Interest in Communism surges: Where is the CPUSA?

[João Jerónimo]

http://houstoncommunistparty.com/interest-in-communism-surges-where-is-the-cpusa/

Interest in Communism surges: Where is the CPUSA?
By James Thompson

A recent Rasmussen poll published on March 15, 2011 indicates that 11% of Americans favor communism over capitalism. Put that way, it may not sound like much, but if you look at the numbers it is significant in a country totally brainwashed by the capitalist controlled media. Based on a U.S. population estimate of 312,000,000 it means that roughly 34,320,000 people in the U.S. think that communism would be superior to capitalism.
Another poll recently conducted by the Pew Research Center suggests that 31% of people in the U.S. have a positive view of socialism (see article posted on this blog). That would work out to be 96,720,000 people having a positive view of socialism. In certain sectors of the population, this percentage is much higher. Among the 18 to 29 year old age group, 49% had a positive view of socialism. Among African Americans, 55% had a positive view of socialism and among liberal Democrats, 59% had a positive view of socialism.
All these figures add up to the fact that there are a large number of people in the U.S.A. who are open to both communism and socialism. This is truly amazing given the slander and lies hurled at socialists and communists since the horrible days of McCarthyism in the 1950’s. Because of the uninterrupted torrent of abuse from the right wing which has been so well publicized by the mainstream media, most people in this country don’t have a clue as to what are the aims of communists and socialists.
Many people would be shocked to learn that the primary aim of communists is to support working people in their struggle to achieve a better life for themselves. Communists understand that in order for this to happen, the working class must become the ruling class. As long as the ultra-wealthy are the ruling class, the working class will have to struggle for every scrap they get. Communists also understand that only a united working class can achieve the goal of the working class becoming the ruling class. As long as capitalists can divide working people by race, gender, culture, religion and other innumerable wedges that they use so effectively, true democracy of the people cannot happen and the working class will remain the oppressed class.
So, how has the Communist Party of the USA (CPUSA) leadership responded to this rising tide of interest in communism and socialism?
Although the party program “The Road to Socialism” and the party constitution point out the importance of the CPUSA fighting for socialism, leadership in a variety of venues has flatly stated that “socialism is off the table.” These venues have included the Glenn Beck show and a variety of publically circulated articles in the party press. There have also been articles suggesting that the word “communism” is unacceptable and should be changed.
Although there is a raging contradiction between the CPUSA program and constitution and what its leaders are advocating, the rift between leadership, membership and the public runs even deeper. Some in leadership of the CPUSA have suggested that “Leninism” is a “foreign” concept and should be dropped.
Many other Marxist-Leninist ideological tools have been jettisoned by CPUSA leadership. These are tools which have served the working class well over the history of the communist movement.
With what have communist strategies and tactics been replaced? The main tactic being advocated by CPUSA leadership today is the “defeat of the ultra-right.” Leadership maintains the only way to do this is to work to elect Democratic Party politicians. Leadership does not advocate evaluating these politicians based on their voting records and platforms, but simply seeks to elect democrats. They fail to recognize that democrats have supported untold imperialist wars and have actively opposed the interests of the working class. Members of the Obama administration have disrespected working people in an effort to cozy up to the enemy of the working class. This should not be forgotten. The positive contributions of progressive democrats should also not be forgotten and these individuals should be supported. In other words, democrats should be evaluated critically and exposed when they work to undermine the working class. Similarly, Republicans should be viewed critically, and when Republicans are more progressive in their positions with respect to the working class than their democratic opponents, they should be supported. CPUSA should be a partisan party for the working class, not a partisan party for any bourgeois political party, i.e. political party of, by and for the wealthy. CPUSA should be a political party of, by and for the working class.
The oversimplification of political struggle by CPUSA leadership has been ruinous to the party and membership has rapidly and dramatically dwindled to almost nothing. Paid party staff members have been laid off and members who disagree with leadership’s approach have been isolated, ignored and alienated.
Many members express fear of being expelled from the party, much like church members in the Middle Ages feared excommunication.
Why would people be afraid of being expelled from the CPUSA if it is only a Communist Party in name?
A number of Communist Parties from around the world have condemned the ideological positions of CPUSA leadership. One statement from Germany went so far as to say, “We don’t have time for this.”
They are right. It is not their responsibility to remake the CPUSA. It is up to the people in this country who identify with the communist movement to work together to build a new Communist Party in this country, either within the structure of the CPUSA or outside of it.
We need an extraordinary CPUSA party convention to address the egregious wrongs committed by current party leadership. Leadership should have an opportunity on a level playing field to address the burning questions of the membership.
Many party members are questioning why leadership’s positions are so divergent from the party program and party constitution.
Members know that a vast treasure of party historical items, items which could have found a home in a party owned and operated museum, were jettisoned off to an exclusive private university, New York University. Membership is wondering why we were not consulted ahead of time in an extraordinary convention. Members are also wondering about whether the university is committed to guaranteeing safeguards to protect these historical treasures or whether some university administrator with an ideological ax to grind could destroy these items at a later date.
Members are wondering about why the party press was closed down without consulting membership beforehand.
Members are wondering about what happened to out of date books and pamphlets published by the party press. Are these books by Gus Hall and other party luminaries in storage somewhere?
Members are wondering what happened to party items such as badges, cards, posters, and banners.
Members are wondering what happened to the organizational office of the party.
Members are wondering why most party publications are just apologist papers for the Obama administration.
Members are wondering when the party will be ready to resume its historical role as the vanguard party of the working class and actually be involved in the working class struggle, rather than commenting on its passing.
Members are wondering when the party will take leadership of anything.
Members are wondering when the party will show any kind of independence and be a partisan for the working class.
Members are wondering when the party will embrace its history rather than defaming it.
Members are wondering when there will be a real educational program to educate people about Marxist-Leninist theory. In fact, members are wondering when we will again be able to call ourselves Marxist-Leninists and really mean it.
Leadership deserves the opportunity to publicly and fully answer all these questions and many more.
So, if you are among the 34,320,000 who are for communism and against capitalism, don’t be put off by the passive ideology of current CPUSA leadership. Come join us to fight the revisionism and opportunism within our party leadership and build a true communist movement which can fight for the interests of the working class. The working class can build a better world for everybody, but we must be united in our struggle. Leadership’s actions and positions divide us since they do not reflect the true interests of the working class. The Communist Party can and will be the party of the 99%, but only when the party stands up for the working class and working people are ready and willing to fight for their interests in unified struggle.

