on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the birth of lenin
TRANSCRIPT
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OntheOccasionofthe140thAnniversaryoftheBirthof
Lenin
DonCurrieChair
Canadians
for
Peace
and
Socialism
EditorFocusonSocialismApril22,2010
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Forty years ago the International Communist movementorganizedworldwidecelebrationsonthe100thanniversaryofthe
birth
of
Vladimir
Ilyich
Lenin
(Ulyanov)
the
great
international
Communist leaderoftheproletariatandthefounderofthefirstworkers state the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).LeninwasbornonApril22,1870atSimbirsk,asmalltownonthebanksof theVolgaRiver. Hedied inMoscowJanuary21st 1924.HisremainsareinternedintheLeninMausoleumonRedSquare.
The internationalworkingclass in1970organizedmasspubliccelebrationsofLeninsbirthandundertookadeepandcreativestudyandapplicationofhiswork. TheWorldMarxistReview organized amajor symposium attended by Communist leaders from around theworldandpublishedhundredsoftheoreticalarticles. TheUNrecognizedthesignificanceof
Leninsbirth
and
work
as
publicist,
revolutionary
organizer
and
statesman.
On theoccasionoftheLeninCentenary, theCommunistPartyofCanadaorganizedpublicmeetings,concertsandcelebrationsallacrossthecountry.
TheGeneralSecretaryoftheCommunistParty,WilliamKashtanandNationalChairman,TimBuckandalloftheProvincialleaderspreparedanddeliveredaddressesinallprovincesandmajorcities. ThiswriterrecallsspeakingatmassmeetingsatthetimeinHamilton,Londonand Toronto. The Central leadership sent the General Secretary of the YCL,Dr. CharlesMcFaddenandthenationalorganizer,DonCurrie,onmembershipandpressbuildingtoursacrossthecountry.
The refounding convention, of the Young Communist League followed those tourswithover100delegatesattendingfromallprovincesandinternationalguestsfromtheUSA. TheYCLConvention tookplace inTorontoMarch27,28,29 1970,during theLeninCentennialYear. Toringingapplause,TimBuck,NationalChairoftheCommunistPartyaddressingtheyoungdelegatesspokeofthesignificanceoftheirachievementandsaidinclosing;Letnooneor anything,undowhat youhave donehere today. The documentsof thathistoricconvention have been preserved and will be republished soon on FOS as part of thehistorical legacyoftheCommunistPartyofCanadaand inhonouroftheupcomingCentralConventionoftheYoungCommunistLeague. TheYCLConventionof1970cantrulybesaid
to
have
been
the
Lenin
Centenary
Communist
Youth
Convention.
ALeninrecruiting leaflet,writtenbytheNationalOrganizeranddesignedbygraphicartistMichael Lucas,waspublished. Ten thousand copieswere distributed across the countryappealingtorevolutionarymindedworkersandyouthto jointheCommunistParty. Manydid. The Canadian Tribune, the Communist Partys newspaper published articles on thesignificanceofLeninscontributionstothestruggleforsocialism inCanada. TheCanadian
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Tribuneunder theeditorshipofW.C. (Bill)Beeching immediatelygrewbyseveralhundrednewreadersresulting fromthemembershipandpressbuildingdrivethatwasundertaken
by
all
party
organizations
inspired
by
the
Lenin
Centenary.
TimBuckauthoredhiscelebratedwork,LeninandCanadaaswellasmajorarticlesforWorldMarxist Review and Communist Viewpoint. Those articles are republished on the FOSwebsite on the occasion of Lenins 140th birth celebrations. One of Bucks noteworthyarticles inspired by Lenins teachings on the trade unions, entitled Lenin and TodaysProblems in the TradeUnionMovementwaspublished in theAugust 27th edition of theCanadianTribune. Thearticlewasaddressedtomilitanttradeunionistsofthedayandstillringswithhelpfulideasfortodaysnewgenerationofrankandfileactivists.
TheLeninCentenaryandEarthDayIntheleaduptotheLeninCentenaryduringthetimewhenworldwide events celebrating Lenins 100th birthday were beingorganized by the International Communist Movement, a USSenator, unknown outside theUSA, proposed the launching ofEarthDayonApril22nd 1970on thesamedayastheworldwide
celebrationsof
Lenins
birth.
