Battle of Ideas - June 2004

The Battle of Ideas – 19 June, 2004

“Revolutionary commitment requires participation in revolutionary organization. The highest form of revolutionary organization is a communist political party.”

What is the highest form of ‘revolutionary organization’? Imani is correct in that the highest form of ‘revolutionary organization’ is the ‘people’s state’.

But what is ‘a people’s state’? A society where the people’s interest is truly met, where the people are in control of the society’s resources and can direct the development of society. It rises above the context or concept of any type of organization. It rest on the achievement of a state of humanism that surpasses the necessity of any ‘organizations’. This collective state of humanism can only be reached when the mass of women and men in the society have reached a level of spiritual and ideological development where their commitment to the future of the collective of society so dominates their lives that the coercive nature of an organization is no longer required. This type of society is communism!! Plain and simple, a society where people contribute based on their ability and receive based on their need. At least three theories dominate the ideological playing field on how this society can be achieved.

First that of Utopian socialists that feel that by setting the example of a ‘people’s state’, a collective committed to the whole within their small community that they would be an example to the world, and, that by serving as an example they would transform the thinking and actions of the masses. Many of us were forced to read the story of Thoreau’s Walden Pond. Many of us were even taught that this glorious attempt at a higher level of humanity failed because of the nature of humanity. That is the capitalists’ rationalization of its failure. However, we must recognize the ‘good intent of utopian socialists’ as a reflection of the positive nature of humankind. An isolated Walden’s Pond or ‘People’s State’ is impossible because of the global nature of society and the ideological, technological and organizational dominance of capitalism. This domination can only be overcome through the building and work of revolutionary organizations.

The second theoretical approach to achieving world communism – a sustainable people’s state, is that of anarchistic organization. Some people that have followed the practice of anarchists may find the term ‘anarchistic organization’ an oxymoron. However, in fact to consciously organize against structured organization is in fact a form of organization. This ideological approach binds together anarchists factions in effect what becomes an organization of factions. The very nature of anarchy theory, allows these factions to function unchecked or unfettered by other anarchists. This allows them to expedite their practice at a pace unlike democratic centralist or hierarchical organizations. The flaw of their approach lies in their inability to control and direct production. They are only capable of disrupting production. They cannot build production or the larger society. Capitalists that recognize this shortcoming realize they have no need to fear that anarchists will seize power and therefore work to manipulate any disruptions caused by anarchists. The appeal of anarchy is the recognition of the historical baggage of so-called revolutionary organizations, organizations that have suffered from elitism and individualism. This historical baggage is due to the ideological and practical dominance of capitalism. This dominance fuels yet is maintained by their organizational dominance. This loop can only be circumvented by revolutionary organizations.

A third theoretical approach to achieving world communism – a sustainable people’s state, is that of empowering a communist political party. The A-APRP correctly recognizes that this party must be a mass-based party. The inadequate nature of a vanguard party has been demonstrated by the communist parties of Eastern Europe. They once had state power but suffering from elitism, isolated themselves from the masses and diverted from the cause of socialism in an effort to maintain power. The revolutionary nature of a political party requires recognition of the highest expression of humanity and organization. That highest form is a ‘people’s state – communism’ – society where women and men contribute based on their ability and receive based on their needs – fullstop! We cannot shy away from this revolutionary responsibility because capitalism has pronounced communism dead, or because Marx and Mao were not African, or because of capitalist domination, the masses are confused on what communism is and therefore do not support it and in many instances are openly opposed to communism. We must share with the masses the truth, as we know it. We cannot hold back the truth based on the belief that the people are not ready or the time is not right. The task of the socialist party is to first seize state power and then to embark on transforming society. This transformation is not only a transfer of control of society’s resources to the masses, but also a ideological and spiritual transformation of men and women that creates higher beings, humans capable of conducting society without the constrains of organization – this is communism. We must be clear on what a ‘People’s State’ is and not allow it to be a cloud to hide under to avoid the “C- word”. Too often the contributions of Nkrumah-Tureism are misused to blunt the significance of non-African contributions to the science of socialist transformation. Social revolution is an integral part of socialist revolution. The people’s class is an achievement under socialist transformation that requires the recognition of distinct class divisions and struggle under capitalism.

In any case there are two interpretations of ‘organization’ - organization as an object and organization as a state. Organization as an object refers to an organization such as a committee, front or political party. The ‘People’s state’ refers to organization as a state of being. It is not a structural object like a political party. The context of my writing was organization as an object as is reflected in the more complete thought expressed in my initial letter.

“Revolutionary commitment requires participation in revolutionary organization. The highest form of revolutionary organization is a communist political party. The transformation, you will witness in Cuba has been guided by the Communist Party of Cuba for the past 45 years.”

This short piece is to inspire ideological struggle on the relationships between socialism, communism, political parties, people’s states, and Pan-Africanism.