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Some Lessons of lhe Culturql

\s q6 by David Joseph*

During the ten years after Mao the the same time they raise many new Later, faced with the possiblity of : leadership in China has almost un- questions too, because the course of capitalist restoration during the pro- : done all the positive gains of the history itself brings up many new cess of socialist revolution, as hap- Great Proletarian Cultural Revolu- complexities and situations which pened in the USSR, Mao developed ho tion carried out by the socialist could not be foreseen. the theory and practice of class a roaders within the CPC, under the During the era of and struggle under the dictatorship of q{ leadership of Mao Tsetung. Indeed, which was the . He unleashed an un- the process of capitalist restoration ushered in by the October Revolu- precedented form of revolution in o in China during this period has been tion of 1917, two most important China, the lessons of which have not ! significantly speedier than the same aspects of world revolution came to yet been properly assimilated even q process in the . No the fore. First, the worldwide anti- within the international communist doubt this experience is a serious set- imperialist struggle in the various movement, though the historic signi- back to the international communist types of colonies, to be carried for- ficance of this has already been movement, especially at a time when ward as part and parcel of the world recognised by the advanced elements it is engaged in a protracted struggle proletarian revolution; and second, all over the world. against imperialism and reaction. carrying forward the socialist What is attempted here is only a But the positive lessons of the revolution itself along the correct brief evaluation of some of the im- Chinese Revolution in general and path. Starting with the Leninist portant theoretical questions raised the GPCR in particular stand high, teachings on both these questions, during the preparation for the above the failures and setbacks, and Mao Tsetung developed the and some other continue to illuminate the path of Marxist-Leninist theory and practice new questions which have emerged world revolution. These experiences to a higher level on both these in relation to these. provide answers to many of the fronts. By completing the anti- Preparation for building the questions raised during this era; at imperialist, anti-feudal phase of the theoretical background for the Chinese revolution, establishing the GPCR was able to commence only people's democratic state and after the necessity ofa decisive break *David Joseph is a member of the developing the theory of New with the theory of Central Reorganising Committee of Democratic Revolution, Mao set the was recognised. The overall the of India model for completing this phase of philosophical basis for such a break (Marxist-Leninist) revolution throughout the world. had already been provided by the philosophical works of Mao. In one movement. socialist construction. The Soviet of his important early works, "On There had been, and still have party under Stalin even came to the Contradiction," he wrote: "...True, been, repeated attempts within the conclusion that in Soviet society the productive forces, practice and international communist movement class struggle between antagonistic the economic base generally play the to confuse the positions of classical classes had ceased to exist. This was principal and decisive role; whoever with the theory of produc- reflected in Stalin's statement in denies this is not a materialist. But tive forces. It startd systematically 1936, "...Thus all the exploiting it must also be admitted that in cer- with the theoreticians of the Second classes have now been eliminated." tain conditions such aspects as the International. Lenin dealt decisive This meant that the changes re- , theory and blows against this perception by quired in the production relations the superstructure in turn manifest developing the theory of imperialism for socialist construction had themselves in the principal and and proletarian revolution. The already been accomplished and that decisive role. When it is impossible myth that the proletarian revolution what was needed now was only the for the productive forces to develop can take place only where the pro- development of the productive without a change in the relations of ductive forces are the most forces. So the task of consciously production, then the change in the developed, even under imperialism, developing the class struggle under relations of production plays the was blown to pieces with the success the dictatorship of the proletariat principal and decisive role.... When of the . But the was given uF, allowing the the superstructure (politics, culture, philosophical basis of the view that bureaucratic capitalist class to etc.) obstructs the development of the productive forces always play the strengthen itself in Soviet society. the economic base, political and determining role in the development Even though Stalin tried to rectify cultural changes become principal of society was not shattered, as this mistake, at least partially, in the and decisive." But this is only a Lenin's contributions to philosophy last stages of his life, it did not have generalisation; the crucial question in this regard, manifested in his any effect as the newbourgeois class is to determine the given conditions "Philosophical Notebooks", did had already taken over the real con- when this change of place of op- not become generally known. trol of affairs in Soviet society. posites takes place. And it is Moreover, during the period under Though Mao had put forward a specifically in relation to this ques- Stalin, the theory of productive philosophical position against the tion that crucial struggles have forces grew stronger as it became the point of view adopted by Stalin, it emerged within the communist basis of the official policy for was not considered a direct challenge 24