The
US
senators
proposal
was
quickly taken up by the capitalist press and a year later UNapprovalwasgivenforworldwidecommemorationofEarthDayonApril22nd. Muchhasbeenwritten inaspeculativewayabout
thecoincidenceofthe launchingofEarthDayonthesamedayasthe100thanniversaryoftheLeninsbirth.
Today,40years later, thecapitalistpressaboundswithpraise forEarthDayand is fullofexhortationstothepublictosetasideallotherstrugglesandworktosavetheearthfromenvironmental disaster. We are warned by all and sundry that the world is close toextinctionduetoglobalwarmingcausedbytheaffectsofhumanactivity.
ThemediaisfloodedfromthefarlefttosuchenlightenedcapitalistsasAlGoreaddressinga message to all of humanity about the dire threat of human extinction due to globalwarming. Thewarningsareusuallyquiteindiscriminateandincludethebillionsofpoorandpovertystricken,theoppressedwomenandyouthandeventhechildren,allwithoutredressoftheirurgentimmediateneedsforcleanwater,healthcare,housing,foodandeducation.
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Themessage inthecapitalistandenvironmentalmedia is that richandpoor,workersandcapitalists, imperialistsand revolutionaries;weareall inthistogether.They repeatdaily
that
we
are
all
responsible
for
overcoming
global
warming.
It
is
our
human
activity
after
all thatmenaces theworld, from theC02emitted fromamiserablecharcoal firewarmingthemeagrefoodofan innocentearthquakevictim inHaititothehandfulofglobalprivateprofiteers. ProfiteerswhoownthebiggestglobalemittersofCO2andexploitthelabouroftheworkersforcedtoworkthereforwagestosurvive. Weareallresponsible. Moreoverthe issueofhumanactivitycausingglobalwarming, it isargued,vociferouslybyardentenvironmentalists, now transcends all other problems faced by humankind. In affecteveryoneisresponsibleandintheendnooneisaccountable.
Theenvironmental issuehasbecome thegreatclasslesscrusadeof the21stCentury.Whoneedstobotherfighting fornucleardisarmamentand toreplacecapitalismwithsocialism
whenwe
are
confronted
with
such
an
imminent
catastrophe
of
biblical
proportions?
Let
us
notbeoverly concerned aboutUSNATOwars,militarizationof the capitalist economies,globaleconomicdepression,massunemployment,povertyand racism,theexploitationofwagelabour,whentheworldisbeingdestroyedbyhumanactivity.
Whatbetterway toabsolve imperialismof itscrimes, than toattributeallof theworldsproblemstohumanactivity. Suchaludicroustautologyseemstoparalyzeallreason,evenamongtheranksofsomeCommunists. Sincewhenhasthedevelopmentoftheproductiveforcesand its impacton theenvironmentnotbeenthe resultofhumanactivity? Onecanonly imagine the scorn that Lenin would pour on such poverty stricken reasoning thatpassesforthinkinginourcontemporaryworld.
So pervasive is the campaign promoting Earth Day that even the Communist press inCanada, both themost recent issueof Spark the CPCs theoretical journal, the Fall 2009issue,and theApril 15302010 issueofPeoplesVoice, thepartysnewspaper,overlookedthe 140thAnniversaryofLeninsbirth. ThePeoplesVoicegreen issuedevoted its frontpage,aneditorialandafullpagetoEarthDayponderings,butnotasinglewordaboutthesignificanceofLenins140th.
Lenin and his contributions to the liberation of the labouringmasses of the earth fromimperialismwill outlive EarthDay and all thosewho have erroneously failed to note his
contributions
to
human
progressthat
is
not
a
concern.
What
is
a
concern
is
the
failure
of
todaysCommuniststocalluponclassconsciousworkerstorestudyLeninandtoseekhishelp in solving in their own interests the problems of the modern day class struggle,includingenvironmentalproblems.
