64 Mqo's Theory of People's Wor

by rhe Proleioriqn Porty of Purbo Bonglo (Bonglodesht [PBSP]

Considering their socio-economic has been reduced to semi-feudalism. foreign capitalist oppression and a structure, the level of development The feudals do not hold state power democratic revolution to overthrow of their mode of production and by themselves. They are agents of feudal landlord oppression."r their fundamental features, the imperialism and are one of the main These two revolutions interpenetrate countries of the present-day world pillars of continued imperialist and are interconnected and depen- can generally be divided into two plunder. dent on each other it is not possi- groups: a handful of capitalist and - The capitalism that has ble to accomplish -one without the imperialist countries, and the great developed (and is developing) in completion of the other. The path of majority of the countries oppressed these countries is not independent revolution for these countries is the \ by imperialism. From amongst the national capitalism; rather, it is a path of New Democratic Revolution I capitalist-imperialist powers, the perverted capital dependent on im- and people's war, charted and oa two imperialist superpowers, the perialism and comprador and developed by Chairman Mao U.S. and the USSR, are the principal bureaucratic in its character. This Tsetung and proven correct in the enemies of the world's peoples. On distorted comprador-bureaucratic crucible of the great Chinese revolu- : the other hand the undeveloped or capitalism is one of the main props tion. Through his personal par- } less developed countries are oppress- of imperialist exploitation. ticipation in the Chinese revolution ed by imperialism and tied to its neo - The governments ofthese coun- and through his creative application P (or semi) colonial system. Though tries are the representatives of of the universal truth of Marxism- a these countries are formally in- comprador-bureaucrat capitalism Leninism to the concrete conditions { dependent and native governments and feudalism and are puppets in the of the Chinese revolution, Chairman ( are in power, they have no real in- hands of the imperialists and serve Mao developed this path of people's o dependence. The native govern- its interests. war and New Democratic Revolu- : ments are in fact stooges and pup- - Imperialist penetration in and tion and the related revolutionary pets of different imperialists (or of domination over these countries im- theory, strategy and tactics. These an imperialist bloc). In spite of dif- pedes the development of national tremendously important contribu- ferences in their mode of produc- capital and the national bourgeoisie. tions to the world proletarian tion, the development of their pro- - The main obstacles in these revolution and to Marxism- ductive forces, the stage or level of countries to the emancipation of the Leninism were not simply applicable development, etc., these neo (or masses of the people and to social to the Chinese revolution; rather, as semi) colonial countries have some progress are foreign imperialism, the Declaration of the Revolu- common fundamental features: along with comprador-bureaucrat t io nary Int e rnat io na lis t Mov e ment - Except for a few, these countries capitalism and feudalism in unholy has accurately said, "The point of more or less retain feudalism in alliance with and dependent on im- reference for elaborating revolu- agriculture. But in most of the cases perialism. tionary strategy and tactics in the feudalism does not exist in its old These characteristics determine colonial, semi- (neo)-colonial coun- classical form. Rather, due to a cer- that the nature of these countries is tries remains the theory developed tain development of capitalism as a generally neo (semi) colonial and by Mao Tsetung in the long years of result of the functioning of im- semi-feudal. The stage of the revolu- revolutionary warfare in China."2 perialism, and to increasing im- tion in these countries is bourgeois- Since the victory of the Chinese perialist penetration more generally, democratic, i.e., national- revolution and since World War 2, feudalism has decayed and is democratic, and its aim is, as Mao many significant changes have oc- decaying. Tsetung put it, "to carry out na- curred in the imperialist system and - As a consequence, agriculture tional revolution to overthrow the world situation as a whole. These 65 include: U.S. imperialists are using the anti- people under the leadership of the - Neo-colonialism has replaced Soviet liberation struggles for their proletariat that is why it is a ques- the old colonial system. In almost all own purposes. As a result of all this tion of the- overall strategy and the old colonial countries, so-called doubt and confusion has arisen as to political line of new democratic "independent national" states have whether a liberation struggle against revolution. emerged. one imperialist bloc can win victory - Under the neo-colonial system without the help of the other. People's War: A Question of Mere imperialism has accelerated In the context of these changes, Tactics, or of Strategy and Overall capitalist development in almost all and due to the attacks on Mao Political Line? the undeveloped countries, so that Tsetung and the distortion and nega- But there are a good number of these countries are gradually coming tion of his contributions since the forces who are engaged in armed out of extreme backwardness, eYen fall of the Soviet Union and especial- struggle in different countries and in agriculture, though all this is tak- ly of China into revisionism, ques- claim themselves Marxists, who even ing place in a distorted way. Power- tions have been raised regarding the speak of taking lessons from Mao, ful centralized military-bureaucratic relevancy and applicability of the but who in fact only value his con- state machinery now stands on a path of people's war to revolution in tributions in the field of military af- firm footing. the neo, semi-colonial countries. fairs, especially guerrilla warfare. - During and immediately after Specifically, the pro-Moscow, pro- Some of these forces are pro-Cuba World War 2 socialist and new Deng and pro-Hoxha revisionists are elements, some pro-Moscow, some democratic revolutions led by the spreading confusion and advocating are Hoxhaites and other left petit proletariat won victory in a number different revisionist and reactionary bourgeois revolutionaries. Some of countries, and thus a socialist lines in the name of their so-called claim to be Maoists themselves. camp emerged. But owing to the tur- "alternative path" and are causing Although almost all of these forces ning back to revisionism and irreparable harm to the revolu- oppose Mao Tsetung Thought, they capitalism first in the Soviet Union tionary moYements. It is quite speak of his contributions in the and then in Albania and China, no natural that these masquerading military field the reason being socialist country exists in the world agents of imperialism and revi- that Mao's contributions- inthe field today. As a consequence of this sionism will conduct wild attacks of warfare and especially guerrilla renegacy on the part of the revi- and try to distort, discredit and warfare are unparalleled in history. L sionists and due to the inevitable im- ultimately discard the highest Thus, since they themselves are pact of all these factors, anti- development of Marxism-Leninism, engaged in armed struggle, and com- imperialist national Iiberation which is Mao Tsetung Thought. pelled to study and apply military !s movements throughout the world, They will be able to continue this so strategy, they cannot but recognise F as well as the revolutionary long as genuine Marxist revolu- Mao's contributions in these fields. tr movements of the proletariat (i.e. tionaries do not set examples of vic- However, the advocates of these dif- the world communist movement) torious people's wars. The advanc- ferent views either do not unders- d took a wrong course and suffered ing people's war in Peru under the tand or reject or distort the strategic tremendous setbacks, and genuine leadership of the Communist Party and political essence of the theory of s national liberation movements have of Peru has in this respect already people's war in the interests of their been deprived of any progressive in- roused new hopes and aspirations respective opportunist class posi- I= ternational help. for oppressed people around the tions. Many misinterpret Mao's s! Since 1960, the revisionist Soviet world. theory of people's war as simply tac- q Union has developed into a social- In this present article, we will try tics of guerrilla warfare. \ imperialist country and stepped on- to beat back the attacks on the prin- The main question of debate with to the stage of world politics as a ciples of people's war and lay bare these forces is: what is the path of new imperialist superpower. As a the fallacies of the so-called "alter- capturing power by the people under result the imperialist countries are native path." We will show that in proletarian leadership in the oP- grouped into two contending blocs spite of the changes in the world pressed countries, and why? led by the two superpowers. U.S. since World War 2, the path of peo- Up to the advent of the revolu- imperialism and Soviet social- ple's war, forged and charted by tionary struggles of the Chinese peo- imperialism are locked in fierce con- Mao Tsetung, continues to possess ple led by Mao, the science of Marx- tention, even a life-and-death strug- decisive significance in the oppress- ism had in its treasure-house only gle for redivision of the globe, in ed countries for making the New one conception of seizing power: the order to intensify their oppression Democratic Revolution victorious. path of the October Socialist and exploitation and constantly ex- It is not simply that the principles Revolution of Russia. The capture pand their spheres of influence. This and lessons of Mao on People's War of power in some way other than the contention is becoming increasingly are useful; rather, it is not possible October road such an idea was sharp. Because of this, the Soviet in these countries to gain victory lacking then in -Marxist quarters. It social-imperialists have started using without them. was Mao Tsetung who for the first the anti-imperialist national libera- The path of people's war in oppress- time made a comparative study of tion movements of many countries ed countries is the path of capturing the pre-revolutionary socio- in their own interests. Likewise, the state power by the revolutionary economic conditions of both Russia 66

