Only such a party is communist that is organising for the dictatorship of the proletariat!

A grand political and cultural program was held in Delhi on 25th December, 2009, to celebrate the beginning of the 30th year in the life of the Communist Ghadar Party of India.  This was followed by a two-day conference to discuss the present situation, the challenge facing the Indian working class and communists, and in particular, the challenge facing the Communist Ghadar Party as it begins the 30th year of its work of organising to bring the working class to power.

The celebration and conference of 25-27 December took place at a time when capitalism is threatening to destroy the natural and social environment, and people all over the world are seeking the alternative to this crisis-ridden system.  It took place at a time when ignorance and maximum confusion prevails about the meaning of socialism and communism. 

In India, the working class is saddled with numerous parties that claim to be for socialism and communism but act as props for the rule of the bourgeoisie. The events of 25-27 December 2009 represent a new milestone in the ongoing efforts of CGPI to arm all its members with the theory and modern communist thinking that is necessary for leading the working class movement to victory.

The auditorium was more than full on the 25th.  Participants had come from all corners of the country and from abroad to be part of this historic event. 

Comrade Lal Singh, General Secretary of CGPI, said in his welcoming remarks that an important paper was being presented on this occasion, entitled: "Only such a party is communist that is organising for the dictatorship of the proletariat."  It was a paper prepared by the Theoretical Group of the Central Committee, under the leadership of the Secretariat of the CC.  He called on all the participants to pay serious attention in studying this paper and participating in the discussion of its main message.  He said, “We do not want comrades to just say this paper is very good.  We want each one of you to express your own views on the present situation and the way forward to achieve our aim of dictatorship of the proletariat”. 

The central theme of the paper was that a communist is defined by the political aim of establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat, the rule of the toiling majority led by the working class.  Any party that pursues a different political aim is not communist.  It is not Marxist or Leninist.  It does not matter if such a party calls itself Marxist, or communist, or socialist.  If the aim and result of its activity is not to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat, then it is serving the bourgeoisie to perpetuate its rule and prolong the life of capitalism.

The paper emphasized the fundamental conclusion of Marxism that the state in modern times can only be of two possible kinds.  It can be a state that serves the bourgeoisie to perpetuate the capitalist system, or it can be a state that serves the working class to bury capitalism and build socialism.  There can be nothing in between.  Those who claim to be delivering something in between are actually serving the bourgeoisie to perpetuate capitalism.  This is shown by the experience of China and of West Bengal.

The paper drew a sharp distinction between the concept of working class rule and the concept of Communist Party rule. It clarified that it is the class that must rule, while the party must lead. Analysing the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, it explained how the rule of the working class was converted into party rule, which is a form of bourgeois rule.

Various parties that call themselves communist are organising workers, peasants, women and youth behind aims that are contrary to the aim of dictatorship of proletariat.  It is part of our communist duty to dispel the cloak of ignorance and false consciousness that has been spread over the Indian working class. We need to draw a clear line of demarcation between what is communism and what is pseudo-communism.  Only then can we lead the working class on the revolutionary path.  Only then can we unite communists on the basis of cleansing the movement of all forms of bourgeois ideology.  This was one of the most important messages of the paper presented on 25th December.

The proceedings began on the 26th with copies of the paper being distributed in different languages to the participants, who were all given time to study it.  The discussion then began, chaired by Comrade Lal Singh. There were more than 30 participants who intervened in the discussion on that day. 

On 27th December, there was a presentation on scientific socialism, the Political Theory guiding the Indian revolution – the theory of making the workers, peasants, women and youth the rulers of India, so as to put an end to the entire colonial legacy, including the capitalist system and British parliamentary democracy, and build socialism on Indian soil.  The presentation was followed by a question and answer session.  Many comrades actively participated in this session, freely expressing their thoughts and questions.

Delivering the concluding remarks, Comrade Lal Singh spoke about the experience of building and strengthening the Communist Ghadar Party over the past 29 years. From a small force struggling to find its feet on Indian soil, he explained how CGPI has today captured an important strategic space within the Indian communist movement – as the party that always acts with the lofty aim of enabling workers and peasants to become rulers of India.

He explained that the doors of CGPI were open to all Indians who want to work for the cause of the proletarian revolution and socialism. Every new recruit is subject to the same discipline; he or she has to work in one of the party basic organisations.  He stressed that every member is judged on the basis of his or her conduct and work in the party unit, and not by how well someone speaks. Explaining the essence of communist leadership, he said that a leader is identified by how steadfastly one defends the party, its line and the collective decisions of party organisations.

The celebration and two-day conference strengthened the resolve of all members to build and strengthen the Communist Ghadar Party of India, to advance its work of preparing the working class to become the ruling class, and to expose and defeat all those lines that are diverting the class from this aim.