to the Soviet party and so no tral task. came to the forefront in the ideological struggle developed on As Mao has already pointed out in ideological struggle during the this question within the international hisA Critique of Soviet Economics, GPCR was related to the basic communist movement. There is no the change in the ownership of the understanding of the nature of proof so far to show that Mao had is only one political power itself. The restora- noticed this basic deviation in the aspect of the change in the produc- tion of in the Soviet position of the Soviet party. It was tion relations. The relationship Union showed in an unambiguous only after 1956, when the CPC's among the producers, especially be- way that the capitalist class can Eighth Party Congress also adopted tween the managing cadre and the recapture political power from the unchallenged the same basic producers, as well as the entire hands of the proletariat without for- position- as that of- the CPSU in 1936 distribution system, are aspects of cing a violent counter-revolution, that Mao started to struggle against production relations which have to that is, through a peaceful process. this reactionary position. Certainly undergo basic changes. Even though This phenomenon cannot be ex- this development was related to the these aspects of production relations plained simply on the basis of the ac- struggle against Khrushchevite revi- belong to the economic base, the cepted understanding of the seizure sionism which openly came out in changes in these arenas is possible of political power by one class from 1956 at the time of the Twentieth mainly through constant ideological another. In order to unravel this Congress of the CPSU. Since the struggle, especially in changing the process we will have to go deeply in- beginning of 1957, Mao started a relationships among the producers. to the nature of the political power consistent struggle against the theory So the ideological struggle in the held by the proletariat and the pro- of productive forces and during the superstructure gets very interlinked cess of establishing its power under course ofthat struggle developed the with the changes in the economic the dictatorship of the proletariat. theory and practice of class struggle base, thus making any artificial The basic contradiction in under the dictatorship of the pro- separation between base and capitalist society which is resolved letariat. The ideological and political superstructure difficult. through the proletarian revolution is struggle culminating in the GPCR The theory and practice ofrevolu- that between socialised production developed in and outside the CPC, tion in the superstructure are of and capitalist appropriation. This mainly on the basis of the solid greater significance as they encom- contradiction can be resolved only N foundation laid down by Mao. pass the task of changing all aspects through the establishment of whol- ! It is true that all aspects of the of the existing ideological system as ly social production. And this can be qs theoretical problems related to the a whole. The struggle in the affected by the seizure of power by theory of the productive forces were superstructure means, all the more the proletariat and thus socialising not discussed in a thoroughgoing so, struggle at the political level for the production relations in society as u manner even in the Cultural Revolu- ideological hegemony between the a whole. While this thesis remains } tion. But even since the late 1950s contending classes, between the cornerstone of the whole Mao's efforts in this direction are bourgeois and the pro- political strategy of the communist oh very evident in works hke A Critique letarian ideology. The revolution in movement, the experience so far a of Soviet Economics. The most im- the superstructure is not at all gained has proved how complex this { portant theoretical position cited limited to politics, which is definitely process of the socialisation of the tr against the theory of productive the determining aspect, but also ex- production relations really is. We o forces was Marx's unequivocal em- tends to various aspects of the whole have seen in practice, at the time of phasis on the changes cultural life of society. It has been the October Revolution, how the = in all the aspects of social relations proved again and again that the All- Conference of the Soviets during the period of social revolu- lingering influence of the decadent made all the major sectors of the tion. Marx said, "This is culture of the previous phase can means of production public proper- the decloration of the permonence of easily assert itself as an obstacle for ty through issuing a decree. But this the revo lution, the class dictatorship changing social relations. This was only a juridical declaration. The of the proletariat as the necessary recognition of the revolution in the real socialisation of the means of transit point to the abolition of class superstructure as playing the deter- production and production relations distinctions generally, to the aboli- mining role during the revolution will take place only when the people tion of all the relations of produc- under the dictatorship of the pro- can really exercise their power in a tion on which they rest, to the aboli- letariat is certainly a departure from concrete manner over the whole pro- tion of all the social relations that the previous understanding, which cess of production. How this real correspond to these relations of pro- considered the changes in the socialisation can be translated into duction, to the revolutionising of all superstructure oniy as supplemen- reality is a question that is still not the ideas that result from these social tary to changes in the economic properly solved. relations." So during the period of base. That is why the theory and Converting all the means of pro- socialism, which is the transition practice of revolution under the dic- duction into public property does period from capitalism to com- tatorship of the proletariat really ad- not in itself solve the problem of munism, the process of changing vances Marxism- to a new socialisation of the production rela- every aspect of capitalist relations height. tions. On the contrary, it creates into communist relations is the cen- Another important question that production relations of a new sort. 25

