First Published: Class Struggle, August 1981
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Sam Richards and Paul Saba
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Making revolution in their own country is the primary responsibility of any Marxist-Leninist Party or organisation. But each Marxist-Leninist Party or organisation also forms part of the international communist movement, a movement whose strategic goal is to end exploitation and oppression throughout the world. For this reason, the Revolutionary Communist League of Britain ( RCLB) has always enjoyed the support of comrades around the world.
The recently held Second Congress of the R.C.L.B. was honoured by the presence of fraternal comrades from: the London office of China’s Xinhua News Agency, An Spreach (an Irish Marxist-Leninist group), Communist League of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist), Provisional Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Party of Labour of Belgium and the Marxist-Leninist Party of Italy. A social held on the Saturday night of the Congress was also attended by members of the Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania (South Africa).
At the Congress, speeches were made by various representatives of the fraternal delegations. The comrade from An Spreach pointed to the connection between the Irish struggle and the struggle of the national minorities in Britain. She stressed that there were two organizations waging the armed struggle in Ireland and that both should be supported. She stressed the need for communists to involve themselves in the nationalist struggle that had as its strategic goal a united Ireland. She said that any possibility of work amongst the protestant section of the Irish working class was conditional on the defeat of British Imperialism in Ireland. In Ireland, the broad support for the Prisoners’ five demands contained the embryo of an anti-imperialist front. British revolutionaries must support the Irish people and not allow Thatcher to get away with murder.
Bringing greetings, the comrade from the Communist League of Bangladesh (ML) expressed his belief that British communists will be in a united party.
The comrade from the Party of Labour of Belgium (PTB) called for defence of the People’s Republic and Communist Party of China as well as material support for the Marxist-Leninist parties in the Third World. Marxist-Leninists in Europe had a duty to pressurize their governments to adopt a stand favourable to the peoples of the third world. The PTB stands for a Europe independent of the Soviet Union and the United States. In the event of a Soviet invasion of Poland, the European countries must give concrete support to the Polish resistance.
In the capitalist crisis, the Marxist-Leninist parties of Europe should co-ordinate their efforts. The comrade cited the example of the closure of a British Leyland factory in Belgium. The British trade unions had refused to support the struggle of the Belgian workforce. These are areas in which Marxist-Leninists could co-operate.
Presenting some detailed information about the work of his party, the Belgian comrade pointed out that it was primarily built in heavy industry but that the Party also worked to build a broad front for social progress, democracy and national independence.
Congress received the statements from foreign comrades with warm standing ovations.
A number of letters and telegrams of greetings were also received by the Congress.
The letter from the External Representative of the Communist League of Bangladesh (ML) stated:
You are holding this Congress at a time when in many countries in the west some M-L forces are raising doubts about the basic principles of communism. This Congress of yours is a sure sign of your determination to overcome any difficulties facing us at home and abroad ... I can assure you, comrades, we are together in this fight. We shall carry the struggle through to the end.
The letter from the Communist Party Marxist-Leninist (of France) said that the working class and people of Britain needed a revolutionary party capable of leading their struggle against the capitalist and imperialist bourgeoisie and to raise their vigilance against the danger of a third world war brought about by the rivalry between the two superpowers for world domination. Wishing the Congress success, the French comrades said that it would no doubt be an important contribution to building an authentic communist Party.
Sending greetings to the Congress, the Central Committee of the Communist Workers’ Organization (Marxist-Leninist) of Holland declared that,
We know by our own experience, that the tasks and problems, facing the communist movement today, are no easy matters to deal with. There is still. the lack of unity within the Marxist-Leninist movement ,and the tense national an d international situation gives rise to many questions with regard to a correct integration of the Marxist-Leninist principles with the concrete conditions in the respective countries.
We wish you all strength and much success, and hope that your Congress will be a successful one, and will contribute to strengthen the revolutionary forces in Britain.
The letter from Comrade Fernand Lefebvre, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Marxist-Leninist of Belgium, expressed support for the League’s struggle to build the revolutionary party of the working class in Britain, for its loyalty to the scientific principles of Marxism-Leninism and its efforts to apply them to the concrete conditions of Britain today.
We salute your struggle against imperialism and hegemonism, particularly against Soviet Social Imperialism which constitutes the greatest danger to the peoples of Europe.
The letter from the Central Committee of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Italy (PMLI) expressed strong support for the loyalty of the R.C.L.B. to the principles of Marxism-Leninism and their application to the concrete conditions of imperialist Britain. The Italian comrades stated that despite the claims of modern revisionists, it was the October Revolution that illuminated the road ahead.
The PMLI expressed the view that the R.C.L.B’s Second Congress would help give the British proletariat the necessary ideology, programme, politics and organization to effectively combat imperialism, social imperialism, colonialism, racism and apartheid. The letter also expressed the Italian comrades’ views concerning recent events in China.
A telegram from the Communist Party of Japan (Left) sent “warmest communist greetings”.
The Political Secretary of the Workers Communist League of New Zealand stated in a telegram that the R.C.L.B. Congress, “will mark an important step forward in re-establishing a genuine Marxist-Leninist party in Britain. Experience shows that building a revolutionary party of the working class in an advanced capitalist country is fraught with difficulties and continuous struggle against right and ’left’ opportunism.”
The telegram expressed the wish to develop closer ties between our two organizations over the coming years.
The R.C.L.B. is sincerely grateful for and humbled by all the messages we have received. We extend our warmest greetings to the communists of every country.
The Revolutionary Communist League of Britain has received some more messages of greetings on the occasion of its Second Congress held in July.
The letter from the Communist League of Iceland says, “We can see that you are determined to continue your party-building process in accordance with Marxism-Leninism. We wish you success in your work.”
The letter from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Peru states, “We are very happy for the successful holding of the Second Congress of the Revolutionary Communist League of Britain. On this occasion, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Peru express to you and the entire membership of the League their warmest greetings.
Our two organisations struggle in countries on separate continents in the world. The basic conditions are very different for revolutionary work. But we have a revolutionary theory in common: Marxism-Leninism ... Now, when the communist movement in the advanced capitalist countries are facing great difficulties and a liquidationist trend, the firm decision of the League to continue integrating the fundamental principles of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought to the British revolution and their reaffirmation to rebuild the revolutionary working class party in Britain are of tremendous importance and will give stimulus to the MarxistLeninists of other countries.
Your Second Congress has occurred at a time when there is a growing danger of a new world war and the growing menace of aggression of Soviet social-imperialism, the most dangerous enemy of the peoples of the world. Our two organisations have great tasks against the two superpowers and for unyielding defence of national independence, democracy and working class and popular interest – in our two countries.
Recent struggles in Britain, mainly of the oppressed national minorities, attract attention of all peoples. We express full support to the Irish peoples struggle against British imperialism and the struggle of East Indian, Black peoples and other national minorities against the policy of repression of the British ruling class and State.
We wish to the League and their new Central Committee successes in their work and struggle.
At the same time, we wish our two organisations will strengthen further collaboration in our common struggles against common enemies.
The International Liaison Committee of the Workers Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) in Canada sent a letter of warm congratulations.
We firmly support your struggle to rebuild the revolutionary party of the working class in Britain by integrating the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought with the concrete practice of the British revolution.
We hold in high esteem the work you are doing to support the struggle of the Irish people for its liberation from British imperialism. You are taking up the important task of doing education on this issue among the British working class and people.
In the present international situation, marked by the acceleration of war preparations by the two superpowers, and as well by a strong offensive of revisionism worldwide, your firm stand in defending Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought plays a valuable role for the future of revolution both in Britain and throughout the world.