So long
as there is exploitation of man by man and capitalism destroys the very
existence of humanity in the world, there will be struggle.
So long as the imperialist and
bourgeoisie oppress weak nations and defenceless peoples, there will be
struggle.
So long as the workers and peoples of
the world aspire to transform today's society and to change it for
their own benefit and win or die for it, there will be struggle.
"The history of all hitherto
existing society is the history of class struggles." (Communist
Manifesto)
Contrary to the class conciliatory
sermons of the capitalists, according to which workers and the owners of the
means of production have the same interests, we emphasise anew the Marxist
thesis that class struggle is the driving force of history in class society.
The class struggle will not end so long
as the noble and basic aims of the workers and the peoples to build socialism
and communism on the ruins of capitalism have not been fulfilled.
In the last decades the communist and
the workers' movement has been badly hit. The
process of capitalist restoration that spread after the 20th Congress of
the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and that gave rise to events such as
those in Eastern Europe and the ex-USSR, the treason in Albania, etc., are part
of the actions of imperialism and
the reactionary, revisionist and pro-capitalist forces. The historical
limitations, inexperience, the lack of development of theory, the
underestimation of the contradictions in the
socialist society, the bureaucracy, the isolation of the communist
parties from the workers and peoples -these were causes which led to inability
of the communists, workers and peoples to defend their achievements and prevent
capitalist restoration. Nor were we able to prevent the rise of a new bourgeois
class, which, behind a "socialist" mask, seized power and destroyed
socialism.
After this last generalised assault of
imperialism and capitalism, which intended to wipe out Marxism-Leninism,
scientific socialism, communism, proletarian revolution and anti-imperialism, we
are rising again, in all corners of the world. Communists are being born again
in every workers' strike, in every popular mobilisation, in every struggle of
the working class and peoples for freedom and democracy, in every revolt of the
youth and in every guerrilla group. We reorganise, unite, draw lessons from what
has happened and continue to march forward.
We will not give up our endeavour until
we accomplish our historical mission.
We are millions of human beings in
struggle. We workers continue to be the main producers of all wealth, everywhere
and the different conditions in which the means of production develop. Nothing
in essence will change so as others live from our sweat and so long as we have
not achieved the transformation of this society into a more advanced one.
What innovation, what type of
technical-scientific revolution can displace us as the main axis of
thecontemporary society? No scientific and technical progress or discoveries can
change the basic nature of the proletariat. Nor do they change the fact that the
means of production continue to be in capitalist hands. The wealth produces by
our work has been and continue to be the material base for all scientific and technological developments.
The class struggle cannot be abolished,
neither will it disappear so long as the private ownership of the means of
production is maintained. But of course we should take into account these
scientific and technical developments, learn how to control and use them for the
benefit of the peoples and for the revolution.
"The proletarian movement is the
self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of
the immense majority."
"Proletarians have nothing of
their own to secure and fortify; their mission is to destroy all previous
secur›ties for and, insurances of, individual property." (Communist
Manifesto)
No other
social class or stratum can achieve these objectives, This is the task of
the proletariat. The proletariat is the most revolutionary class in society,
with the highest skill and ability, able to unite and to lead other exploited
classes and strata in the struggle against capital.
We are here today and active in the
resent epoch. We workers and peoples have not set aside a single instant in the
struggle for our objectives, Nothing substantial has changed in our epoch as
Lenin defined it. It continues to be the epoch of imperialism and proletarian
revolutions. Everything that has occurred since the October Revolution of 1917,
the Second World War and the defeat of fascism, the liberation of the colonial
peoples, the Chinese, Vietnamese and other
revolutions, the advanced that took place in the building of socialism,
the final imperialist onslaught and the struggle of the peoples today -all these
confirm the Leninist thesis about the epoch in which we live. The fundamental
contradictions remain as before.
Imperialism and the bourgeoisie fiercely
attack Marxism-Leninism and proclaim its invalidity. We may well ask: because
they very wee know that this theory is still valid and unassailable.
Marxism-Leninism is based on the continuously developing scientific knowledge,
on the development of social experiences and on progressive human thought. It is
a theory with a revolutionary character which represents the historical
interests of the proletariat and of all humanity. It progresses dialectically;
breaks down barriers and engenders what is new. We Marxist-Leninist are
conscious of our weaknesses in the comprehension, application and development of
Marxism- Leninism. The problem is one of our own limitations, a problem that we
will overcome. Historical experience has demonstrated the vitality of
Marxism-Leninism. If there are old and obsolete ideologies and theories that
belong to the past, these are bourgeois theories. Marxism-Leninism belongs in
the present and to the future.
"Does it require deep intuition
to comprehend that men's ideas, views and conceptions, in one word, man's
consciousness, changes with every change in the conditions of his material
existence, in his social relations and in his social life?"
