist-Leninist and proletarian internationalist J.V. Stalin. Many other Marxist-Leninist Parties and organizations throughout the world have also proclaimed 1979 as the "Year of Stalin". This important decision has been made in full confidence that it will provide further impetus and strength to the struggle to defend the teachings of Marxism- Leninism from the all-sided attacks of the Chinese and other modern revisionists, from all counter-revolutionaries, who see with their eyes and feel in their bones that great Stalin is their unyielding enemy.

J.V. Stalin's life and work as an outstanding fighter for the cause of the international proletariat, for socialism

J.V. Stalin's life and work as an outstanding fighter for the cause of the international proletariat, for socialism and communism, stands out as clearly today as ever before. His entire life's work as a brilliant leader of the revolution, as an ardent defender and great theoretician of Marxism-Leninism, will always continue to inspire the revolutionary fighters of all countries. J.V. Stalin made outstanding contributions to the safeguarding and creative development of Marxism-Leninism, to the tremendous advance of the revolution through his practical leadership, and together with Marx, Engels and Lenin, he stands tall as a correct, classic Marxist-Leninist. As the loyal disciple of Lenin, he fought to uphold the Leninist teachings his entire life.

All of the imperialist criminals, the revisionists and other counter-revolutionaries, everyone of them, passionately despise Stalin and launch continuous slander, lies and abuse against his person and his teachings. His image causes their nerves to shatter and they can't tolerate him for a minute. The bourgeoisie and their opportunist agents react this way because of the outstanding role Stalin played in the great advance of the world proletarian socialist revolution in his lifetime. Stalin was a staunch Bolshevik and close comrade of Lenin in the triumphant Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia. After Lenin's death, it was left to Stalin to shoulder the world-historic task of leading in the consolidation of the first socialist state of the dictatorship of the proletariat, a task he performed brilliantly. It was under Stalin's leadership that all of the imperialist plots against the socialist Soviet Union were defeated, that the Trotskyites and Bukharinites were crushed, that heavy industry was built and agriculture collectivized. It was during this time that the Soviet Union grew strong as the glorious homeland of the workers of all countries; that ignorance and poverty, hunger and unemployment, were eliminated; and that the Soviet peoples climbed to the heights of scientific, technological, cultural and artistic achievements. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union with Stalin at the head, the oppression of nationalities and the inequality of women in Russia were replaced by a brotherhood of nations and by women obtaining the same rights as men on all fronts.

After Lenin's death, Stalin was the most prominent leader of the international communist movement, and it was behind his banner that the anti-fascist people of the world smashed fascism in World War II, and that the international proletariat succeeded in establishing the powerful socialist camp consisting of one-third of the world's population. It is for these reasons that the lying spokesmen and apologists for the capitalist system ferociously attack J.V. Stalin. It is in their class interests to do so. They are aware that the movements for national and social emancipation are leading to the complete destruction of the world imperialist system, and nothing symbolizes this nightmare for the bourgeoisie more than Stalin's life and work. Likewise, Stalin symbolizes the unlimited bright future for the proletariat. He is recognized by the workers and communists of the world as a great friend, revolutionary and Marxist- Leninist, who never betrayed the cause of socialism and communism but fought right to the last day of his life.

Today, all of the revisionists and opportunists are persisting in their venomous attacks on Stalin. History shows that they must do so in order to pursue their counter-revolutionary and anti-Marxist aims. When N. Khrushchov lashed out at Stalin's great contributions and slandered his entire life at the 20th Congress of the CPSU in 1956, he did so to negate Marxism-Leninism, to negate socialism and restore capitalism in the Soviet Union, to float his bankrupt revisionist thesis of "peaceful, parliamentary transition to socialism" and to smash the world revolutionary movement. Only by slandering the work and good name of Stalin could Khrushchov remove the main obstacle to realizing his aims.

Most recently, the Chinese revisionists have joined the chorus of slanders against him. They have jumped out more and more into the open with their peculiar anti-Leninist views, promoting the theory of "three worlds" in opposition to Marxism-Leninism and the lessons of the Great October Socialist Revolution in opposition to the achievements of socialist revolution and construction under Stalin.

The Titoites, Trotskyites, social democrats, fascists, "learned" professors in the pay of the CIA -- all of them create the most vicious lies and slanders to destroy the reputation of Stalin and in this way put Marxism-Leninism in disrepute. In the U.S.» ever since World War H, the youth and students especially have been bombarded with these lies. The revisionist trends of today, particularly the different variants of Chinese revisionism and social-chauvinism, consist largely of elements who have been "educated" in this manner and have never made a radical rupture with this "education" or with bourgeois ideology in general. It is quite "natural" that they, who have openly capitulated to the U.S. monopoly capitalist state, should also be in agreement with the bourgeoisie against Stalin.

In 1978 the ugliest reactionary features of Chinese social-imperialism were revealed by its vicious attacks on the People's Socialist Republic of Albania. But 1978 also saw the further development of the relentless struggle against the "three worlds" theory and other trends of modern revisionism. 1978 was the year of the historic Internationalist Rally of Marxist-Leninist Communist Parties in Montreal, a source of unlimited strength and inspiration for the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists of North America.

1979 will certainly be another year of even greater advance for the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists in the U.S. Under the banner of great Stalin, the unity of the Marxist-Leninists will surely continue to develop.

In this "Year of Stalin", The Workers' Advocate will present a series of articles on J.V. Stalin's important work of defending and creatively contributing to Marxism-Leninism. This year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Stalin should be a time to familiarize the working class with his great achievements, with the achievements of the workers' and.communist movement of the world during his life and following his leadership and example. Stalin's works should be widely disseminated and studied. We have published the "Year of Stalin -- 1979" calendar to help popularize this important campaign.

J.V. Stalin has always been symbolic of the towering strength of the international proletariat and of the certain victory of the cause of the proletarian socialist revolution. More than ever before, this remains true today.

LONG LIVE THE GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS OF

J.V. STALIN!

GLORY TO MARXISM-LENINISM AND PROLETARIAN

INTERNATIONALISM! End.

[Portrait: JOSEPH VISSARIONOVICH STALIN December 21, 1879--March 5, 1953]

[Back to Top]

Comrade Enver Hoxha's Work "Imperialism and the Revolution"--Powerful Revolutionary Weapon

[Zeri i Popullit masthead.]

(The following article is reprinted from the Albanian Telegraphic Agency News Bulletin (ATA), Jan. 6, 1979.)

The newspaper Zeri i Popullit carries today an article on Comrade Enver Hoxha's work Imperialism and the Revolution. The article entitled: "Comrade Enver Hoxha's work Imperialism and the Revolution -- powerful revolutionary weapon", reads:

The publication of Comrade Enver Hoxha's work Imperialism and the Revolution constitutes an important ideological event in the life of our Party and country. This book is a work with all-round theoretical and practical value, a powerful weapon for the ideological and political education of the communists, the cadres and masses. By studying this work, they draw lessons and conclusions of first rate importance for the profound understanding of the passing circumstances and the great tasks lying ahead of us at present in all the fields of socialist construction and the defense of the homeland.

Comrade Enver Hoxha's work, whose first edition was distributed in the Party in April 1978, whereas in December 1978 it came off the press for public use, has been received with great interest by the communists and the broadest strata of the working people, because this work reflects and scientifically substantiates the correct and unflinching Marxist-Leninist line of our Party with regard to the great problems of present-day world developments, By getting acquainted with this work, the communists and all the working people express their ardent approval and their legitimate pride for the consistent principled revolutionary and internationalist policy and stand of our Party of Labor, with Comrade Enver Hoxha at the head, in the struggle for the great cause of the revolution, socialism and the freedom of the peoples, for the defense of the immortal teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin. This work has become and is becoming everywhere an object of vivid discussions and exchange of opinions about the great and vital questions it considers.

The work Imperialism and the Revolution appears at a time when, as the Seventh Congress of the PLA stressed, the cause of the revolution and national liberation of the peoples is now a problem taken up for solution. This book, which constitutes a further elaboration, substantiation and enrichment of the ideas of the Seventh Congress about the international problems, analyzes in a profound dialectical way the fundamental problems of our time, the major questions preoccupying the revolutionary and liberation movement in the world. The book clearly expresses the Marxist-Leninist stand of the Party of Labor of Albania about all questions which are laid at present before the revolutionary and liberation movement. It elaborates in a convincing and substantiated way the Marxist-Leninist strategy of the revolution which is in opposition to the counter-revolutionary strategy of U.S. and world imperialism, Soviet social-imperialism and the Chinese one, as well as various currents of modern revisionism. From this point of view, Comrade Enver Hoxha's work Imperialism and the Revolution is a new valuable contribution the Party of Labor of Albania makes at present to the treasure of the revolutionary theory of Marxism-Leninism.

The work Imperialism and the Revolution appeared at a time when, in the face of the growing tide of the revolutionary movement, the bourgeoisie, imperialism, social-imperialism and the modern revisionists, beginning with the Yugoslav and Khrushchovite and ending with the "Eurocommunist" and Chinese ones, have intensified their efforts to ideologically befuddle the proletariat and the freedom-loving peoples, to divert them from the road of the struggle, to undermine the revolution and to perpetuate capitalism. Proceeding from Marxist-Leninist principles and defending them with a lofty revolutionary passion, relying on numerous convincing facts and arguments, Comrade Enver Hoxha criticizes and exposes the various trends of modern revisionism, their stands and actions against the revolution, socialism and the liberation of the peoples. Especially, Comrade Enver Hoxha sternly criticizes the political and ideological, line of Chinese revisionism, the so-called "Mao Tsetung Thought", the aims of the Chinese revisionist leadership to transform China into a superpower, which have found their reflection in the notorious theory of "three worlds". Viewed from this angle, Comrade Enver Hoxha's work is a militant Marxist- Leninist polemic which reveals and brings to the fore the betrayal of the modern revisionists, all the falsity of their preachings, their real counter revolutionary aims and strategy, their hated role as saboteurs and firemen of the revolution and the liberation struggle of the peoples. Likewise, the book is a vivid reflection of the consistent and uninterrupted, difficult and glorious struggle the Party of Labor of Albania has waged and is waging in defense of Marxism-Leninism and the principles of proletarian internationalism.

Comrade Enver Hoxha's book Imperialism and the Revolution is a scientific synthesis of the revolutionary Marxist-Leninist strategy of the present-day, which is opposed to the counter-revolutionary, enslaving, oppressive and aggressive global strategy of U.S. imperialism and world imperialism, of Soviet social- imperialism and of the Chinese one, the counterrevolutionary role of the Yugoslav, " Eurocommunist" modern revisionists, of social democracy, etc. All these forces of regression and reaction, despite the fierce contradictions between one another, try to strangle the revolutionary and liberation movement through violence and terror or to prevent the revolution, to continue to suppress and exploit the peoples through new ways, to perpetuate the capitalist system. In his book Comrade Enver Hoxha discovers and analyzes in detail, from class Marxist-Leninist positions, this dangerous strategy and the bourgeois-revisionist demagogy it is masked with, and illuminates the revolutionary perspective. "Time," he writes, "works for the revolution, for socialism and not for the bourgeoisie and imperialism, not for modern revisionism and world reaction".