ThewordsofCommunistPartyofCanadaleaderMiguelFigueroatotheopeningofthe36thCentralConventioninFebruaryhaveahollowringinlightoftheomissionofLeninfromthe
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pagesofPeoplesVoiceand the Sparkandwithin the contentof theCentralConventiondeliberationsonthismostsignificantofanniversarieswhereComradeFigueroasaid:
Ofcourse,
we
have
a
clearly
delineated
theoretical
perspective
and
world
view
MarxismLeninismwhich is reflected inourPartyprogram,ourstrategy& tactics,andourdailyworkasCommunists.WeallrememberLeninsfamousdictum:withoutrevolutionarytheory,therecanbenorevolutionarymovement.
ComradeFigeroacontinues:
thedeepeningofourown theoreticaland ideologicalgroundingandouractiveengagement in the ideologicalstruggleagainst theenemiesofsocialismand thosewho strive to revise, reform or otherwise denude MarxismLeninism of its
revolutionary
content,
is
especially
vital
at
this
time.
MarxismWithoutLeninismToday it has become fashionable, for neoMarxists to speak ofMarxismwithoutLenin. Notonly is thatwrong inprinciple, it isimpossibleinpractice. Marx,EngelsandLeninareacontinuumofthe science of dialectical and historicalmaterialism that armed
theworkers
and
their
allies
with
a
reliable
theoretical
guide
to
confrontcapitalismthroughallofitsstagesofdevelopment.
LeninisthecontinuerofMarxandEngelsteachingsonrevolutionintheeraofimperialism,thelastandfinalstageofcapitalism,the
eraofimperialistwars,proletarianandpeoplesrevolutionaryupsurges,ofthegeneralcrisisofcapitalismintheperiodofitsmostreactionarystageanddecline.
LeninguidedbyMarx,ledtheproletariattothevictoryofthesocialistrevolutionintheeraofimperialism,theerainwhichwearenowliving. Thereisntacountryintheworldthatcanundertake the transition to socialism,without studying Lenins teachings and the Soviet
experienceon
how
to
do
it
and
that
is
particularly
important
for
an
advanced
capitalist
countrylikeCanada.
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TheCommunistAttitudetoTheoryThiswriterrecallsattendingapublicmeetinginTrailBCinsupportof the Communist candidate in the last federal election.At themeeting theLabour Secretaryof theCommunistParty,nowBCProvincial leader, was asked by a veteran labour militant to
comment
on
the
significance
of
the
leadership
of
Ken
Georgetti,
currentlyPresidentoftheCanadianLabourCongress. GeorgettiisaformermillworkerfromComincoTrail.
The reply by the Communist Labour Secretary to the questionrecountedhisexperienceandinvolvementintheeffortsofa left
caucusofwhichhewaspart, toelectmilitants to the leadershipof theCLCatoneof itsconventions,notanunimportantmatter.
Inthecourseofhisremarks,theLabourSecretarysaid,amongotherthings,thathedidntknowhowmanyrungsonthe ladderofcapitalistdevelopmentremained. Hesaidthathe
wasntoverly
concerned
about
what
stage
we
were
at
in
the
development
of
capitalism.
Thiswasbecause,heargued,what isofprimaryconcern toorganized labour istheactualstruggle itselfas it isnowunfolding. Iam recalling frommemoryhis remarks that remainvivid inmymind. Iwasstruckbytheir importsince IhadpolemicizedwiththeCommunistPartyleadershippreciselyonthispointwhileexpressingtheCPSsviewsontheCAWMagnabrouhaha.
Whymentionthisincident? WhatrelevancedoesithaveforCanadaontheoccasionofthe140thAnniversaryof thebirth Lenin? It has everything todowith itbecause it reveals acertaindismissiveirritationandimpatienceborderingonscornformattersoftheory. ThatisaseriousmistakeespeciallycomingfromanexperiencedCommunistleaderatanytime.Itis
particularlyimportant
today,
however,
when
the
extreme
right
wing
is
aggressively
attacking organized labour and when the labour movement has not found the way tomobilize itsstrengthtoconfrontmonopolycapitalismandforce ittoretreat. Everyeffortmust be exerted to find a theoretical answer to that problem because without it, thepracticalsolutionswillbeblindandlagtheobjectiverealityandconditions.
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Thelabourmovementatatimeofsevererecessionandmassunemploymentisfindinggreatdifficultyingettinguntrackedandtoexertitstremendouspowertogaintheinitiative in
labour
political
action.
