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| Felix Gorelik |
Alarm bells over Russia are calling for quick unity of all the Communists. With this call Oleg Shenin made an appeal as a recognized and also an authoritative leader. He was a secretary of the CPSU, member of its Politburo and during the Putsch he together with most members of the CC came to the defense of the USSR, for which he was sent to prison by Yeltsin (together with many others, such as Victor Anpilov and Gennady Yanayev, former vice chairman of the Union of Soviet Friendship Societies- Editor). After his jail sentence and liberation, he (Shenin) did not go and serve the new masters, but became the head of the Union of Communist Parties-CPSU.
What made Shenin come out now with this appeal? Today, in Russia alone, there are 26 political parties in existence, who all call themselves "communist". The number of all these "communist" parties compared to 1991 has increased 13 times, but the membership has now decreased from 700,000 members to only 100,000 (according to a survey and summarization process). According to the election data, more than two million people call themselves Communist. Looking at the daily worsening economic plight of the people, in the last ten years of "perestroika" the population of Russia has dramatically decreased by over 15,000,000 people plus another 15,000,000 children that are not born due to the hardships for the young married couples now - is this not genocide? The communist movement is going through a crisis. This is realized in the drop of votes during the parliamentary and presidential elections, and the dwindling communist parties that exist. It is noticeable because of the diminishing votes for communists in the Russian workers "Red Zones", where not too long ago Gennady Zyuganov of the CPRF was supported by a great majority of votes. During all of this time, capitalism is sinking longer and much stronger roots. The bourgeois parties are uniting into their own "Union of Right Forces", into "Unity", into "Fatherland of All Russia". The communists on the other hand are experiencing the heavy hand of capitalism and are meeting this hard fist with open hands and not with a closed fist!
What is the reason for the loss of authority of all of the Communist Parties? This is tied to the proliferation of many parties - the electorate is not strong enough to see the differences between all of them and this is dividing all of their votes, with the loss of votes and also the prestige of the largest Communist Party in Russia, the CPRF, whose leader is G. Zyuganov. But he is proceeding on an opportunistic course politically and cooperating fully with the former Yeltsin and Putin regime.
Opportunism even before was very strongly criticized by Nina Andreeva of the AUCPB, Avilian, Tiulkin, Anpilov and many others. Now, Oleg Shenin has very critically condemned the CPRF for its social-democratic political positions. In which way is this position of the CPRF very noticeable?
One of the many questions where a party or a leader stands is the question of the attitude to private ownership. Oleg Shenin is basing himself on the fact that over 55-60% of the people are demanding nationalization as it was before 1953 and also to bring back the socialist criteria into the country. The consensus in Moscow is that a majority of its citizens are against privatization, they are close to 90% for nationalization and a rebirth of socialism. They are also against the inequality that sees 80% of industries and enterprises belonging to the present capitalists, while 10% belongs to the state while the other 10% belongs to the workers collectives. The fraction of the CPRF in the Duma did not raise even one voice of protest or demand the nationalization of the means of production.
How can this be remedied and the means of production returned to the people? Zyuganov proclaims every time that "Russia has had its fill of revolutions!" This is a promotion of illusions that all can be accomplished for the Russian working class by only parliamentary means. Shenin on the other hand asks: "Why cannot the people have the right to an uprising if the present regime is the type as was practiced by the Dictator Somoza, Pinochet and others? Why must the socialist demands be subordinated to the market economy concepts, to state capitalism and international nationalism?" Yes, instead of a class struggle, Zyuganov proposes cooperation, and instead of Marxism-Leninism, Zyuganov proposes "Councils" and "Orthodoxy", a unity of "white and red ideas". No wonder that he never-ever mentions Karl Marx, and only very rarely mentions V.I. Lenin, but never even thinks of Stalin. He states daily that the CPRF is "inching its way into the government". This will not eliminate the present regime but will tend to strengthen the role of capitalism.
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Looking at these tactics of Zyuganov in the Russian Duma, the working class does not and cannot believe such a party! This party does not see ahead, to the success of the dictatorship of the proletariat, but is swirling around the tail end of illusions and cooperation with the present regime.
The possible first step towards the unification of the communist parties was the Agreement between Russia and Byelorussia to form a Federated State of these two republics, and the agreement of the Byelorussian Communists to unify the Communists of Russia and Byelorussia into the CPSU. The First Congress was held on July 15th. Its program states:
"We want to resurrect the state of workers and peasants and also the dictatorship of the proletariat. We want to aim at liquidating the present regimes of all former Soviet Republics and have the government be taken over by the working class. We want this new federation to be based on Socialism."
(Here Gorelik outlines the detailed program of this attempt at unity, which follows a socialist path as was envisaged by Lenin and Stalin... which we limit due to space limitations - Editor)
In the present situation the death of many small nationalities is a fact of life. Every man and women sees the coming catastrophe for the former Soviet Union, but does not yet see the political strength, ability to organize and lead all the people in the struggle against foreign control and internal enemies that have brought the country into the present chaos.
The enemies were able to besmirch and blacken the communist ideal, ideology and socialism. They liquidated the Soviet state, now Imperialism wants to liquidate the people.
In order to remedy the situation and plan for the rebirth of the Soviet Union, we must build a Unified Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Today, on the former territory of the USSR (15 republics) there exist more than 40 communist parties and organizations. There is a desperate need for only ONE!
Is the question of unifying all the communist parties into one party realistic now? Much has to be done to convince the people and the present leaders who have also their own ambitions. There must be a definite central plan and authority and also a central media organ which will convince the present leaders to disband their numerous parties and unite into one mighty force, able to lead and quickly dislodge the present capitalist regime.
While in Moscow I heard the following: "A single unified party shall never exist now. There are many leaves on a tree and they fall away in different directions. Look at Islam, they have many Islamic parties!" Well, if this Russian "communist" feels like that, then we must forever support capitalism and our subservience to it!
The unity of the communists is today the most important task of our epoch. Any further procrastination will mean death. This is what Zyuganov has on his mind and also the other "good" leader of CPRF, Seleznev, whom Putin appointed as Chairman of the Russian Duma. Seleznev, (after his Duma appointment by Putin) has departed from any communist orientation and has now formed a group within the Duma to support Putin.
But on May 21 in Moscow there took place an Initiative Conference of Moscow communists called by Victor Anpilov, which also planned a CPSU Congress, based also on a Marxist-Leninist platform. We hope that these attempts shall bring unity and not further discord and that this Congress shall support the call by Oleg Shenin!
It is time that different opinions about Stalin be laid to rest!
Communists! Unite!
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