Powerfully relying on the ideas of genius of Lenin on imperialism as the highest and final stage of the development of capitalism, as monopoly, parasitic capitalism in decay, as an unexemplary intensification of exploitation, oppression and reaction in all the fields and as the eve of the social revolution of the proletariat, Comrade Enver Hoxha makes a profound Marxist-Leninist analysis of the peculiarities of capitalism and imperialism in the present conditions, the grave and all-round crisis that has them in its grip, the content of the present epoch and of the actual development of the great contradictions that lie in its foundation, the present economic, political, social and class situations and developments in the world.

Nowadays, Comrade Enver Hoxha points out, when the Khrushchovite, Yugoslav, "Eurocommunist", Chinese revisionist renegades and the other anti- Marxist trends, speculating with the new conditions, attack in chorus the fundamental teachings of Marxism-Leninism, proclaim them as worn out and unsuitable for the "modern times", the delving into the study of Lenin's works on imperialism is of first hand importance. Comrade Enver Hoxha shows that the Leninist analysis on imperialism completely preserves its value even nowadays and the Leninist definition of our epoch as the epoch of imperialism and proletarian revolutions, as the epoch of the destruction of the old capitalist order, of colonialism and imperialism, of the seizure of power by the proletariat and of the liberation of the oppressed peoples, as the epoch of the triumph of socialism on a world scale, stands firm. The whole profound and scientific Marxist- Leninist analysis of Comrade Enver Hoxha concerning the developments and the features of imperialism, as well as the great contradictions of our epoch at the present stage, proves the correctness and the vitality of the Marxist-Leninist conclusion that today the revolution and the national liberation of the peoples are on the agenda. The analysis of Comrade Enver Hoxha rejects the myths spread by the bourgeois propaganda as well as by the modern Yugoslav, Khrushchovite-Brezhnev, "Eurocommunist" revisionists and others on the "transition of the era of the revolutions", on the "failure" or "wearing out" of Marxism-Leninism, on state monopoly capitalism as a "stage of spontaneous transition of capitalism and birth of socialist elements in its fold", on the "new peaceful, democratic and reformist roads of social progress and transition to socialism", etc., which aim to arouse doubt in the unrestrained force of the revolution, to discourage the proletariat and the freedom-loving peoples, to divert them from the road of the struggle and throw them into passivity, to perpetuate capitalism and imperialist domination.

Comrade Enver Hoxha rejects particularly the counter-revolutionary preachings of the Chinese revisionists, who say that allegedly today there is not a revolutionary situation in the world and advise the proletariat to confine itself in libraries and study "theory", because the time has not come for revolutionary actions. But what do life and facts show? They prove the scientific Marxist-Leninist conclusion of Comrade Enver Hoxha that the situation in the world in general is revolutionary, that in many countries this situation is mature or is maturing rapidly, while in other countries this process is under development, that the present world is in motion towards great outbursts and in general the situation today resembles a volcano, a fire that burns, a fire that will precisely burn the ruling, oppressive and exploiting classes. Therefore, the genuine revolutionaries, in opposition to the "advice" of the Chinese revisionist renegades as well as to the preachings of all the modern revisionists to wait with folded arms for "better times", act so that they should never be caught unawares by the revolutionary situations, so that they should not be disarmed at these decisive moments, but know how to exploit them to prepare and launch the revolution. Especially today, when the revolution is a problem taken up for solution, Comrade Enver Hoxha points out, "it is an imperative duty to disperse the fog spread by the revisionists on the revolution, to expose their maneuvers-and speculations on this question, to discover their counter-revolutionary, chauvinist, hegemonistic aims, to understand and apply correctly the teachings of Marxism-Leninism on the revolution".

Comrade Enver Hoxha's book Imperialism and the Revolution generalizes in a scientific Marxist-Leninist way the historic experience of the national liberation struggle of the peoples against imperialism, especially against the two superpowers -- U.S. imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism, against colonialism and neo-colonialism, for freedom, independence and national sovereignty, for democracy and social progress. On the basis of rich actual material and in principled polemics with the deceptive preachings of the bourgeoisie and the modern revisionists, Comrade Enver Hoxha substantiates that the determined and resolute struggle against the imperialist domination and interference in all forms and against the local, pro-imperialist reactionary forces is the sole road for the real national and social liberation of these peoples. Of great importance are the Marxist-Leninist conclusions defended and substantiated by Comrade Enver Hoxha that, in the present epoch of the revolutionary transition from capitalism to socialism, the national-liberation movements of the peoples,, their anti-imperialist national-democratic revolutions are a constituent part of a single revolutionary process, of the world proletarian revolution, that they are a powerful support of the proletariat in its struggle against capitalism and that, on its part, the liberation struggle of these peoples can achieve its true victory only by linking this struggle with the cause of the proletariat and socialism. Therefore, stresses Comrade Enver Hoxha, "the task is raised for all the genuine revolutionaries to back up and support unreservedly the revolutionary and liberation struggle of these peoples, so that this struggle constantly forges ahead, that the revolution be always on the rise till its complete victory". The book itself Imperialism and the Revolution is a clear testimony to the consistent principled Marxist-Leninist stand of the Party of Labor of Albania and its unflinching support for the liberation and anti-imperialist struggle of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The work Imperialism and the Revolution makes an all-round exposure of the attempts of the bourgeoisie and modern revisionists of all currents to befuddle and deceive the proletariat and the peoples, to hinder the formation of their consciousness, their revolutionary unity and organization, and especially to undermine and split the Marxist-Leninist movement in order to not allow the strengthening of the Marxist- Leninist parties and their transformation into major political leading forces of the revolution. On the basis of Marxism-Leninism and the summing up of the experience of the communist and revolutionary movement, the book deals with the fundamental problems of the development of the Marxist-Leninist parties, their tempering in the heat of the revolutionary action, their activity to raise the masses in struggle and revolution, and their internationalist unity. Comrade Enver Hoxha expresses his firm conviction that a great future and a historical and glorious task belongs to these parties to raise aloft and carry forward the banner of the revolution and of the liberation of the peoples, which has been flung away and trampled under foot by the modern revisionists. He writes: "The burden falls on them to oppose the global strategy of imperialism with the glorious Leninist strategy of the revolution, the great theory of Marxism-Leninism. The burden falls on them to make the masses fully conscious of the aims and correct road of the struggle, the sacrifices which are needed to be made, to unite, organize, guide and carry them to victory".

The work Imperialism and the Revolution is an all-round analysis of the entirety of modern revisionism, of all its main trends, as the most dangerous counterrevolutionary weapon in service of the bourgeoisie, imperialism and world reaction.

In his work Comrade Enver Hoxha once more reveals and exposes the regressive counter-revolutionary role of Khrushchovite revisionism, which caused incalculable damage to the cause of socialism and the communist and revolutionary world movement. He forcefully exposes the neo-colonialist and oppressive, expansionist and aggressive policy of Soviet social- imperialism, which is contending with U.S. imperialism for world domination and alongside it is another great enemy of the proletariat and of the peoples of' the world. The strategy of Soviet social-imperialism, Comrade Enver Hoxha points out, has nothing in common with socialism and Leninism, on the contrary it is the strategy of the predatory imperialist state, which wants to expand its hegemony and domination on all the continents and countries.

Especially, Comrade Enver Hoxha makes an all-round criticism of present-day Chinese revisionism, of the anti-Marxist and anti-proletarian content of its ideology and preachings, of its chauvinist and social- imperialist strategy, its thorough-going counter-revolutionary role in the actual conditions. "... At a time when the revolutionary movement was growing and becoming stronger the world over, when capitalism was more and more being caught in the grip of the crisis and when Khrushchovite revisionism and other trends of modern revisionism were being exposed in the eyes of the proletariat and the peoples", writes Comrade Enver Hoxha in Imperialism and the Revolution, "Chinese revisionism publicly emerged on the world scene. It became a close ally of U.S. Imperialism and the big international bourgeoisie to suffocate and sabotage the revolutionary struggles of the proletariat and the peoples".

Comrade Enver Hoxha convincingly substantiates through numerous facts that the present Chinese revisionism is not a phenomenon of these recent years and the less so of the period after Mao Tsetung's death, as some wrongly think. It has its ideo-theoretical roots in the so-called "Mao Tsetung Thought", which began to take shape prior to the Second World War, especially after the year 1935, when Mao Tsetung advented to power in the Communist Party of China. The special importance of Comrade Enver Hoxha's book in exposing Chinese revisionism, lies, besides others, in the fact that for the first time it makes a detailed and substantiated Marxist-Leninist analysis of "Mao Tsetung Thought" depriving it of the veil bf "creative Marxism" with which the Chinese revisionists have tried to mask it.

"Mao Tsetung Thought" as defined by Comrade Enver Hoxha, "is an an amalgamation of views, where there have been mixed ideas and theses borrowed from Marxism with other philosophical, idealistic, pragmatist and revisionist principles. It has its roots in the ancient Chinese philosophy and in the political, ideological past of China, in its state and militarist practice".

The criticism of "Mao Tsetung Thought" in Comrade Enver Hoxha's book is of great relevant theoretical and practical importance in the struggle against the present Chinese revisionism, because the struggle cannot be successfully waged to expose it, without v discovering the anti-Marxist and counter-revolutionary nature of the very ideo-theoretical and philosophical basis on which it relies, "Mao Tsetung Thought". On the other hand, facts show that the theory and practice of "Mao Tsetung Thought" has caused incalculable damage to the CP of China and the Chinese revolution, leading them to an erroneous, anti-Marxist road.

As Comrade Enver Hoxha proves in a convincing way in Imperialism and the Revolution, a direct consequence of the implementation of "Mao Tsetung Thought" is that the CP of China never became a genuine revolutionary Marxist-Leninist party of the proletariat from the ideological, political, organizational viewpoint, nor in class composition. It is a consequence of "Mao Tsetung Thought" that the Chinese revolution did not develop in accordance with the teachings of Marxism-Leninism, that it remained a bourgeois-democratic revolution and was not transformed into a socialist revolution, that it did not lead to the establishment of a genuine dictatorship of the proletariat, and therefore widely opened the doors to the free development of capitalism in China. It is also a fact that "Mao Tsetung Thought" has replaced proletarian internationalism with racist concepts and big state chauvinism.

Comrade Enver Hoxha makes an all-round and substantiated Marxist-Leninist criticism of the notorious theory of the "three worlds" showing that it is an offspring and materialization of "Mao Tsetung Thought". "It is not important to know", stresses Comrade Enver Hoxha, "who was the first to invent the term 'third world', who was the first to divide the world into three parts, but it is sure that Lenin had not made such a division, whereas the Communist Party of China advertises its paternity saying that Mao Tsetung invented the theory of the 'three worlds'. If he is the author who formulated this so-called theory for the first time, this is more testimony that Mao Tsetung is not Marxist. Even if he has adopted this theory from others, it is enough for him not to be a Marxist."

In many documents and materials, such as in the Seventh Congress, in the article "The Theory and Practice of the Revolution", etc., the PLA has uncovered and analyzed the anti-Marxist, anti-proletarian, counter-revolutionary, pro-bourgeois and pro-imperialist essence of the "theory of the three worlds". Comrade Enver Hoxha's book Imperialism and the Revolution constitutes a further deepening of the criticism of this dangerous theory of the Chinese revisionists.