and China and showed that the Rus- the countryside was the centre of suffered losses. These wrong sian path, or the October road, of gravity of party work, and power military lines were also linked with seizing power is not applicable in a should be captured first in the coun- political deviations of a "left" or predominantly feudal country like tryside and then in the cities. Seizing right variety. China which is oppressed by im- power in the vast countryside pro- Does the fact that armed struggle perialism. Mao explained: ceeded by phases inthe long process and armed organisation are the prin- "...Internally capitalist countries of protracted people's war relying cipal forms of struggle and organisa- practice bourgeois democracy (not mainly on the peasant masses in tion, respectively, mean that mass feudalism) when they are not fascist order to establish liberated areas or organisation and mass movements or not at war; in their external rela- base areas and developing and are rejected? No. Saying armed tions, they are not oppressed by but spreading these, and then taking struggle is the principal form of themselves oppress other nations. power in the cities. For all these struggle and saying armed struggle Because of these characteristics, it is reasons the principal form of strug- is the only form of struggle are not the task of the party of the pro- gle in China's revolution would be the same thing. Mao noted the im- letariat in the capitalist countries to armed struggle right from the begin- portance of both types of struggles educate the workers and build up ning and not mass movements and in the Chinese revolution: strength through a long period of legal struggles for a long period "However, stressing armed strug- legal struggle, and thus prepare for leading up to countrywide insurrec- gle does not mean abandoning other the final overthrow of capitalism.... tion, as in Russia. The principal forms of struggle; on the contrary, The only war they want to fight is form of organisations would be armed struggle cannot succeed the civil war for which they are armed organisation the revolu- unless coordinated with other forms preparing. But this insurrection and tionary army; such an- army would of struggle. And stressing the work war should not be launched until the be led by the proletariat and mainly in the rural base areas does not mean bourgeoisie becomes really helpless, filled with peasant fighters. Thus abandoning our work in the cities until the majority of the proletariat Mao identified the characteristic and in the other vast rural areas are determined to rise in arms and features of the path of capturing which are still under the enemy's fight, and until the rural masses are power in the Chinese revolution control; on the contrary, without the giving willing help to the proletariat. which were different from those of work in the cities and in these other \ And when the time comes to launch the Russian revolution. rural areas, our ownrural base areas 5 such an insurrection and war, the So it is quite evident that the ques- would be isolated and the revolution qo first step will be to seize the cities and tion of armed struggle or the ques- would suffer defeat. Moreover, the then advance into the countryside tion of people's war is not a problem final objective of the revolution is and not the other way about. AII this of certain tactics, rather it is a basic the capture of the cities, the enemy's : has been done by communist parties question of overall line closely link- main bases, and this objective can- i in capitalist countries, and it has ed to a number of significant not be achieved without adequate o been proved correct by the October political questions: the importance work in the cities."a h Revolution in Russia. of the peasant question, the centre As regards the relation between a "China is different however. The of gravity of party work, the means armed struggle and mass q{ characteristics of China are that she and forms of capturing power, etc. movements, Mao said, o is not independent and democratic If it were the case that in the revolu- "In China war is the main form of but semi-colonial and semi-feudal, tion in China (or more generally in struggle and the army is the main I that internally she has no democracy countries oppressed by imperialism form of organisation. Other forms but is under feudal oppression and and characterised by feudalism) the such as mass organisations and mass that in her external relations she has party were to decide that the armed struggle are also extremely impor- no national independence but is op- struggle might or might not be the tant and indeed indispensable and in pressed by imperialism. It follows central task, that the capture of no circumstances to be overlooked, that we have no parliament to make power might be possible starting but their purpose is to serve the war. use of and no legal right to organise either from the countryside or from Before the outbreak of a war all the workers to strike. Basically the the cities, then the party would be organisation and struggle are in task of the communist party here is reducing the armed struggle to simp- preparation for the war.. ..After war not to go through a long period of ly a tactical question. But this is not breaks out, all organisation and legal struggle before launching in- how it was in fact treated in China. struggle are coordinated with the surrection and war, and not to seize Wang Ming and Li Li-san and other war either directly or indirectly."5 the big cities first and then occupy such representatives of "left" and the countryside, but the reverse."3 right lines in the Chinese party Basic Features of People's War Mao showed that in a repeatedly tried to put the matter Though we have generally discussed predominantly agricultural country this way. They advocated a line of the line of people's war, particular like China which was oppressed by city-centred insurrection, and discussion of its basic features is imperialism and characterised by relegated work among the peasants necessary here. These include: feudalism, the peasants form the and the armed struggle to secondary l- the leadership of the proletariat; main component of the revolu- positions. Due to the influence of 2- the central task: guerrilla war, the tionary forces and, for this reason, these lines, the Chinese revolution question of starting the armed strug- 67 gle right from the beginning; bourgeois revolutionaries while re- then that this changed balance of 3- mass line and the principle of self- jecting the indispensability of pro- power made possible peaceful tran- reliance; letarian leadership, to refuse the sition to socialism and, at that time, 4- "surrounding the cities from the necessity of forming and developing they opposed the armed national countryside" and other related a proletarian party, to reject the path liberation struggle of different coun- military matters, i.e., base areas, of people's war and reduce the ques- tries. After they gained strength as protracted war, the strategy and tac- tion of armed struggle from a social-imperialists and their ap- tics of guerrilla war, etc. general line to mere tactics, to reject petites grew, they pretended to be the revolutionary mass line, i.e., the sympathetic towards the national The Leadership of the Proletariat line and principle of depending on liberation movements against U.S. This is the first and foremost prin- the masses of people for waging imperialism, with the intent of in- ciple of the strategy of people's war; armed war and the line of mass par- filtrating and using them. They it is key to victory. Only proletarian ticipation in it, to conduct armed trumpeted that due to the increased leadership can carry forward new struggle isolated from the masses strength of the "socialist" camp, democratic revolution through to and simply hiding in favourable proletarian leadership in the na- the end up to the revolution for geographical areas and in such a way tional liberation movements was no socialism- and communism. as to conduct the armed struggle longer necessary and that national Through the summing up of the ex- along more or less terrorist lines liberation movements could win vic- perience of contemporary world all these are the features of the so-- tory by depending solely on the history, theDeclarotion of the RIM called "alternative path" which is financial, military and other aid of has rightly said: opposed to Mao Tsetung Thought the "socialist" countries, and made "...history demonstrates the and the path of people's war. Cuba possible going directly to socialism bankruptcy of an'anti-imperialist is the main advocate of this "alter- (of the Soviet revisionist brand). front' (or similar 'revolutionary native path. " However painful may Naturally this theory gained much front') which is not led by a it be, the