Two Lines Over Maoist Revolution in Nepal: Five Letters
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TWO LINES OVER MAOIST REVOLUTION IN NEPAL FIVE LETTERS FROM THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF NEPAL (MAOIST) AND THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST PARTY, USA KASAMA ESSAYS FOR DISCUSSION Kasama is a communist project that, in theory and practice, fights for the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. website: kasamaproject.org email: [email protected] Contents Letter of RCP, USA (January 2009) . 1 Letter of RCP, USA (November 2008) . 3 The Problem Is The Line Of The Party . .3 New Democracy & Socialism Are Stepping Stones On The Road To Communism . 4 The Election Miracle? . 7 “Without A People’s Army The People Have Nothing” . 7 Part Of The Rebirth Of Revolutionary Communism Or Part Of Its Burial? . 8 New Synthesis Or Tired Old Bourgeois Democracy? . 10 “Emancipators Of Humanity” Or Builders Of A New Switzerland? . 10 Two‑Line Struggle Or “Three Lines”? . 12 In Summation: Fight To Save The Revolution! . 14 Letter of RCP, USA(March 2008) . 17 Troubling Tactics In the Pursuit of a Wrong Ideological and Political Line . 19 What is the Goal–to “Restructure the State” or to “Smash It”? . 21 Bourgeois Democracy and New Democracy . 24 “Proportional” Bourgeois Democracy or the New‑Democratic System? . 26 Land to the Tiller . 28 On the Constitution and Class Rule . 29 Revolutionary Practice . 30 Who’s Fooling Whom? . 31 Arming the Masses with the Truth or Sowing Deliberate Confusion? . 32 Togliatti and Thorez . 34 Rewriting Party History . 35 More Reversal of Historical Verdicts . 36 The International Dimension . 37 “Combine Two into One” or “Divide One Into Two”? . 38 Eclecticism Defended . 40 Crux of the Matter–Ideological and Political Line . 41 What Type of Ideological Synthesis Is Needed? . 43 Letter of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (June 2006) . 47 Historical Context . 47 Experience Of History And Our Effort . 48 State, Democracy And Dictatorship Of The Proletariat . 50 Democratic Republic – A Transitional Form . 52 Strategy And Tactics . 53 New Democratic Republic Of Nepal And The Army . 54 Conclusion . 56 Letter of the RCP, USA (October 2005) . 57 Democracy: Form And Content . 57 Formal Democracy Under Socialism . 59 People’s Republic Or “Transitional Forms” . 62 Tactics And Strategy . 64 A Questionable Proposal . 66 On The “International Community” . 67 Nepal And The Imperialist World Order . 68 Democracy And The Middle Strata . 70 Two Lines Over Maoist Revolution in Nepal Five letters from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA has taken. Proceeding from what is our understanding Letter of RCP, USA of proletarian internationalism, we have made many (January 2009) efforts to carry out struggle over the crucial questions of ideological and political line involved. In particular Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) we have written three major letters at key junctures January 29, 2009 presenting in a frank manner our understanding of the matters of principle that have emerged in relation to Dear Comrades, the development of the revolution in your country; we As you know we have been following the devel‑ have not addressed these on the level of specific tactical opments in your country and within your party with measures that you have taken at different junctures, but great concern and interest. During the long years of with regard to the overall ideological and political line the People’s War we consistently upheld and propa‑ that has been guiding the practice of your party–and gated your struggle within the revolutionary move‑ which are now pushing the revolution into the abyss. ment and among the masses of people in our country, We wrote one letter in October 2005, a second one and participated in doing so on an international level. on March 19, 2008 and a third on November 4, 2008. We did so wholeheartedly, convinced that the struggle Of these three letters, you chose to respond only to the in Nepal was a blow not only against the reactionary first; we are very disappointed and dismayed that you ruling classes of Nepal itself, but could become an ad‑ did not consider that the later two letters of 2008 even vanced outpost of struggle against the world imperial‑ merited a response. The questions that we and others ist system and that, under the leadership of a genuine have raised clearly focus on questions that need to be communist vanguard party, this revolution had the ba‑ discussed within RIM and the international commu‑ sis not only for liberating Nepal but to contribute to nist movement and are of concern to all who want to the spread of revolutionary communism in the region do away with imperialism and reaction, and work to‑ and the world. ward a communist future. We are writing this letter to inform you that we It should be obvious why the change in the lead‑ have come to the conclusion