Through Marxist-Leninist arguments and lively facts from life, Comrade Enver Hoxha proves that to view the world as divided into three parts, into a "first", "second", and "third world", leaving aside the proletarian class criterion, as the Chinese revisionists are doing, means to deviate from the Marxist-Leninist theory of the class struggle, means to negate the struggle of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie to overthrow the exploiting bourgeois order and to pass to the socialist and communist society, to negate the struggle of the freedom-loving peoples against U.S. imperialism and world imperialism, against Soviet social-imperialism, against the reactionary and repressive regimes, and against capital for national and social liberation. The theory of "three worlds" preaches social peace, class conciliation, and it strives to create alliances between irreconcilable enemies, between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, the oppressed and oppressors, the peoples and imperialism. It strives to extend the life-span of the old world, the capitalist world, and precisely to keep 'it alive, demanding the extinction of the class struggle.

Rejecting the anti-Marxist preachings of the Chinese revisionists on the so-called "third world" as the "major motive force which pushes ahead the wheel of history", Comrade Enver Hoxha's book proves in a profound and convincing way, through lively facts, the teachings of Marxism-Leninism that the working class constitutes the decisive force for the revolutionary transformation of the world, for the construction of the socialist and communist society, that the leadership of the working class and of its revolutionary party is decisive in order to consistently carry through to the end the anti-imperialist liberation struggle as well, that these Marxist-Leninist teachings retain all their validity and vitality even in the present times.

Comrade Enver Hoxha's book rejects and exposes through facts the deceitful propaganda of the Chinese revisionists that the theory of the "three worlds" allegedly expresses and defends the vital interests of the oppressed peoples and constitutes a support to their struggle against imperialism and the superpowers in particular. Imperialism and the Revolution indisputably proves that this ill-famed "theory" is the most brutal sabotage of this struggle and sacrifices the interests of the oppressed peoples for the sake of the chauvinist aims of the Chinese revisionists for China's transformation into a social-imperialist superpower. Comrade Enver Hoxha especially exposes the endeavors of the Chinese revisionists to divert the peoples of the so-called "third world" from the struggle against the bourgeoisie and the reactionary, repressive and fascist regimes which rule in many of these countries. Unreservedly supporting the just revolutionary and liberation struggle of these peoples for the emancipation of their countries from the imperialist dictate and tutelage, "We", writes Comrade Enver Hoxha, "are against those revisionist theoreticians who preach that now all the revolutionary struggles should be reduced into a struggle for national independence, to win and defend this independence from the aggression of the imperialist powers, denying the struggle for social liberation. Only the triumph of this struggle ensures also the full and genuine national freedom, independence and sovereignty. M Lenin teaches us that the revolution should be carried through to the end, liquidating the bourgeoisie and its power. Only on this basis it can be spoken of as genuine freedom, independence and sovereignty".

In the book Imperialism and the Revolution special attention is devoted to the criticism and exposure of the anti-Marxist preachings and practices of the Chinese revisionists on the exploitation of inter-imperialist contradictions and on compromises. Comrade Enver Hoxha rejects one by one the "arguments" of the theory of the "three worlds" on this question. He uncovers the true aims which lurk behind the demagogy of the Chinese revisionists on the exploitation of the contradictions, their attempts to justify the reactionary alliances with U.S. imperialism and the other Western imperialists, with NATO and the European Common Market, with the monopoly bourgeoisie and the reactionary regimes, unscrupulously sacrificing the interests of the revolution and the liberation struggle of the peoples. Naturally, the contradictions and cracks in the enemy camp should be exploited. But, Comrade Enver Hoxha emphasizes "it is principled only when the contradictions are always exploited to the good of the revolution, to the good of the peoples and their freedom, to the good of the cause of socialism."

Comrade Enver Hoxha draws the conclusion that "all the 'theories' on the division of the world into the 'first world', 'second world', 'third world', 'non- aligned world', 'world under development' or in any other 'world' that can be invented tomorrow, serve capitalism, serve the hegemony of the big powers, serve their aims to keep the peoples in slavery. This is the reason why we combat these reactionary and anti-Marxist theories with all our forces".

The analysis and facts show that the so-called theory of the "three worlds" is an integral part of the plan of the Chinese revisionist leadership for China's transformation into a new social-imperialist superpower.

"Through the policy pursued by China", writes Comrade Enver Hoxha, "it is becoming more and more clear that it wants to consolidate the positions of capitalism at home and establish its hegemony in the world, to become a big imperialist power, in order to occupy, so to speak, "the place it merits".

The grave and very dangerous consequences which this ambitious, chauvinist, hegemonic and racist plan brings about for the Chinese people themselves, as well as for the interests and security of the other peoples, are revealed with an iron logic in Comrade Enver Hoxha's book.

This plan, has widely opened the doors of the country to the free penetration of foreign capital into China, putting under attack the independence and sovereignty of the country. The agreements of the ' Chinese revisionists with the foreign states and the U.S., Japanese, West German, British, French monopoly companies, etc., being concluded unrestrainedly every day on a broad scale, completely prove Comrade Enver Hoxha's analysis on this question in the work Imperialism and the Revolution. "Such credits", underlines Comrade Enver Hoxha, "make dependent every state that receives them, because the moneylender imposes its policy. Therefore, either big or small, each state that puts itself on the gears of imperialism, truncates or loses its political freedom, independence and sovereignty. In this situation of the mutilation of sovereignty has also fallen the Soviet Union, which when it embarked on the road of the restoration of capitalism, was much more powerful economically and militarily than China today, which is embarking on the same road."

Imperialism and the Revolution makes a profound and convincing criticism of the efforts of the Chinese revisionist and social-imperialist leadership to dominate, in the framework of the plan of China's transformation into a superpower, over the less developed countries in the world, to become the leader of the so-called "third world" by spreading there its political and ideological influence.

Of special importance is the exposure by Comrade Enver Hoxha of the dangerous warmongering policy, pursued with great persistence by the Chinese social- imperialist leading clique, brutally rejecting the Marxist-Leninist teachings and stands on the question of war, peace and revolution. "The great thirst of the Chinese leaders to transform as soon as possible their country into a superpower and to establish its hegemony everywhere, and especially in the so-called 'third world"', writes Comrade Enver Hoxha in Imperialism and the Revolution, "has made them have in the foundation of their strategy and foreign policy the instigation of inter-imperialist war". They try to instigate a frontal confrontation between the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union in Europe, while China is to warm its hands from far away in the atomic fir which according to the calculations of the Chinese leadership, would destroy its two main rivals, and would leave it the sole omnipotent ruler in the world. Thus, the whole of the theory of the "three worlds", all its strategy, the alliances and the "fronts" it preaches, the targets it wants to reach, do not call for revolution, but they instigate the imperialist world war.

But, as Comrade Enver Hoxha underlines, China's unprincipled, expansionist, imperialist and warmongering policy to become a superpower, inspired by an anti-Marxist ideology, is being exposed and will be exposed even more in the eyes of all the peoples. This policy is leading China into a blind alley, which will cost the Chinese people dearly and cannot fail to bring about, in the end, profound and irreconcilable contradictions between them and the revisionist renegade leadership in power.

Comrade Enver Hoxha's book Imperialism and the Revolution is another clear testimony of the unshaken principled stand of the PLA in defense of Marxism- Leninism and proletarian internationalism. "The Party of Labor of Albania", writes Comrade Enver Hoxha, "has combatted, combats and will always be in resolute combat in defense of the purity of the Marxist-Leninist ideas. It is and will always be against all those who strive to distort and substitute them with bourgeois, revisionist and counter-revolutionary ideas... there is no force which can divert our Party from this honorable, fully internationalist and glorious road, there is no force which can frighten and subdue it. Our Party does not reconcile with any kind of opportunism, with any kind of deviation from Marxism-Leninism, with any of its distortions. It will resolutely combat Chinese revisionism too, as well as against every other sort".

Important lessons, which should always be born in mind, can be drawn from this unyielding struggle of the PLA against modern revisionism of every hue, against the Yugoslav and Soviet, "Eurocommunist" and Chinese one and from its own experience.

Above all, the experience of this struggle shows that it is indispensable to always maintain sharp the revolutionary vigilance towards the undermining, subversive and counter-revolutionary activity of the bourgeoisie, imperialism and social-imperialism and against modern revisionism. The Khrushchovite, Yugoslav, "Eurocommunist" bourgeois and revisionist theories and preachings and, together with them also, the theories of the Chinese revisionists, stresses Comrade Enver Hoxha, "are a constituent part of the great strategic plan of imperialism and modern revisionism to destroy socialism and to suffocate the revolution. Under these circumstances", he writes, "the defense of Marxism-Leninism, of the principles of proletarian internationalism, the consistent and revolutionary stand towards the major world problems constitute at present a fundamental task for our Party, just as for all the genuine Marxist-Leninists".

The experience of our Party in the struggle against modern revisionism also shows that the unflinching, principled Marxist-Leninist line consistently pursued is the only correct and salvation road to defend and carry forward uninterruptedly the cause of the revolution and socialism, to bar the roads to the danger of the revisionist degeneration and setback. Therefore, stresses Comrade Enver Hoxha, the duty of our Party, as well as of all the genuine communists in the world is to fight with devotion to defend and to purify our Marxist-Leninist theory from all the deformations the bourgeoisie, the modern revisionists and all the opportunists and traitors make to it.

The struggle against modern revisionism, particularly against the Soviet, Yugoslav and Chinese one, will not be an easy, but a fierce and protracted struggle. And, for the successful development of this struggle, it is necessary that the communists, the cadres, all the working people mold themselves properly with the revolutionary ideology of Marxism- Leninism, persistently study the rich experience of our Party in the struggle against modern revisionism, to go deeper and deeper in the teachings of our Party and Comrade Enver Hoxha. From this viewpoint, Comrade Enver Hoxha's work Imperialism and the Revolution makes an invaluable contribution to and is a sharp weapon for the revolutionary ideo-political education and tempering of the communists, cadres and working people.

The struggle and the unwavering stand of the Party of Labor of Albania against modern revisionism, as well as the magnificent successes of Socialist Albania in face-to-face confrontation with the savage, hostile, anti-Albanian activity of the Yugoslav, Soviet and Chinese revisionists, are a vivid proof of the invincible strength of the ideas of Marxism-Leninism. And in this struggle, the Albanian communists and people have not been, are not and can never be alone. All the genuine Marxist-Leninists and revolutionaries, the world proletariat and the freedom-loving peoples in all the countries are in fraternal internationalist friendship and solidarity with them.

Irrespective of the attempts and actions the bourgeoisie, imperialism and social-imperialism, as well as the revisionist renegades of all shades will undertake, they will never be in a position to turn back the wheel of history and they are doomed to suffer defeat and be wiped out. The final victory belongs to Marxism-Leninism, socialism, communism. End.

[Back to Top]

U.S. Neo-Revisionism as the American Expression of the International Opportunist Trend of Chinese Revisionism

Part One

Today the "three worlds" theory has become an object of scorn and hatred all around the globe. This so-called "theory", this social-chauvinist stand of sell-out and betrayal and mish-mash of tired out revisionist theses, is despised and condemned by the Marxist-Leninist Parties and organizations the world over. Everyone is denouncing the path of the "three worlders", the path of collaboration with U.S. imperialism and world reaction, the path of the instigation of imperialist wars and the cheering on of U.S. imperialism to build more and more weapons of mass destruction, the path of betraying the anti-imperialist struggles and the socialist revolutionary movement under the pretext of "striking the main blow at Soviet social-imperialism". Life itself is continually providing new proofs of the bankruptcy of this theory. The recent establishment of U.S.-China diplomatic relations and Teng Hsiao-ping's tour of the U.S. -- both carried out as part of and a new stage of the warmongering U.S.-China alliance -- has provided yet another proof of the utter bankruptcy of the "three worlds" theory. Today those who do not see the revisionist and counter-revolutionary nature of the theory of "three worlds" are blind. And those who profess to see the counter-revolutionary nature of this theory, yet who spend their time throwing unspeakable filth against Comrade Enver Hoxha, the Party of Labor of Albania and all the world's revolutionary Marxist-Leninists and who flaunt all the basic theses of the "three worlds" theory as their banner, these gentlemen are equally with the other "three worlders" nothing but renegades and traitors to the proletariat and the revolution, special agents for the Chinese revisionists, wrecking crews for imperialism and revisionism.