fact is that this "left arm- acceptance among the left bourgeois Marxist-Leninist party, even when ed revisionist" line has had, and still and petit bourgeois revolutionaries such a front or forces within it adopt has, tremendous influence in the who began to tilt increasingly a 'Marxist' (actually pseudo- Latin American countries. towards Soviet material aid. The Marxist) colouration. While such In recent years another "alter- defeat of socialism in China, the D revolutionary formations have led native path" known as the San- outright rejection of and attacks on heroic struggles and even delivered dinista model has surfaced, which revolution by the renegade Deng cli- { powerful blows to the imperialists has many similar features. One que, the absence of strong pro- o they have been proven to be other important similarity is that letarian leadership in the national F- ideologically and organisationally they combine all the stages of liberation moYements, the absence tr incapable of resisting imperialist and revolution into one and raise the of a strong people's war waged bourgeois influences. Even where slogan of "socialist" revolution. In under a correct line these d such forces have seized power they this way they ignore the actual tasks developments also strengthened- this have been incapable of carrying of the new democratic revolution: line. { through a thoroughgoing revolu- they isolate the working class from Today the above mentioned u tionary transformation of society its allies, especially the peasantry, "left" armed revisionism is becom- t 5 and end up, sooner or later, being thus seriously hampering the ability ing increasingly mingled with right 6 overthrown by the imperialists or of the working class to thoroughly revisionism, because their o themselves becoming a new reac- eliminate imperialism and ideological root is the same: rejec- \ tionary ruling power in league with feudalism. Because of its form this tion of proletarian leadership and of imperialists . ' '6 is "left" armed revisionism. These the line of self-reliance and instead This is exactly what happened in left petit bourgeois revolutionaries complete dependence on foreign countries like Cuba, Angola, who follow this line are some of the (i.e. social-imperialist) aid under the Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, means through which Soviet social- banner of going directly to etc. Cuba itself has become an abet- imperialism misleads, controls and "socialism." In a word, their line re- tor to and accomplice of Soviet uses the national liberation jects Mao's theory of people's war. social-imperialism. The rest of those movements of the oppressed coun- In another variant of this same countries have become neo-colonies tries to serve its twisted purposes. "alternative path" certain so-called of this or that imperialism. All these After the USSR's degeneration to left army officers (generally junior incidents show that without pro- capitalism, the Soviet revisionist ones), in isolation from the masses letarian leadership even the national- scoundrels put forward the theory but sometimes playing on public democratic revolution cannot be that as a result of the emergence of sentiments, capture state power completed, not to speak of going a strong Soviet "socialist" state and through a military coup. They then ahead to the stage ofsocialist revolu- a strong "socialist camp" im- form a "communist" or "socialist" tion. perialism and neo-colonialism have or even "labour" party and pro- To conduct armed struggle under weakened and the balance of power claim their action a revolution. They the leadership of a front of anti- between imperialism and socialism then raise a hue and cry about imperialist left petit bourgeois or definitively changed. They argued establishing socialism through of- G8

Workers from Shanghoi rally behind the revolutionaries in the Party. i ,::.:ti&

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5 bO 5 Revisionist porty leoders were paraded through the streets facing the sion and criticism of the mosses. 6cl

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Red Guards in Shanghai. 70

ficial decrees. Ethiopia and Leadership of the Proletariat: What tion for the socialist revolution, and Afghanistan are examples of this Does It Mean? the socialist revolution is the in- variation, as is Libya to a great ex- Many of the forces who call evitable sequel of the democratic tent. Generally in such cases the themselves socialist or Marxist revolutionl'ro And it is working leaders of the coup oppose the U.S. and who we have seen are but- class leadership that makes it possi- bloc and rush to the Soviet fold, thus pseudo-socialists and pseudo- ble to advance the revolution turning their country into a neo- Marxists reject or do not give ade- through and beyond new democracy colony of social-imperialism. quate importance- to the indispen- to socialist revolution. As Mao said: Sometimes the Soviets even direct sability of forming an independent "The new democratic revolution the coup, as in Afghanistan. This political party of the proletariat. The in China is part of the world pro- path too rejects proletarian leader- leadership of its party is in fact the letarian socialist revolution, for it ship and reliance on the masses of most significant aspect of the pro- resolutely opposes imperialism, i.e., people and depends on the good letariat's leadership. It is the only international capitalism. Politically, wishes of agroup of individuals and way that the proletariat can exert its it strives for the joint dictatorship of on foreign aid, all of which means leadership in revolutionary the revolutionary classes over the complete rejection of people's war. movements (or in state power and imperialists, traitors and reac- Such a path is bound to lead to administration). It is impossible to tionaries, and opposes the transfor- domination by one imperialist or establish the proletarian class's mation of Chinese society into a another. leadership of the revolutionary society under bourgeois dictator- Mao summed up the question of movement by undermining, ship. Economically, it aims at the proletarian leadership in the new negating or opposing the establish- nationalisation of all the big enter- democratic revolution this way: ment of the independent proletarian prises and capital of the imperialists, "The people's democratic dic- party or of its leadership of the traitors and reactionaries, and the tatorship needs the leadership of the movement. Mao put this point in distribution among the peasants of working class. For it is only the unequivocal language: the land held bythe landlords, while working class that is most far- "If there is to be a revolution, preserving private capitalist enter- sighted, most selfless and most there must be a revolutionary party. prise in general and not eliminating thoroughly revolutionary. The en- Without a revolutionary party, the rich-peasant economy. Thus, the \ tire history of revolution proves that without a party built on the Marxist- new democratic revolution clears the I without the leadership of the work- Leninist revolutionary theory and in way for capitalism on the one hand a ing class revolution fails and that the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary and creates the prerequisites for S with the leadership of the working style, it is impossible to lead the socialism on the other. The present class revolution triumphs. In the working class and the broad masses stage of the Chinese revolution is a e epoch of imperialism, in no country of the people in defeating im- stage of transition between the aboli- ! can any other class lead genuine perialism and its running dogs."8 tion of the colonial, semi-colonial revolution to victory. This is clearly Such a party of the proletariat and semi-feudal society and the P proved by the fact that the many must be, again in Mao's language, establishment of a socialist a revolutions led by China's petit "a well-disciplined party armed with society..l'rt { bourgeois and national bourgeois all the theory of Marxism-Leninism, There are other factors to mention tr failed."7 (emphasis PBSP) using the method of self-criticism too: o Today the imperialists and other and linked with the masses of peo- Firstly, this process of revolution i regional hegemonist and expan- ple. "' The overall theoretical basis makes possible the building of the sionist forces are increasingly in- guiding the ideology of the pro- party of the proletariat steeled filtrating different national libera- letariat is Marxism-Leninism-Mao through revolutionary storms in tion struggles and diverting and Tsetung Thought. these countries as strong, mass- misleading them with financial, based and on a country-wide scale. military and other so-called aid. Fur- How Does the Yictory of New The party can gain the confidence of thermore, the imperialist super- Democratic Revolution Pave the the people so as to later initiate and powers, in their intensifying rivalry Way for Socialist Revolution? lead the socialist revolution. Mao over redivision of the globe and ex- Stalin and Mao repeatedly observed gave maximum emphasis to this. panding their spheres of influence, that a new democratic revolution Secondly, throughout the entire are continually trying to use libera- under the leadership of the working period of national democratic tion struggles directed against their class was not part of the old revolution, which is naturally and rival for their own use, and so set democratic world revolution (whose generally long, the party has the op- their respective stooges at the head aim was to establish capitalism and portunity to do propaganda work of these movements. In such a world bourgeois dictatorship), but rather a and create