that it is now necessary to ing political and ideological orientation of your party open up to the public the struggle that we have been and the policies adopted have caused a great deal of waging with you for several years now over key ques‑ questioning and confusion among friends of the Ne‑ tions of communist principle and the differences that pal revolution in our country and elsewhere. Despite have now sharply emerged. the concerns of sections of the masses and repeated re‑ Ever since October 2005 we have been increasing‑ quests to know our opinion, we have been very careful ly alarmed at the developments of line that your party to avoid open criticism of your party in our press and in other public forums up until now. We have felt that vehicle for dissemination of your line and views consti‑ this was the correct approach for us to take because tutes promoting views that are completely in opposition you had made clear to us your preference that this to the goals and methods of communists that should struggle not take place in the public arena and because be upheld by the international communist movement. it was our sincere hope that keeping this struggle inter‑ We will proceed with publishing the three major nal to the ranks of our respective parties and the parties letters mentioned above along with the only response and organizations of our movement would create the we have received from you, unless we hear from you most favorable conditions for your party, and especially by February 15, 2009 with a compelling reason for not its leadership, to engage in serious study, debate and doing so. struggle over the questions that we and other comrades in the international movement have been raising. Our proletarian internationalist We are forced to conclude that this policy of keep‑ greetings, ing our struggle internal is no longer appropriate under Central Committee the present circumstances. When the party leadership Revolutionary Communist Party, USA has shown no interest in pursuing struggle over cardi‑ nal questions of ideological and political line and where the leading line and policies of the party itself are ac‑ celerating in the wrong direction, to keep silent would objectively represent acquiescence in this very path. On the contrary, the circumstances require a vigorous public discussion of the central ideological and political questions involved. We do not take this decision with joy of heart but rather out of the deepest concern for the future of the revolution in Nepal and its implications for the prole‑ tarian revolutionary struggle internationally. Just as we had decided that it is now correct to take this course of action, an article written by Roshan Kisson appeared in your English language journal Red Star (#21) in which there is an open repudiation of the whole of Marxism, beginning with Marx himself, an open rejection of the whole experience of the proletar‑ ian revolution up to this point, and an open proclama‑ tion that the revolution in Nepal can do no more than build a modern capitalist state, leaving the question of the struggle for socialism and communism to future generations. As part of the anti‑communist diatribe in Red Star #21, Kisson launches a vicious and unprincipled at‑ tack and personal slander on the leader of our party, Chairman Bob Avakian, which is reprehensible and unacceptable. We strongly protest the completely anti‑ communist content of this article. To publish such an article in a journal that is seen all over the world as a munist is shocked, saddened and angry to hear them Letter of RCP, USA on the lips of comrades of our Movement. (November 2008) Yes, we have heard that the assurances from some that all of this is but a “transitional state” that can be Letter from the Revolutionary Communist transformed into a genuine people’s state – or, some‑ Party, USA times we are told, it is but a clever ploy to “deceive the To the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) enemy” while preparations continue to bring the revo‑ and all Parties and Organizations of RIM lution to a victorious conclusion. But in fact each step (November 2008) taken down this road is making it more difficult ideo‑ Dear Comrades, logically, politically, organizationally and militarily to get back on the revolutionary path. Today many more On March 19, 2008, our Party sent a circular let‑ communists, in Nepal and elsewhere, are coming to ter to the comrades of the Communist Party of Nepal recognize that the formation of the “federal democratic (Maoist) as well as to the other parties and organiza‑ republic” is not a “stepping stone” toward achieving the tions of RIM expressing our deepest concern over the communist objectives but a giant step backwards, away political and ideological orientation of the CPN(M) from revolution and away from the achievements of the and the basic path it has been following for the last People’s War, and a giant step toward firmly reconsoli‑ three years.