Organized Labour and the Politics of the Class Struggle Today

8/9/2019 Organized Labour and the Politics of the Class Struggle Today

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OrganizedLabour

and

the

Politics

oftheClassStruggleToday

ViewpointontheTasksofthe36thCentralConventionCommunist

PartyofCanada(CPC)TorontoOntario,February572010

By:DonCurrie

ChairCanadiansforPeaceandSocialism

EditorFocusonSocialism

January11,

2010

www.FocusOnSocialism.ca


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OrganizedLabourandthePoliticsofClassStruggleJanuary11,2010 www.FocusOnSocialism.ca Page2of27

INTRODUCTION

AConvention

of

the

Communist

Party

of

Canada

(CPC)

is

always

a

significant

event

in

the

struggleof theworkingclass todefeatcapitalismand replace itwith socialism. Only the

Communists strive to take responsibility for thewhole revolutionaryprocessunderway in

ourowncountryandglobally. Everyrevolutionaryclassconsciousworkerisconcernedthat

the Communist Party becomes strengthened andmore effective in fulfilling its historic

responsibilitiestotheworkingclassofCanadaandallof itspeoplesandforthevictorious

outcomeofthecauseoftheInternationalCommunistMovement.

From its formation in 1978 the Committee of Canadian Communists (CCC) under the

leadershipofW.C.(Bill)Beeching1and later,CanadiansForPeaceandSocialism(CPS),our

membershavecritically studied the theoryandpracticeof theCPCandhaveconsistently

striventostrengthenitswork. The36thConventionisnoexception.

CPS has forwarded two contributions to the preconvention discussion of the CPC, for

consideration by itsmembership and delegates, one by its honorary chair of CPS, John

Beeching and the other by current Chair of CPS, Don Currie. The CPS contributions

conformedtopreconventiondiscussion rules limitingstatementsto1000words.2 Sucha

restriction necessarily limited the contribution on the role of the organized labour

movement to a sparse treatment. We take thisopportunity to elaborate inmore detail

thoseviews

and

in

addition

comment

on

some

questions

of

the

general

line

of

the

Draft

Resolution.

The36thCentralConventionDraftMainPoliticalResolution

The CPC Draft Main Political Resolution (MPR) is a strengthened and more exacting

statementofthecurrentconjunctureofclassforcesinCanadaoverpreviousdocumentsof

its type. There is no doubt that the global capitalist crisis and the response of the

InternationalMeetingsofCommunistandWorkersParties (IMCWP) isbeginning toclarify

1WilliamBeechingCollection,FocusOnSocialism,http://72.3.249.139/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/FOS

CCCFocusOnMarxismLeninism%20Vol%201%20Iss%201Rev1.pdf2CPC36thConvention,http://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36thCentralConventionBulletin1.pdf,

http://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36thCentralConventionBulletin2.pdf


http://72.3.249.139/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/FOS-CCCFocusOnMarxismLeninism%20Vol%201%20Iss%201Rev1.pdfhttp://72.3.249.139/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/FOS-CCCFocusOnMarxismLeninism%20Vol%201%20Iss%201Rev1.pdfhttp://72.3.249.139/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/FOS-CCCFocusOnMarxismLeninism%20Vol%201%20Iss%201Rev1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-4.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/upload/36th-Central-Convention-Bulletin-1.pdfhttp://72.3.249.139/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/FOS-CCCFocusOnMarxismLeninism%20Vol%201%20Iss%201Rev1.pdfhttp://72.3.249.139/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/FOS-CCCFocusOnMarxismLeninism%20Vol%201%20Iss%201Rev1.pdf


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theory and program and strengthen the strategy and tactics of the entire Communist

Movementandeachoneofitsmemberorganizations.

The concluding paragraph of the statement of the Delhi 11th Meeting of the IMCWP

proclaims:

Wethecommunistandworkerspartiesoftheglobeandrepresentingtheinterestsof

theworkingclassandallothertoilingsectionsofsociety(thevastmajorityoftheglobal

population) underlining the irreplaceable role of the communist parties call upon the

peopletojoinusinstrengtheningthestrugglestodeclarethatsocialismistheonlyreal

alternativeforthefutureofhumankindandthatfutureisours.3

TheOrganized

Working

Class:

Key

Element

of

the

Fightback

This contribution to the preconvention discussion attempts to be in the spirit of that

declaration. It isnotabout repeatingwhat ismanifestlytrue in theMPR. Neither is itan

attempttoimproveitsdescriptiveanalysis. Whatfollowsisamoreelaboratedstatementof

thosebasicideasCPSbelieveswereoverlookedortreatedinadequatelyandthatinourview

arecriticalandrequirefurtherworkanddevelopment.

TheMPR, throughout, correctly accords to theworking class the central role in leading

Canada forward to economic and political independence, peace and socialism. That

profound truth alone elevates the role of the Communist Party above all other political

forces for progress that are active in the body politic of our country. All other political

partiesrepresent,inonewayoranother,theclassinterestsofwealthandprivilege,allwith

adirectinterestinperpetuatingstatemonopolycapitalism. TheCommunistPartyaloneof

all of the political parties recognizes and accepts the inevitability of the revolutionary

overthrow of the capitalist system and its replacement by the historically imminent and

necessarysystemofsocialism.

TheCPCacceptstheresponsibilityofstudyingdeeplytheorganiccompositionourclass. It

acknowledgesthis

duty

and

takes

on

the

necessity

of

examining

the

living,

fighting,

psychologyandhistoricalevolutiontheCanadianworkingclasshastravelledto itspresent

stage. TheCPCtakesonthedifficultandhistoricallynecessarytasktothoroughlyscrutinize

3IMCWP,11

thMeetingoftheInternationalCommunistandWorkersParties,November22,2009,

http://11imcwp.in/content/delhideclaration
http://11imcwp.in/content/delhi-declarationhttp://11imcwp.in/content/delhi-declarationhttp://11imcwp.in/content/delhi-declarationhttp://11imcwp.in/content/delhi-declaration


4/27


and expose how the Canadian working class is currently embattled with foreign and

domestic financecapitalandwhatproblemsof theclass struggleareurgently inneedof

resolution.We

approach

that

task

with

the

fullest

confidence

in

scientific

socialism,

MarxismLeninism,correctlyapplied,tosolvealloftheproblemsconfrontedbytheworking

classasitstrugglestofinditswaytosocialism.

ThatiswhyCPSisconfidentitwillbeunderstoodwhenwesaythattheCommunistPartyof

Canadas Draft Main Political Report is adept throughout the document at identifying

problemsof theclass strugglebutweak in substantiating theoreticallywhatneeds tobe

donetosolvethem. Onewantstocryoutafterreadingeachparagraph:YesIagreebut

howdowedoit!Whatmustbedone? Thatisparticularlythecasewiththesectionsinthe

MPRdealingwithlabourpoliticalactionandcoalitionbuilding.

Forexample: inthecrucially importantsectionentitledTheOrganizedWorkingClass:Key

ElementoftheFightbackencompassingparagraphs46to60,theMPRcorrectlypointsout

inparagraph46whatitisthatthecapitalistrulingclassfearsaboveallelse;aworkingclass

challengetofinancecapitalseconomicandpoliticalpower.TheDraftResolutionstates:

thattheworkingclasshasthepotentialtouniteallthediverseforcesofsocietyinto

politicalmovementsthathavethepotentialtooverthrowthem.(ie.thecapitalistclass

DC).

The following paragraphs of the section are then taken up with identifying all of the

problems standing in thewayof theworking class realizing itspotential. It isa long and

dauntinglist.