Thus all over the world the Marxist-Leninists have put fighting the "three worlds" theory and Chinese revisionism as one of their crucial tasks, an essential part of the fight against modern revisionism and social-imperialism. One of the big questions that has therefore occupied the minds of the American revolutionaries is -- how could it come about that the arch-revisionist theory of "three worlds" could be taken up right inside the movement against modern revisionism? How did the theory of "three worlds" manage to infiltrate into the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement? In the U.S., in the late 60's and early 70's the advanced section of the revolutionary activists from the mass movements took up Marxism-Leninism and opposition to modern Khrushchovite revisionism. What does the emergence of the Klonskyite social-chauvinism and Pentagon-socialism of "directing the main blow at Soviet social-imperialism" and the disgusting spectacle of the "RCP,USA's" anti-communist attacks on Comrade Enver Hoxha and socialism in Albania clarify about the struggle that has been waged in the past decade inside the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement? This question cannot be avoided. The Marxist-Leninists did not fight Khrushchovite revisionism in order to become the "left" wing of the warmongering U.S. -China alliance. And the answer to this question will provide graphic proof that behind all the fights and conflicts in the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement, the red thread running through all the sound and fury was the development of the struggle between revolutionary Marxism-Leninism and opportunist neo-revisionism. The red thread was the progressive consolidation of revolutionary Marxism-Leninism,from the nucleus of the Party, towards the reconstitution of the Marxist- Leninist Party, and the continual degeneration of neo-revisionism into open counter-revolutionary "three worlds-ism". The struggle was between carrying the repudiation of modern revisionism through to the end, versus conciliating revisionism and falling into a cozy accommodation with opportunism and imperialism; between building the single, monolithic Marxist-Leninist Party of the proletariat, and factionalizing the movement through first advocating "pre-party collectives" and the existence of the "pre-party situation" and then building "many opportunist parties"; between propagating and applying Marxism-Leninism and propagating and applying liberal-labor politics and opportunism on the pretext that the masses are allegedly too "backward" to support the revolution. And history shows that the mainstream within the neo-revisionist trend was encouraged, given ideological direction, financed, and in an all-round way fostered as a special agency of Chinese revisionism, that U.S. neo-revisionism is in the main the American expression of the international opportunist trend of Chinese revisionism. (One major neo-revisionist organization, the "Communist" League which now calls itself the "Communist Labor Party of the United States of North America", has turned out to be a special "left"-sloganeering agency of Soviet revisionism. This is very significant, as it shows that Russian revisionism and Chinese revisionism are twin brothers, variants of the common trend of modern revisionism. In a note at the end of this article, the role of the "C"L as neo-revisionism from the "left" is briefly outlined.)

The truth is that Chinese revisionism, which was corroding the Communist Party of China from within, has also long propped up, financed, bribed and danced quadrilles around almost all the opportunist trends in the American "left" movement. It has sought to subvert the powerful movement against modern revisionism, to divert what it could into the path of support for Chinese revisionist ambitions and to smash the rest of the movement. To this end, it has used the mainstream of neo-revisionism (particularly the Klonskyite October League, now calling itself the "Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist)", the "Revolutionary" Union, now calling itself the "Revolutionary Communist Party, USA", and a host of smaller imitators and competitors) as its special agencies. The recent open alliance of Chinese revisionism with U.S.-led Western imperialism and the ravings of Hua Kuo-feng and Teng Hsiao-ping, as well as the principled struggle of the Marxist-Leninists against social-chauvinism and the "three worlds" theory, have clarified a number of questions. For years, our friends and sympathizers have asked us, and our enemies have taunted us, with the. following type of question: why do the Chinese denounce the COUSML and the American Communist Workers Movement (Marxist-Leninist) (the main predecessor of the COUSML)? Why in the 70's did the Chinese reprint from or report on in their publications the OL ("CP(M-L)"), the RU ("RCP,USA"), the Guardian, RCL(M-L-M) (Baraka's group), the LPR, the Black Panthers, the IWK("LRS(M-L)"), the MLOC("CPUSA (M-L)") and countless others, including fascist bourgeois journals, but never from the ACWM(M-L) or the COUSML? Why from a fairly early period did all the visitors to China come back and say that the Chinese told them that the COUSML was "trotskyite", "ultra-left", "dogmatic", "police","Soviet agents", and other outrageous concoctions worthy only of the imperialist political police ? This torrent of abuse from China rained down on our heads and the Chinese circulated it through the dirtiest channels, through rumor and gossip, through opportunists and even out-and-out bourgeois personal ties. This abuse was also aimed by the Chinese against our fraternal comrades of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) and especially at its staunch chairman, Comrade Hardial Bains. The Chinese, in common with the U.S. imperialists, wanted to prevent the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement from learning from the experience of the CPC (M-L), the first Party to be reconstituted on the Marxist-Leninist basis in North America. For this reason, they called us "pawns of the Canadians" and also for the reason that the only relation the Chinese revisionists can imagine is the one between masters and slaves, between the Chinese revisionist center and its slavish special agencies. This slander campaign caused confusion. The neo-revisionists played the Chinese revisionist game and took up the slanders from China heart and soul. "China said so" was the watchword of all these worthies. They tried to create the impression that there was something wrong, something out of place, with the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists. It is of course now clear to everyone who wishes to see that there was nothing out of place about ACWM(M-L) and the COUSML. On the contrary, these Chinese revisionist slanders were in fact a mark of honor for the COUSML, proof that the Chinese revisionists felt that they could deal with the various opportunist sects, but saw their mortal enemy in the camp of the U.S. revolutionary Marxist-Leninists led by ACWM(M-L) and the COUSML.

For a long time we thought the opportunists were slandering China in attributing these wild anti-communist ravings to the Communist Party of China. We held that the Chinese communists would never say such terrible things as they were reported to have said -- these things must be perhaps the deeds of a few revisionist bad elements but mostly the concoctions of the various opportunist dogs who visited China. And indeed, the Chinese invited a whole string of opportunists -- including the out-and-out Khrushchovite revisionist journalist Wilfred Burchett, various "Eurocommunists", reactionary bourgeois, "concerned Asian scholars", etc. But now it is crystal clear that the Chinese revisionists were indeed a never-ending source for the opportunists. The Chinese revisionists very quickly found out that the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists would never agree to give up the revolution, to stop the struggle against modern revisionism and act as a tool of Chinese social-imperialism, or join with the Nixons and Carters in a warmongering U.S. -China alliance. They realized that whatever formulations the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists might temporarily adopt from the Chinese Communist Party, that nevertheless the Marxist-Leninists held nothing sacred besides the purity of Marxism-Leninism, the interests of the proletariat and oppressed masses, and the cause of the revolution and of socialism. Therefore the Chinese revisionists undertook the struggle against revolutionary Marxism-Leninism and engaged in wrecking activities to split and dismember the U.S. Marxist- Leninist movement.

Thus the history and development of the struggle in the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement between revolutionary Marxism-Leninism and neo-revisionism is bound up with the development of Chinese revisionism. To rebuild the Marxist-Leninist Party in the U.S., it is therefore crucial to fight Chinese revisionism and "three world-ism". We must place special stress on denouncing "our own" social-chauvinists and "our own" domestic "three worlders" and local agencies of Chinese revisionism. The "three worlds" theory is not just an erroneous "international line", nor is Chinese revisionism just a question of policies relating to China's internal degeneration. No, first and foremost, "three worlds-ism" is a whole system of opportunist and revisionist views and practices on every question, it is all-round collaboration with the bourgeoisie on all questions. The open warmongering and Pentagon- socialism of the Klonskyites is a blatant open exposure and further development of the hidden revisionist and class-collaborationist nature that has always been the essence of neo-revisionism. It is this whole arsenal of opportunism that must be fought, or else the Marxist-Leninist movement runs the risk of simply putting a pleasing coat of paint over the rust spots and of allowing the opportunist rust to continue its hidden corrosion under the surface, it is necessary to use the condemnation of "three worlds-ism" in order to assess the history of the struggle against Khrushchovite revisionism in the U.S., to expose the corrosive and reactionary role of neo-revisionism, and to defend the Marxist-Leninist teachings on all questions of the revolution. This is the only path worthy of Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries. Leninism teaches that the social-chauvinism and blatant counter-revolutionary sophistry of the opportunists is no accident. Analyzing the social-chauvinism of the time of World War I, Lenin taught that:

"Throughout the existence of the Second International, a struggle was raging within all the Social-Democratic parties, between their revolutionary and the opportunist wings. In a number of countries a split took place along this line (Britain, Italy, Holland,Bulgaria). Not one Marxist has ever doubted that opportunism expresses bourgeois policies within the working-class movement, expresses the interests of the petty- bourgeoisie and the alliance of a tiny section of bourgeoisified workers with their 'own' bourgeoisie, against the interests of the proletarian mass, the oppressed masses. …

"The war has speeded up this development and transformed opportunism into social-chauvinism, transformed the secret alliance between the opportunists and the bourgeoisie into an open one. …

"Opportunism and social-chauvinism have the same politico-ideological content -- class collaboration instead of the class struggle, renunciation of revolutionary methods of struggle, helping one's 'own' government in its embarrassed situation, instead of taking advantage of these embarrassments so as to advance the revolution. If we take Europe as a whole and if we pay attention, not to individuals (even the most authoritative), we will find that it is the opportunist trend that has become the bulwark of social-chauvinism, whereas from the camp of the revolutionaries, more or less consistent protests against it are heard from almost all sides." ("Socialism and War", Collected Works, Vol. 21, pp. 309-310) Thus, as Lenin put it in The Collapse of the Second International, "The first and most fundamental demand of scientific research in general and of Marxist dialectic in particular is that a writer should examine the link between the present struggle of trends in the socialist movement... and the struggle that preceded it for whole decades." He stressed that "It is perfectly obvious that social-chauvinism's basic ideological and political content fully coincides with the foundations of opportunism. It is one and the same tendency. In the conditions of the war of 1914-15, opportunism leads to social-chauvinism." (Collected Works, Vol. 21, pp. 238, 242) In this way Lenin showed how to find the roots of the great betrayal of the social-chauvinists in the history of the decades of development of opportunism corroding the Second International from the inside, and how the struggle between the internationalists and the social-chauvinists was a continuation of the struggle between revolutionary Marxists and opportunists of the previous period.

Lenin's teachings hold true today with regard to the "three worlders" and social-chauvinists in the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement. The emergence of the open and undisguised social-chauvinism of "directing the main blow at Soviet social-imperialism" and of the whole jingo "three worlds" arsenal of the Klonskyites and other opportunists came about as a result of the corrosion of neo-revisionism for years inside the U.S. Marxist-Leninist movement. The fairytale by some that the Klonskyites and "three worlders" were once staunch revolutionaries, the fairytale that the development of the "three worlds theory" was that "...opportunism has begun to spring up in groups and parties that once opposed revisionism consistently and stood for revolution", is a mockery of the truth. In theory, it is a denial of the struggle between Marxism-Leninism and revisionism, while in practice it expresses a desire to maintain neo-revisionism, to rescue it from the fiasco of its exposure as social-chauvinism and "three worlds-ism", to return to the former hypocrisy and continue the struggle against the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists.