The whole lot of the means of pro- overall political line and supervising technology in the interest of the duction gets concentrated into a its implementation, while future of human society is very single unit and the overall control democracy creates the basis for the crucial. The theoretical basis provid- over the means of production gets real socialisation at the appropriate ed by the Cultural Revolution again concentrated into the hands of the concrete social level. throws light onto this problem. It is decision-making bodies at the top Mao's attempt to tackle this ques- the socialised relations of produc- echelons of the hierarchy of political tion has already given us un- tion that are going to determine the power. This centralisation of precedented experience as reflected future of humanity. The develop- political power gets all the more con- during the Cultural Revolution. He ment of science and technology has centrated with the consolidation of tried to handle even the minute ques- to be brought under the purview of the means of production into a tions related to changes in the pro- such socialised production relations. single unit objectively. Democratic duction relations, like the relation- This means an alternate path of centralism at the political level alone ship between managerial cadre and development of human society. is not going to solve this problem of the workers in the factories, com- Mao's search in this direction is very over-centralisation of the means of munes, etc., and showed how the significant. His attempt to resolve production which has already basis for capitalist restoration is be- the contradiction between town and become an objective reality. Subjec- ing created at these levels. The most country, between mental and tive wishes and intentions of the important aspect of Mao's strategy manual labour, and the method of leadership alone cannot resolve this for preventing capitalist restoration walking on two legs, etc., were all problem if its line does not provide was to make the people at all levels envisaging such a new approach to a concrete answer to this over- capable of wielding political power this question. Mao's as centralisation of the means of pro- with their own hands, by taking class the self-reliant and self-sufficient duction. This situation was well il- struggle as the key link and putting socio-economic units of the future lustrated during the period of politics in command. And this strug- encompass all socialist construction in the Soviet gle, class struggle under the dictator- elements of this basic approach. We Union under the leadership of ship of the proletariat, had to be are bound to develop these themes Stalin. waged by the people at all levels, which Mao had already initiated, if The juridical socialisation especially at the basic level of fac- we are to carry forward the tasks of socialises the relations of production tories, communes, etc., in order to the world revolution. n L only at an abstract level. It definite- prevent the emergence of the new ly prohibits the type of private at these levels. { ownership over the means of pro- As Mao had repeatedly warned, o D duction that exists in a typical all these attempts failed in preven- F capitalist society. But it does not ting capitalist restoration in China. tr automatically lead to the socialisa- Indeed, it was a life-and-death strug- tion of the means of production. gle between the new bourgeoisie and d The over-centralisation that really the proletariat, in which the takes place negates the prospects of bourgeoisie won, though only tem- \{ a real socialisation. Real socialisa- porarily. Of course we must further z tion can take place only at a concrete study and analyse deeply the whole E level: that is, at a social level where history of this struggle that took E the people can exercise their political place in China in order to find out Ot power objectively. When such real the reasons for such an early defeat \ socialisation is ensured at this ap- ofthe socialist roaders a task not propriate social level, overall within the scope of this -article. Even socialisation can materialise at a so we must still realise that the broader level. lessons of the Cultural Revolution But what happens in a juridically are the most advanced in dealing socialised society is only the objec- with the class struggle under the dic- tive centralisation of political power tatorship of the proletariat, and the as a result of the objective concen- only basis for further advance in this tration of the means of production. direction. It is this objective power at the Mao's struggle against the theory political level that gives room for the of productive forces has far- development of social-fascist power reaching implications on another within the juridically socialised level too. The blind development of societies. In order to counter this the productive forces is really type of development, what is re- threatening the very existence of the quired is a commonline and strategy human race and our globe itself. In which will help the process of real this situation, to achieve overall con- socialisation of production. Here trol over the development of the centralism means providing an means of production and