In this, its second, discussion bulletin, the Organizing Committee for an Ideological Center (OC) presents two important documents. The first, which originally appeared in the October l8, 1978 Guardian, represents the views of the Guardian staff on the “State of the Party-Building Movement.” The second, entitled “The Circle Game,” is a reply to the Guardian by the Steering Committee of the OC.
Both documents deserve the attention of all Marxist-Leninists–and particularly of those of the emerging anti-’left’ trend. Implicit in each is a different line on how to best consolidate the anti-’lefts’ and mold them into a force capable of re-establishing a viable vanguard party. The Guardian staff calls for a split in the anti-’left’ tendency, a defining of opposing left and right trends, and the rallying of all communists behind its own banner. We, of the OC Steering Committee, urge all the anti-’left’ forces–including the Guardian–to join in building a single center for the tendency, a center which would facilitate the resolution of our many differences through a process of movement-wide, public ideological struggle.
The contradiction between these two lines is of no small consequence. If the Guardian is right, then our approach can only lead to conciliation with right opportunism. But, if on the other hand we are correct, then the Guardian’s course can only yield an unprincipled and premature split, weaken the anti-’lefts’ and strengthen the hegemony of ’left-wing’ communism among party-builders. Since the wrong choice will inevitably set back the struggle for a genuine party, the tendency must adopt one line or the other.
We hope that all comrades will make a serious study of both documents and then join in the debate. It is no exaggeration to say that our future depends on it!
March 5, 1979
Steering Committee
Organizing Committee for an Ideological Center