The development of neo-revisionism itself should be seen in the light of a struggle between Marxism- Leninism and revisionism that has been going on for decades inside the American Marxist-Leninist movement. The neo-revisionists and Klonskyites are new Browderites. Ever since the mid-30's the Browderite liberal-labor politics has remained a curse subverting the American working class movement. Browderism fights the revolution and communism by reducing the working class movement to a "left" wing to the "liberals", a trade union caucus or a "special interest group" inside the big "Rooseveltian" coalition of the Democratic Party. And if no 'liberals" are around, the Browderites define one shade or other of the fascist imperialist politicians as "liberals". The Browderites turn the workers over to the tender mercies of the labor bureaucrats, the lawyers and the "liberals" and make it their job to perfect the government apparatus to suppress the workers' struggles, to praise the NLRB and work for new forms of labor- management-government cooperation. They similarly betray the Afro-American movement. They deprive it of proletarian leadership as Browderism liquidates the Party as a revolutionary organization and reduces the workers' and communist movement to bourgeois trade unionism. They work hand in hand with the government in shackling the Afro-American movement to the civil rights commissions, to the lawyers and courts, to the state-paid strata of poverty pimps and "militant" bureaucrats, to the opportunist theories of "non-violence" and cultural nationalism, and to the allegedly 'liberal" bureaucracy of the federal government. Browderism was never thoroughly repudiated m the U.S., and its corrosion left the Communist Party of the U.S.A. easy prey to Khrushchovite revisionism. The Progressive Labor Party was set up as a Marxist-Leninist center against revisionism, but it was unable to settle accounts with modern revisionism, Browderism and liberal-labor politics; it eventually stopped fighting revisionism and it degenerated into a Trotskyite sect. Neo-revisionism in essence has proved to be Browderite liberal-labor politics, reformism, and flimsy conciliation to all opportunism and any fashionable deviation, but it also has a rather thin "left" veneer, "which is an eclectic broth of special sectarian principles, anarcho-syndicalism and straight out idealist sophistry. Neo-revisionism finds its typical theoretical elaboration in a series of infamous, anti-Marxist dichotomies; such as: the Party is counterposed to the mass movement, or vice versa; the economic struggle is counterposed to the political struggle; the alternatives are given of bourgeois trade unionism or of denouncing the economic struggle as economism; bourgeois intellectualism and idealism is given as the alternatives to pragmatism and utter mindlessness and usually both are combined. Over a period of time, neo-revisionism developed a whole series of anti-Marxist doctrines and spread confusion on every issue. Whenever it develops as a serious trend, though, its essence as liberal-labor politics and Browderism are clearly visible.

Chinese revisionism too went through a process of development before giving rise to open social-imperialism. Since the time of Hua Kuo-feng's coup d'etat and of the new elevation of Teng Hsiao-ping, the bankruptcy of Chinese revisionism is clearly evident, but there are long-standing roots of Chinese revisionism and even the U.S.-China alliance has been in preparation since 1971. Facts prove that Mao Tsetung was not a Marxist-Leninist classicist and that the Chinese Communist Party vacillated in the crucial struggle against modern revisionism. Today part of the assessment of the course of the struggle against modern revisionism is the reassessment of the role of the Communist Party of China and the uncovering of the long-standing roots of Chinese revisionism. An important role in this reassessment has been and will be played by the serious study of such important Marxist-Leninist documents as the July 29 Letter of the PLA and Enver Hoxha's brilliant new book Imperialism and the Revolution.

This article is the first in a series which will analyze many of the basic opportunist and revisionist theses which are common to both U.S. neo-revisionism and Chinese revisionism. These theses provided the theoretical basis for the emergence of open social- chauvinism. The struggle against these revisionist theses is linked up inseparably with the struggle against Chinese revisionism. Where did the reactionary theses of "'third world' peoples are more revolutionary than North Americans and Europeans", "revolution is not on the agenda for the U.S.", " 'United Front Against Imperialism' as the strategy of the American revolution", "hiding the Party behind the united front", "the Party emerges spontaneously from the mass movement", "the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists are dogmatists, Trotskyites and imperialist agents", "the revisionists and opportunists are middle forces that can and should be united with" come from? These theses did not spring up by spontaneous generation, by unfortunate accident, but were imported into the Marxist-Leninist movement from definite sources, from a melange of social-democracy, Khrushchovite revisionism, Browderism, Castroism and even directly from imperialist ideologues. They were saved from death, and revived, and taken over by Chinese revisionism. The struggle against social-chauvinism and the task of reconstituting and constantly strengthening the Marxist-Leninist Party requires the elimination of the revisionist theses. The proletarian revolution requires the revolutionary theory of Marxism-Leninism.

Among the neo-revisionist fallacies to be discussed in the following articles are the following:

--Castroite and New Left predecessors of the "theory of three worlds" the denial of the role of the Marxist-Leninist Party

--the opposition to the struggle against revisionism and opportunism

--the skepticism about the proletarian revolutions in the West

--the slanders and abuse of the great Marxist-Leninist, Stalin

--the theory of "the united front against imperialism" as the strategy of American revolution

(to be continued)

Postscript: A note on the "CLP,USNA"

The mainstream of the neo-revisionist trend is nothing but a special agency of Chinese revisionism. But there is one major neo-revisionist organization that is an exception to this general rule, namely the "Communist Labor Party of the United States of North America", formerly the "Communist League". This rotten neo-revisionist grouping proved in the long run to be a left-sloganeering front for Soviet revisionism rather than a direct agency of the Chinese revisionists. The existence of a Soviet agency in the neo-revisionist trend is very significant, as it shows the close affinity between Chinese revisionism and Soviet revisionism. Chinese revisionism is not, as it presents itself, the fiercest enemy of modern Khrushchovite revisionism but is simply a competitor of Soviet revisionism inside the camp of world revisionism. No matter what differences of detail exists, differences which are important to take into account tactically and for the better and more complete development of the struggle to annihilate these revsionisms, nevertheless these differences only reflect the interests of the different bourgeoisies that adapt revisionism to their use and do not contradict the fact that in its essence modern revisionism forms an integrated world opportunist trend.

The "CLP, USNA" had its own variant of neo-revisionism, as opposed to the Klonskyites and the RU ("RCP,USA"), it formed "neo-revisionism from the left". Where the "right" neo-revisionists set the mass movement against the Party, the "left" neo-revisionists set the Party against the mass movement. The "CLP" then used its stand "for" the Party to present itself as the staunchest advocate of Marxism- Leninism and the real opponents of New Leftism. But in fact the basic point was the "CLP" agreed with the other neo-revisionists in the basic neo-revisionist dichotomy of counterposing the Party to the mass movement. In practice therefore its "Party" amounted to the same loose Browderite educational association as that of the Klonskyites. As a matter of fact, the "CLP", despite its "left" image, actually is mired in the same liberal-labor politics of the neo-revisionists. It justifies this with the typical confusion-mongering of the neo-revisionists, through setting up a typical neo-revisionist dichotomy of counterposing revolution to reform. According to Nelson Peery, no revolutionary party ever made a revolution, because you have to prepare the revolution with day-to- day work, which is reformist work. Thus revolution is put off to never-never land, while day-to-day work is reformism, which is indeed the actual practice of the "CLP". Its social base too is no different from the other neo-revisionists. With reference to its membership and not just its sophistical method of arguing, it can be called the "Communist Lawyers Party". It completed its own exposure when it took up a pro-Soviet social-imperialist stand. Despite the "CLP's" very "left" criticism that the "CPUSA" was never a Marxist-Leninist Party at any time in its history, it turned out that the "CLP" actually is mesmerized by the "socialism" of the "CPUSA" and the Soviet social-imperialists. They say that the "CPUSA" was and is not a Marxist-Leninist Party but is an honest fighter for "socialism"! And thus another neo-revisionist sect openly declared its own bankruptcy! End.

[Back to Top]

Down with the "RCP-USA's" Shameful Anti-Communist Attack on the Glorious Party of Labor of Albania!

In an editorial in the January 1979 issue of Revolution, the Central Organ of the Central Committee of the "Revolutionary Communist Party, USA", the "RCP,USA" makes a vicious anti-communist attack on Comrade Enver Hoxha and the Party of Labor of Albania. The RCP leadership displayed its U.S. great-power chauvinism and essentially called for the the overthrow of the leadership of the Party of Labor of Albania. The editorial is full of filth, like saying that the PLA allegedly is "challenging the entire science of Marxism-Leninism" and is following "bourgeois nationalist interests". And what is the pretext for "RCP's" frenzied gangster activity? The RCP leadership is frightened by the publication in English and release of Enver Hoxha's outstanding new work Imperialism and the Revolution. With this attack on Albania, the RCP leadership has come out openly against the only genuine socialist country in the world and exposed the RCP's anti-revolutionary and anti-communist features. With this attack, the RCP leadership has come out in the open to claim the title of commando squad of "three worlds-ism" and wrecking crew for imperialism and revisionism. This attack marks the complete bankruptcy of the "RCP" and of its chief "theoretical" hack and "creative" interpreter of the "three worlds" theory and Chinese revisionism, Bob Avakian.

Why is the "RCP" leadership attacking the Party of Labor of Albania? The "RCP" is doing this because it is a fervent adherent of the theory of "three worlds" and of the entire arsenal of Chinese revisionism. We show in an article elsewhere in this issue the fraudulent nature of "RCP's" criticism of the "three worlds" theory. The "RCP" has sought one way after another to hold back the struggle against "three worlds-ism" and to preserve the basic theses of "three worlds-ism". Their differences with the Klonskyites ("CP(M-L)") are not on fundamentals, but only on shade, they were never opponents of the social-chauvinists but only centrists, conciliators, as we showed in the pamphlet "Why Did the 'RCP, USA' Split?'. It was inevitable that the deepening of the struggle against "three worlds-ism" and Chinese revisionism would drive the "RCP" to frenzy. They were not happy about Enver Hoxha's historic Report to the Seventh Congress of the Party of Labor of Albania nor about the justly famous article "The Theory and Practice of the Revolution". They were thrown into a panic by the July 29th "Letter of the CC of the Party of Labor and the Government of Albania to the CC of the Communist Party and the Government of China". Instead of enthusiastically taking up the defense of socialist Albania against the attacks of the Chinese revisionists, Teng Hsiao-ping, Hua Kuo-feng and Co., they circulated attacks on Albania. The "RCP's" article in the September 1978 Revolution on China's attacks on Albania was not a defense of Albania but a polemic against the July 29th Letter. The "RCP" leadership is afraid of the exposure of the long-standing roots of Chinese revisionism. Now that Imperialism and the Revolution has been published, they have let out their full anti-communist fury. The "RCP" leadership has attacked the book before reading it: the editorial admits that "we have not had an opportunity to study the book" but have only seen the summary from the December 20th issue of the Albanian Telegraphic Agency. From that alone they can tell that the PLA is allegedly "challenging the entire science of Marxism-Leninism". What a serious scientific attitude to Marxism-Leninism, what a careful examination and study of the views of the Party of Labor of Albania! The "RCP" leadership is in such a hurry because they want to stop the circulation of this book or, at least, to close the minds of their cadre in advance. But the "RCP's" frenzy will only arouse even more interest in Imperialism and the Revolution. Circulation and study of Comrade Hoxha's book will be a good way for the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists to reply to "RCP's" treachery!