What
impedes
independent
political
action
by
organized
labour
is
the
deep running negative influence that springs from of reformist ideology. It spreads theillusionamongworkersthatcapitalismisstillcapableofreform. Reformistsperpetuatethechimerathatprogressivedevelopmentintheeraofimperialismisstillpossible. Theysay allthatisrequiredoftheworkingclassisapatientandpassivewaitinguponevents.
The leadersofthelabourmovementmiredinbureaucraticmanagementofthemovement,accord scant time or thought to the objective reality of the level of current capitalistdevelopmentand its impactontheworkingclassand itsdevelopment. Thatmustchange.Thecurrentstageofthedevelopmentofcapitalism isnotwhere itwas40yearsago. Theworkingclassisstillthedecisiveforcewithintherelationsofproduction,butthecondition
ofits
existence
within
those
relations
has
changed.
The
industrial
working
class
as
a
proportionoftheworkingclassaswhole isdeclining innumbersasbasic industryandthemanufacturing sectors of the economy decline. Bourgeois economists shrug at such adevelopment.Whatisunimportantforthemiscriticalforworkers.
New conditions demand that that organized labour rethink and regroup. It requiresorganizedlabourtobegintograspthefactthatnewstrugglesandnewdemandsarecalledfor. Capitalism in the historical sense, and also in the immediate sense, is a spent forceincapableofproviding theworkingclasswithfullemploymentandsatisfying itseconomicandsocialneeds. LabourmusttakeupthechallengetodaystartingwiththesameadviceitwasgivenbyTimBuckin1970whenhesaid:Gonearethedayswhenitwasenoughtobe:Agin
(against
ed
these
are
Tims
words)
collaboration
with
the
bosses.
Central to that task is todiscusswhatkindofgovernment isneeded thatwillensure therestoration and expansion of Canadas basic and manufacturing industries. Theenvironmentalists do not set themselves such a task. In fact some even applaud thedisappearanceofindustrialdevelopmentdeclaringittobeunsustainableinthemodernera.TheCommunistshavenotdoneagoodjobonconfrontingthatvisionofthecountry. Infact,theCommunistPartyhasuncriticallyadoptedmostoftheenvironmentalprogram,aligningitsown formalenergyprogramwith theenvironmentalists. Thisadoptionstands instarkcontrast to the Communist Partys demand for expansionofmanufacturing, health care,
housing,education
it
cannot
be
done
without
an
expansion
of
all
energy
sources.
That
is
theweaknessthat CPSseesinthetreatmentoftheenergy issueinthelatestissueofSparkandaboutwhichwewillbecommentingfurtherinthefuture.
Confidence inan indepthunderstandingof thehistoricalstageweare living through,theformsof itsdevelopmentand tohaveaconsistentlyworkingclassstanceonall issues, iswhatdeterminesthesenseofoptimismandurgencywithwhichorganizedlabour,withthe
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helpof theCommunists, takesupanddevelops thenew strategiesof struggle in the21stCentury. Suchnewstrategiesmust includethediscussionofthenecessityforsocialism in
Canada.
That
is
unavoidable.
What
the
Communists
have
not
done
well
or
at
all
is
to
come
togripswithhowthatdiscussionistobepromotedfirstofalltothemilitantrankandfileoforganizedlabour.
TohaveafirmgraspofwhatallofthatentailsforCommunistsandlabourmilitants,allthosewhodeclarethemselvestobesocialists,cannotbeignored. Leninhadmuchtosayonthismatterandwefailtostudyhisadviceatourperil. Therearesomecluesinhiswritingsfrom1917up tohisdeath in1924andweneedtoreturntothemandseekhisadvice inthe21stCentury.
TaxInKindandRungsintheLadderofCapitalismInhiswork,Tax InKind,obligatory reading foranyworker thatwantstoknowaboutthedifficultiesofconsolidatingthevictoryofworkerspowerinRussianafterWW1,andaftertheBolshevikshad ledtheworkingclasstopower inOctober1917,Leninmadereference to another of his famous works, The Impending
Catastropheand
How
to
Combat
It
1917.