public opinion among the situation, it is especially imperative component part of the world pro- masses in favour of Marxism- that the genuine Marxist-Leninists letarian socialist revolution, whose Leninism, socialism and com- widely spread the understanding of ultimate aim is socialism and com- munism. Thus the party can prepare the indispensability of proletarian munism. Mao made this clearer the people ideologically for carrying leadership in the new democratic when he said, "The democratic through to the socialist revolution. revolution. revolution is the necessary prepara- Mao also gave much importance to 7t this. politics of seizing power, and not such as economic movements, etc., Thirdly, the successful comple- reformism and economism, should which is based on educating them tion of the new democratic revolu- be taken to the working class right for a long time on a more or less tion led by the proletariat creates from the beginning, and that the peaceful path, is not possible in these some material basis for socialism best means for this required a cen- countries. Because in the oppressed (what Mao refers to above as the trally operated all-Russian political countries the peasants always live "prerequisites for socialism"). By organ. For Lenin, revolutionary under autocratic rule and, general- completely eliminaling imperialism politics was a science, and so it could ly, feudal despotism. They do not and comprador-bureaucrat not possibly come to the working even have minimum democratic capitalism and nationalising all their class spontaneously and rights. So it is not possible to engage wealth and capital, a long stride automatically through its in lengthy education of revolu- towards socialist transformation of moYements for economic and refor- tionary politics in the same way. a major part of the country's capital mist ends; rather, it had to be Before such a thing could happen and industry takes place, because in brought from outside, from a party the peasants are sure to be crushed such countries the imperialists and of professional revolutionaries by the feudal despots' armed at- bureaucrat capitalists own the ma- which trained the workers with a tacks. In many cases even simple jority. At the same time during the central political organ. Such an economic movements of the long process of protracted people's organ also functioned as the centre peasants are dealt with by heavy war, the great masses of peasants get of preparatory work for the future hands much less movements bas- organised in innumerable lower and insurrection and revolutionary war. ed on- revolutionary politics. higher types of organisations, in- Lenin established this line of the cen- Moreover the peasants are engaged cluding cooperatives and also such tral party organ as the central task in small-scale production. They are an advanced and highly disciplined through theoretical struggle and not concentrated in large numbers organisation as the revolutionary ar- revolutionary practice; the October on huge work-sites. Their mutual my, and they gain much experience. Revolution proved it correct, and it isolation is acute, and this is added The consciousness of the masses of remains the guideline for revolution to by their relative cultural erstwhile backward peasants in the capitalist countries. backwardness. Thus in comparison develops rapidly in their character But in the oppressed countries a to the organisation, unity and strug- under the impulse of war, especial- party organ is not the central task; gle of the workers, that of the b ly such a swift-paced and creative rather the central task is people's peasants is bound to assume a much practice as guerrilla war. All this too war. In fact, the conclusion that more local character. Also, because { is part of the material basis for go- guerrilla war is the central task they are isolated and scattered, the o D ing over to socialist revolution. derives from the line of l4thot Is To peasants' consciousness may rise in F Be Done? itself. For if one wants to a very uneven manner. tr Central Task: Guerrilla War follow the ideology of Whot Is To For all these reasons the con- To be "Whot Is To Be Done-ists" in Be Done? in the oppressed coun- sciousness and struggle of the d these countries meons to start arm- tries, one will have to take revolu- peasants of a certain area may ed struggle rightfrom the beginning tionary politics to the countryside develop to a higher stage on a local { and to grasp guerrillo warfore as the and to the peasants. The peasants basis, while in some other area it central task. would have to be united, organised may not develop at all. So while in = To build and develop organisa- and trained in revolutionary politics, some areas the peasants' level of sI tion and struggle in the oppressed i.e. the politics of capturing power. consciousness may be very Ot countries, the central task is armed To organize them some other way, backward, in other areas conditions \ struggle, the specific form of which for example on the basis of their may be ripe for initiating armed is guerrilla war. Thus the central task economic demands and side-by-side struggle. In such a situation, not to for building organisation and strug- with this to educate them in politics start armed struggle in the gle is guerrilla war. This question is - this is not the Leninist style. favourable areas is tantamount to directly linked to the prime impor- Organising peasants in trade unions giving up on revolution itself . tance of work among the peasants in is not the task of revolutionary com- Should the party take educating peo- the countryside. munists. To educate and organise ple through a political organ as the "What is to be done?" how the peasants on the basis of revolu- central task, such cases ofabandon- and when to start? In his -epoch- tionary politics right from the begin- ing favourable conditions for in- making book Comrade Lenin put ning this and only this is, accor- itiating armed struggle are bound to forward the solution to this problem ding- to Lenin, "Social- arise frequently. Sooner or later this in the concrete conditions and epoch Democratic", i.e. Marxist- is certain to reduce a proletarian par- of the Russian revolution. He show- Leninist, politics. ty to an opportunist party. ed that at the initial stages of party The problem then is how the Mao showed that it is only guer- building in Russia the central task peasants can be educated and rilla warfare that can awake, unite for building organisation and strug- organised in revolutionary politics and organise the peasants crushed gle was to develop an all-Russian right from the beginning. Doing under the wheel of feudal despotism political organ. He argued further this, for example, with a central and make them conscious of the that revolutionary politics, i.e. the political organ, or any other means, politics of seizing power. It is only 72

guerrilla warfare that can give them would it not be better to first develop necessity of people's war. They must confidence in their own ability, and some organisational strength give maximum importance to solv- allow their participation in the arm- through different types of economic ing the problem of how to start it ed struggle for power. And it is on- and other mass movements based on and what is the central task. Revolu- ly through guerrilla war that the issues and demands and thus make tionary politics is the vital point. The working class, through the leader- some advance preparations, and on- line that, whatever form prepara- ship of the party and through their ly then launch the armed struggle? tions take, armed struggle should be own participation in guerrilla war, The advocates of this view actually started right from the beginning and can unite and build the revolutionary serve a reformist and economist line, guerrilla war is the central task alliance with its main ally, the great only in a round-about way. They ac- this should be adhered to strictly and- majority of the peasantry. In a tually run away from the Leninist firmly. It is demanded by Mao's word, only guerrilla warfare can stand of What Is To Be Done? path of people's war, and by educate and organise the peasants in To say that armed struggle should Leninism as well. revolutionary politics. It is indeed be started from the beginning does the application of Whot Is To Be not neglect the necessity of certain A Few Points on "Starting the Arm- Done? to these countries. preparations. The real point of ed Struggle Right from the If instead work around a political debate here is not over preparation, Beginning" organ is taken as the central task, but over what line leads: reformist 1- One of the main obstacles to in- work will invariably wind up city- politics or revolutionary politics. itiating armed struggle and guerrilla centred and mainly among the urban This is exactly the point of What Is war right from the beginning is the middle class intellectuals and to To Be Done? Depending on the tendency to magnify the enemy's some extent the workers, and this specific circumstances of a country, strength. In actual practice this will result in their isolation from the minimum preparation such as tendency fails to assess the real state masses of people. Moreover, in the building a primary organisational of affairs in these countries. Due to absence of any link with guerrilla base, creation of public opinion, imperialism and neo-colonialism a war in the rural districts, work etc., must be done, but on the basis state of crisis prevails all the time in among the workers under this line is of revolutionary politics. Such these countries, and consequently a ultimately bound to fall into the pit preparation can never be completed permanent revolutionary situation \ of reformism and economism. based