The Socialist Unity Center of India, the revolutionary party of this soil, welcomes the decision to hold the Second World Congress as was announced in the Open Letter sent to us. In response to your Open Letter here are our thoughts:

To many people in this world, it has become clear and is becoming clearer with each passing day, that globalization, liberalization and privatization are the means that the major imperialist powers, headed by US imperialism, adopted in order to exploit the developing countries and in order to tide over their present severest crisis and recession of world capitalism. The exploitation comes down more and more on the common working class, giving rise to the mounting waves of protests in different countries.

On the other hand, in order to stave off the crisis, US imperialism and other imperialist countries are continuingly carrying out war machinations, naked aggression and the occupation of smaller and weaker countries, and hence the wars and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Under these conditions the antagonism between the imperialist countries are increasing and deepening. Instead of the weakening of these contradictions, the WTO or globalization only helps it increase, so much so that only local small wars here and there take place, possibly a fear of global war casts a shadow over the world.

This situation evokes one truth. The former presence of the Soviet Union, even when it was under the revisionist leadership, acted as a deterrent to all of imperialist’s designs. Now it is really felt by its absence. So, in order to face this imperialist threat, the peace-loving people of the world face an immediate task of developing anti-Imperialist militant peace movement, conducive to all the anti-imperialist struggles in their respective countries and coordinating these movements in different countries, with a view of guiding them to a spontaneous outburst all over the world, into the correct channel.

It is also true that the emancipation from their exploitive class has come afresh for the working class of Russia and other former Soviet republics. Obviously it is up to them and them alone to realize and fulfill the absolute necessity to build a genuine Communist party on their soil, essential to accomplish this coming revolution. But, certainly as fraternal parties and friendship societies dedicated to the Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People, we should undertake discussions on a highest level of Marxism-Leninism - that without a correct base, a genuine socialist revolution cannot be successful. We think that the proposed Second World Congress of the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People can be the right platform for such important exchanges.

Such exchanges are even more important for the fact that most of the communist parties in the world have suffered from confusions, divisions and splits on understanding the character and the devastating role of revisionism since the advent of Khrushchev leadership in the ex-USSR. Unfortunately, we cannot claim even now, after the painful debacle of Socialism and the dismantling of the socialist camp, that the left political forces, even the proletarian revolutionary movement of the world has been able to overcome those confusions and divisions.

Here, we would like to make one observation, which we think is very significant in this regard. Among the confusion, one that prevails, and is still prevailing is the one that says that it was the imperialist conspiracy and hands that are the main cause behind the counter-revolution in the Soviet Union and other Eastern Socialist States. It is true that since the days of Lenin, the imperialists have always and relentlessly tried to malign, undermine and even destroy the socialist states and socialism. But we should never forget, that in spite of Imperialisms’ strength and ferocity, Imperialists could never be successful in dismembering and destroying the USSR, so long as it was led by a correct Marxist-Leninist leadership, of Lenin and then Stalin. It was when the Soviet Union was weakened with revisionism assuming the leading role - it was only then, only when the internal conditions were weakened within the Soviet Union, could the Imperialists extend their treacherous hand into the other socialist states.

Here we must be honest and truthful, not just to admit the truth, but find the real cause as to how the mighty socialist state as was the Soviet Union, that had been developing and challenging the imperialists in every field of life, that was the shining beacon of peace, freedom and an end of exploitation of the weaker countries, including the colonies and semi-colonies of the world - how could it slip into the abyss of revisionism and from there to capitalism?

In his brilliant analyses on these issues by Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the founder and the General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Center of India, pointed out, that revisionism could make successful inroads into the erstwhile Soviet Union and the CPSU, or for that matter in the international proletarian movement is in the culmination of a long process. The absence of ideological struggle embracing and involving newer and newer issues and questions that are coming up in life, society, and in the international communist movements affected the situation. As a result the ideological standard of the masses and even of the communist parties declined, which gave rise to a mechanical process of thinking and hence a blind allegiance to the post 1953 leadership. So long as the leadership remained on the correct Marxist-Leninist line, this did not pose any problems. But once the leadership fell into the hands of the revisionists, the masses and even the communists were left unarmed ideologically to understand or to detect and then rise up against the incorrect leadership that had started to eat up the very soul of the socialist states and of the international communist movement.

Thus, we strongly feel that a relentless ideological struggle involving the parties, the working class and the toiling masses of the different countries, in order to resolve any and every question that may come up before the people’s movement. So, without the former Soviet Union and the socialist states of Eastern Europe, or howsoever difficult it may be to arrange and hold the Second World Congress, we think that it is all more desirable that we meet to exchange our views in order that we may come nearer the truth.

Marxism-Leninism has always pointed out that revolution is not the brainchild of any leader - it is the inevitable outcome of class struggle, of the law-governed social processes. Restoration of capitalism led the Soviet people to destitution, poverty and humiliation. It has again sharpened the class struggles there - that are sure to hasten up the revolutionary processes again. We the people of the world, who stand for Marxism-Leninism and Socialism, can and should take up the task of arming ourselves clearly and very convincingly with the invincible weapon we have with us.

We know that you tried to hold the Congress in Europe and approached the comrades in Belgium. Since we now know that this is not possible, we suggest that you go ahead to hold the 2^nd World Congress in Toronto, Canada.

We always felt the sincere necessity of this kind of meeting and are eager to attend this 2nd Congress. For reasons beyond our control, we were not able to attend the First World Congress. This time we look forward to attend this Second World Congress.

Wishing all success and with revolutionary greetings.

Fraternally yours,

MANIK MUKHERJEE
Deputy, International Affairs
Socialist Unity Center of India