Lenin at the time was arguing passionately, tirelessly andpatiently for the workers and peasants to understand theimportanceofarevivalofstatecapitalismtobringaboutarevival
oflargescaleindustryandtotransformRussiafromapeasanteconomytoanindustrializedsocialisteconomy. ThequotethatfollowsisfromVolume32CollectedWorkspage336.
Weprovide Leninsquote in full so asnot to lose the significanceof the idea that LeninpresentedtotheBolsheviksandtheworkersandpeasantsofRussiainApril21,1921andthatcontinues to have profound significance for our struggles today in April 2010. Lenin
counselled;
InordertoconvincethereaderthatthisisnotthefirsttimeIhavegiventhishighappreciationofstatecapitalismandthatIgaveitbeforetheBolsheviksseizedpower,Itakethelibertyofquotingthefollowingpassagefrommypamphlet,TheImpendingCatastropheandHowToCombatIt,writteninSeptember1917.
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Try to substitute the Junkercapitalist state for the landownercapitalist state, arevolutionarydemocraticstate.ie.,astatewhichinarevolutionarywayabolishesall
privileges
and
does
not
fear
to
introduce
the
fullest
democracy
in
a
revolutionary
way.Youwillfindthat,givenareallyrevolutionarydemocraticstate,statemonopolycapitalisminevitablyandunavoidablyimpliesasteptowardssocialism
For socialism is merely the next step forward from state monopoly capitalistmonopoly
Statemonopoly capitalism is a complete material preparationfor socialism, thethresholdofsocialism,a rungon the ladderofhistorybetweenwhichand the rungcalledsocialismtherearenointermediaterungs.Pages27and28.(ouremphasisanditalicsDC)
ThisisthepointthattheLabourSecretaryoftheCommunistPartymissedinhisremarksinTrailduringthelastfederalelection. ItisimportanttounderstandthatCanadaisattherungontheladderofhistoryofthedevelopmentofcapitalisminourcountry,betweenwhichandtherungcalledsocialismtherearenot intermediaterungs. That istheprofound ideathatseparates Communists from all neoMarxists, from all reformists, from all anarchists,trotskyistsandlatterdayenvironmentalisttheorists,whetherradicalornot,whobelieveforonereasonoranother,thatcapitalismisnottheproblemandisstillcapableofprogressivehistoricaldevelopment.
Atallcosts,thecapitalistsandthepettybourgeoisradicalswhopleadwiththemtoreform,
demandthat
workers
be
consigned
a
dependent
subordinate
role
in
this
discussion.
Workersarecounsellednottoenterthediscussionwithanindependentworkingclassview.Workersaretobedutifulhelpersinresolvingthelatestcontradictionofcapitalism,sinceitisasserteditiswithoutquestion,intheirintereststodoso. Thematteroftheirexploitationatthepointofproductionwillhave towaitabetterday. It isastounding that thisadvice isofferedtotheworkingclassbythosewhoclaimtobeMarxistsandsomeevenwhoclaimtobeLeninists.
LeninspenthisentirelifecombatingsuchneoMarxistsandfriendsoflabour.
What has all of this to dowith Lenin and the Soviet experienceof building socialism as
outlinedin
Volumes
30,
31
and
32
of
Lenins
Collected
Works,
extending
from
1917
to
his
death in 1924? Perhapsabetterway topose thequestion is;what is thepurposeof theorchestrated global anticommunist campaign that is being unfolded by the propagandamillsof corporatepower inanattempt todisproveanddiscredit Leninandhis teachingsduringtheperiodoftherevolutionaryvictoryoftheproletariatoverthecombinednationalandinternationalforcesofimperialism?
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Ofcourse ithas todo firstofallwithcoveringup thecrimesof imperialismand itsmostcriminalformNazismthatreacheditmostdepravedforminthehorrorsofWW2. Thenubof
this
anti
communist
campaign
is
to
assert
that
imperialism
is
invincible
and
all
powerful
and
thatinspiteofitscrimesthereisnothingbetterforthelabouringmassestodothantohopethat imperialismwill reform itself as the environmentalists and the reformistspleadwiththemtodo. Therefore it ispointlesstostudytheexperienceofthe internationalworkingclassinattemptingtowinpowerandbuildasocietyofpeaceandsocialismandrestorethehealthoftheplanet.