on reformism and economism generally exists (though with ebbs 5 Many people speak of another or through mass movements based and flows). That is why a small q6 way of uniting the people in these on such politics; even revolutionary spark of struggle once ignited even countries, of "applying the mass public opinion cannot be built up in in one remote corner can spread line". Their method is to conduct this way. around and flare up. Mao's axiom : economic movements among the Many of the forces who put for- that "a single spark can start a i peasants, to build up mass organisa- ward such views and who attack the prairie fire" is generally applicable tions among them for this purpose line of guerilla war right from the in these countries. This is also one I and to take these as the key link. It start as "adventurist" and "ter- reason why revolutionary struggle a follows from the politics of What Is rorist" are ex-revolutionaries who can often take the form of armed { ToBeDone? that this central task degenerated to opportunism as a struggle right from the beginning in tr is void of revolutionary politics; it is result of the disasters of the 1970s these countries. o a reformist, revisionist conception and who have taken pro-Sino or 2- To start armed struggle right i of the mass line. All the legal revi- pro-Sino/Soviet middle course lines. from the beginning does not mean to sionists who have rejected armed They pay lip service to armed strug- start guerrilla war from the very first struggle are engaged in this fruitless gle but argue that "this is not the day of party building. Some search. way to start." Others, too, centre minimum preparatory work is a In sum, once guerrilla war is their attack on the question of star- must. To grasp the basic theoretical abandoned, the party either will be ting armed struggle and guerrilla aspects of Marxism-Leninism-Mao isolated from the masses of warfare. But whatever the diversity Tsetung Thought; the theoretical- peasants, or if it is able to retain rela- of forms their attacks take, they all political formulations of the main tions with them these will be rela- come down to this: that people, issues of basic political and socio- tions based on reformism and through spontaneous economic economic analysis; propaganda on economism that have no link with movements, will automatically theoretical, ideological and political revolutionary politics and the grasp the politics of armed struggle matters; training a minimum revolutionary seizure of power. and capturing power and one fine number of cadres necessary for in- There are also those who raise the morning will rise up in arms out of itial development of organisation question in this fashion: Yes, guer- the spontaneous upsurges. In a nut- and struggle; the rearing of a few rilla warfare is undoubtedly the shell, they claim to prepare for professional revolutionaries and in- main task but should guerrilla ac- revolution, but without revolu- itial practice of professional life; a tivity really- be started right from the tionary politics. minimal organisational foundation beginning? Would not armed strug- Thus in these countries it is not among the revolutionary intellec- gle started from the beginning be enough for the Marxist-Leninists to tuals, workers and peasants; the for- isolated from the people? Rather, simply theoretically accept the mation of a few guerrilla units; mak- 73 ing a Marxist-Leninist class analysis rilla warfare is bound to remain, to tween self-reliance and foreign help: and summation of the movements some extent, isolated from the "We stand for self-reliance. We and revolutionary struggles of the masses of people, or at least it may hope for foreign aid but cannot be people this is some of the appear to be so. In most cases, guer- dependent on it; we depend on our preparatory- work. These must be rilla war must be started from own efforts, on the creative power performed more or less almost zero, so that it may not of the whole army and the entire simultaneously, or at least in an possess, and in many cases it is not people."la orderly manner. So naturally there possible to possess, all of the Without implementing the mass will be, br might be, a preparatory characteristic features of what is line, without dependence on the period or a period of "peaceful" known as people's war, in that it is masses of people, all struggles are development in the life of almost not yet waged as a war of masses of bound to be dependent on others. every revolutionary party. people themselves. At this stage, The revolution's leading force the Sometimes we meet a definite pro- enemies and revisionists of all hues working class and its party - and blem here. Under the pretext of pour forth their slanders of "isola- the revolutionary army cannot- "necessary" subjective preparation tion from the masses," "terrorists," defeat the powerful enemy alone; things sometimes begin to take a "ultra-left extremists," etc. This they must depend on one of the two much longer time, lines emerge must be opposed and exposed, in- forces, foreign aid or the masses of about the need for extensive cluding by strong politico- people. Further, at the time Mao preparation so as to launch guerrilla ideological propaganda work spoke of hoping for foreign aid, warfare overnight, perhaps among the people. For the reality is socialism existed in the Soviet thoughout the country, and so on, that the starting of guerrilla war Union, which it no longer does. all of which unnecessarily delay the under a correct line is the starting of Foreign aid, especially on a state starting of revolutionary war. people's war itself, and it is exactly level, is not now availableto genuine Adherence to such lines runs down through such starting of people's liberation struggles, as what is going the path of reformism, and Marxist- war on a small scale that it can be on in the people's war in Peru under Leninists must resolutely oppose this gradually spread around the coun- the leadership of its Communist right deviationist tendency in the try. The initial stage is almost in- Party shows. Thus it is more impor- party. The root of this tendency is evitably begun in small areas or tant than ever to fully depend on the magnifying the enemy's strength pockets which act as a spark for the masses of people. and failing to grasp the essence of masses of people themselves When one turns away from Mao's formulation that "a single throughout the country to take it up. depending on the masses of people { spark can start a prairie fire"; it also one is bound to depend on foreign o D fails to grasp the application of Mass Line and Self-Reliance sources. And whatever pretext this F lVhot Is To Be Done? to these coun- "The revolutionary war is a war of takes place under "socialism," E tries. Sometimes its adherents in- the masses; it can be waged only by "democracy," "world- humani- dulge in subjective dreams of star- mobilising the masses and relying on tarianism," etc. one is bound to d ting widespread struggle and them."r2 This single sentence of turn into a tool -of Soviet, U.S. or by-passing the tortuous path of pro- Mao excellently reflects the fun- some other foreign imperialist and { tracted people's war. damental nature of people's war and the revolutionary struggle will stray 3- Though in the oppressed coun- its relation to mass line. There can be and fail. Examples should not real- = tries a revolutionary situation no application of this principle of ly be necessary to establish the fact 6 generally exists, it has ebbs and mass line without at the same time that such phenomena are abundant q flows. Thus, though generally the applying another principle em- in the present-day world. It should \ central task is to start armed strug- phasised by Mao, self reliance and also be pointed out that it is only gle right from the beginning, for arduous struggle; conversely, firm- proletarian leadership that can tru- various reasons (such as an ebb in ness in self-reliance can lead one to ly mobilise and depend on the the revolutionary situation, setbacks the application of mass line. masses. to the revolutionary movement, cen- Mao explained self-reliance in the tralisation of cadres for certain jobs following way: Surrounding the Cities from the other than armed struggle, etc.) at a "On what basis should our policy Countryside, and Related Military certain time armed struggle tem- rest? It should rest on our own Matters porarily may not be the central task. strength, and that means regenera- The main military matters included But even then political and organisa- tion through our own efforts. We here are: the role of base areas; the tional functions should be directed are not alone; all the countries and protracted nature of the war; and towards increasing preparation for people in the world opposed to im- the strategy and tactics of guerrilla initiating and conducting the armed perialism are our friends. Never- war. We have already discussed how struggle so that the revolution can be theless, we stress regeneration the basic strategy of surrounding the advanced even while anticipating the through our own efforts. Relying on cities from the countryside is rooted development of more favourable the forces we ourselves organise, we in the nature ofthe social system and overall conditions. can defeat all Chinese and foreign the stage of the revolution in the op- 4- The question of isolation from reactionaries. " 13 pressed countries themselves. The the masses. At the initial stage guer- He also explained the relation be- basic theoretical guidelines for- Demonstration in support of the revolutionory struggle of Wetnamese people in their war ogoinst U.S. imperiolism. Mao greets Latin American visitors. 75

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D { o ! F tr d { z G 6q \