Revolution's editorial reveals the "RCP's" leadership's total degeneration to gangster activity. More and more in the last half year, the RCP has stepped up its gangster style of activity and aim 3d them not at the Klonskyites but mainly at the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists, both in the U.S. and internationally. The editorial utterly revels in its shame. It declares the existence of two lines in the Party of Labor of Albania and states its solidarity with those who "will fight Enver Hoxha's attempts to drag them on the wrong side of this dividing line" and declares that the Albanian Marxist-Leninists are "in objective unity with Teng Hsiao-ping, the Soviet social-imperialists and other revisionists". Thus the "RCP" leadership is openly endorsing the despicable acts of the Chinese revisionists in inciting and organizing the treacherous sabotage activity of the putschist group of Beqir Balluku, Abdyl Kellezi, Koco Theodhosi, etc. The "RCP" leadership is not expressing some difference of opinion in the common struggle nor is it writing a scientific polemic, instead on the contrary, the "RCP" leadership simply calls for the overthrow of the PLA's leadership. This is out- and-out fascist, imperialist mentality. This is the same road as Tito, Khrushchov and the Chinese revisionists tried before the "RCP" leadership. As Enver says, referring to the Chinese attempt, "So we made the mines explode in the hands of the Chinese." ("Albania Is Forging Ahead Confidently and Unafraid" reprinted in Proletarian Internationalism, Vol. 1, No.1, p. 55) And the "RCP's" vicious attacks on a principled Party staunchly fighting all revisionism and upholding the purity of Marxism-Leninism, the PLA, will surely blow up in their own hands in a torrent of outrage from all genuine Marxist-Leninists!

The "RCP" leadership has by its actions shown its hatred of socialism. The "RCP" would have the world believe that it is only motivated by its pure love for socialism in China. But how can one love socialism in China and hate it in Albania? Albania is a small country, with less population than many cities of the world. *Yet it has set an example to the whole world of unflinching courage in following the principles of Marxism-Leninism. It impresses the whole world and upsets the plans of Chinese revisionism by relying neither on U.S. imperialism, Soviet social-imperialism nor any other patron. Albania stands firmly on the basis of self-reliance and the support of the world proletariat and all progressive people. It shows the tremendous power of the toiling masses when led by a genuine Marxist-Leninist Communist Party such as the Party of Labor of Albania. It shows the shining reality of socialism and shines forth as a beacon to all the oppressed and exploited masses around the world. And the "RCP" leadership has no warmth, no love, not even respect for glorious socialist Albania, but just fear and spite in front of Albania's unflinching stand against revisionism. The "RCP" leadership,like any run of the mill Trotskyite, attacks Albania for "bourgeois nationalist interest".

In the editorial, the "RCP" gives no serious arguments at all to explain its treachery. The editorial is written in the vulgar style that one has come to expect of the "RCP". The editorial shouts a little about consistency. Imagine that! The "RCP", which is jumping from this position to that position in a frenzy on the "three worlds" theory, is worried about consistency. The "RCP" leadership regards it as highly inconsistent that the PLA defended the Communist Party of China when the CPC was fighting imperialism and revisionism, refrained from making its differences public, and maintained this stand until the open alliance of Chinese revisionism with imperialism, and the Chinese revisionists' barbarous and brutal attacks on Albania forced an open split. Anyone who wishes to know how the Albanians developed the struggle against Chinese revisionism should read the July 29th Letter and Imperialism and the Revolution. Anyone who traces the PLA's stand on any important question through the readily available literature will see that the PLA has constantly maintained a consistent principled position -- and it will be quite a relief from trying to figure out the zig-zag positions of the Chinese revisionists on anything.

The fact is that it is not consistency that the "RCP" leadership is worrying about. Instead the "RCP" leadership is trying to defend Chinese revisionism and the "three worlds" theory through the same political blackmail with respect to Mao Tsetung that the Klonskyites tried in 1977. A difference of shade is that the Klonskyites flaunted the "three worlds" theory and tried to hide their revisionism and denial of the revolutionary Marxism-Leninism of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin, while the "RCP, USA" in its long series "Mao Tsetung's Immortal Contributions" flaunts Bob Avakian's contempt for Marx, Engels, Lenin and especially Stalin and is trying to disguise its support for the "three worlds" theory. We predict that they will have the same fiasco that the "CP(M-L)" Pentagon-socialists and volunteer advisors to the State Department had before them. The Marxist-Leninists will continue the struggle against Chinese revisionism despite the "RCP's" hysteria. On the question of Mao Tsetung, we hold that he is not a Marxist-Leninist classicist and we are certain that Comrade Enver Hoxha's book Imperialism and the Revolution will prove invaluable in uncovering the deep sources and long-term roots of Chinese revisionism.

As everyone knows, the "RCP" recently sponsored a big campaign to "give a fitting welcome to Teng Hsiao-ping". In our opinion, they succeeded quite well. Nothing could have made Teng happier than anti-communist attacks on and fascist, Trotskyite slanders of socialist Albania, the sharp thorn in the side of all imperialists and social-imperialists. But besides the 'RCP" leadership with its "fitting welcome" to Chinese revisionism, there are also the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists who led the proletariat in denouncing the U.S.-China warmongering imperialist alliance. The revolutionary proletariat will never stop fighting social-chauvinism and all the "three worlder" sects and enemies of socialism. Today the defense of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania is the touchstone of proletarian internationalism. And proletarian internationalism is inseparably connected with the struggle against "three worlds-ism", Chinese revisionism and all forms of revisionism and opportunism. Down with "RCP's" anti-communist attacks on the Party of Labor of Albania! End.

[Back to Top]

DOES THE "RCP-USA" OPPOSE THE THEORY OF "THREE WORLDS"?

It is of crucial importance for the advance of the proletarian socialist revolution in the U.S. that Chinese revisionism and its theory of "three worlds" be repudiated and the truths of Marxism-Leninism be upheld against the attacks and distortions of this latest variety of revisionism. The Marxist-Leninist Party, the decisive factor for the advance of the revolution, can only be built in the struggle against revisionism and opportunism of all hues. The "RCP, USA" has always opposed and disrupted the struggle against opportunism and revisionism. In theory, they have opposed the crucial role of the struggle against revisionism and followed the Chinese revisionist theory that revisionism and opportunism are "middle forces" that can and should be united with. In practice, they have conciliated the Klonskyite social-chauvinists on all issues, been fervent advocates of the basic ideological theses of social-chauvinism and "three worlds- ism", and upheld the entire arsenal of Chinese revisionism.

Today the "RCP,USA" has come to complete bankruptcy. Its anti-communist gangster attacks against the Party of Labor of Albania and Comrade Enver Hoxha have shown the meaning behind Bob Avakian's constant "creative" revisions and negations of the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin, and especially his scorn for and constant attacks on Stalin. Why has the "RCP,USA" been so hurt by the very announcement of the publication of Enver Hoxha's new book, Imperialism and the Revolution, that even before reading the book the "RCP" leadership issued its gangster attack on Enver Hoxha and the PLA?

The reason for the "RCP's" frenzy is that the "RCP" is a diehard defender of the theory of "three worlds" and of all the basic theses of social-chauvinism and Chinese revisionism. The sharpening of the struggle against revisionism therefore inevitably leads to their bankruptcy. The question of their stand on the "three worlds" theory is a vivid example of this. The "RCP" was right from the start thrilled by "three worlds-ism". Back in the late 60's, when the Castroite and New Left aspects of this theory were most apparent, the "RCP" supported this theory. Today the "RCP" still supports this theory. They have strived by one subterfuge and trick after another to stop the ever-deepening criticism of it. When the struggle against the blatant social- chauvinism of "directing the main blow against Soviet social-imperialism" began in late 1976, the "RCP" wanted at all costs to stop this struggle from going to the root of the question and repudiating the theory of "three worlds", to say nothing of stopping it from proceeding to the repudiation of the whole basis of neo-revisionism, the American expression of Chinese revisionism. The 'RCP's" only quarrel with social-chauvinism is that its Pentagon-socialist theses are too blatant and should be toned down for the better preservation of the main theses of neo-revisionism and opportunism. Therefore the "RCP" adopted the creative Avakian interpretation of a sanitized "three worlds", allegedly stripped of the theory of the "main blow". As this proved bankrupt, they advocated that the "three worlds" was just an "international line", not a full-scale counter-revolutionary doctrine for class collaboration on all questions, and that the problem was that while it correctly described the relations of countries on a world scale, it was not the full description of the international situation. So, they advocated that, as "opposed" to the Klonskyites who held that the "three worlds" theory was the strategy for world revolution, the "three worlds" theory was merely "part of' the strategy for world revolution or perhaps merely a "tactic". (See "On the Three Worlds And the International Situation", Revolution, July 1977) finally, in November 1978 the "RCP" ran an article in Revolution entitled '"Three Worlds' Strategy: Apology for Capitulation". But, upon reading the article, it turns out that the "RCP" leadership has not denounced the "three worlds" theory, but only a version of it. They have concocted the subterfuge that there are two "three worlds" theories, one before Mao Tsetung's death and one after it, and of course they only regard as counter-revolutionary the most recent version of the "three worlds" theory. They stress that it is "absolutely wrong, and quite dangerous, to see China's international line (here "RCP" is referring to the "three worlds" theory--ed.) as a direct continuum of development since China's 'opening to the West' in 1971". (p.16, col. 3 of the November 1978 Revolution) Finally, in an utter panic, even the "RCP" talks of "some errors made by Mao and the Four in regard to the international situation, especially the analysis of the Soviets being the 'main danger to the world's people'", (same reference as above) but says that it doesn't matter too much because Stalin allegedly made similar errors, namely the "error" of leading the world's people against the fascist Axis. (Revolution, November 1978, p. 14, col. 3)

In short, when all is said and done, the "RCP" is a diehard defender of the "three worlds" theory. Avakian is twisting and turning to deny the connection of the "three worlds" theory with the warmongering U.S.- China alliance that has been in preparation since 1971, to deny the connection of the "three worlds" theory with the whole arsenal of Chinese revisionism, to deny the central role of "three worlds-ism" in the development of neo-revisionism from the late 60's, to deny everything. The "RCP" must do this because it is precisely the resolute and uncompromising exposure of the theory of "three worlds", precisely the burning indignation and towering outrage this theory has called forward, that has proved one of the sharpest tools in opening people's eyes to the danger of Chinese revisionism and the utter rottenness of neo-revisionism. This is the crucial role played by the denunciation of social-chauvinism, by the denunciation of "directing the main blow against Soviet social-imperialism" and by fighting the theory of "three worlds". Take away or blunt the burning hatred for social-chauvinism and the theory of "three worlds"--and you paralyze the whole movement against Chinese revisionism and U.S. neo-revisionism. And that is the whole point of "RCP's" policy--to blunt the struggle against "directing the main blow against Soviet social-imperialism" and eliminate the struggle against the "three worlds" theory. But denounce the theory of "three worlds" and carry the struggle against social-chauvinism through to the end--and you are sure to rouse the masses on the questions of the roots of the theory of "three worlds", the questions of its origins, and on the whole history of the struggle between revolutionary Marxism-Leninism and neo-revisionism.