That iswhatpreoccupies thepettybourgeois radicalsand keeps them awake in a frenzyponderinghow tobemore cleverand convincing inoffering imperialism advice to ceasebeingsowicked. Thesepettybourgeois forces,swingbackand forthbetweencapitalismandtheworkingclass,caughtinaconstantdespairarisingfromthefactthattheyhavebeen
castout
by
capitalism,
and
dont
want
to
join
the
working
class.
Such
revolutionaries
are
deeplydisappointed that theworkingclass let themdownanddidnotwin the revolutionwhentheyfirstdiscoveredit. Suchpettybourgeoisforcesfloodtheinternetwithaplethoraofwebsites slicinganddicingand reconstructingone theoryafteranother toexplain thefailuresofsocialismandhowtheycouldhavefixedthemandhowtheycanfixcapitalism.
SomuchhasbeensaidbysuchneoMarxistsabouttheallegedfailuresofsocialismandtheimportanceofavoidingamechanicalapplicationoftheSovietexperiencetothestruggleforsocialismtoday,somethingLeninhimselfwarnedagainst,thatthependulumhasswung inthe opposite direction of declaring that nothing in the Soviet experience is universallyapplicable to the struggle for socialism today. Sadly sometimes even the Communistsindulge
in
this
pointless
and
unseemly
sport.
TheSovietexperience, including thecausesof thecounterrevolution that resulted in theoverthrowofSovietpower,containsmanyvital lessonsforworkingclassstruggles today.Thatistrueforalloftherevolutionaryhistoricalexperienceoftheinternationalproletariat.Therewere universal lessons to be learned from the Paris Commune, the 1905 RussianRevolution,theOctoberRevolutionof1917,theemergenceoftheEuropeansocialistsystemofstatesandallsubsequentrevolutionsthathaveoccurredsince.
The revolutionary struggle for socialism goes forward in spite of all attempts to stop it
because
it
is
necessary
and
it
is
law
governed.
The
struggle
for
socialism
in
the
era
of
the
finalstageofcapitalism,itsmoribund imperialiststage isepochal. ThetaskofmoderndayCanadian Leninist revolutionaries is to study the objective laws of revolutionarydevelopment thatarecommon toallof the revolutionsof themoderneraandcreativelyapplythemtoCanadianreality.
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TheStruggleforSocialisminAdvancedCapitalistImperialistStatesLet us take one example from that experience that hasimportance for Canada today. CCPA Monitor, as reported inPeoples Voice of April 1530, 2010 states that half millionCanadian industrial and manufacturing workers were
permanentlydisplaced
from
the
work
place
in
the
current
depressionandthereisnoimmediateprospectofthemregainingthosejobs. ThePeoplesVoicecorrectlyreportsthisfinding. Thatisas itshouldbe. But is itenough? It isneverenoughfortheaCommunistpapertopublishthefindingsofoneofthebetterleft
socialdemocraticthinktankswithoutcomment.
Do the Communists accept the bleak assessment of CCPA that the permanent loss ofindustrial and manufacturing jobs is irreversible? We dont and we cant and still callourselvesMarxistsandLeninists.WhatdidLeninhavetosayinhiswork,TheTaxInKindon the vital importance of largescale production? Lenin said theworkers government
couldnot
advance
to
socialism
without
large
scale
production.
The
country
had
just
emergedfromthestateofwarcommunismwheregrainhadtobeappropriatedfromthepeasants, evenwhen they did not have enough for themselves, in exchange forpaper (promisetorepay)tofeedthestarvingworkersandthearmy. ThatwasWarCommunism.Astheinterventionistandcounterrevolutionaryarmiesweredefeated,itwasthenpossibleto tax the peasants in kind for a portion of their grain production and permit them toexchangegrainsurplusesforcommoditiesproducedinfactoriesbytheworkers,ineffect,atemporaryrevivalofcapitalism. Leninwasbluntonthispointanddidnotcoverupthefactthatwherethereiscommodityproductionandexchangethereiscapitalism.