Finallyinparagraph59theresolutionattemptstogetattheessenceoftheproblem. After

discussing in some detail recent labour struggles and the strengths and weaknesses

revealedinthosestruggles,theresolutionstates:

Theproblemof leadershipor lack thereof in the fightbackagainst thecorporate

agendais

not

primarily

organizational,

but

rather

ideological

in

character.

It

is

absolutely

essential tobuild the leftandprovideworkerswithavisionof something larger,ofa

roadthatleadssomewhere.


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The draft resolution then goeson topropose the conveningof a CLC sponsored special

emergencyconferenceto;developacomprehensivestrategytoconfronttheimpactofthecurrentcrisisOneofthekey issuesatsuchaconferencewouldbe labourunityandthecessationofraiding.

WhatKindofCLCConferenceandWhen?

It iscorrectandobligatorynotonlytocallforsuchaconferencebuttoelaborate insome

detail theCommunistproposals foracomprehensive strategy toconfront the impactof

the current crisis Regrettably the MPR has not defined what specific type of CLC

Conferenceithasinmind.

Weurgently

suggest

consideration

of

the

following

proposal.

There is no doubt that the convening of such a CLC Conference would, by itself, be

significantevenifitdidnotsucceedinadoptingacomprehensivestrategytoconfrontthe

impactof the current crisis. The symbolismof such ameetingwould have aprofound

effectonlabourpolitics.

TheCommunistPartyofCanada should immediately reissue itscall foraCLCConference

andcomingoutofthe36thConventionundertakeapubliccampaignforsuchameetingas

thecentraltaskoftheleadershipandmembershipoftheParty.

SuchaCLCConference ismademoreurgentby thedecisionofPrimeMinisterHarper to

prorogue Parliament and exclude the people from the affairs of state until sometime in

March2010. ApubiccampaignbytheCommunistPartytomobilizesupportamongworkers

and theorganized labourmovement for thecallingofsuchaconferencewouldplace the

CPCatthecentreoflabourpolitics.

Prime Minster Harpers decision cannot be dismissed as simply a cynical self serving

manoeuvre whichofcourseitis. Itismoresinisterthanthat. TheHarperConservativesare

nowthe

chosen

party

of

war

profiteering,

the

global

investment

plans

of

Canadian

finance

capital and profit interests. Having the ear of theHarper cabinet are those sections of

CanadianandUScapitalthatareplunderingtheenergyresourcesofCanadaandinsodoing,

endangering the economic future of thewhole country. Parliamentary democracy is no


6/27


longer a useful tool in the pursuit of the profit interests of this traitorous cabal of self

interestedmilitaristsandprofiteers.

Parliamentarydemocracy isprovingtobean impedimenttomonopolycapitaland isbeing

dismantled and replaced with executive and administrative power. Simultaneously the

weaknesswithinthecentreleftwhichdidnotrecognizetheHarperconservativesasthe

main danger (i.e. he NDP, Liberals, environmentalists etc,) compounds the difficulty in

mobilizingoppositiontothissinistermove. Thissituationcanonlybereversedbyorganized

labour intervening directly in the struggle for democracy. Labour has a big stake in

defending democracy. Once administrative and executive power is consolidated in the

handsofmonopolycapitalandtheircouncilsandassociationstheabilitytoreverseit,evenif

socialdemocracy is inpower,will requireabitter struggle thatwillonlybewonbymass

mobilizationandthepoliticalpoweroftheworkingclass.

Thespontaneousmovementthatarose insupportofaLiberalNDPBloccoalitionandthat

could have defeated the Harper Conservatives,were it not for the betrayal byMichael

Ignatieff, and now another popular upsurge of protest against the prorogation of

Parliament, illustrates the fact that the majority of Canadians who oppose the Harper

Governmentareaheadofallof theoppositionparties. MillionsofCanadiansareready to

support amovement inside Parliamentor at thepolls todefeat theHarpergovernment.

There isagrowingrealizationthatHarperposesathreattodemocracy,andrepresentsall

thoseinterests

that

seek

open

dictatorial

governance

in

Canada.

That iswhy there isno room forbusinessasusualpoliticson the left.TheLeaderof the

CommunistParty iscalledupontogotothepeopleofCanadaand inthefirstplacetothe

organized labourmovement to underline the gravity of the situation. The Conservative

GovernmentofCanada,aminorityinthebodypoliticofthenation,isexhibitinganappetite

forandundertakingalloftheactionstotakeCanadainthedirectionofopencorporaterule.

TheHarperConservatives,confidentofthesupportoftheirfinancecapitalistbackers,have

become themain threat to the interestsof theworking class,democracyandpeace and

theymustbestoppedandadministeredacrushingandhumiliatingdefeat.Theonlyforcein

the country capable of doing that is organized labour and all of the forces of popular

resistancethatcanbeattractedtolaboursbanner.


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IdeallysuchanallinCLCConferencewouldbeconvenedinVancouverandduringtheWinter

OlympicsastherealParliamentofthepeopleandmajoritypublicopinion.Theaudacityof

sucha

meeting

would

seize

the

imagination

of

the

whole

country

and

strengthen

the

resolveofallCanadianswhoarethevictimsoftheeconomicdepression.

TheCLCshouldbecalledupon toextend invitations toallof itsaffiliates,eachandevery

peoplesorganizationinthecountrypresentlyinvolvedinresistingcutbacks,eachandevery

peace organization campaigning for the immediatewithdrawal of Canadian troops from

Afghanistan,andeveryMPandMLAwhohasarecordofpubliclyopposing thecorporate

lineoftheoldlineparties.

It falls to the Communist Party to take up this audaciouswork. Such a task should be

consideredthe

concentration

work

of

the

whole

party

so

long

as

Parliament

is

prorogued.

A

CLCConference shouldbepromoted as a the realpeoplesParliamentof themajority, a

ParliamentforthemobilizationofmajoritypublicopinionagainsttheHarperGovernment,

theprelude tobuilding thegreatelectoral coalition thatmust come together in thenext

federalelectiontodealHarperandhisminionsacrushingdefeat.

TheMainIdeologicalWeaknessoftheOrganizedLabourMovement

TheDraftMainPoliticalResolutioninposingthequestionofthemainideologicalweakness

andthe

need

to

develop

a

left

within

the

labour

movement

carries

with

it

the

obligation

toattempttoanswerthoseimportantquestions.Theauthorsofthesectionhaveonceagain

posedthecorrectquestionbutwithoutahintastowhattheyconsidertobetheanswer.

Letusattempttoanswerconcretelythelattertwoquestionsmentionedbydrawingonthe

historyofourParty.Themainideologicalweaknessoftheorganizedlabourmovementwas

dealtwithby theCommunists85yearsago,and inessence isstillvalid.Thequestionwas

answeredinafamousbookletpublishedbytheTradeUnionEducationalLeague(TUEL)and

authoredbyTimBuckentitledStepstoPower,AProgramfortheTradeUnionMinorityof

Canada.4

Whatwas itscentral thesis?Buckand theTUEL speakingdirectly to tradeunionmilitants

said:

4TimBuck,Stepstopower,aprogramofactionfortheTradeUnionminorityofCanada,PublishedbyTrade

UnionEducationalLeague,1924,(Toronto)


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Ourproblemandtheaimofthisbooklet istodirectouractivitiesandtheactivitiesof

ourorganizations so that, insteadofmerely functioning as a kindofbargain counter

acrosswhich

officials

continually

haggle

with

the

boss

in

a

futile

effort

to

maintain

a

balance betweenwages and the cost of living, our organizationswill also engage in

strugglesformorefundamentalthings;whichstrugglesinturn,whilestrengtheningthe

unions,willbringthemintodirectconflictwithcapitalismasasystem.