Red Guards give it to "Uncle Som." 76

mulated by Mao Tsetung which neglect painstaking work among the sacrifice themselves with immense guide this strategy are still valid, nor peasants, and to neglect guerrilla spirit. From the viewpoint of the has any fundamental development warfare."15 whole country, base areas act as of the theories and principles of peo- Guerrilla warfare and the "sparks." ple's war taken place since his time. establishment of base areas are of- Also, through establishing and Here we will just touch on these ma- fensive actions within the overall consolidating base areas, the pro- jor military points and discuss how defensive stage of protracted peo- letariat leads people in capturing and far they are still applicable in the ple's war. Relative to the whole wielding state power, however new world situation where impor- country, base areas create the con- small, and thus the people can con- tant changes have taken place in the ditions for self-protection of the duct experiments with the new state characteristics of the oppressed revolutionary forces, but relative to power and in the process prepare countries. particular parts of the country they themselves for future state ad- The strategy of surrounding the are offensive pursuits. Guerilla war- ministration. cities from the countryside demands fare spreads the revolutionary war These are the political and that base areas should be establish- and expands base areas, thus advan- ideological roles of base areas. ed in rural areas for capturing cing the process of capturing power power. This is not possible in the countryside. Post World War 2 Changes and the simultaneously throughout the Besides these military aspects, Path of People's War country but must begin in small or there are also political and On the one hand, since World War limited areas. ideological features of base areas, 2 developments have taken place Furthermore, base areas are and these are very important. The such that most of the oppressed na- necessary due to the protracted establishment of base areas means tions are no longer as backward as character of the war. At the initial the growth of the revolutionary pre-revolutionary China. The wide stage the enemy is far more power- political power of the great majori- and increasing penetration of im- ful than the revolutionary forces. ty of the peasantry, especially the perialism has wrought many The revolutionaries start with weak landless and poor peasants, under changes, some basic and qualitative. forces and then gain strength, so as the leadership of the proletariat Capitalism has developed, including to gradually change the balance of (which is a form of the dictatorship in agriculture, so that feudalism has N, forces and conduct the final assault of all revolutionary classes under been eroded to a great extent; s on the enemy. So the war is pro- proletarian leadership, today, in workers have multiplied in number qa tracted and necessarily takes the Peru for example, this is called Peo- and become more experienced; h form of a guerrilla war oYer a long ple's Committees). The implementa- alongside the industrial workers period. Thus in order to protect the tion of the programme of new non-industrial labourers have = revolutionary forces, to spread the democratic revolution, the complete tremendously increased in number, i revolution and to stand on a firm or partial elimination of feudalism as have the landless peasants; ur- footing base areas are essential. This and the distribution of the enemies' banisation has increased; centralis- oh is the foundation ofthe strategy and lands among the peasants in accor- ed military-bureaucratic state a tactics of guerrilla war. dance with the principle of "land to machines have been established. { Mao explained that, the tiller, " the establishment of peo- These changes are continuing, and ( "In the face of such enemies, ple's courts and handing out of sometimes even increasing. o there arises the question of base revolutionary justice these and On the other hand despite all these i areas. Since China's key cities have many other revolutionary- changes changes, the fundamental character long been occupied by the powerful are taken by the new revolutionary of the socio-economic structure and imperialists and their reactionary political power. the state remain basically, or main- Chinese allies, it is imperative for the As a consequence, the toiling ly, unchanged. The so-called "in- revolutionary ranks to turn the masses and patriotic people stand up dependent national" states actually backward villages into advanced with heads erect, they become im- are not independent but under the consolidated base areas, into great mensely confident of their own most severe imperialist domination military, political, economic and revolutionary vigour, the people and exploitation. The ruling class is cultural bastions of revolution from place their hopes and confidence in dependent on imperialism; feudal which to fight their vicious enemies the party and the army it leads, as (and semi-feudal) exploitation and who are using the cities for attacks the people see concretely the goal of despotism still exist extensively in on the rural districts, and this way revolution and witness for rural areas; cities and towns are still gradually to achieve the complete themselves the form of the future the strongholds of the enemy; the victory of the revolution through liberated social system. In a word, great majority of the population re- protracted fighting....the protracted base areas set examples of revolution main peasants, in vast rural areas, revolutionary struggle consists before the people. All these things where impoverishment is even in- mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare encourage the peasants to come creasing steadily; the masses have no led by the Chinese Communist Par- under the flag of the revolutionary real democratic rights, and people ty. Therefore it is wrong to ignore war with multiplied enthusiasm, and are often crushed under the wheel of the necessity of using rural districts enable them to participate in the fascist military or civilian dictatorial as revolutionary base areas, to revolutionary pursuit and to rule which is in essence fascist. In a 77 word, the situation in these countries wide political and organisational fering severe setbacks. As a result a with a few exceptions, is still, in work, mass movements and mass large number of persons essence, like that of pre- upsurges in urban areas, work degenerated from the ranks of revolutionary China. among the workers and in the cities, Marxist-Leninists, and rejected Mao Thus despite the changes that activity centred on a party organ, Tsetung Thought and people's war. have taken place, the basic strategy etc. all these have gained in im- Further, revisionists and other of surrounding the cities from the portance,- and it is imperative to co- enemies have sought to capitalise on countryside remains valid (with the ordinate them properly with guer- these setbacks to assault anew the few exceptions). The rapid develop- rilla war (Mao gave these impor- line of Mao and of people's war. ment of the people's war in Peru tance even in connection with the Yet though the importance of under the leadership of its Com- revolution in China). Otherwise, it grasping these changes and the ad- munist Party proves this truth. But will not be possible to lead the justments they mandate in revolu- because there have been important revolutionary war correctly. tionary work is clear, it must still be changes, the necessity of applying Moreover, the importance of all this affirmed that work among peasants the strategy and tactics of people's work is bound to increase. in the rural areas remains principal war creatively something which This work in urban areas may be and that the task of developing guer- Mao always stressed- is more felt helpful in facing enemy pressure in rilla warfare remains in general the than ever. - the initial period of the development central task. Work in urban areas, In undertaking this task, two of guerrilla war and base areas (of or mass movements, etc., cannot ad- wrong tendencies are frequently whatever kind) where the revolu- vance revolutionary politics beyond seen. One is the tendency to neglect tionary forces are still weak. Con- a certain limit in the struggle for and even refuse to recognise the versely, the development of guerrilla power without the development of changes and differences and so war, and especially of base areas, armed struggle in the countryside. mechanically apply the Chinese ex- can exert tremendous revolutionary Only on-going guerrilla warfare in perience, instead of creatively apply- influence in accelerating the mass the countryside can create the con- ing Mao Tsetung Thought. The upsurge and rebellion in urban ditions for establishing proletarian other tendency over-emphasises and areas, and giving these a more leadership of the city-centred mass exaggerates the changes and dif- revolutionary character. Also, work organisations and raising them to ferences due to inability to grasp the in urban areas, especially among higher stages and making use of D fundamental similarily, and conse- workers and in mass movements, them in service of the revolutionary quently suffers from indecisiveness play a major role in supplying war. { can o on the path of revolution. Actually cadres and fighters. In some of the oppressed coun- ! this second tendency, too, takes the The tendency to neglect all this tries, in Asia, Africa and Latin F Chinese experience mechanically, and blindly apply the Chinese America, capitalist development tr but in a negative way, and fails to see method of proceeding from local and the