Lenin
upheld
this
important
temporary
concession
to
capitalism
and
in
addition
said
the
socialist governmentwould invite foreign concessionaires (foreign capital) to developoilandforestryandminingtopavethewayforarevivaloflargescaleindustryinRussia. Leninsaidthiswouldbeaformofstatecapitalismandso longastheworkersheldpowertheycoulddictateandcontrolthetermsofitsdevelopment.Whatwascriticalwastounderstandthatsocialismwasnotpossiblewithoutlargescaleproduction. Thefirststepinthatprocesswastheelectrificationoftheentirecountry.
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TheSovietUnionwentoninthedecadesthatfollowedtobuildsocialismfirstonthebasisoftheconstructionofheavy industryand thenwitha rapidexpansionofmanufacturingand
the
collectivization
of
agriculture
with
both
collective
and
state
farms.
Had
the
Bolsheviks
givenintothepettybourgeoisviewsthataboundedatthetime,thatatemporaryrevivalofcapitalismdidnotservesocialism,capitalismwouldnothavebeentemporarilyrevived inacontrolledandplannedwayunderthepoweroftheproletariangovernment. ItwouldhavebeenrevivedspontaneouslyanduncontrollablybythemarketthatwouldarisefirstamongthemassesofpeasantrywiththerichestamongthemsimplydisplacingtheformerCzaristlandownersandbecomingthenewoppressorsofthepoorpeasantsineffectandnewclassofcapitalistlandowners. Thesamethingwouldhavehappenedinindustrywiththeforeigncapitaltakingoverandreturningworkerstotheirpreviousstatusaswageslaves.
In fighting forhis views, Lenin engaged in apolemicwithBukharinwhodidnot support
Leninsadvice
to
the
Party
and
the
country.
Lenin
said
to
Buhkarin;
Marx
was
profoundly
rightwhenhetaughttheworkerstheimportanceoflargescaleproduction,preciselyforthereasonoffacilitatingthetransitiontosocialism.LeninthenwentontorefertoMarxsviewthat byway of exception itmight be possible to buy out the ruling class of Britain tofacilitate the transition to socialism in Britain, because Britain at the time was a highlydevelopedadvancedcapitalistindustrializedstatewithalargeworkingclass.
Sowhat is the lesson in allof thishistory forCanada today?Canada is faradvanced andoverly ripe as a developed monopoly finance capitalist system where the completepreparationforthetransitiontosocialismexists. Manyoptionsexistfortheworkingclasstotransformthestatemonopolysystem intoarevolutionarystateheadedbytheworkingclass
that
would
enable
the
people
of
Canada
to
rebuild
our
ruined
industries,
expand
our
manufacturing,rebuildthecountryoneastwestandnorthlinesanddoitinsuchawayastopreservetheenvironmentandprovidegoodjobsforallwhowanttowork.
The Communists must begin this discussion on much higher level than presently. TheCommunistPartymustsaybluntly toallof thedemocratic forceswhowantchange, thattheycannotgetitthroughthetwooldlinepartiesoftheprofitsystemorforthatmatterthereformistNDP.Itcannothappenbecausenoneofthepartiesdaretochallengethepowerofmonopolyoverthestate.
The
Canadian
capitalist
class
has
abandoned
the
defence
of
Canadian
sovereignty,
adopting
acosmopolitanviewofitsplaceinglobalcapitalism. ThatisafurtherevolutionofCanadiancapitalism to itsmost reactionary stage. It isadeparture from the 19thCenturyvisionofcapitalistdevelopmentoftheFathersofConfederationofaneastwestdevelopmentofourcountrythatrequiredthedevelopmentofbasiclargescaleindustryandmanufacturingandmodernagriculture to serve thehomemarketandexport surpluses to theworld. Todayfinancecapitalhasabandonedevenapretenceofthat19thcenturyvisionofCanadaasan
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independent capitalist state and isworking to integrate itmore closely into theG8, theleading capitalist states as an imperialist power driven by finance capital and its global
ambitions.