[Rafiq]

All this means is 30+ million Americans think communism is a good idea on paper but human nature makes its translation into reality impossible.

[Lucretia]

Where is the CPUSA? Meeting to devise ways to get Obama re-elected.

[#FF0000]

in the voting booths, slamming levers for the democrats all day eryday

[Jimmie Higgins]

All this means is 30+ million Americans think communism is a good idea on paper but human nature makes its translation into reality impossible.I doubt that 10% of any population where there is no well-know revolutionary movement would spontaneously develop a fully-formed revolutionary consciousness. But I get what you're saying. It's like the polls on socialism where as many young people like socialism as like capitalism... but they probably think socialism means free healthcare and a fairer taxes and reformed capitalism.

Still I think all these polls and whatnot show a general trend away from capitalism and desire for an alternative. Get to work folks... and I don't mean your job.

[bcbm]

oh no the cpusa isn't around? thank god

[Tim Cornelis]

Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a new BBC World Service global poll finds that dissatisfaction with free market capitalism is widespread, with an average of only 11% across 27 countries saying that it works well and that greater regulation is not a good idea.

In only two countries do more than one in five feel that capitalism works well as it stands—the US (25%) and Pakistan (21%).

The most common view is that free market capitalism has problems that can be addressed through regulation and reform—a view held by an average of 51% of more than 29,000 people polled by GlobeScan/PIPA.

An average of 23% feel that capitalism is fatally flawed, and a new economic system is needed—including 43% in France, 38% in Mexico, 35% in Brazil and 31% in Ukraine.

Furthermore, majorities would like their government to be more active in owning or directly controlling their country’s major industries in 15 of the 27 countries. This view is particularly widely held in countries of the former Soviet states of Russia (77%), and Ukraine (75%), but also Brazil (64%), Indonesia (65%), and France (57%).

Majorities support governments distributing wealth more evenly in 22 of the 27 countries —on average two out of three (67%) across all countries. In 17 of the 27 countries most want to see government doing more to regulate business—on average 56%.

