Lenin: The Lodestar

PRAKASH KARAT (GENERAL SECRETARY - CPIM)

April 22, 2010 marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of V.I. Lenin, the revolutionary leader who creatively developed the scientific theory set out by Marx and Engels. Lenin was the architect of the world’s first socialist State, the Soviet Union.

When we are commemorating the life and work of Lenin, we are not just paying homage to a great leader who led the world’s first socialist revolution. No other person after Marx and Engels has contributed to the development of Marxist theory as much as Lenin did. Lenin’s entire theoretical work constitutes the advancement of the concept of scientific socialism that equipped the working class movement to conduct the proletarian revolution.

Lenin took a giant step by analyzing the nature of imperialism and capitalism in the 20th century. Lenin characterized the development of monopoly capitalism as the highest stage which is imperialism. Lenin creatively developed Marx’s analysis of the capitalist system when it was the rising mode of production to the stage of imperialism. Any analysis of contemporary imperialism and world capitalism today has to have as its starting point the theory of imperialism formulated by Lenin. Without the Leninist methodology it is not possible to understand global finance capital and the finance-driven globalization that it has spawned.

It is this Leninist understanding of imperialism which led him to conclude that world capitalism will break at its weakest link from which the strategy and tactics in the socialist revolution in Russia were worked out in which the worker-peasant alliance played a key role. Parallel to this flowed the Leninist understanding of integrating the national and colonial question to the strategy and tactics of world revolution. This was a sharp break from the understanding of the prominent European Marxists. Lenin showed how the national liberation struggles in the colonies are part of the worldwide struggle against imperialism and how these forces are allies of the world proletariat struggling for socialism. The events of the 20th century leading to the success of the national liberation struggles against colonialism and imperialism and the victories of the Chinese, the Vietnamese, Korean and Cuban revolutions were intrinsically the breakthrough achieved by this Leninist strategy.

The other important contribution of Lenin was to the understanding of the State and its class character which became the basis for all the Communist Parties in their struggle against capitalism and the ruling classes. Class struggle is not the struggle on economic issues alone but achieves its full scope when it challenges the State power of the exploiting ruling classes.

Lenin will forever be associated with the revolutionary theory of organisation which he expounded. The building of the party of a new type which is equipped to lead the working class and other toiling sections is uniquely a Leninist contribution. The principle of democratic centralism based on inner-party democracy, strict discipline and criticism and self-criticism, provided the working class with their own form of organisation as against the organisational methods of the bourgeois and social democratic parties. Subsequently, every party which made the revolution has found the Leninist form and method of party organisation to be indispensable for developing the revolutionary movement. The Leninist organizational principle drew the strongest attacks of the non-communists and from those within the Left fold. But Lenin firmly held that in the fight against the bourgeois State, the proletariat has only one weapon, that is, organization. Our experience of building the Party in India under varied and diverse conditions confirms this Leninist principle.

Lenin survived as the leader of the Soviet Union for only six years after the 1917 revolution. In this period, he grappled with many of the stupendous tasks of creating a new society out of the ruins of the old. During four out of these six years, the bitter civil war raged and had to be won. From the period of War Communism to the New Economic Policy, Lenin constantly changed and adjusted policies with the single aim of facilitating the building of socialism. Lenin was conscious of the arduous and long road to socialism ahead. He said:

"The more backward the country, which, owing to the zigzags of history has proved to be the one to start the socialist revolu­tion, the more is it difficult for that country to pass from its old capitalist relations to socialist relations".

Though it is futile to speculate how the Soviet Union would have built socialism, if Lenin had lived longer, it is necessary to draw lessons from how Lenin creatively tried to hew a path to socialism in an underdeveloped country while keeping the interests of the international Communist movement in mind.

Nearly seven decades after Lenin’s death, the Soviet Union disintegrated. Since then, in the past two decades history is sought to be rewritten. The entire revolutionary content of Leninism is being negated. One set of critics who throughout had maintained that Lenin’s theoretical and political significance was confined only to Russia now went further to claim that it had proved to be a failure in Russia itself. All varieties of bourgeois philosophies and theories deny the existence of imperialism. Some of them claim that liberal capitalism is eternal. That Marxism and Leninism were the products of their times and in the postmodern era they have no relevance.

Much of the claptrap about the end of history and the eternal verities of capitalism have ended abruptly. The two years of severe global recession have once again highlighted the volatility and predatory nature of capitalism. Out of the 7 billion people in the planet, half are poor and 1.2 billion people go hungry. Imperialism continues to wage wars and plunder the resources of the planet. If they continue to do so, the world environment and life itself will be destroyed.

Marxism is the only scientific outlook and method which can provide a coherent world view and guide to action to change the iniquitous order that prevails in the world today. Just as Lenin developed the theory and practice of Marx and Engels, today Marxist theory and practice has to be developed and extended from the base that Lenin created. Lenin himself had pointed out that Marxism is not a static theory. It needs to be enriched and developed further.