"When people speak of ideas that
revolutionise society, they do but express the fact that within the old society
the elements of a new one have been created and that the dissolution of the old
ideas keep an even pace with the dissolution of the old conditions of
existence." (Communist Manifesto)
In accordance with their call interests,
revisionists and opportunists of all shades distorted these statements of the
Communist Manifesto and came to anti-communist conclusions. They want to
preserve their position as "great leaders" and their own privileges:
they want to guide the workers' movement and prevent the workers from taking
their destiny into their own hands. Thus they serve the bourgeoisie and cause
huge damage to the working class. Communist on the other hand struggle against
these deviations, push aside these servants of the bourgeoisie and help the
working class to rely on their own forces in order to advance.
Revisionism is a danger for the
revolutionary process, for the communist parties and for the construction of
socialism. Revisionism and opportunism of all shades continue to be a danger
against which the struggle cannot be discontinued or relaxed.
To debate these questions, to take
a position on them, to establish what is now necessary: Herein lies the
inevitable and urgent ideological struggle both in the field of revolution as in
the field of the revolutionary, ideological offensive against the assault of
reaction. No communist, no vanguard party should shrink before the task of
confronting ideas and conceptions. let us open the debate, confronting ideas,
analyses, lessons and explanations, so that we may reach conclusions which will
allow us to march forward. "Facts are stubborn" said Lenin and the
obstinacy of facts requires us to be Leninists.
We
created our parties in the noise battle, as we rained blows against
revisionism and opportunism. Their ideological degeneration and political
treachery bear the main responsibility for the damage caused to the
international communist and workers' movements.
Communist parties are the indispensable
instruments for organising revolution in the each one of our countries, We as a
whole, are the International Conference of the Marxist-Leninist Parties and
Organisations, the real alternative for the working class and peoples. The flame
of the proletarian revolution and the hope of the peoples continue to be in the
hands of the communists.
"The communist fight for the
attainment of the immediate aims, for the enforcement of the momentary interests
of the working class; but in the movement of the present, they also represent
and take care of the future of the movement." (Communist Manifesto)
We think that the popular masses are
-and should always and everywhere be- the pioneers of history. Only when
communist parties have become bureaucratic and ideologically degenerate, losing
their revolutionary vanguard character as servants of the working class and of
the peoples, have the masses abandoned them. The communists, workers and peoples
should never break the threads that by the thousand bind us together.
We communists, together with the working
class and peoples, fighting with them for their interests, should and can seize
power; with them we should build popular-democratic forms of the dictatorship of
the proletariat and the socialist state, construct socialism and march forward.
Imperialism has always been and will
continue to be the source of aggression and of predatory wars. In recent years
Iraq, Somalia, Panama, Yemen, Ruined, ex-Yugoslavia, ex USSR, Haiti, etc., have
been the scene of aggressive, racist and reactionary wars. We denounce the evil
character of these wars. It is urgently necessary
to organise and support popular movements against these imperialist war policy.
We workers, peoples and communists should be at the head of this struggle.
Revolution requires unity of action from
the working class and the peoples. We communists must create this unity.
Conception and practice are interlinked. Alliances are necessary. In
establishing such alliances we need above all to rely on our own strength, come
together with others and practice unity with revolutionary objectives. Then we
can form alliances which do not lead us to
concessions on principles. Such alliances and actions however, should
never lead us to forget that the class struggle must be carries through with
force to the end.
We fight our decision to hold aloft the
banner of Marxism-Leninism, to fight for its application and to convert our
parties and organisations into a political, social and organisational
alternative, both nationally and internationally. Our parties and organisations
restate our pledge to fight on the side of the working class and the peoples for
the proletarian revolution and for the independence and sovereignty of the
peoples, together with democrats, patriots and progressive persons to oppose
capitalist and imperialist domination.
We
pledge to keep alive the spirit of the Paris Commune, of the October
Revolution and of all the revolutionary processes and experiences based upon the
principles elaborated by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin.
"The communists disdain to
conceal their views and aims, they openly declare that ends can be attained only
by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling
classed tremble at a communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to
lose but their chains. They have a world to win." (Communist Manifesto)
Proletarians and peoples of the world!
The fight continues. In anticipation f the new revolutionary wave of struggle we
communists, workers and peoples must be in the front rank of pioneers.
Let us put the historic words of Marx
and Engels into action:
PROLETARIANS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!
August 1994, Quito-Ecuador
Communist Party of Benin
Communist Party of Chile (Proletarian Action)
Communist Party of Colombia (ML)
Communist Party of Labour of Dominican Republic
ML Communist Party of Ecuador
Workers Communist Party of France
Communist Party of Germany (KPD)
Labour Party of Iran (Toufan)
Organisation for the Communist Party of the Proletariat of Italy
Revolutionary Communist Party of Ivory Cost
Communist Party of Mexico (ML)
Marxist-Leninist Collective of New Zealand
Communist Organisation October of Spain
Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey (TDKP)
Revolutionary Communist Party of Volta
Red Flag Party of Venezuela