The poll also asked about whether the breakup of the Soviet Union was a good thing or not. While an average of 54% say it was a good thing, this is the majority view in only 15 of the countries polled. An average of 22% say it was mainly a bad thing, while 24% do not know.

Among former Warsaw Pact countries, most Russians (61%) and Ukrainians (54%) believe the breakup of the Soviet Union was a bad thing. In contrast, four in five Poles (80%) and nearly two-thirds of Czechs feel the disintegration of the USSR was a good thing (63%).

The results are drawn from a survey of 29,033 adult citizens across 27 countries, conducted for BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan, together with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland. GlobeScan coordinated fieldwork between 19 June and 13 October 2009

GlobeScan Chairman Doug Miller says: “It appears that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 may not have been the crushing victory for free-market capitalism that it seemed at the time—particularly after the events of the last 12 months.”

http://www.globescan.com/news_archives/bbc2009_berlin_wall/

All the people who think that "capitalism is fundamentally flawed" and that it should be replaced by another system, may not know what exactly that system is exactly. That's why even though many are anti-capitalist they are not pro-socialist.

We need to prop up our propaganda efforts!

[LewisQ]

http://www.globescan.com/news_archives/bbc2009_berlin_wall/

All the people who think that "capitalism is fundamentally flawed" and that it should be replaced by another system, may not know what exactly that system is exactly.
They can join the queue on that one, amirite?

I wouldn't pay too much attention to such polling in the U.S. The vast majority of U.S. residents don't understand what "socialism" means (not because they're stupid Yanks or anything, simply because they inhabit a political culture wherein the Republicans can throw the epithet "socialist" at Obama and make it stick). The majority of respondents who viewed socialism favourably were probably thinking of universal healthcare rather than some sort economic alternative to the market.

[Marquess]

I remember this study. It's the same one that said that a good portion of young people say they would prefer Socialism over Capitalism too isn't it?

I was going to say I approve, but looking at the other posts here I have to agree with them. They might not know what "Socialism" really is considering that I can honestly say in school, we were given a VERY biased explanation of Capitalism and Socialism. And, like LewisQ said above me, since people actually think Obama is a Socialist, they probably equate Socialism with his ideals, not knowing what it actually is.

[Rafiq]

More importantly, most Americans haven't the slightest clue as to what capitalism is to begin with. You have "Islamists", "White Supremecists" "Christian Fundemantalists" and "Fascists who will all claim to be opposed to capitalism, too, not knowing what it actually is.

[NewLeft]

how legitimate is the poll, if its a questionnaire then people are trolling

people are relying on the cpusa? why? just jump to the next party

[blake 3:17]

The Communist Party of Canada has denounced the CP-USA for their abandonment of socialism as a goal.

[João Jerónimo]

Lenin said (WITBD) that bourgeois ideology propagates much more easily among the working class (let alone other classes!) than socialist ideas. So, there is a need for organization. If people are that distrustful of Capitalism, more is the need of proper organizations to develop real socialist ideas among the masses.

And... for some reason which I ignore, looks like none of the other parties that are there in the USA has really been able to fulfil this role.
And the same is true for Spain, France, Italy among other countries.

JJ

[Prometeo liberado]

I can go on and on about the CPUSA. I tried working with them back in the late eighties and that just fell through. Anytime a local media wanted to do a story they would run and hide but when a national show like Nightline wanted to do "a real live communist" two minute hack piece then they would fall all over themselves making asses out of themselves. If you went to see Gus Hall speak and were there to question him or were seen holding a copy of anything by Gorbachev (this is back when the party was towing the Gorby line) you were told to sit in the back. The CPUSA lost their way and sold out so long ago that I doubt even they believe their own bullshit. They want to be liked so much by the very establishment they purport to displace that they have become a barely living contradiction. I honestly think that the Democratic Socialist have a more revolutionary chance of showing leadership and clarity than the ass clowns that make up the CPUSA. And I have nothing but disdain for DS. The idea of revolution by not-rocking-the-boatism is a joke and a betrayal of the working class. They should just go away so that others can take that nice office space they got. Whats there membership any way, like ten in NY and some retired people in LA?

[tachosomoza]

In addition to the New York liberals and old folks in LA, a bunch of self serving union crooks...

