Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The criterion of truth, an article by WPRM-Britain


The criterion of truth, an article by WPRM-Britain

“Right doctrinarism persisted in recognising only the old forms, and became utterly bankrupt, for it did not notice the new content. Left doctrinarism persists in the unconditional repudiation of certain old forms, failing to see that the new content is forcing its way through all and sundry forms, that it is our duty as Communists to master all forms, to learn how, with the maximum rapidity, to supplement one form with another, to substitute one for another, and to adapt our tactics to any such change that does not come from our class or from our efforts” (Lenin, “Left-wing” Communism: an Infantile Disorder) (Emphases ours).

Introduction

We are currently going through an important period in the history of class struggle in the world. In Britain, the past eight years have been marked by a rapid polarisation of the society between the ruling class and the people, emerging shortly before and during the occupation of Iraq, causing a palpable loss of ‘credibility’ of the ruling class and politicisation of the working class and the masses, particularly the youth.

Today, the objective situation indicates an accelerating rate of decay in all spheres of life, which is increasingly compelling the masses to seek a way out of the gradually more unstable living conditions. One example is the intensification of the class struggle in the North of Ireland. Also, the British imperialist state is at war with the oppressed nation of Afghanistan, a war which has become grossly unpopular, and increasingly heading toward a humiliating defeat. It has already been forced to retreat from its occupation of Iraq.

Moreover, the economic crisis is persevering, forcing the state to transfer the crisis to the oppressed countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The war and the economic crisis have compelled the ruling class to tighten the living conditions for the working class as well. The privatisation of the public sector, including the post office and even education, is accelerating. The ruling class is also resorting to more suppressive measures in this country, including facilitating the creation of fascist organisations, such as the English Defence League (EDL).

The parasitic system ruling Britain, particularly its structure of bourgeois democracy as well as its monopoly capitalist economy, has to a palpable extent lost the ‘confidence’ of the people. Evidently, the ruling class politicians and economists are unable to provide any proper solution to reverse this detrimental trend. For a growing number of working class and the masses it is becoming increasingly clear that the existing political system and its ruling politicians have no competency to solve the numerous people’s problems.

Now that the tip of the iceberg of ruling class corruption has surfaced, they are desperately running around striving to hide what lies below. Even within two weeks of the so-called ‘new’ politics of the Tory-Lib Dem government, one cabinet minister has already been forced to resign because of corruption. Major contradictions within the ruling class have intensified, hugely weakening the existing political structure, particularly the parliament. The ruling class infighting and the exposure of the members of the parliament’s expenses, undoubtedly has opened the way for revolutionaries to show that the whole system is corrupt and rotten to the core.

It is true that the whole structure is moribund and today the old cracks are widening and some pillars are splitting, but the monopoly capitalist ruling system will not crumble down spontaneously. Although there has been polarisation, rising levels of consciousness amongst the people and a loss of confidence in the ruling class, the continued prevalence of spontaneous thinking and the ability of the ruling class to maintain the illusion that it is the only viable system still play a decisive role. There is a definite need to explain to the people that the old structure should be demolished and be replaced with a new one. This immense and complicated task, which can only be carried out under the leadership of the proletariat, requires a careful plan based on the objective reality and particularities of Britain.

Indeed, communists need to investigate this society to formulate a scientific class analysis and on this basis work out a revolutionary strategy compatible to these particularities. However, these fundamental tasks can only be accomplished in the process of formation of a genuine Communist Party and a revolutionary movement under the leadership of the proletariat, and therefore, invariably depend on development of a correct ideological-political line. Hence, we need to develop a dialectical-materialist understanding of practice-theory-practice.

It is clear that the objective situation is increasingly becoming more favourable. However, there are several serious subjective problems that we communists need to address in order to build a proletarian-led revolutionary movement in Britain. The first and the most important problem is grasping the ideology of the proletariat, Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.

In this context, the experience of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) provides guidance in grasping this ideology. Their successful experience shows that ideological and political advances can only take place through the creation and development of a proletarian-led revolutionary movement, and also by adopting the method of involving the working class and the masses in major two-line struggles within the Party.

For rest of the article please visit:
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=1295

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