Buckwasamongawholegenerationofmilitantclassconscious labourrevolutionariesthat

emergedduringandafterthe1917BolshevikRevolutionwhostudieddeeplythetheoriesof

MarxandlaterLenin,abouttheroleoftradeunionsinthestruggleforsocialism.Marxand

Engelsspokeof theroleof the tradeunionmovement in itsnascentstagewithprofound

foresight as to the future role it was destined to play. Their advice began with the

CommunistManifesto5 published February 21, 1846 andwas given further elaboration in

MarxscelebratedWageLabourandCapital lectures to theGermanWorkingmensClub in

Brussels 1847 and in a series of programs and resolutions authored byMarx and Engels

duringthe12yearspanoftheInternationalWorkingmensAssociationfrom1864to1876.6

TheinitialworkofMarxandEngelswasfurtherdevelopedbyLeninduringthegrowthofthe

worldtradeunionmovement intheeraofthedevelopmentofcapitalismto its imperialist

stage, extending from the 1905Revolution up to the time of his death in January 1924.

Leninsadvicewas carried forward into theperiodof theCommunist International in the

1920sand

30s,

a

period

of

turbulent

growth

of

the

organized

working

class

in

both

capitaliststatesandthesocialistUSSR.

After the defeat of Nazi Germany, with the main blow struck by the Red Army, the

InternationalCommunistMovementonceagainturneditsattentiontotheorganizedlabour

movement. The Communists participated in organizing theWorld Federation of Trade

Unions (WFTU)7. The WFTU represents the struggle to unite the organized labour

movements of the capitalist and socialist world into a greatmilitant worldwide labour

movement.

5CommunistManifesto,http://www.focusonsocialism.ca/random.asp?ID=23

6KarlMarx,InauguralAddressoftheInternationalWorkingMensAssociation,TheInternationalWorkingmens

Association(TheFirstInternational,1864,http://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5580Inaugural.htm7www.wftucentral.org
http://www.focusonsocialism.ca/random.asp?ID=23http://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5580-Inaugural.htmhttp://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5580-Inaugural.htmhttp://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5580-Inaugural.htmhttp://www.wftucentral.org/http://www.wftucentral.org/http://www.wftucentral.org/http://www.wftucentral.org/http://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5580-Inaugural.htmhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/random.asp?ID=23


9/27


A restudy of the glorious historical role the Communists played inworking for a unified

globalmovement of the organizedworking class is called for today. It is important to

establishfor

the

present

generation

of

trade

union

militants

the

continuity

in

new

conditions, of the theoretically substantiatedMarxist fundamentals of program, strategy

and tactics that enabledmillions ofworkers to organize and fight to abolish the profit

system.

ThegreatUSCommunistandworkingclassleaderWilliamZ.FosterwritinginChapterSeven

ofhis remarkablework;Historyof theWorld TradeUnionMovement commented (we

quoteextensivelybecauseoftheexemplary,profound,simpleanddirectwayFosterspeaks

tohisworkingclassaudienceaboutthequestionofworkingclasspower):

Marxactively

supported

every

strike

and

other

struggle

for

amelioration

of

the

workershardconditionsandhe repeatedlydraftedprogramsof immediatedemands.

But at the same time hewarned again and again of the futility of the trade unions

confining themselves to suchpartial struggles. Theyoughtnever to forget their final

objectiveofabolishingcapitalismoutright. Theconquestofpoliticalpower isthebasic

taskconfrontingworkers. Inacelebratedpassage,directed towards the tradeunions,

Marxdeclared;Insteadoftheconservativemotto afairdayspayforafairdayswork!

theyought to inscribeon theirbanner the revolutionarywatchword, Abolitionof the

wagesystem. Tolearnthismostbasicrealityintermsofactualachievement,intheface

oftreacherous

opportunist

leaders,

defenders

of

capitalism,

has

been

the

most

difficult

of all lessons for theworkers, but decisivemillions of them have grasped it and are

puttingitinaction.8

TimBuckandW.ZFosterguidedbyMarx answered thequestion in theirday as towhat

constitutedthemainideologicalweaknessoforganizedlabour.

What isthemain ideologicalweaknessoftheorganized labourmovementtoday? Is itnot

essentiallythesameasitwasin1847,1864to1876,1925,and1956? Itcanbesummedupas

thehistoricalstruggleconductedbyCommunistswithavarietyofnonMarxisttrendsinside

the labourmovement thatattempt todivert theworking class fromundertakingpolitical

action on fundamental things that of necessity unavoidably brings the whole labour

movement into direct conflictwith capitalism. The Communists always conducted that

8W.Z.Foster,Historyof theWorldTradeUnionMovementInternationalPublishers,NewYork1956


10/27


strugglebyorganizingand joining insupportofeachandevery immediatestruggleofthe

workingclass,butalwaysinthecourseofdoingso,openlydeclaringthatiftheworkingclass

wasto

become

a

class

for

itself

it

must

accept

the

task

of

abolishing

the

wage

labour

and

profitsystem.

IstheStruggleforWagesFutile?

NothingsaidbyMarx,BuckorFostercanbetakentosuggestthatthestruggleforwages,

improvedbenefits and job security is futile. The current global crisisof capitalism is the

pretext used by finance capital for an across the board assault on thewages and living

standardsofhundredsofmillionsofworkers. Thefightbackagainstthiscapitalistassault

onworkers livelihoods ismuchmorethanasimpledefensivestruggle. Thestrugglefor

wagegainshasonceagainbecomeanessentialcomponentoftherevolutionaryprocess.

Theeconomicstruggleofworkerstodayistheanswerinpracticetocapitalistpropagandists

whoassert that it is irresponsible forworkersduringaperiodofmassunemployment to

fightforhigherwages. Workersareimplored,threatenedandlegislativelyorderedbackto

work by their capitalist oppressors to set aside theirwage demands andmeekly accept

wage reductions, lossofbenefits and job security. Why?Becausebourgeois economists

never tire of repeating the canard that unrealisticwage demands during a depression is

counterproductive to economic recovery. Since, they contend, a rise in wages will be

accompaniedby

a

rise

in

prices

and

thwart

an

economic

recovery

dependent

on

consumer

spending.

W.Z.Fostermakes reference to theMarxist lessonson the importanceof thestrugglefor

wageswhichnecessitatesanotherextensivequotationfromhisHistoryoftheWorldTrade

UnionMovement. Fostersaid:

Among their elementary contribution to trade union theory, Marx and Engels

demonstratedthepracticalbenefitsoftradeunionactioninimprovingwagestandards

andthis inthefaceofahostofbourgeoiseconomists(andmanyconfusedtradeunion

leaders)whoheldthattheworkerslockedinasortofeconomicvise,lostthroughraised

livingcostsanyandallwageincreasesthattheymightwinbytradeunionaction. Sucha

theory implied passive submission to capitalist exploitation. Marx in his famous


11/27


discussionwithWeston in 18659 knocked this dangerous illusion on the head. He

demonstrated,withelaboratepreceptandexample,thatitwaspossiblefortheworkers

undercapitalism,

by

trade

union

action,

to

wrest,

a

greater

portion

of

their

surplus

value

fromtheemployers. Marxsummedupthat, Ageneralrise intherateofwageswould

resultinafallofthegeneralrateofprofit,butbroadlyspeaking,notaffectthepricesof

commodities. ThiselementaryargumentofMarxsgavetradeunionismaperspective

ofresolutestruggleagainstcapitalistexploitation.Itisnowtakenasamatterofcourse

in labourcirclesand isstillusedeffectively intradeunionnegotiationswithemployers

who accuse the unions of causing the high cost of livening. But tomake it prevail

originallyMarxhadtowageyearsofbitterstruggleagainstvariousoppositionelements

inthelabourmovement. 10

Today, in the midst of global economic depression to call for a renewed struggle for

increasedwagesisnotonlyeconomicallyimperativebutpotentiallyrevolutionary. Thereis

an implieddemandforpower inthedefiantsloganwedidntcreatethecrisisandwewill

not be its victims11 summing up the only response that can be given by labour to the

attempts of statemonopoly capitalism tomake the working class pay for the crisis of

capitalism. Thesloganisamilitantrejectionoftheentirerationaleoffinancecapitalthatthe

labourpowerofworkersisamerecommoditylikeanyothertobeboughtandsoldtoserve

theinterestsoftheprofitsystem.