increase in the number of q that Mao Tsetung Thought and peo- base areas was a major reason for workers has been extensive, though o ple's war must be applied creotive- the disasters which befell so many of these countries are not yet ly. The revisionists too overem- the new generation of Marxist- "predominantly capitalist. " In such s phasise the differences so as to deny Leninists who arose in the 1960s. countries both the political and the z the fundamental character of the op- Unfortunately, this tendency is still military importance of the cities has 6 pressed nations and categorically re- widespread. Specific reflections of increased and is increasing. This is a ject people's war. this are: an objective reality. Sometimes in qr The struggle with these two - an inability to understand and these countries mass movements \ tendencies, and the problem of ap- blind denial of the process of may leap into mass uprisings or mass plying the line of people's war more capitalist development and the decay revolt, even in the absence of arm- generally, centres on two questions: of feudal relations (in a non- ed struggle in the rural areas. Thus firstly, starting armed struggle right revolutionary way) in the oppressed opportunities may arise for initiating fromthe beginning (i.e., what is the countries; armed struggle through first staging central task and how should it be - as a consequence of the above, mass uprisings in the cities, and this carried out?); and secondly, the the inability to understand or again may be quite necessary. That is why, question of establishing base areas. denial of the importance of work in though in such countries surroun- Because of the changes we have the cities and among workers, of ding the cities from the countryside noted it is no longer possible in many mass organisations and upsurges is the path of revolution, the party countries to try to follow China's and of the ability to carry out legal of the proletariat should take into model exactly and try to spread activity; account in its overall strategy the guerrilla warfare throughout a coun- - inability to understand or denial possibility of using such situations try by starting from and depending of the importance of work on a and it should remain prepared to do on a base area established in a cer- country-wide scale for the establish- so. So in these circumstances the line tain remote corner of a country. In- ment of base areas. of developing guerrilla warfare and stead, alongside the initiation of This tendency, widespread in the capturing power first in the rural guerrilla warfare with the aim of South Asian subcontinent, resulted areas does not apply in the same establishing base areas, country- in the revolutionary movements suf- static way, but varies with the vary- 78

ing circumstances. areas that Mao had undertaken up letarian leadership, a good many But if one's conception of overall to 1928, when he wrote "Why Red armed rebel groups more or less strategy is hazy or if one neglects the Political Power Can Exist," did not linked to the people have emerged main aspects of the overall strategy end there, nor were these conditions and maintained their existence for one will not be able to reap the fruits something immutable. Mao later long periods. In some countries of such eventualities, because there showed that even in the absence of these groups have strongholds in is every possibility that the situation the conditions he described in 1928 rural areas and wage powerful arm- may take many turns. For example, different types or forms of base ed attacks against the government. in spite of mass uprisings in the areas could be developed. He men- And such incidents take place even cities, it may not be possible to pro- tioned, for instance, the following in small countries. ceed to the overall capture ofpower; types of base areas: those in the hills Thus whatever the diversities of or even if it is possible victory may and mountains, those on the plains, process, form or duration, it is not last long; or perhaps it will be and those in the river-lake-estuary possible for armed struggle and base possible to capture and even main- regions, arrd showed their com- areas to emerge and develop. As the tain power, but it will be necessary parative advantages and disadvan- Declaration of the Revolutionary In- to conduct long-term civil war in the tages. He also mentioned the follow- ternationslist Movement says: rural areas. Here the relevant ex- ing variable conditions that would "In these countries the exploita- perience of the Russian revolution is effect the establishment of base tion of the proletariat and the worth remembering. There, though areas, and required different and masses is severe, the outrage of im- Russia had developed to im- flexible policies: temporary or perialist domination constant, and perialism, its rural districts were still seasonal base areas in unfavourable the ruling classes usually exercise feudal, and there was civil war in the terrain, shifting of base areas from their dictatorship nakedly and countryside. Cases may arise in place to place, taking advantage of brutally, and even when they utilise which civil war should be waged ac- "green curtains" of tall crops in the bourgeois-democratic or cording to the principle of people's summer in plains areas, of frozen parliamentary form their dictator- war relying mainly on the peasants. rivers in winters, etc."16 Thus Mao, ship is only thinly veiled. This situa- As in the case of starting armed in the course of summing up base tion leads to frequent revolutionary struggle and guerrilla war, dif- areas over a long period of time, struggles on the part of the pro- I\ ferences may also arise because of showed that a revolutionary party letariat, the peasants and other sec- s the afore-mentioned changes in the should try to start guerrilla war and tions of the masses which often take qa case of establishing base areas. The set up permament or temporary base the form of armed struggle. For all opponents of people's war like to areas in all places where people and these reasons, including the lopsid- say that the points Mao mentioned enemy forces are found."r7 ed and distorted development in : in the article "Why Is It That Red As for the rise of centralised state these countries which often makes it ! Political Power Can Exist in machines and the absence of feudal difficult for the reactionary classes China?" as conditions for the sur- warlords, many exaggerate the to maintain state rule and to con- g vival of base areas no longer exist in strength of these state apparatuses. solidate their power throughout the a most oppressed countries. In par- They ignore their internal contradic- state, it is often the case that the q{ ticular they argue that there are no tions, the fact, for instance, that revolution takes the form of pro- o longer locally fragmented feudal various power-hungry factions of tracted revolutionary warfare in warlords as existed in China, but the ruling class are at times locked in which the revolutionary forces are i rather there are now powerful cen- even bloody in-fighting in these able to establish base areas of one tralised military-bureaucratic state countries, which throws the state type or another in the countryside machines. These problems are machinery into a state of instability. and carry out the basic strategy of multiplied, they say, in the relative- This is an inevitable reflection of surrounding the city by the coun- ly small countries that have no hills sharp contention among competing tryside. "18 and forests. They conclude that it is different imperialists, especially the not possible to establish base areas two superpowers, over domination People's War in the "Predominant- at all. of these countries. It is an insoluble ly Capitalist" Countries The material basis for these crisis under the neo-colonial system. In the "Joint Communique" issued arguments should of course be ex- At the same time this system gives by 13 parties and organisations in amined thoroughly by Marxist- birth to fascist dictatorial rule over 1980, it was said: Leninists, so as to accurately unders- and over again in almost all such "There is an undeniable tenden- tand the problems and limitations countries. Even the masquerading cy for imperialism to introduce imposed by objective conditions. social-democrats cannot for long significant elements of capitalist But the more important point here hide their real fascist character. relations in the countries it is that under the pretext of "objec- This, and the most severe exploita- dominates. In certain dependent tive conditions" these people present tion, intensely sharpens the con- countries, capitalist development Mao's theory of red base areas in a tradictions between the people of has gone so far that it is not correct mechanical and often partial and different strata and the ruling class. to characterise them as semi-feudal. distorted manner. As a result, in many of these coun- It is better to call them predominant- The process of summing up base tries, even where there is no pro- ly capitalist even while important 79 elements or remnants of feudal or going reflections in the superstruc- It can be said without doubt that semi-feudal production relations ture. the methods and lines applicable to and their reflection in the That these countries are predominantly agricultural coun- superstructure still exists. imperialist-dominated neocolonies tries are not applicable in the same "In such countries a concrete is also reflected in the lack of way in these countries. We have analysis must be made of these con- democracy in the political state already mentioned that in non- ditions and appropriate conclusions system, in the absence of legal rights predominantly capitalist