The CPUSA also works with religious leaders and bourgeois identity politics hustlers like Jesse Jackson. Very revolutionary. :rolleyes:

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

I think a song is in order:
F U C K-C P U S A

[João Jerónimo]

The CPUSA lost their way and sold out so long ago that I doubt even they believe their own bullshit. They want to be liked so much by the very establishment they purport to displace that they have become a barely living contradiction.
Well, the book "Socialism Betrayed" which defends the Soviet Union and thinks about the URSS desmise was written by two CPUSA members, and this alone makes me respect at least some of them.
Some members of the CPUSA have a website with some very interesting ideological discussions, in which I've read many critics to the current CPUSA leadership.
http://www.mltoday.com/
In my opinion the most important thing for a communist party is NOT following the right "line". The most important thing lies in the practice. If the practice is good, if the party is involved with real life struggles, then the communist spirit naturally arises, and then comes the time to fight for what is the SECOND most important thing of a communist party, which are it's revolutionary thesis.
I read that the CPUSA was involved in the anti-war mobilizations of the early-2000s. Isn't that true?

JJ.

[João Jerónimo]

I think a song is in order:
F U C K-C P U S A
I don't think we need to "fuck" anybody, not CPUSA, nor any other party, not even you... What we need is to be united is to want to overcome capitalism by struggle.

JJ.

[João Jerónimo]

The CPUSA also works with religious leaders and bourgeois identity politics hustlers like Jesse Jackson. Very revolutionary. :rolleyes:
What's the problem of working with religious leaders?

JJ.

[João Jerónimo]

just jump to the next party
Building a party takes many generations, so I find it very surprising that too many people are willing to dump parties so easily and "jump" to the next one.
This is clearly a wrong strategy, because it's not self-sustaining. If everybody followed that advice, then nobody would be left to do the lengthy and difficult job of building a party.

JJ.

[Rusty Shackleford]

the thing with the CP is that the CP has been on a steady decline since the late 30s. They endorse capitalist politicians and bloc with a capitalist party as if the popular front was still relevant in the US.

[Ned Kelly]

JJ..could you have not said that all in one post?

[Rocky Rococo]

The CPUSA has become nothing but a "catch and return checkpoint" for straying Democrats. As to their involvement in the antiwar movement, they indeed were heavily engaged in precisely those coordination functions of UFPJ that were completely shut down the minute Democrats gained control of the White House. While the Dem leadership may wish them away and have done nothing to solicit their support, the leadership of the CPUSA has diligently by their "actions" proven themselves to serve functionally as nothing but a Dem Party front group. Those are the actions by which I judge them.

[João Jerónimo]

JJ..could you have not said that all in one post?
I'm used to newsgroups, where nobody bothers if we use as many posts as we find convenient for conversation purposes. As I was replying to different people, it made sense to post a message for each one. This way each may reply to the respective post.
Also, answering to everyone in a single post requires that I want to answer to all of them at the same time, and this might not be the case.


As to their involvement in the antiwar movement, they indeed were heavily engaged in precisely those coordination functions of UFPJ that were completely shut down the minute Democrats gained control of the White House. While the Dem leadership may wish them away and have done nothing to solicit their support, the leadership of the CPUSA has diligently by their "actions" proven themselves to serve functionally as nothing but a Dem Party front group. Those are the actions by which I judge them.
IMHO you should judge them by the actions of their leadership, but also by the opinions of the militants. And what I have read shows that there are many militants who are opposed to the tailing of the democratic party.

http://mltoday.com/subject-areas/communist-forum/pre-convention-discussion-tailing-the-democrats-forsaking-struggle-799.html
"Tailism means to accept the political and ideological leadership of the class enemy, monopoly capital. Marxism-Leninism allows for multi-class alliances. But, the "unity against the ultra right" formulation, correct in, say, a fight against fascism, is being wrongly applied by the CPUSA. The line incorrectly and mechanically equates the "ultra right" with the Republican Party. This is a "party label" analysis, not a class analysis."

JJ.

