From Newspaper
Hammer & Sickle
Krasnoyarsk, Russia

Opposition and Power

The class struggle: in words and in deeds

This question is the most important for the people living now in the former Soviet Union - this is the question of opposition to the state power on all levels, from local to state institutions. On the answer to this question the whole future of our struggles depend. First of all is the question of a united opposition to the present regime and of its tactics. The question that is uppermost in the minds of the people is whether an opposition can perform its function in the present state structures? In the capitalist countries, this question is known already for years, since the capitalist "opposition' does not mean to change the capitalist system at all. The government and the opposition in these countries are one and the same, they represent the bourgeoisie. The differences are minimal and serve only the opportunistic fulfillment of one class of bourgeoisie trying to replace another section of the same class. The question in our country is much different. Against the present Mafiosi regime is the "opposition' of all former party nomenclature, whose program should be to gain power for the working class and aim to rebuild socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat.

If the opposition that we have now, such as (Yabloko, Motherland and other so-called "oppositionists" to the present regime) does not propose a different socialist path, that is understandable, let them sit in the Duma and in the Government. With them, as the saying goes - now everything is understandable. It is also another question for the communist opposition that is now in the Duma - their job is to be the real, fighting opposition, trying through all parliamentary means to bring the government down and prepare the ground for a socialist resurrection.

Around this question there is no unity or understanding even amongst the communist members of the CPRF. What is happening in the Duma and the behavior of the present CPRF deputies, V.I. Lenin would have had a nightmare. For close to eight years this "opposition" was not able or capable to make a small dent in the power of the present Mafiosi bourgeois state! There certainly is a difference between the program of the CPRF and that of the AUCPB.

What successes did the CPRF achieve in eight years in the Duma as the "opposition"? Unfortunately there are not any successes worth mentioning.

Did the CPRF struggle against privatization? No!

Was the CPRF capable even of weakening in the slightest manner the presidents' power? No, definitely not!

Was the CPRF able to stop the implementing of the new anti-peoples Constitution that was bulldozed through in the Duma? Of course not!

Was the CPRF successful in stopping the dismemberment of the Army, and to stop the war in Chechniya... for which it carries the same blame as the present regime? Why did the CPRF condone all the bloodletting amongst our people in all the local conflicts? That is why the CPRF is still being kept in the government by the Yeltsin regime... it gives these traitors legitimacy! Worst crime of all, through connivance of the deputies, the land is now being sold.

Was the CPRF capable of lifting up the fighting spirit of Soviet people for their rights to the TV and radio information? Of course not! The CPRF deputies, now in their comfortable and also very warm chairs, big pay plus perks, have forgotten about their party, their pre-election promises as "communists" to fight for the working class. People like Rybkin, Rutskoi and many others, were even excluded from the ranks of CPRF... while they were still in leading positions.

Let us leave those in the Duma to their soft chairs... let us just look at some dedicated CPRF members in the localities, away from Moscow. Are these dedicated Communists able to fulfill their promises? In our regional government, we have elected the Chairman and his Deputy to govern the region - all leading members of the CPRF. What kind of results have we achieved? Majority of the City Deputies are members of the CPRF. The results are catastrophic: the transportation prices have risen, prices are going higher every week, unemployment is rampant and the militia is used by these elected "communists" to quell all the strikes and work stoppages!

The tragedy of unemployment now! During Soviet times the appeals for workers were listed on practically every wall and lamp post. The unemployment now in Ukraine is alarming. How is he going to feed his family?

The powers that rule Russia now say without shame and with a straight face: "See, what kind of democracy we have, the Communists are in power in most localities!" In this respect the CPRF has now brought itself into a political corner. The only answer is for the CPRF membership to stop lying to the people and not cooperate with the present bourgeois regime. The other alternative for all the dedicated Communists in the CPRF is to chase out and expel these opportunists from its ranks and get out of all the structures of the present regime. The present regime uses very cleverly the CPRF "opposition" in order to give it legitimacy.

The participation and cooperation of the CPRF in all of the present regime's structures acts to disorganize and disorientate the working class. There is a desperate need for ONE party, united against the present regime. There is also a future in the left opposition that is united, but now unfortunately there is no future in the CPRF to change the present situation and to resurrect the Soviet Union and Socialism.

Of course we should participate in the elections at the present time, but we must vote for dedicated Communists and not opportunists and make certain to get our Marxist-Leninist ideas and also the program to the working class.

Y.V. Lazovsky
Lesosibirsk

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