In this article we will analyze a few of the many opportunist positions taken by the "RCP" in its recent writings which allegedly "oppose" the theory of "three worlds". This analysis will show that "RCP" is nothing but another "three worlder" sect. These points will be grouped under three main headings.

The first heading consists of those positions of the "RCP" which are directly and precisely the basic theses of the theory of "three worlds" or which directly praise this theory. These points include:

1. The "RCP" denies the Marxist-Leninist teachings on the division of the world into two camps and instead substitutes for this the division of the world into two big imperialist blocs.

2. The "RCP" negates the existence of socialism in the world and the role of the only genuinely socialist country, Albania.

3. The "RCP" writes off the revolution. I. -- the "RCP" denies the existence of strategy for the international proletariat and thus denies both revolution and Marxism- Leninism.

4. The "RCP" writes off the revolution. II.-- the "RCP's" view of the "non-revolutionary situation" denies the proletarian revolution.

5. The "RCP" holds that the "three worlds" theory can correctly define the tasks of the revolution inside the USSR.

6. The "RCP" holds that there are two "three worlds" theories, the good one before Mao Tsetung died and the bad one after.

7. The "RCP" holds that the good "three worlds" theory correctly defines China's state to state relations particularly with regard to defense against the Soviet Union.

8. The "RCP" supports U.S. imperialist domination of Western Europe, Canada and Japan by agreeing with the "three worlds" thesis that struggle against imperialist domination means abandoning the proletarian revolution and siding with one's "own" imperialist bourgeoisie.

9. The "RCP" agrees with the slanders of the "three worlders" against Stalin that the struggle against fascism is an alleged precedent for the thesis of "directing the main blow against Soviet social-imperialism".

The second heading is those points which show how the "RCP" denies the importance of struggle against the very "three worlds" theory which it allegedly condemns. These points include:

10. The "RCP" says that the "three worlds" theory is not important because it is only the "international line" or "external line" of Chinese revisionism.

11. The "RCP" says that the "three worlds" theory is not important as it "did not become the focus of the struggle and split within" the "RCP".

12. The "RCP" directs outrageous slanders at those who fight "three worlds-ism", such as the COUSML and the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist).

The final heading is that the "RCP" is opposed to the struggle against revisionism altogether. This point is as f

follows:

13. The "RCP" opposes the Marxist-Leninist teachings on the question of the struggle against opportunism and regards opportunism and revisionism as "middle forces" to be united with.

Now let us go through these points. (Page references are to the November 1978 issue of Revolution unless otherwise indicated.)

1. The "RCP" denies the Marxist-Leninist teachings on the division of the world into two parts.

In its article of November 1978, the "RCP" refers back to its earlier article of July 1977 and quotes the passage: "This three worlds analysis gives, in our view, a correct appraisal of the general role that countries, or groupings of countries, are playing on a world scale. As such it is one important part of the more general worldwide united front line. It is part of making use of all contradictions and for isolating to the extreme the two superpowers, who are to the same degree and the same extent the main enemies of the world's peoples." (p. 15, col. 3)

This passage shows that the "RCP" enthusiastically supported the "three worlds" analysis, the only difference with Klonsky being over whether the "three worlds" theory was the whole or only "part" of what "RCP" gives as the "international line". In the November 1978 article, this passage is "corrected" as follows:

"The above quotation contains a serious mistake. It maintains that the division of countries into three 'worlds' is the fundamental way of describing the various alignments among states, when in fact the actual alignment of states in the capitalist world is much more, and increasingly, a question of lining up ' in two rival blocs headed by the superpowers." (p. 15, col. 2)

The "RCP" goes on to stress this point and states: "Our mistake in this regard was, as reflected in the Revolution article, that even in describing the role of countries the 'three worlds' analysis could at best describe only an aspect of the situation, and one clearly secondary to what is the principal and determining factor in the conduct of regimes in today's international arena: the lining up of imperialist blocs for war." (p. 15, col. 3)

Thus according to the "RCP", the principal and determining factor" in world politics is the lining up of the world into imperialist blocs. This straightforward "three worlds-ism" is what the "RCP" describes as opposition to "three worlds", on the wonderfully profound grounds that there are two big imperialist blocs and not three worlds, i. e. two does not equal three and therefore the "three worlds" theory is demolished.

The issue however is that the Marxist-Leninist division of the world into two camps is not to divide it into any two camps, but only in a very particular way. Marxism-Leninism teaches and life itself confirms that there are two forces in contention. On one side is the world proletarian socialist revolution. The world of labor, consisting of the world proletarian movement, the socialist countries (at the present there is only one -- Albania), and the national liberation movement. And on the other side are the forces of world imperialism, the world of the reactionary bourgeoisie, the feudal landlords and all reaction.

The division into rival imperialist blocs only applies to the forces of world imperialism and, the Titoites and other revisionist renegades to the contrary, it does not apply to the world of labor.

Thus the "RCP" in fact denies the division of the world between the forces of revolution and the forces of world imperialism by completely denying the forces of revolution. The "RCP" by sleight of hand identifies the "international arena" with simply countries or ruling regimes (and among countries it forgets about the existence of a socialist country, Albania). The quotations in themselves try to give the impression of very carefully and scientifically restricting themselves to one limited area of world politics, the war alignments of ruling regimes in the capitalist world. But that is where the whole trick lies. For the "RCP" discusses no other aspect of the "international arena" in those articles -- "RCP" reduces the "international line" to a discussion of how to align various regimes in either the imperialist bloc of the West or the imperialist bloc of the East. Thus the "RCP" is in total agreement with the "three worlders" in denying that, on a world scale, the forces of revolution play any role at all, in denying that the proletarian movement is a world factor of first class significance or that the dictatorship of the proletariat plays a powerful international role as the beacon of socialism.

According to the jokesters of the "RCP", the division of the world into imperialist war blocs contradicts "three worlds-ism". But on the contrary, such division of the world is the very quintessence of "three worlds-ism". The "three worlders" hold that to fight one superpower one must ally with the other. The "three worlders" hold the revisionist and imperialist lackey view no one can survive without a patron or master from among the big powers, without meekly and humbly, hat in hand, seeking refuge under someone or other's "nuclear umbrella". They do not oppose the view that what is going on today is "the lining up of imperialist blocs for war". On the contrary, the "three worlders" are criminal warmongers who are busily building up such blocs. The arch-revisionist Teng Hsiao-ping, in his recent tour, was not reticent in the slightest about supporting imperialist war blocs, but openly called for building a big bloc with U.S. imperialism against Soviet social-imperialism and his tour marked a new stage in the development of the aggressive U.S.-China imperialist alliance. For Teng Hsiao-ping and Co., "the principal and determining factor" in judging regimes, no matter whether they are led by diehard fascists or by ex-Nazi generals is how they line up in the imperialist war blocs. Does the Shah of Iran line up against the Soviet Union? Then in the opinion of the "three worlders", that is the "principal and determining factor" to be used in judging Iran's role in international politics.

Thus when you divide the world into "two" the way the "RCP" does, you are not at all in any fundamental disagreement with the "three worlders". On the contrary, you are expressing "three worlds-ism" in a more concentrated form. And sure enough, the "RCP" itself says that its "new" division of the world into imperialist war blocs does not at all deny the existence of the usual division into "three worlds". The "RCP" explains that: "We understood Mao to have made a general description of countries as dividing into "three worlds" and we did not and do not today feel that such a description, in and of itself, is revisionist." (p. 16, col. 3, underlining added) In brief, the "RCP" says the world should be divided into two parts, both of which are world imperialism, but they are careful to contradict themselves by adding that if you divide the world into "first", "second" and "third" worlds, then you are not revisionist. What a staunch struggle "RCP" is waging against the "three worlds" theory! Everything is reduced to petty doubts, equivocations and differences of a shade here or there, while the main theses presented so proudly as opposition to the Klonskyites turns out to be a more concentrated form of the same old tired-out these of "three worlds-ism"!

2. The second point is that the "RCP" negates the existence of socialism.

We have already seen that in "RCP's" description of the "international arena", socialism does not exist. The entire six page article neglects to mention Albania and its role in world politics. In describing the "international arena", at times the "RCP" will simply leave out socialist Albania, while at other times they openly state that they are only dealing with the "capitalist world". And it goes without saying that if the "RCP" refuses to discuss the land of the dictatorship of the proletariat, even though it claims to be discussing relations between countries, then it is certainly clear that the "RCP" will leave out the role of the socialist proletariat and the world proletarian movement as a factor in world events.

Of course, the existence of socialist Albania is a striking proof of the fallacy of the "RCP's" view of the "principal and determining factor" of the conduct of a regime is to which imperialist bloc it belongs. The fact is that Albania does not belong to any imperialist war bloc nor does it allow even one penny of foreign imperialist investment. Albania stands forth as a beacon of socialism, as a bastion of world revolution, and as a constant reproach to all those who have departed from the Marxist-Leninist principles. The existence of socialist Albania is a dramatic proof of the decay of world imperialism and the coming triumph of world socialism.

By ignoring the existence of socialism as a world system, the "RCP" is united with the other "three worlders" in ignoring the greatest historic victory of the working class. The "RCP" in one part of its article engages in some phrasemongering about "class analysis". But what type of "class analysis" is indifferent to the role of socialism, which is the inspiration and guiding light of the proletariat, the embodiment of the victory of the revolution, the homeland for the proletarians of whatever nationality ? What type of "class analysis" forgets that the struggle between the proletarian revolutionary forces and world imperialism constitutes the main content of the entire epoch of transition from capitalism to socialism ? What type of "class analysis" leads one to forget that the first and foremost duty of the Marxist-Leninists with regard to the "international arena" is proletarian internationalism? And today proletarian internationalism is a sham unless it includes staunch defense of the land of socialism, the People's Socialist Republic of Albania.

Naturally neither the "RCP" nor the other "three worlders" have really "forgotten" socialism. Their silence is not forgetfulness nor absentmindedness, but instead is part of their hostility to socialism. China's treacherous tearing up of its agreements with socialist Albania and their plots against Albania, and the "RCP's' recent shameful anti-communist attack on the Party of Labor of Albania (denounced in another article in this issue of The Workers' Advocate) prove that the "three worlders" leave socialism out of their world schemes as a reflection of their practice of rabidly attacking socialism. To be continued.

[Back to Top]

A DAY OF REVOLUTIONARY PROTEST ORGANIZED AGAINST THE WARMONGERING U.S.-CHINA ALLIANCE

Across the country, January 27, 1979 was turned into a "Day of Revolutionary Protest" against the warmongering U.S. -China alliance whose rapid development was signified by Chinese Vice Premier Teng Hsiao-ping's recent visit to the U.S. At the call of the Central Organization of U.S. Marxist-Leninists, a series of demonstrations, marches and meetings were organized in which hundreds of revolutionary activists and supporters of the COUSML and other progressive organizations participated. In the course of the campaign, tens of thousands of the special issue of The Workers' Advocate denouncing the alliance of the Chinese social-imperialists and the U.S. imperialists were distributed and enthusiastically received by the masses of people, clearly showing their opposition to the plots and intrigues of Carter and Teng Hsiao-ping.

