In this article we have presented our views on the ideological and political stand of WMS in connection with a criticism of certain key features of the line of the RU, In order to present our analysis and conclusion in a thorough manner, we have demonstrated the relationship between the theoretical positions of WMS and their historical practice in the revolutionary movement, particularly in the Asian Movement over the past five years.
In addition, we have given examples of the historical development of the two line struggle between IWK and WMS so that all Marxist-Leninists and revolutionary minded organizations and individuals can deepen their understanding of the current struggle against opportunism in the Asian movement. This struggle against opportunism in the Asian movement is an integral part of the struggle against opportunism within the international communist movement. We believe that the struggle against opportunism is of central importance to further growth, maturing and consolidation of Marxist-Leninist forces in the U.S. towards the formation of a genuine Communist Party.
The current struggle in the communist movement for a correct ideological and political line is unfolding along a torturous and complex path. Understanding that contradiction is the law of development of all things and that the laws of materialist dialectics shows that the revolutionary forces are bound to win, we believe that the future is bright in this country for the ultimate victory of a correct Marxist-Leninist line, the formation of a new Communist Party and the development of the revolutionary mass movement under the leadership of such a party toward the overthrow of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class. This is evident by the deepening of the revolutionary mass movement, whether of the working class, or the oppressed nationalities and other sectors. It also is evident in the present maturing of the communist movement.
It is precisely because the struggle for a correct line is a protracted, complex and tortuous struggle against all shades of opportunism and bourgeois influence that it is imperative that Marxist-Leninists take the approach of examining the facts of the struggle in a thorough and all sided manner.
Since its formation, our organization has waged a consistent struggle to build unity in the Asian movement upon political principles. In our earliest struggles with WMS we upheld the principle of promoting revolution vs. reformism, and the principle of bringing revolutionary ideas to the masses vs. tailing the most backward ideas and backward segments of the masses. Differences with WMS over these principles continue to this day.
With the development of Marxist-Leninist movement, including our own organization over the past few years, the differences between IWK and WMS were raised to the level of fundamental differences over the principles of Marxist-Leninist, Mao Tse-Tung Thought. WMS was consolidated around the line of the RU and organizationally developed into an anti-imperialist organization of the RU type.
Through examining the political content of their publication, “The Reactionary Line of IWK” (much of which just contains slanderous lies and distortion of fact) and through summarizing the historical practice of their organization, we have presented here our organization’s summation of their line as being thoroughly consolidated around right opportunism.
We believe that WMS errors are errors of right opportunism on the following essential points:
1) WMS misunderstands the fundamental characteristics of imperialism, in particular the fact that imperialism must super-exploit oppressed nations and peoples to exist; and by so doing WMS negates the material basis of national oppression. It consequently denies the profoundly revolutionary nature of the struggles in the Third World.
2) WMS denies that the basis for disunity in the working class exists in the ability of the imperialists to bribe a small section of the working class, which becomes the social basis for opportunism in the working class. WMS denies that this labor aristocracy promotes opportunism of all kinds, and in particular national chauvinism in the working class.
3) WMS liquidates the national question not only by denying the material basis of national oppression, but also by denying the general revolutionary content of the national movements and relegating them to the level of demanding reforms under capitalism.
4) WMS by uniting with the RU line of building RU type anti-imperialist organizations as the highest form of leadership in the national struggles denies the importance of Marxist-Leninist leadership in the national struggles.
5) WMS’s ideological error of mechanical materialism and vulgar evolutionism leads them to politically tailing the bourgeoisie and petty-bourgeoisie and worshipping spontaneity.
6) WMS commits the error of economism, which is to raise the struggle for economic demands as the principal and sole task of communists in the workers movement.
We call upon all Marxist-Leninists and revolutionary-minded individuals and organizations to examine the facts of the struggle between our two organizations examine seriously and critically the political view of both organizations. We believe that through this struggle the truth can be separated from falsehood, and we can get down to the essence of the fundamental political differences. We present these views and criticisms of WMS in the spirit of waging a thorough struggle against incorrect ideas and incorrect political lines, towards the advancement of principled ideological and political unity within the communist and progressive movement and towards the further clarification and consolidate of a correct political line.