Capitalisteconomists

assert

that

if

the

commodity

labour

power

serves

the

interests

of

capitalitcanbewarehouseduntilneeded. Massunemploymentcanbeusedtodrivedown

thepriceof labourpower, thereby increasingprofits. Thecommoditycanbe selectedas

usefulandappliedorrejectedasredundantandcastoff. Afterall,reasonsthecapitalist,

wearenotdealingwithpeople,butonlywithwhattheyhaveforsaleinthemarketplace;

theirlabourpower.

This can best be illustrated by the contempt that the Harper Conservatives have for

Canadianworkers. HumanResourcesMinisterDianeFinleysaidinaninterviewtoCanwest

NewsService

last

January

on

the

crisis

in

the

EI

system

that:

9ValuePriceandProfitKarlMarxInternationalPublishers 1935

10Ibidpage68

11CommunistPartyofCanadaleafletTheWorkingPeopleDidntCreatetheCrisisandWeWontPayforIt

http://www.communistparty.ca/news/Statements/2009/Crisis%202009.pdf
http://www.communist-party.ca/news/Statements/2009/Crisis%202009.pdfhttp://www.communist-party.ca/news/Statements/2009/Crisis%202009.pdfhttp://www.communist-party.ca/news/Statements/2009/Crisis%202009.pdfhttp://www.communist-party.ca/news/Statements/2009/Crisis%202009.pdf


12/27


Ourgoal istohelppeoplegetbacktowork,andgetbacktoworkquickly in jobsthat

willlast.Wedonotwanttomakeitlucrativeforthemtostayhomeandgetpaidforit,

notwhen

we

still

have

significant

skill

shortages

in

many

parts

of

the

country."

12

Ina recentCBC radiodocumentaryonSudburyand theaffectsof theSteelworkersstrike

withValeon theeconomyof thecityand region thesocalledunreasonablenessof the

nickelworkers demands tomaintainwages and pension benefits and job security in the

midstof a fall in theworld priceof nickel rang throughout the program. Themayor of

Sudbury declared bleakly that there was a requirement on the part of the union

membership,intheinterestsofall,tobecomemorerealisticandrecognizethenewreality

ofValesfarflungcorporateempirethatcanshiftproductiontolowwageareasintheworld

andrideoutfallingnickelpricesandstillmaintainhandsomeprofitmargins. Theburdenof

theadvicetothestrikingSteelworkerswastoacceptaracetothebottomastheinevitable

resultofthevagariesofcapitalisminthe21stCentury.13

It didnt occur to the interviewer to pose the question of the private ownership of the

company and the resource as the real reason for the economicwoes of Sudbury. Also

suggestedinthedocumentarywasthattheoldgoodemployerwaspreferabletothenew

badone.

AdapttotheProfitSystemorAbolishIt?

Theopportunistideathattheworkingclassmustadapttoeachandeverytwistandturnof

the capitalisteconomyandmeekly accept the consequencesof faceless investorsbuying

andsellingglobalcorporateassetsisatrootthereformistbeliefthatthecapitalistsystemis

permanentandnothingbetterexiststoreplaceit. Theonlyoptionforworkerstheyargueis

topassivelyaccept itsanarchicdevelopmentandwait forabetterday to redress thegap

betweenwagesandthecostofliving.

In simplistic terms that states the two standpoints in theory and practice of the role of

organizedlabour,thereformistandtherevolutionary.Wafflingbetweenthetwoincentrist

confusion attempting to reconcile the two polarities is the theory that for themoment

12NormaGreenaway,CanwestNewsService,Govt.won'tpayunemployedtostayhome:Minister,January29,

2009,http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=123265013

CBC,TheCurrent,AMiningTown,www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200911/20091116.html
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1232650http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200911/20091116.htmlhttp://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200911/20091116.htmlhttp://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1232650


13/27


workersareconstrainedtodo littlemorethanfighttodefendgains,amelioratetheworst

affectsofcapitalistexploitationbecausesocialismisnotyetontheagenda.

Theassertionthatsocialismisnotontheagendaisbasedonaparticulartheoreticalviewof

therevolutionaryprocessinthepresentera. Thattheoryhasbeendeterminedtobecorrect

and has beenwith us formany decades and still dominates the thinking of the present

leadershipoftheCPC. Theessenceofthetheorywasclearlyenunciatedinthelate1970sby

BillKashtan,GeneralSecretaryoftheCommunistPartyofCanada inhisclosingremarksto

theCentralCommitteeonOctober18th1977wherehediscussedinsomedetailtheconcept

ofleftcentrecoalitionsandwhatconstitutedacorrectlabourpolicyandprogramtomake

thetradeunionmovementamoreeffectiveforce.

Theessence

of

that

position,

in

the

aftermath

of

the

election

of

President

Obama

was

repeated32yearslaterbySamWebbNationalChairoftheCommunistPartyoftheUSAina

speechinNewYorkCityonMarch21st.2009whereWebbalsooutlinedinsomedetailasto

whatconstitutedtheroleoftheCPUSA inbuildinganeffectivecoalition insupportofthe

Obamaadministration.

FirstthequotationfromBillKashtanfromOctober1977:

Themainthrustofthismeeting,hasbeenthenecessityofunityandalliances,of left

centre

coalitions,

not

only

for

the

trade

union

movement,

but

of

the

work

of

the

party

overthenextperiodoftime.Thiscoincideswithhowweestimatethepresentstageof

theantimonopolystruggle. Themain link in thisstruggleat this time, ishowwecan

developaunited fightbackaroundademocraticalternative to thecrisisofpoliciesof

monopoly. Whenwesaythis,whatdowemean?Wespeakofademocratic(Kashtansitalics)alternative,notasocialist(Kasthansitalics)alternativebecausethemassesofthepeople are not yet prepared to unite around a socialist alternative. Themasses of

working people however are prepared to unite around a democratic alternative that

beginstocurbthepowerofmonopolyandgetsattheeffectsofthecrisis.

Thatis

how

the

report

of

the

CEC

places

the

present

stage

of

the

anti

monopoly

struggle. At thesametime it isnecessary toshow thatantimonopolystruggleas the


14/27


decisivepartofthestruggleforsocialism,thepathwayto it, the link in thechain, that

opensthedoortothenextstage,thestruggleforsocialism.14

We will come back to this concept after quoting Sam Webbs viewpoint. Here is the

quotationfromSamWebbMarch21,2009:

Labour and its allies now have a friend, a peoples advocate and the first African

American in the White House. And because of this he should be supported and

defendedagainstpartisanandracistattack,bothopenandcoded.

