Published: Klassekampen’s International Bulletin, journal of the Workers’ Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) of Norway
Reprinted: North America News Service, July 16-29, 1973.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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A conference of delegates elected by the local branches of the Marxist-Leninist Groups (MLG), Sunday February 18tn agreed to found the Workers’ Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) of Norway. The conference constituted itself as the First Congress of the party. The foundation of the party comes after several years of preparations and thorough political discussions.
The W.C.P. absorbs the best traditions of the Norwegian labour movement; from the so-called “Thranitter”-movement of 1848[1], the Norwegian Labour Party of 1888[2], and the Norwegian Communist Party of 1923[3]. All these parties were originally workers’ parties. Our party is the fourth attempt to organise such a party in Norway.
Much has changed since the labour movement saw the light of day for the first time in Norway. But one thing is still the same: There are classes; suppression and exploitation of the working people is continuing even if the forms are changing. As long as there are class-differences there will be need for a revolutionary workers’ party in Norway. The party’s first aim is socialism–the dictatorship of the proletariat. Our definite aim is communism, where all oppression and exploitation of man, all class-differences are vanished.
The W.C.P. is part of an international movement against imperialism and class-oppression-and we are proud of it. The people’s struggles in all countries support one another. As long as there is oppression and exploitation any place on earth, there can be full freedom for no one. Therefore we support the liberation movements all over the world, and the peoples of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. We support those people who have freed themselves and are building socialism as Albania and China. We support the working people of Western and Eastern Europe who struggle against the capitalist upper-class of their countries. We support the international marxist-leninist-movement–and we are happy that our party is part of it. We learn from the international experiences of this movement, as it is summed up in marxism-leninism-Mao Tsetung thought.
Our aim is socialism. But we are aware that a long time will pass until the working-class–allied with other groups of the people – will erect its own state, the dictatorship of the proletariat, and build socialism in Norway. Our party therefore will – under the current social conditions – fight with peaceful means for the present and long-term interests of the working people.
The most important task today is to prevent EEC-membership. The people have decided that Norway is not to enter. Still the EEC-advocates try to undermine this decision. WCP will fight together with all those who oppose the EEC, and will support all measures that defend Norway against the EEC. At the same time we hold it important to fight against the aggravation of the living conditions of the people: against inflation (increasing of prices), hard taxation, closing down of unprofitable businesses, depopulation of certain regions and environmental destruction.
WCP’s most important field of work is the labour union movement. We are not fighting the unions, but on the contrary fighting to strengthen its vigilance and ability to fight against monopoly capital. We will cooperate with all those who want a strong and militant union-movement. This end can not be obtained without opposing the present leadership of the Norwegian Labour Party (right social-democrat) and of the Norwegian Federation of Labour (right social-democrat). This leadership pursues a policy which in reality weakens the working class and the union movement and is a policy of support to the monopolies and to imperialism. We will also work within and support all new and old organisations that may defend the living conditions of the people–and we support all actions aimed at Norwegian monopoly capital and foreign imperialism.
Some people will ask themselves: Is a new party within the labour movement necessary? Will not this accelerate the division and confusion in a situation which demands unity against the class enemy? We agree that the division of the Norwegian labour movement is a bad thing. But we can not accept the blame for this. The foundations of the split-up were laid when first the Norwegian Labour Party–and later the Norwegian “Communist” Party–abandoned their revolutionary platform. It is those who have broken with the fundamental goals of the working class who will have to bear the responsibility, not those who defend them. The WCP is necessary because a Norwegian, revolutionary communist party is necessary if socialism ever shall become a reality in our country.
At the same time it is not the policy of our party to deepen the divisions in the working class–our policy is to unite it. We work actively to strengthen the unite front against the class enemy. We want to cooperate with all those who favour progress, regardless of their party-affiliation, and without burdening ourselves with narrow party-chauvinism. Our only condition is that this cooperation fulfills two demands: That it opposes Norwegian monopoly capital and foreign imperialism, and that it truly is in the interest of the working people. We therefore believe that the foundation of our party will not increase the split, but on the contrary increase the unity in the struggle of the proletariat.
On this background we have proposed a broad unity for the First of May, based on slogans that defend the day-to-day interests of the people. The first Congress of the WCP states that, the party is willing to discuss with other progressive organisations and persons the possibilities for a united course of action in the parliamentary elections this year.
The Workers’ Communist Party (marxist-leninist) asks all workers, functionaries, peasants, fishermen, housewives, intellectuals, youth and others who agree with us, to contact us and join in the party’s work.
We offer all progressives, who support other parties or from other reasons will not join us, to enter cooperation in confidence in the struggle for the interests of the people.
(Adopted at the first Congress of the WCP(m-l) of Norway.)
[1] The “Thranitter”-movement: Movement with its base in the emerging Norwegian proletariat, among cottagers and agricultural workers in the middle of the last century. Theoretically influenced by the utopian socialists in Europe. Crushed brutally by the states after few years.
[2] Norwegian Labour Party. Social democratic.
[3] Norwegian “Communist” Party: Founded as a section of the Comintern. Today Revisionist.