"We most certainly do not look upon the theory of Marx as something permanent and immutable; on the contrary we remain convinced that it has merely laid the foundation stone of the science which socialists must advance in all direc­tions if they want to keep abreast of life".

In our quest to develop the theory and practice of Marxism further, Lenin will remain the lodestar for all our endeavours.

(courtesy : www.pragoti.org)

Lenin lived, Lenin lives, Lenin will live!

April 21 in Moscow was a solemn evening dedicated to the 140 th anniversary of VI Lenin. It was attended by leaders of the CPRF Central Committee, headed by GA Zyuganov, the Communists and Komsomol in Moscow and Moscow region, visitors from many Russian regions.

The first on the scene cinema and concert hall "Izmailovo" The Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party came to DG Новиков. Novikov. He spoke about the life of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and his accomplishments.

Opened evening gala performance of "The Internationale". After that was shown the film "The genius of the revolutionary breakthrough", prepared by the department of advocacy, the CPRF Central Committee. It includes unique footage documentaries, thanks to which those present in the room could see the living Lenin, to hear his voice.

The meeting welcomed the pioneers of the Moscow region. They finished with the words of the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky: "Lenin lived, Lenin lives, Lenin will live!"

The floor was then given to the Chairman of the Central Committee of the CPRF GA Зюганову. Zyuganov.

Appealed to a packed room Gennady Andreyevich. Every nation has its own destiny, our own history. In our age of the State have a national idea. We have suffered it for centuries and through it have made great achievements.

We have created a strong state - continued his speech the leader of the Communists. - When Kiev, "mother of Russian cities, glittering golden domes, Paris was a provincial village, Berlin was not on the map, and the United States of America did not exist. We have made a brilliant discovery, founding the world's first Republic of Soviets. It was not just a sample of the just and wise state workers, it was also the victor countries, which in May 45 th proved that it rightly raised in the 17 th October banner. And at the beginning of its creation was Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

"Communist Party continues the best Soviet tradition - highlighted GA Zyuganov. We have created a party of Lenin and Stalin, the party, which consistently embodies the ideas of Lenin in the current difficult circumstances.

Continuing the conversation about the current time, Gennady Andreyevich told me that yesterday in the State Duma, reported to Prime Minister Putin."We expected that after the President's announcement that the country is at an impasse, that the commodity model of the economy will not do, which is essential to effectively combat corruption and to modernize, will be offered a real plan for moving in this direction. Instead, it was hour and a half explanation and justification of what is happening "Kudrin's plan" the essence of which is to further privatization of the entire socio-cultural sphere. "

"I assure you, my friends, that is worse than the privatization of the early 90's and monetization together, due to the fact that the sale shall be made whole social sector, universities, schools, health and cultural institutions. means that destroys the genotype of the Russian people, who always had a high collectivism and spirituality, who always knew how to work together and fight. If this criminal line will continue, we will not be able to keep the Russian Federation as a unified state ", - concluded that GA Зюганов. Zyuganov. He stressed that only the implementation of the program CPRF could save the country.

"Our program is based on the socialist modernization, - said the leader of the Communists. We believe their Leninist principles, based on the exploits of our people, who won the May 45 th. Our confidence in the success is based on the thousand-year history of the country. "

I know what Lenin's teachings, Leninist way of thinking and action will continue to inspire us to new victories. live socialism! So ended his speech, GA Zyuganov.

Then the leader of the Communist Party presented a new replenishment for the party ticket, and taking in the Communist Party of Lenin Enrolment. Were also presented with awards Communist Party veterans, participants of the Great Patriotic War. Higher Party awards - the Order "Party Valour awarded the Rear Admiral IN Petrov.

Communist Party stronger, younger, - said, speaking after the ceremony, GA Зюганов. Zyuganov. Last year, during Stalin's appeal to the party was taken over 13 thousand people. This year is already on Lenin recruited into the Communist Party came to 5 thousand people. In the near future during the May holidays, our ranks are augmented with thousands of new supporters. Young people today choose the path of Lenin, the path of Soviet power and socialism, because it sees very well what led capitalism, writhing in the throes of another crisis. very pleased that here, at the scene, near completion, with the young faces of our veterans, participants in the war, deserved the generals and admirals, our pride and valor. Those who have faithfully served the ideals of October, someone with honor and dignity to uphold the great cause of Lenin. So today I once again want to congratulate everyone - youth and veterans with this wonderful event - the 140 th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin!

Continued to evening performances of the State Academic Russian Folk Choir. М.Е.Pyatnitskiy. This illustrious group their existence is also required to VI Lenin, who in 1918 ordered him to provide all possible support. Were performed Russian folk songs and works of the Soviet era.