Obamaisareformerandwecouldwellbeenteringaneraofreforms,possibleradical

reforms. Andyetsomesayhismainmissionistosavecapitalism

Settingasidesomeobviousdifferences,Obamasharesasimilarmindset. Hismodelof

governance isntsocialist,but itfavoursthe interestsofworkingpeopleandtheirallies

andchallengescorporatepowerandprerogatives

ButliketheNewDeal,itisntencodedintothehistoricalprocessrisinglikethephoenix

fromtheashesonaparticulardayandyear. Itwillbetheresultofacontestedandfluid

politicalprocessinwhichalabourledpeoplesmovementwillgrowinunityandgainin

understandingnottomention takeadvantageofdivisionswithin rulingcircles,resist

simplifiednotionsoftheDemocraticPartyandleaveitsdistinctanticorporateimprinton

thereform

process.

Socialismmaybeanobjectivenecessity,buttisntyetontheagendagiventhebalanceofforcesandthedispositionofmillions.(italicsDC)Whilethisisnotasocialistmomentfroman action point of view (what is obsolete for us isnt necessarily obsolete to the

American people) it is a ripe moment to enter into a dialogue with million about

socialismanditsmeaningforourcountry,15

14SomeQuestionsofPartyLineBillKashtan,CommunistViewpoint,Volume10No.1JanuaryFebruary1978.

15 OutoftheCrisis:Buildinganeweraofjusticeandpeace,SamWebb,

http://www.cpusa.org/article/view/1038/
http://www.cpusa.org/article/view/1038/http://www.cpusa.org/article/view/1038/


15/27


SocialismIsOntheAgenda

Thesequotations

appear

on

first

reading

to

be

so

reasonable

why

would

anyone

attempt

to

disputetheirlogic? Theyarebasedonasomewhatshopworncatchphrase,revolutionasa

process,nottobeconfusedwiththecorrectphrase,therevolutionaryprocess.

Revolution as a process suggests there is a defined series of stages, obligatory and

necessarythatmustbegonethroughbeforewereachthesocialiststageoftheprocess.

Socialism is on hold until we get there. When exactly we reach the socialist stage is

unknownandonecanonlysupposeitwillbecomemanifestwhenitisannouncedbysome

oracle.

Suchdoctrinaire

views

have

nothing

to

do

with

Leninism.

Such

views

elevate

the

reformist

conceptofanincrementalgradualistapproachtoprogress,denyingtheMarxistviewofthe

possibilityandnecessityof leaps indevelopment. Ifaccepted it consigns the roleof the

communists towaitinguponevents. Suchviewsmustbesubjected to theclosestcritical

scrutinybecausetheyfailthetestofadialecticalresolutionoftherelationshipbetweenthe

struggle for reforms and the struggle for socialism in the last stage of capitalism the

imperialiststage.

Theprofoundmistakeandweakness inbothoftheabovequotations isthattheydescribe

themoment

but

not

the

objectively

real

context

in

which

labour

politics

is

unfolding

in

our

era theeraofimperialism.

Imperialism istheeraof intense interimperialistrivalrywiththethreatofdirectandproxy

interimperialist wars, including nuclear confrontations, due to its uneven development.

Imperialismisanentireepochofimperialistwarsandextremereaction,butalso,duetoits

innate instability, the appearanceof revolutionary situations that ifmastered can rapidly

leadtosocialism. Theprerequisitesforrevolutionarematuringinmanyregionsoftheworld

andthatfactformsthemaincontentoftherevolutionaryprocessinthe21stCentury. Thatis

the significance of the conclusions reached at recent meetings of the IMCWP. It is

incumbentupontheCPC tostudy thoseprerequisitesastheyexist inCanadaandprepare

theworkingclasstorecognizethemandactuponthemastheyarise.

IthasalwaysbeenthegreatmeritoftheCommunistPartyofCanadafromitsinceptionthat

itworkedhard toexplain, indetail and convincingly, the socialist alternative to capitalist


16/27


crisisateachhistorical stage. WithLeninshelp theCommunistPartyofCanadabecame

convincedoftheinevitabilityofrevolutionarybreakthroughsinoneormorecountriesinthe

globalimperialist

system,

not

excluding

Canada,

which

had

reached

the

imperialist

stage

in

itseconomicandpoliticaldevelopment. Leninsscientificviewof theworld revolutionary

processwasbrilliantlyconfirmed in 1917andcontinues tobeconfirmed today throughout

LatinAmerica.

TheCommunistPartyofCanadathroughout itshistory,aloneofalloftheorganizationsof

thelabouringanddemocraticmasses,heldouttheinevitabilityoftherevolutionarypassage

of capitalism to socialism in our country. In every struggle of theworking class for its

immediate vital interests the CommunistParty never tiredof explaining toworkers, that

theymustnotonlybecomeaclassforthemselvesbutfightforaneweconomicandpolitical

system that in itsachievementwould liberateall from theexploitationandoppressionof

financecapital.

Theworking class, because of the position it holdswithin the productive forces and its

dispossessed statuswithin the relationsofproduction isaccorded thehistoricmissionof

leadingthenation. Suchan ideastruckfear inthehallsofcorporatepowerandstilldoes.Thefullcoercivepowerofthecapitaliststatehasbeenrolledouteverytimetherehasbeen

aperceivedthreatthattheideathattheworkingclassshouldholdthereinsofstatepower

mightgainwidespreadacceptance. ThatistherootcauseofwhyPrimeMinisterhasplaced

somuch

oppressive

legislation

on

the

books

and

why

he

increasingly

resorts

to

arbitrariness

andprorogationasameanstosuppressandevadepublicanger.

TheCommunistPartysProgramalwaysembodiedthat ideaas itscentralthesisandnever

hidit. ThatiswhyattentiontothedevelopmentofthePartysprogramwascentraltothe

Partystheoreticalwork. Theprogramwascriticaltothefutureoftheworkingclassandto

properlyarm itforthestruggles itfaced.TheCommunistPartyconsidered itsmaintaskto

prepare itselfandtheworkingclass forpoliticalpower.Thatrequiredacarefulanalysisof

thecontradictionsrequiringresolutionthatopenedthepathtosocialism.

ForAMilitantWorkingClassProgramforOrganizedLabourToday

UponwhatLeninistconceptofimperialistshouldourapproachtotherevolutionaryprocess

bebasedinourtime? ItmustbebasedonLeninspenetratinginsightintoimperialismasthe


17/27


last and final stageof imperialismbeyondwhich there isnoother rungs in the ladder

exceptsocialism.

Leninstated:

The dialectics of history is such that the war, by extraordinarily expediting the

transformation of monopoly capitalism into statemonopoly capitalism, has thereby

extraordinarilyadvancedmankindtowardssocialism.

Imperialistwaristheeveofsocialistrevolution. Andthisnotonlybecausethehorrors

ofthewargiverisetoproletarianrevoltnorevoltcanbringaboutsocialismunlessthe

economicconditionsforsocialismareripebutbecausestatemonopolycapitalismisa

completematerial

preparation

for

socialism,

the

threshold

of

socialism,

a

rung

on

the

ladderofhistorybetweenwhichandtherungcalledsocialismtherearenointermediaterungs.16

That idea hasbeen vulgarized into asserting that its advocates are suggesting there is a

revolutionarysituationandsocialistrevolutionwillbreakoutnowifweadvocateit.Thatof

courseisabsurdanddeservestobedismissedforwhatitis aninvitationnottothink.