ThemoderndayCanadianfinancecapitalistshavenothingtooffertheworkingclass. Theyareindifferenttothedeindustrializationofbasicproduction. TheyacceleratetheselloutofCanadasenergyandnaturalresourceswithoutregardtoCanadasfutureeconomicneeds.Theypromotecorporateagricultureanddonothingastheruraleconomysinksintopoverty.Theyhaveabandonedthehomemarkettoforeign importsandspendalloftheirtimeandresourcesonfreemarketswiththeEU,theUSA,andreactionaryregimessuchasColumbiawheretheycan importcheapandselldearattheexpenseofCanadian jobs.Theyarepreoccupiedwiththeexportoffinancecapitaltomarketswheretheytakeadvantageofcheaplabourandappropriateresourcesthatdonotbelongtothem. Their interest inthe inflow
andoutflow
of
finance
capital
is
only
concerned
with
whether
or
not
it
makes
a
profit
for
the
banks,largebondholdersandlargeinvestorsandtheirhangersonofwealth,privilegeandparasitism. Themerger of finance capitalwith the state department of finance is nowalmosttotalwithbigcapitaladvisingthegovernmentonallmattersoffiscalandbudgetarydecisions.
TheerawhentheCanadiancapitalistclass,thatwasamenabletopressurefromthepeopleandorganizedlabourtoinstituteprogressivestatecapitalistreformsbasedontheprincipleofuniversalitysuchaspublichealthcare,universalpensionplans,publiceducation,crowncorporationstofacilitateeastwesttransportation,alleviateregionalunderdevelopmentandprovideRandDfor farmers,and topromote throughCMHCsomepublichousing isover.Today
the
ruling
class
has
turned
on
the
people
and
their
aspirations
and
achievements
in
a
waythatcanonlybedescribedasamoral,predatoryandvicious. Anentirelynewtypeofgovernance is needed for Canadians, and that type of governance can only be to placemonopoly under control and through publicownership and control embark and plannedeconomic restoration of Canadian basic industry and manufacturing and all of theinfrastructure including in the first place the repatriation of ownership from foreigndominanceandcontrolallofCanadasenergyresources.
ThedescentoftherulingelitesofCanadatotheroleofpredatorsontheirowncountryanditspeople is expressed in the abject surrenderofCanadian foreign andmilitarypolicy to
unelectedforeign
entities
such
as
NATO,
NORAD
and
NORTHCOM
that
effectively
places
Canadian military doctrines in subordination to the US Military High Command. Thecapitalist class has opted for a program ofmilitarization as the foundation of Canadasforeign policy, and the active participation in USNATO wars as its practice. Canadiancapitalism today iswholly reactionaryandmustbe replaced ifCanada is to survive asanindependentstateandadvancetosocialism. Theprocessof itsreplacement iswhatmust
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preoccupy the Communists and all of the advanced revolutionary andmilitant forces oflabourandpeoplesmovements.
Thatis
the
significance
of
Leninism
in
our
day.
We
are
standing
on
the
last
rung
in
the
ladder
of the development of capitalism beyond which there is only socialism. That realitydemandsarethinkingofthetypesofprograms,slogans,propagandaandagitationthatwilladvance thecauseof theworkingclassandunderlineconstantly theurgencyofall thoseprogrammaticdemandsthattheexpresstheneedforsocialism.
WeinCPSbelievethatisaworkinprogress. TheCommunistPartyhasmuchtodo. Thefirstthing itmust do is to raise up through a public discussion of new Canadian reality thetheoreticalleveloftheentirepartymembership,itssupporters,andinparticularthemilitantrankand fileoforganized labourtograspthesignificanceofthechanges inoureconomy
andto
act
accordingly.
We inCPSpropose that theway todo that is for theCommunistParty to inviteallof itssupporterswithan specialappeal tomilitantsand the youth in the labourmovement, toorganizeatwoyeardiscussionoftheCommunistPartyProgramofthePathtoSocialisminCanada in the 21st Century that should become the main theoretical work of the Partyleadingtoitsnextconventionmarkingits90thAnniversary.
CPSwillnotwaitforthat invitation,because it isourviewthatsuchwork isnecessaryandthattheprogram,theworkoftheCommunistsmustbemadealsothecreativeworkoftheentireworkingclass.Weintendtodoourpartbyathoroughstudyandreviewofthehistory
ofthe
development
of
the
Communist
Program
for
Canada
and
to
publish
our
views.
MuchremainstobedoneandweneedLeninshelptodoit.