Naxalbari - for the formation of an internationalist Maoist organisation

....One prominent erroneous trend seen today among the Maoists is that of evading struggle with revisionism on the ideological front. This is all the more serious, when two dangerous new forms of revisionism, namely the revisionisms of the Prachanda-Bhattarai variety Avakianism, are causing havoc. It is surprising that those coming from the RIM tradition where utmost importance was given to ideological tasks are showing slackness in taking up the rigorous task of ideological combat with revisionism effectively. Some argue that there is a need to thoroughly study or engage in debate with ‘something as important’ as what Avakian said before it can be termed as revisionist.

   True, a thorough refutation is needed. In fact, while the last issue of Naxalbari refuted Prachanda-Bhattarai revisionism, this issue is devoted to the task of repudiating Avakianism.  Prachanda-Bhattarai revisionism exposes itself through its blatant service to reaction, Indian expansionism and imperialism. Avakianism is more devious. But, when it is declared that MLM must be replaced with Avakianism, isn’t this enough reason to reject it outright as liquidationist and revisionist? Isn’t this an urgent, necessary step that must be taken immediately even while one reserves the responsibility of thorough examination and refutation at one’s convenience? When it is clearly seen that the manipulatory methods of the RCP, USA and the opportunism of UCPN (M) were the immediate reasons for the collapse of RIM shouldn’t this be said so openly? Giving the revisionists and liquidators the benefit of doubt only creates further confusions. This is shying away from the immediate internationalist responsibilities. It is a manifestation of centrism. If left uncorrected it will pave the way to revisionism. It is time to call spade a spade without any delay and take up the task of principled Maoist unity at the earliest.

   Another erroneous trend is the failure to concretely understand ‘potential new wave of the world proletarian revolution’ and what opportunity the present world situation has set up for the Maoists. Herein lies the importance of having a correct grasp of the international line and its relation to revolutionary work in a country. The tendency to see international work as incidental or having an understanding that international work is only needed to give or take solidarity will eventually lead to failure in adopting a correct international line. This thereby affects the national line too. The prominent trend is to accept the changes occurring at the international level, talk about it in our literature, but make no necessary changes in our work. Thus a gradualist approach of ‘business as usual’ is taken. This trend fails to seize the opportunity and push the People’s War or the necessary plans for its preparation, to take the initiative in our hands.

   Strangely enough, the given international situation and the spontaneous struggles of the people around the world has inspired some to come out openly with their revisionist self and advocate for electoral politics. They swear by Maoism, its creative application and need for developing theory, but carry out its exact opposite by adopting policies which have been proved wrong over and over again and end up preparing to take the plunge into the cess pool of parliamentarism. Their creativity has nothing new in essence. It is the same old revisionist line, now combined with the NGO style of work. There is a strong tendency amongst the opportunists and revisionists to hide under the garb of Marxist - Leninist rhetoric like ‘concrete analysis of concrete conditions’, ‘applying dialectics’ etc. while practicing just its opposite.

   In this case the deviation arises from their variety of ‘concrete analysis of concrete conditions’ whereby they see that the fundamental character of the Indian society has changed and caste-feudalism is no longer a main, decisive enemy of the masses.  The Maoist understanding of bureaucratic capitalism as a specific form of capitalism created and nurtured by the imperialists to serve its interests in the countries is not taken into account. The character of this form of capitalism as one that serves the interests of imperialism and feudalism is not seen. The classical form of feudalism, as seen in China in the pre-revolutionary era, nowhere exists in the world today. But it is equally true that imperialist wants to retain feudalism in one way or the other as its social base in order to carry forward their unbridled exploitation of the 3rd world of its resources, wealth and great reservoir of labour, to keep their returns on capital rolling. Yet at the same time they also are in the dire need of constantly deepening and widening the market to push their products in ever larger amounts. Simultaneously, the class struggle within the oppressed countries, in particular the revolutionary struggle, exerts a pressure from below. This interaction, from above and below, necessitates the imperialists to keep transforming feudalism according to their political and economic needs. Hence the changes seen in the countryside do not indicate that feudalism is getting eliminated. A thorough examination reveals that though, in appearance, traditional forms of feudalism are side-lined or even eliminated, in essence it gets replaced by new forms with feudal content. This is one major field where deeper struggles within the Maoist fold are necessary in order to achieve a higher leap towards Maoist unity on correct lines.

   The present turmoil seen in the world is still predominantly guided by various non-Marxist ideologies. But, the advancement of Maoist led People’s War as a solid alternative and the formation of an internationalist Maoist organisation will only help speedy polarisation and win over the revolutionary masses in waves. The turbulent world shows ever more glaringly that the masses needs revolution and revolutionary parties to lead and guide them to final victory. This is the time to sharpen the line struggles with the aim of uniting the majority. This period calls for stronger and principled unity among the Maoists at the national and international level. The challenges have been set.