WhatistheSignificanceofLeninsTeachingsonImperialismforIndependent

Labour

Political

Action?

Firstofallitssignificancemustbegraspedbythecommunists. Whatpoliticalforceswillcut

throughtheconfusionandbreakthedominanceofsteriledoctrinairetheoriesthatabound

inorganized labourtoday? Whatforceswillemergetoprovidethecreativeanswertothe

problemofformulatingamilitantworkingclassprogramofstruggle?Whatforceswillwage

thatstruggleforamilitant rankandfile theoryandpractice inside thepresentday labour

movement? Whatpoliticalforceswillcompeleventhemostentrenchedorganized labour

leaderstoembraceandtakeupthatstruggle?

TheCommunist

Party

has

the

responsibility

to

provide

the

theoretical

answer

to

these

questions. AsthePartybeginstoanswerthefirstquestion,thematterofthe ideologyof

16VILenin,TheImpendingCatastropheandHowtoCombatIt,LeninCollectedWorks,ProgressPublishers,1977,

Moscow,Volume25,pages323369


18/27


leadership, the answer to the second question, what kind of left that needs to be

organizedbecomesobvious.

There is no left without an organization of militant Communist and noncommunist

workers tospeak forandbuild it. There isnoleftwithoutan independentandmilitant

programofindependentlabourpoliticalactionthatconfrontscorporatepower. Andthere

canbenoprogramof independent labourpoliticalaction thatconfrontscorporatepower

unless theCommunists calla conferenceof its tradeunionmembersand supportersand

drafts it. If there issomeothercredible forcewillingandable todo that,wemustknow

whotheyare. Itshouldnotbekeptasecret.

CPSarguesthere isnoforceotherthantheCommunistPartytotakeupsuchwork. What isrequired

is

the

initial

first

step.

Some

years

ago

the

Central

Committee

(CC)

decided

to

draft

aLabourBillofRights17thatcouldhaveservedasanimportantfirststepindevelopinga

politicalactionprogram for themilitant rankand fileof labourbut thatdecisionwasnot

carriedout.

Communistsandmilitant rankandfileworkerswithwhomweworkonthe joband inside

the labourmovementandallthosetheyattracttoaprogramofpoliticalactionconstitute

theleftthatthedraftresolutionspeaksof. Ifthere issomeotherleftoutthere,then

thosewhodrafted thissectionarecalledupon tosaywho it is,what it is,where it isand

whatit

stands

for.

If

there

is

no

left

out

there

and

no

concrete

proposal

for

the

Party

to

undertakethearduoustasktobuildone,thenoneisforcedtotheconclusionthattheDraft

Resolution expects that workers will do it themselves spontaneously just because the

Communistshavetoldthemitisnecessary.

Admittedly building the kind of left that is required is not easy. Let us not evade that

problem. What is to be donewhen the Communist Partys presence inside the labour

movement is too weak to immediately organize the left political action committees,

caucuses,rankandfileorganizationsthatareurgentlyrequired?

Whatis

to

be

done

is

similar

in

form

and

approach

to

what

was

done

in

re

establishing

the

CanadianPeaceCongress. Takethefirststep.

17CommunistPartyofCanada,http://www.communistparty.ca/electoralreform/index.html
http://www.communist-party.ca/electoralreform/index.htmlhttp://www.communist-party.ca/electoralreform/index.htmlhttp://www.communist-party.ca/electoralreform/index.htmlhttp://www.communist-party.ca/electoralreform/index.html


19/27


Beforeproceeding letusaddressthequestionthatwillflytotheforeas itdidwhenthe

proposaltorebuildtheCongresswasbeingdiscussed;It isamechanicalapproach.We

needa

record

of

activity

first.

It

is

in

contradiction

to

our

previous

role

in

the

Canadian

PeaceAlliance,Itisnotinaccordwithourpolicyofbuildingpeacecoalitions,Whereare

the forces?, We need other forces toworkwith us first. Everythingwas considered

excepttoactandbringtogetherthePartyandnonPartypeaceactivistswhorecognizedthe

needtorebuildtheCongress.

The Congress was rebuilt out of necessity because the peace movement requires a

consistentantiimperialistvoice. Itwasreestablishedtofulfilitshistoricalroleaspartofthe

worldwiderenaissanceof thegreatestpeaceorganizationevertoemergeafterWW2,the

World Peace Council. The Congress is being rebuilt precisely because there is no other

organizationexcepttheCanadianPeaceCongressthatcanfulfillthatrole.

That same audacious approach is required in building a left organization of labour

militancy. Ifweareindifferentastowhatkindofcoalitionisrequired,theonethatwedont

wantwillalwaysappear. Pettybourgeoisradicalsarebusycreatingthemwithoutend.Wait

andanotherwillcomealongandwewillbeinvitedtojumponitsbandwagon,maybeeven

winningalittlepraisefordoingso.

Communistsenvisionand fight foraparticular typeofcoalition. One thatarisesoutofa

definedMarxist

analysis

rooted

in

the

material

conditions

the

working

class

confront.

That

taskformsthebasisandarticulatesthetheoryandpracticetodaytoadvancetheworking

classstruggle. Thattypeofcoalitionisnotonlymilitantbutalsointernationalistinformand

character. From the outset itmustdeclare publicly its affiliation to the WFTUand send itsleadingcadretoitsmeetingstoparticipateinitswork.Whatare thesteps tobe taken tobeginCommunist led left labourcoalitionbuildingofa

newtype?

First the Labour Commission of the Communist Partymust write a new contemporary

Stepsto

Power.

Its

appeal

and

focus

must

speak

directly

to

the

militant

trade

union

rank

andfileaboutthefundamentaldemandsthatmustbetakenupandfoughtfortodayto

bringorganized labour into adirect confrontation and challenge to corporatepower. In

essenceitmustplacethedemandsoforganizedlabourattheheadofthenation.


20/27


Secondly theappealmustbepopularized in theCommunistpress,circulatedaswidelyas

possible and through a designated spokesperson that has no other responsibility. The

CommunistParty

must

organize

a

worker

conference

where

a

Steps

to

Power

manifesto

willbedebatedandadopted followedbyapublicdeclaration thatsuchanorganization is

nowinexistenceandwillbeginitswork.

In a hitherto unpublished correspondencewith this observer August 4th 1970, Tim Buck,

recoveringfromaparalyticstroke inHillcrestHospitaltookthetimetoelaboratehisviews

onthecriticalimportanceofdevelopingyoungpartycadre. AmongotherthingsBucksaid:

Conferences of activists certainly offer possibilities, organization of them should be

considered.NotewellDon: (BucksunderlineDC) It isvery important that theprocess

throughwhich

young

activists

are

brought

forward

should

be

an

integral

part

of

the

overall struggle to extend and strengthen the Party and its influence among the

workers.18

Thatistheadvicewemustacceptandimplementinassigningsomeonetothiscriticalfile. A

genuine,rankandfileleftpoliticalactionmovementwillbeorganizedstepbystep,inchby

inchand innootherway. Itwillnothappenquicklybut itwillmaterializeandeventually

succeedduetothepowerofitsclearlyenunciatedprogramofpoliticalactionandbecause

objectively it answers the urgentneed for a higher levelof labourpolitical action as the

currenteconomic

crisis

rolls

out

and

deepens.

Onwhatfundamentalobjectiverealityshouldthatprogramofpoliticalactionbebased? It

canonlybebasedontirelesslyexplainingtoworkersthatinthelaststageofcapitalism,the

imperialist stage, there arenoother rungs in the ladderof capitalism andbeyondwhich

thereisonlysocialism.