countries concerning the path, tasks, of the people, in the continuation of with significant capitalist develop- character and alignment of class savage military-bureaucratic dic- ment work in the cities and among forces must be drawn. In all events, tatorships and their crushing of the the workers has gained importance, foreign imperialism remains a target people's movements. and that it might be possible to even of the revolution."re All this means that in these coun- start armed struggle through mass In addition to South Korea, tries the task of new democratic uprisings there, instead of by laun- Taiwan, etc., considerable capitalist revolution has not been completed. ching it in the countryside. This is all development has taken place in a One important feature of the new the more so in the case of the few Latin American and some oil- democratic revolution, as Mao predominantly capitalist countries. rich countries. showed in China, is that the And because these are predominant- The capitalist development that bourgeoisie divide, that the middle ly capitalist countries, the peasantry, has taken place in these countries is and small bourgeoisie (i.e., the na- though still an important force, is no not an independent national tional bourgeoisie) can play a role in longer the main revolutionary force capitalism, it is not capitalism that favour of revolution, and that is why here, nor is the countryside has come into being through the the proletariat must strive to unite necessarily the centre of work. That overthrow of feudalism and foreign with them. This important formula- is why it is probably no longer the imperialism. On the contrary, it is tion of Mao's is completely ap- case that armed struggle and armed capitalism introduced through im- plicable in these countries. On the organisation are principal perialism, in the process of its post- one hand widespread capitalist throughout the entire period of World War 2 expansion and under development has inevitably given revolution in these countries. Even its neo-colonial system. This is birth to a large number of national so, it is quite possible that power comprador-bureaucrat capitalism, bourgeois. On the other hand the cannot be captured all at once shaped by and intimately bound up comprador-bureaucratic capital in through armed uprising, so that with and dependent on foreign im- these countries in close collaboration after some kind of partial capture of { perialism. Hence its distorted lopsid- with imperialism has developed in- power it may be necessary to wage a o ed character, and, despite the to monopoly capital, and the reac- more or less protracted revolu- aF predominantly capitalist character tionary state machine protects them. tionary war. Even a total capture of tr of the society, its continued neo- As a result, the small and middle power may be reduced to a tem- { colonialist domination. The state bourgeois is obstructed and imped- porary victory, so that it may be o machineries of these countries are ed. Thus to divide the bourgeoisie necessary to retreat and go to the watch-dogs of comprador- and try to unite the national rural areas or areas where the enemy { bureaucrat capital and imperialism. bourgeois in the course of the is weak so as to conduct protracted z There is no doubt that imperialism revolutionary, anti-imperialist people's war. is one of the targets of revolution in struggle is still an important task. In sum then, though the exact 6! these countries. It is clear that the stage of revolu- path of revolution in these countries q Since the old feudal/semifeudal tion in these countries remains new is not clear, serious study of Mao's \ system was not overthrown by democratic. The Trotskyites, social- theory of New Democratic Revolu- revolutionary means but transform- democrats, and different types of tion, protracted people's war and ed in a non-revolutionary way by revisionists put forward that new guerrilla war by the party of the pro- imperialism itself, it is quite natural democracy in these countries is no letariat and the education of the and possible that a big or major part longer necessary, that since the cadres workers and peasants in these of the property holders under the economy is capitalist the stage of theories, and the creative application feudal system have, through a revolution is directly for socialism. of the path of people's war for gradual and compromising process, This is not only wrong, it is reac- preparing for and capturing power turned into owners under the tionary, because, in seeing only these remain very important tasks capitalist agricultural system, still capitalism, they cover up imperialist -for the party. dependent on imperialism. At the exploitation and place imperialist In these countries, because the same time, the new comprador countries and countries under im- workers and the cities are now prin- bureaucrats are bound to participate perialism on a par. cipal, the task of educating the too in the agricultural economy. But the question here is: what is workers through the party organ(s) Also because of this non- the path for revolution in these and through revolutionary mass revolutionary transformation, im- countries, to what extent are the movements and organisations has portant elements or remnants of the lines of people's war and surroun- gained greater importance than ever. feudal relations of production are. ding the cities from the countryside Finally, only the development of bound to persist, and to have on- still applicable? truly revolutionary parties of the 80

proletariat, based on Marxism- oppressed countries. This means, in Leninism, will be able to ultimately general, grasping the path of peo- give a correct answer to the exact ple's war and initiating guerrilla path of revolution in these countries. warfare. These obligations have fallen to the true Marxist-Leninists. Conclusion So it is that it is urgent to hold high, Through his charting of the path of explain and propagate the path of China's revolutionary war, Mao people's war and especially Mao Tsetung qualitatively developed the Tsetung Thought, because it is only Marxist theory of war. He learned Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung from important wars of the world Thought which can give the and China, especially progressive guidance required to the upcoming and revolutionary wars; he struggles. T assimilated the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin on war in Footnotes general and revolutionary wars in particular; and finally, he learned by 1. Mao Tsetung, "The Chinese Revolution applying the dialectical materialist and the Chinese Communist Party," Selected Works,Yol.2, p.318. outlook in the course of leading war 2. Declaration ofthe Revolutionory Interna- itself as Mao taught, one learns tionalist Movemenl, Indian English language warfare- through warfare. And so edition, p. 31. Mao forged the path of people's war 3. Mao Tsetung, "Problems of War and Strategy," Selected Works, Yol. 2, pp. in illustrating brilliantly how the 219-20. people of the weak and oppressed 4. Mao Tsetung, "The Chinese Revolution countries can courageously rise up to and the Chinese Communist Party," Selected defeat seemingly omnipotent im- Works, Yot. 2, p. 317. 5. Mao Tsetung, "Problems of War and perialism and its accomplices. Strategy," Selected Works, Yol. 2, p. 221. If one looks at the path of peo- 6. Declaration of the RIM,Indian English edi- ple's war from a purely military tion, p.32. \ 7. Mao Tsetung, the People's a viewpoint, it is impossible to unders- "On a Democratic Dictatorship," Selected Works, tand its truly profound significance, Yol. 4, p.421. 3 nor will it be possible to apply it 8. Mao Tsetung, "Revolutionary Forces of creatively amidst whatever changes the World, Unite, Fight Against Imperialist imperialism has wrought in the op- Aggression," Selected Works, Y o1.4, p. 284. Mao Tsetung, People's pressed 9. "On the = nations. Only if one con- Democratic Dictatorship, " Selected Works, o= ceives the strategy of people's war as Yol. 4, p. 422. h an overall dialectical materialist 10. Mao Tsetung, "The Chinese Revolution outlook for solving the problem of and the Chinese Communist Party," Selected a Works,Yol.2, p.331. { revolutionary warfare will it be tr 11. Ibid., pp. 326-27. possible to accomplish these and 12. Mao Tsetung, "Be Concerned with the o other critical tasks. Well-Being of the Masses, Pay Attention to i The present world situation is that Methods of Work," Selected Works,Yol.l, p. on the one hand different forms 147. of 13. Mao Tsetung, "The Situation and Our struggle, including armed struggle, Policy After the Victory in the War of of the people against imperialism Resistance Against Japan," Selected Works, and its agents are forming anew. The Vol. 4, p. 20. national liberation 14. Mao Tsetung, "We Must Learn to Do anti-imperialist Economic Work," Selected Works, Yol. 3, movements are again rising up p.241. strong, and symptoms of gathering 15. Mao Tsetung, "The Chinese Revolution momentum of worldwide mass and the Chinese Communist Party," Selected Works, Yol. 2, pp. 316-17. upheavals, after a long pause since 16. Mao Tsetung, "Problems of Strategy in the 1960s, have surfaced. On the the Guerrilla War Against Japan," Selected other hand, the two contending im- Works, Yol. 2, pp. 94-95. perialist blocs led by the U.S. and 17. Ibid., p. 100. 18. Declaration of the RIM,Indian English are Soviet imperialists hatching con- edition, p.31. spiracies and preparing to unleash a 19. Quoted in the Declaration of the RIM, world war, and are tremendously in- Ibid., p.35. creasing their war preparations. In such a situation it is imperative to develop national liberation movements and revolutionary strug- gles under correct leadership in the