On Monday, January 29th, the first day of Teng Hsiao-ping's activities in the U.S., a militant demonstration was organized in Washington, D. Co Thirty people participated in the demonstration on Constitution Ave. where banners denounced the warmongering U.S. -China alliance and placards declared "Down with Teng's Visit, Revolution Will End the Dance of Imperialist Alliances", and proclaimed "Death to U.S. Imperialism, Soviet and Chinese Social-Imperialism". The picketing carried on for two hours outside the White House, where the reactionary U.S.-China alliance was being consummated before the T. V. cameras of the capitalist news media. The demonstration clearly expressed the resolute opposition of the America^ proletariat to the great power chauvinism and intrigues which Teng Hsiao-ping's visit signified. It denounced both Carter's "human rights" fraud and the pro-imperialist "three worlds" theory, the signboards of the two parties to this reactionary alliance for war, world domination and suppression of the revolutionary struggles of the world's people. The demonstration concluded by passing a militant resolution denouncing the warmongering U.S.-China alliance.

In Chicago, a mass democracy was organized at the University of Illinois Circle Campus on January 26 to explain to the students the important issues connected with Teng Hsiao-ping's U.S. visit. A disorderly group of supporters of Chinese revisionism were denounced to the applause of numerous students. On January 27, thirty revolutionary activists marched through the downtown area with red flags and posters distributing literature and receiving many clenched fist salutes from the masses. That evening, a spirited public meeting was held on the same theme at the recently opened bookstore, Marxist-Leninist Books and Periodicals.

In Buffalo, January 27 was a Day of Revolutionary Protest also, as 40 revolutionary people carrying red flags and posters marched in the downtown area. Similar demonstrations and other activities were held in Cleveland, Detroit and Louisville. In the San Francisco Bay Area, a large banner denouncing the U.S. -China alliance was held up at an Oakland shopping district while propaganda marches were simultaneously organized in the San Francisco Mission District and in downtown Oakland.

Greeting Teng Hsiao-ping's visit to Seattle were demonstrations organized on February 3rd and 4th throughout the city in the University District, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill and in the Central District. It was reported that in all areas, people anxiously received the Marxist-Leninist literature in order to understand the significance of the rapidly consolidating U.S. -China alliance.

U.S.-CHINA ALLIANCE THOROUGHLY DENOUNCED IN NEW YORK CITY

A militant demonstration, revolutionary mass meeting and cultural festival were organized in New York City on January 27 to protest Teng Hsiao-ping's visit and to denounce the developing alliance between the U.S. imperialists and Chinese social-imperialists. During 12 hours of activities over 120 people participated in the demonstration and march and over 220 people attended the day-long meeting and cultural festival.

The demonstration started at 66th Street and Broadway opposite the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. The 120 participants carried the banner of COUSML and the banners and posters proclaiming the main slogans shouted during the demonstration and march: "Down with the Warmongering U.S.-China Alliance! Death to U.S. Imperialism! Death to Chinese Social- Imperialism! Death to Soviet Social-Imperialism! The Revolution Will End the Dance of Imperialist Alliances!" Other posters condemned the war preparations of the imperialists; China's hostile acts against socialist Albania; and the pro-imperialist theory of "three worlds". The demonstrators also denounced Carter's "human rights" fraud, while other posters and slogans proclaimed support for the revolutionary struggles of the American working class and the peoples of the entire world. Some 35 red flags carried high boldly declared the revolutionary standpoint of the demonstration.

From the Chinese Mission, the demonstrators marched up Broadway to 120th Street where the public meeting was to be held. Along the route, hundreds of issues of The Workers' Advocate and El Estandarte Obrero were distributed to the workers and other people in the area. Through the march, especially in the workers' neighborhood, many people shouted their approval of the demonstration from their windows and along the street, raising their fists and eagerly accepting the revolutionary literature.

When the demonstration arrived at the meeting hall, slogans filled the room and banners and flags waved for several minutes before the COUSML spokesman could read the Resolution to denounce the warmongering alliance and conclude the demonstration.

The meeting and cultural activities surrounding the Day of Revolutionary Protest opened with the singing of three revolutionary songs: "We're Coming to the Rally", "Inevitable Struggle's Broken Out", and "Albania, Our Beacon". By then, the hall was filled to capacity.

The main speech was presented after the fraternal comrades of the Eritreans for Liberation in North America (EFLNA) and the Federation of Iranian Students in the U.S. (FE3US) were thanked for their unhesitating assistance in organizing the days' program. The speaker concluded by saying that, whereas many Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations are ushering in 1979 as the Year of Stalin, the Chinese revisionists are ushering in the Year of the Sheep!

He said: "The Chinese revisionist sheep are fond of contrasting the big, powerful Soviet monster to the allegedly timid U.S. imperialist mouse. To get the revolutionary masses to give up their struggle against U.S. imperialism, these Chinese revisionist sheep have contrived the devious slogan: 'Guard against the tiger coming in the back door while repelling the wolf at the front gate'. They then philosophize about striking the main blow at the tiger, which they say is supposedly more dangerous than the wolf. But it should be pointed out that a ferocious wolf in sheep's clothing such as the Chinese revisionists can be just as dangerous as a tiger or a straightforward wolf! Comrades and friends, in 1979 let us continue to rip the masks off all the wolves in sheep's clothing!"

With this stirring conclusion and call to oppose revisionism and opportunism of all types, the entire meeting burst into prolonged applause and shouted the following slogans: "Long Live the Unity of the International Marxist-Leninist Communist Movement! Death to U.S. Imperialism, Soviet Social-Imperialism and Chinese Social-Imperialism! Long Live Albania, Bastion of Socialism and World Revolution!"

Next on the program was the first showing in the Eastern U.S. of the two-hour film on the historic Internationalist Rally of Marxist-Leninist Communist Parties organized in Montreal on April 30, 1978 by the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist). The developing unity of the international communist movement as shown by the Internationalist Rally inspired the entire audience and many praised the high artistic quality of the film as well.

The cultural program began in earnest with songs of the international proletariat from Canada, Spain, Chile, the U.S. and elsewhere, followed by the Indian Progressive Study Group singing four songs praising the revolutionary struggles of the Indian people in both Hindi and Punjabi languages. After a dinner break, the revolutionary cultural program continued with a new COUSML presentation, "Hark! The Opportunists Sing" which satirized in song and actions the capitulationist antics of the neo-revisionist trends in the U.S. who subscribe to Chinese revisionism and "All Bow Down to Teng Hsiao-ping". Prolonged cheers erupted at the conclusion of the song and skit when the neo-revisionists were beaten to a pulp and their master Teng unceremoniously dumped into the "garbage can of history" by the revolutionary Marxist-Leninists.

The Eritreans for Liberation in North America then presented their solidarity message to the meeting which denounced the capitulationist line of the EPLF and ELF misleaders and their imperialist and revisionist masters. EFLNA performed 45 minutes of songs and dances which upheld the revolutionary traditions of the Eritrean people and their determination to continue their struggle for liberation and genuine independence until final victory, fearing neither the bullets nor demagogy of the U.S. imperialists, Soviet and Cuban revisionists, fascist Ethiopian colonialists, or any other reactionary power. The extremely militant presentation by EFLNA called forth encore after encore.

Comrades from the Boston Branch of COUSML then presented a new song, "Build the Party in the Heat of the Fight" which was based on their defense of a meeting last April from a cowardly attack by the fascist gang, the South Boston Marshalls. This song was followed by another new satirical skit "Down with the Warmongering U.S.-China Alliance", based on the special issue of The Workers' Advocate. The skit consisted of two scenes. The first scene satirized the Joint Communique of the U.S. and China which announced the establishment of diplomatic relations be tween the two imperialist governments. While all the imperialists pretend that these relations contribute to "peace and stability" in the world, the scene showed how this is a mere cover for the aggressive aims of both powers. The line of "detente" given by the Soviet revisionists was also exposed. Brandishing their assorted weapons, Carter, Teng and Brezhnev joined in singing "We're Three Imperialist Powers" (to the tune of "Three Blind Mice") while dancing around a maypole and map of the world, depicting their rivalry as well as their cooperation against the world's people. This scene ended when the representative of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania (representing the forces of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism) strode forward with red flag in hand, dispersed the imperialists, exposed the aims of the three imperialist powers, and elaborated the principled revolutionary foreign policy of Albania, the only genuinely socialist country in the world today.

The second scene of the skit centered around a debauched feast of the major Western imperialist powers plus Japan and China, which again revealed the sinister aims of the U.S.-China alliance. Through graphic and humorous representations, clever rhymes and dialogue, and the effective use of props, the sellout of China to the international bourgeoisie was also depicted. In the midst of this degenerate feast, the COUSML leads a demonstration which, despite the counter-revolutionary efforts of the imperialists and opportunists (depicted as lap dogs of Carter and Teng) succeeds in smashing down the door to the feast. At this part of the skit, when asked for their verdict on these butchers, the whole audience thunderously shouted: "Death to U.S. Imperialism! Death to Soviet Social-Imperialism! Death to Chinese Social-Imperialism!" and all the imperialists were hanged on the spot!

The Federation of Iranian Students in the U.S. then presented its solidarity message which went into details about the present revolutionary situation in Iran and exposed the counter-revolutionary role of the U.S., the Soviet Union and China and their various agents. The F1SUS statement condemned the theory of "three worlds" and denounced China's attack on socialist Albania as well. Comrades from FISUS then presented numerous revolutionary songs. But the centerpiece of their presentation was a new skit against the theory of "three worlds". Through highly dramatic scenes contrasted with the raucous depiction of the various imperialists, the skit presented a skillful characterization of the "three worlds" theory as the "great strategic concept" for turning revisionist and social-imperialist China into an imperialist superpower and for suppressing the world revolution. At the conclusion of the skit, however, the imperialists and revisionists are unmasked and the forces of revolution are unchained to bring down the entire imperialist system. Once again, the meeting hall resounded with vigorous approval.

To conclude the presentations by the different fraternal and revolutionary groups, the Caribbean Progressive Stuffy Group delivered a militant solidarity message and sang many revolutionary songs about the struggles of the peoples of the Caribbean back home and in the U.S. and about the revolutionary movement throughout the world. The comrades from CPSG have performed at many of their own meetings and at COUSML functions, and the revolutionary calypso and other forms are warmly appreciated by the masses. This time they came equipped with the steel drums, as well as their other instruments. The favorite songs were "Prepare for War", "Bring the Bourgeoisie Down", and the revolutionary calypso "Active Resistance is the Only Way!", as the audience fully participated in singing the well-known choruses with the cultural group on stage.

At 11:40 p.m., the program concluded with the singing of "Stand, Brave Albania!", denouncing the hostile acts of the Chinese social-imperialists against Albania, followed by prolonged shouting of slogans and the singing of the "Internationale". The entire 12- hour program beginning with the demonstration at noon and concluding with the "Internationale" at midnight turned January 27 into a vigorous Day of Revolutionary Protest in New York City.

The Day of Revolutionary Protest organized across the U.S. were a clear demonstration and further confirmation that the American people will never accept the U.S.-China alliance. The interests of the people of the entire world, of the struggle against war, of the revolutionary movements for national and social liberation, all demand irreconcilable opposition to it. It is the task of the American proletariat to lead all the toiling and oppressed masses in the U.S. in resolute condemnation of the warmongering policy of the Carter administration, and of all the imperialist powers. End.

[Photo: New York meeting unanimously passing resolution denouncing U.S.-China alliance]

[Photo: 220 people participate in day-long program in New York]

[Photo: Vigorous demonstration against U.S.-China alliance in Washington, D.C.]

[Photo: Militant picket line at Chinese Mission in New York]

[Back to Top]