AgainwequoteLenintoreinforcethepoint:

It isbecauseRussia cannot advance from the economic situation now existing here

withouttraversing

the

ground

which

is common to state capitalism and to socialism

(national accounting and control) that the attempt to frighten others as well as

themselveswithevolution towardsstatecapitalism (KommunistNo. 1,p.8,col. 1) is

18TimBuckLetter,FOSTimBuckAve,August4,1970,

www.FocusOnSocialism.ca/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/BucktoCurrieAugust041970.pdf
http://www.focusonsocialism.ca/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/BucktoCurrieAugust041970.pdfhttp://www.focusonsocialism.ca/focusonsocialism.ca/upload/BucktoCurrieAugust041970.pdf


21/27


utter theoretical nonsense. This is lettingones thoughtswander away from the true

road of evolution, and failing to understand what this road is. In practice, it is

equivalentto

pulling

us

back

to

small

proprietary

capitalism.

Inorder toconvince the reader that this isnot the first time Ihavegiven thishigh

appreciationofstatecapitalismandthat Igave itbeforetheBolsheviksseizedpower I

take the liberty of quoting the following passage frommy pamphlet The ImpendingCatastropheandHowtoCombatIt,writteninSeptember1917.. . . Statemonopoly capitalism is a complete material preparation for socialism, the

thresholdofsocialism,arungontheladderofhistorybetweenwhichandtherungcalled

socialismtherearenointermediaterungs(pages27and28)PleasenotethatthiswaswrittenwhenKerenskywasinpower,thatwearediscussing

not the dictatorship of the proletariat, not the socialist state, but the revolutionary

democraticstate.Isitnotclearthatthehigherwestandonthispoliticalladder,themorecompletelywe incorporate the socialist stateand thedictatorshipof theproletariat in

the Soviets, the lessoughtwe to fear state capitalism? Is it not clear that from thematerial,economicandproductivepointofview,wearenotyeton the thresholdof

socialism? Is it not clear thatwe cannot pass through the door of socialismwithout

crossingthethresholdwehavenotyetreached?

Fromwhateversideweapproachthequestion,onlyoneconclusioncanbedrawn:the

argumentof the LeftCommunistsabout the statecapitalismwhich isalleged tobe

threatening us is an uttermistake in economics and is evident proof that they are

completeslavesofpettybourgeoisideology.19

Thefundamentaldemandsthattheorganized labourmovementmusttakeupandfight

forarethosedemands,which,inthecourseofthestruggletoachievethem,challengesand

confrontscorporatepoweranditsdominationovertheeconomystateandgovernment.

Thosekey

fundamental

demands

are

already

in

the

Draft

Resolution

and

the

Program

of

the Communist Party but need tobe ferreted out and elevated to first rank importance

19VILenin,LeftWingChildishness,LeninsCollectedWorks,ProgressPublishers,Moscow,1972Volume27,

pages323334


22/27


reworked in languageworkersuseon the jobandunderstandand thenpopularized.They

are:

1. Organized labourhasthepower,therightandthenecessityto leadthenationandmuststrivetodoso.Todothat labourrejectstheeconomicmodelofUSCanadian

economic integration and expresses its support and confidence in the ability of

Canadianworkersthemselves,toindependentlyandwithoutforeigndominationand

controltorebuildtheCanadianeconomyintheinterestsofallCanadians.Thereisno

otherforceinthecountrythatcanorwilldoit.

2. To lead the nation organized labour recognizes and accepts the unavoidablenecessitytofighttocurbthepowerofmonopolyandbreakitsstrangleholdoverthe

economy,state

and

government.

The

organs

of

state

power

must

be

dedicated

to

theneedsofthepeople.Thatistheroleofgovernment,notasispresentlythecase,

toupholdtheprimacyandtyrannyofbanksandtheprivateownershipofthemeans

of production. This is the essence of genuineworking peoples democracy that

labourmustupholdanddefend.

3. Thekeydemandsaroundwhichsuchastrugglecanbejoinedandwonare:a. The nationalization and public ownership of the decisive sectors of theeconomy,

in

the

first

place

the

energy

resource

sector

from

coast

to

coast

to

coast including the entire construction, extraction, processing, and

transportation phases of that vital resource to satisfy the industrial,

manufacturing, urban and rural domestic needs of all Canadians first. All

investment intheenergysectorcancomeunderfederalscrutinyandcontrol

without first changing the constitution. There is enough power in the

NationalEnergyBoard20 rulesevenas itstands, tobegin tohaltthesellout

policiesof theprivateenergy interests.All that is required isagovernment

willingtodoit.

b. Anationaleconomicdevelopmentprogrambasedonthepublicownershipofthe transportation industry, including the entire network of pipelines,

railroads, airlines and trucking; public ownership of basic industry and

20NationalEnergyBoard,ChapterN7,ConsolidatedStatutesofCanada,http://www.neb.gc.ca/clf

nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdcteng.html
http://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.htmlhttp://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.htmlhttp://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.htmlhttp://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.htmlhttp://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.htmlhttp://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.htmlhttp://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/rpblctn/ctsndrgltn/ct/ntnlnrgybrdct-eng.html


23/27


secondaryprocessing industries inparticularbasicsteelandmetalproducing

industries,bothferrousandnonferrousandbasicchemicalproductionasthe

firststep

to

overcoming

regional

underdevelopment

and

make

possible

the

centralizedplanned, rational and democratic development of the economy

including a peaceful resolution to the responsible exploitation of the

resources of the far north and arctic and with due regard to all of the

legitimatenativelandclaimssettlementsoutstanding.

c. Publicdemocraticcontroloverthebanksandtheenactmentoflawstodirectitsenormousinvestmentpotentialtothetaskofnationbuildingwhichinthe

firstplacemeanstherestorationofthemanufacturingsector;specificallywith

emphasis onmachine and tool building, a Canadian auto industry, funding

research and development to identify the latest advances in technology

appliedtoproductionthatcaneaselabourandprovideworkforall.

d. Canadianfoodselfsufficiency.e. Acomprehensiveplantostopenvironmentaldegradationandglobalwarmingrelyingonscienceandtechnologyinthehandsofthepeopletoachievethat

goal.

f.Full

public

control

and

oversight

of

the

telecommunications

industry.

BeginningwithexpropriationofallofNortelsformerassets,controloverthe

wireless communications providers and a centralized and democratically

control internet service provider to combat the culturally and morally

destructive and dehumanizing antiworker effects of rampant pornography

andviolence.

TheCommunistPartysProgramandtheFuture

Througharduous theoretical, ideologicalandpracticalwork, relyingon itsown resources

andlearning

from

the

international

Communist

movement,

Canadian

Communists

developed theirprogramasonlytheycould,defining itas;antiimperialist,antimonopoly,

patriotic,democratic,workingclass,andsocialistincontent.


24/27


Theprogramatthesametimedescribedtheallianceofclassforcesthatpotentiallycouldbe

organizedandledbytheworkingclasstoachievesocialisminourcountry. Nearlyadecade

haspassed

since

the

adoption

of

the

current

program

of

the

Communist

Party

of

Canada,

February2001. Therearemanyinadequaciesandweaknessesintheprogramreflectingthe

innerpartystrugglefromwhich itemerged in 1990 thatnow require revisiting,correcting

andupdatingtoalign itwith thenew revolutionaryrealityemerging internationallyand in

Canada.

CPSproposesthatdelegatestothe36thConventionadoptaresolutionasoneofitsprincipal

tasks, the establishment of a Program Commission to organize a Partywide public

discussionandprepareforadoptionatitsnextconventionarevisedandupdatedProgram.

That task is made necessary to bring the Program more closely in line with Canadian

economicandpoliticaldevelopmentsoverthepastdecade,butmoreimportantlytoprovide

a lineofadvance to socialism thatmoreaccurately reflects theworkof the International

MovementofCommunistandWorkersPartiesasitiscreativelyappliedtoCanadainthe21st

Century.

Thecurrentstageofdevelopmentofcapitalism inCanada iscorrectlydefinedbyCanadian

Communists as advanced imperialism in the fullness of that definition as Lenin originally

stateditinhisgreatworkImperialismTheHighestandLastStageoftheDevelopmentof

Capitalism. Inessenceimperialismiscapitalisminthemonopolystagewheretheexportof

capitalis

the

principal

activity

of

the

finance

capitalist

class

and

competition

for

division

and

redivision of globalmarkets and resources accounts for its extreme aggressiveness and

competitiveinstability.

Imperialism means political reaction and militarism and the attempt to suppress all

resistanceto itsglobalaims. Imperialismalsomeans,asLeninobserved,the laststageof

thecapitalistsysteminanadvancedmoribundanddecayingstage,extremelyparasiticand

beyondwhichtherenootherrungs intheladderorhistoricalstagesinthedevelopment

ofcapitalismandbeyondwhichthereisonlysocialism.

ThefullimplicationofthatbrilliantideaisbeingrestudiedbyalloftheCommunistPartiesin

developed capitalist states. Itmust be taken up by the Communist Party of Canada as

centraltoallof itstheoreticalwork. Untilthattheoreticalworkhasbeenundertakenand

thelessonsdrawnthePartysmassworkwillsuffer. ThemainweaknessoftheCommunist


25/27


PartyofCanadaisnotitslowmembership,undoubtedlyaseriousproblem,butitslowlevel

oftheoreticalwork.

BacktoBuckForwardtoSocialism

TimBuckinhismemorable1970work,LeninandCanada21,broughtthePartytotheleading

edgeofanunderstandingoftheinterimperialistrelationshipbetweenCanadaandtheUSA

whichprevailedat that time. Theentirebookshouldbeconsideredabasic textofevery

Partyschoolandrecommendedreadingforalloftheyoungpeopleattractedtoourranks.

Bucks farsightedness necessitates a lengthy quote from Chapter 7 entitled Lenin and

Canadianindependence.Bucksaid:

Theideathatamodernsovereignstate,offullydevelopedstatemonopolycapitalism,

couldloseitsindependenceandbecomedependentuponand,inessentials,subservient

to another, and still remain an imperialist state, an active partner in the exploiting,

oppressive, bellicose, imperialist world system, seeking to preserve that reactionary

system bywars of conquest, had never occurred to us until it happened in Canada.

WhenitdidhappenourfirsttendencywastoassumethatCanadacouldeithercontinue

tobeanimperialiststateorcouldbecomedependentupontheUnitedStatesbutthatit

wasnotpossibleforhertobebothatthesametime. Againwewere impelledbyour

needto

take

counsel

with

Lenin

and

again

Lenins

guidance

led

us

to

...thesenseofboldforecastofthefutureandofboldpracticalactionsforitsachievement.(Vol.21,p.72)

ReferencetoLeninshowedtheargumentthatitmustbeeither,or,imperialiststateor

dependency, to be just a boggle over static concepts. Indeed reading Imperialism

afresh, for light on the unexpected developments, showed clearly that Lenins

explanations of certain features of imperialism as a distinct and higher stage of

capitalismcouldhavebeenwrittentohelpustounderstandthenew,radicalchangein

the relations between Canada and the United States which was signalized by

governmentactionduringtheperiodofNovember1947toMarch1948.Forexample:

21TimBuck,LeninandCanada,ProgressPublishers,Toronto,1970


26/27


Financecapitalissuchagreat,suchadecisive,youmightsay,forceinalleconomicand

all international relations, that it is capableof subjectingandactuallydoes subject, to

itselfeven

states

enjoying

the

fullest

political

independence.

(Vol.

22,

p.

259)

...itmustbeobservedthatfinancecapitalanditsforeignpolicy,whichisthestruggleof

thegreatpowers for the economic andpolitical divisionof theworld,gives rise to a

numberoftransitionalformsofstatedependence.

...diverseformsofdependentcountrieswhich,politically,areformallyindependent,but

infact,areenmeshedinthenetoffinancialandeconomicdependence,aretypicalofthis

epoch.(Vol.22,p.263Leninsemphasis)

TimBuck

would

be

the

first

to

advise

that

today

we

must

readdress

his

work

in

the

light

of

the40yearexperiencesinceitwaswritten. Wesaythatwithoutinanywaysuggestingthatitsfundamentalanalysisisnotstillfullyvalid.BuckleftuswithabrilliantanalysisofthatrelationshipturningtoLeninforhelpinanswering

thecomplexityoftheCanadianUSrelationship. Wearenowconfrontedwithreturningto

the subject and begin the discussion on how that relationship must be broken and

reconstructed as theworking class answer to the imperialist vision for our country and

continent.

TheCanadian

Communists

are

called

upon

to

make

a

major

contribution

to

defeating

the

imperialistplanforNorthAmericainparticularthecanardthatthereisnoalternativetothe

capitalist integrationofourtwocountries.ThatcanardaccordsCanadawithasubservient

role as a convenient source of cheap raw materials, primarily energy, for the further

expansionofUScapitalism.

WearealsoconfrontedwiththetaskofdevelopingaCommunistviewofcontinentalism. A

proletarian vision of the development of theNorth American continent is required. It is

neededtocounterposetheimperialistvisionforNorthAmericaasabaseofreactionfrom

whichUS

imperialism

with

the

assistance

of

Canadian

and

Mexican

finance

capital

cooperate

injointventuretodominatetheworld.

WeCommunistshaveanentirelydifferentviewofcontinentalism.Ourviewisbasedonthe

beliefthatthe labouringmassesofCanada,theUSAandMexicoandCubasharethesame


27/27

OrganizedLabourandthePoliticsofClassStruggleJ 11 2010

dream,ofaNorthAmericancontinentatpeace,productive,responsibleandplannedforthe

labouringmassesthatcreatealloftherichesandwondersofthispartoftheworld.Cuba

hasprovided

all

of

the

people

of

North

America

with

an

example

of

what

could

be

achieved

injointcooperation.

Aworking class visionofour continentultimately canonlybeagreat commonwealthof

socialiststates,equalandsovereign,thatwillpreserveourbeautifulcontinentfromthefar

arctictotheYucatanPeninsula.

ThatwasthepromiseoftherecentlyconcludedTriLateralConferenceoftheWorldPeace

CouncilheldinTorontoinOctober. Delegatesbegantodiscussthefutureofourcontinent

asagreatzoneofpeaceandpeacefuleconomicdevelopmentandthatideamustbetaken

upby

Canadian

Communists

and

made

the

property

of

millions.

These are some of the challenges confronting the delegates to the upcoming 36th

Conventionof theCommunistParty. Thecentral taskcanbesummedupas thedemand

placedupon theCommunists toplacebefore thepeopleofCanadaandourbrothersand

sistersof theUSAandMexico, thatwe reject theplansof imperialism forour respective

countriesandrededicateourselvestoadifferentvisionthatonlysocialismcanrealize.

LeftTurnCanada!BacktoBuck,ForwardtoSocialism!

Organized Labour and the Politics of the Class Struggle Today

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