[Lev Bronsteinovich]

The Communist Party of Canada has denounced the CP-USA for their abandonment of socialism as a goal.
Yeah, that's impressive. I mean they are only about what, eighty years late? I guess supporting Roosevelt and no-strike pledges during WWII as too subtle for the Canadian CP to pick up on. Oh,wait, they were doing the same shit too? Go figure:laugh:

[Lev Bronsteinovich]

Well, the book "Socialism Betrayed" which defends the Soviet Union and thinks about the URSS desmise was written by two CPUSA members, and this alone makes me respect at least some of them.
Some members of the CPUSA have a website with some very interesting ideological discussions, in which I've read many critics to the current CPUSA leadership.
http://www.mltoday.com/
In my opinion the most important thing for a communist party is NOT following the right "line". The most important thing lies in the practice. If the practice is good, if the party is involved with real life struggles, then the communist spirit naturally arises, and then comes the time to fight for what is the SECOND most important thing of a communist party, which are it's revolutionary thesis.
I read that the CPUSA was involved in the anti-war mobilizations of the early-2000s. Isn't that true?

JJ.
The CPUSA has a long and miserable history. After a promising start in the late teens and early twenties, it was sabotaged by the degeneration of the Communist International -- Internal problems, and ultimately all matters were decided by moscow -- based on narrow factional issues.

Now it is also fair to say that the CPUSA was involved in some important and useful work, such as defense of the Scottsboro defendants, defense of Sacco and Vanzetti. Also, they were very involved in the founding and building of the CIO -- leading some important strikes along the way.

By the mid thirties however, they basically had their lips pressed against Roosevelt's butt as part of the "people's front" strategy. In Europe and elsewhere it meant forming governments with reformist and bourgeois parties. In the US, where the CP was not strong enough to actually be a significant part of the government, it meant supporting Roosevelt and the Democrats -- the "progressive wing" of the bourgeoisie. Of course, Roosevelt's policies were primarily aimed at calming and placating the restive proletariat.

During WWII, the CPUSA was opposed to labor militancy and strikes as it weakened the "war effort" and the USA and USSR were nominal allies. This meant, in practice, scabbing on strikes. And spitting on the principal that, for communists, "the main enemy is at home." (we fight against our own national bourgeoisie). During the war, the CPUSA frequently espoused out and out patriotism toward the US. This included applauding the US using nuclear weapons against Japan.

After the war, the CP was purged from the unions as a reward for their efforts of being waterboy for Roosevelt. And although it might not have mattered in the end, part of the reason they were so easy to purge could be connected with how disgusted militants in the unions were -- about their patriotism and scabbing.

The CP remained the largest left group in the US, through the fifties, when they were really persecuted by anti-communist witch hunters in the US. In the sixties, they were pretty irrelevant to the new left -- although they got bigger, like the existing groups, the SWP. But it was SDS and Progressive Labor (originally a pro-Mao split from the CP) that really prospered in the sixties.

When I became active in leftist politics in the late 70's, the CP still had a core of support, but a lot of their supporters were rather old. They were one of three groups that were active on the campus of my small, liberal arts college. But they weren't really active, they had one supporter. I had a contact meeting with their district organizer from the nearest city. He was most unimpressive. And hostile to any questions I had about the CP's history or program. At demonstrations at this nearby city, I would sometime run into these older ladies wearing sneakers who would snarl at me and try to exclude me for the actually directly communist placards I might be carrying. One said to me as I asserted my right to march in the demo, "please sonny, I'm an old woman." I was also in contact with the SWP, whose supporter on Campus was also not terribly impressive. Finally there was the Spartacist League. They were pretty good -- they had no qualms arguing with me when I questioned their positions. And their press was so much better than any other on the left -- even where I did not understand or agree with their program, I liked a lot of what they wrote.

My main point is this. The CPUSA has a long and checkered history. While you are checking them out, I urge you to look into Trotskyism. All ostensibly Trotskyist groups in this country trace their beginnings to the CPUSA. in 1928 a Left Opposition Faction was expelled from the CP. It included a number of leading members of the group. They carried forward Lenin's program as the CP degenerated into a reformist, social patriotic group. Today there are quite a few groups that call themselves Trotskyist in the US. This is off topic, however -- send me a message if you want more info.

[SinoRebel]

Psh, most Americans are too stupid to know what any of these terms mean at all.

"Socialism" = Universal Healthcare to most of these people. What a fucking joke.

I honestly do not see any form of communist revolution in the near future of this awful country. The "working class" of the "USA" is exported to China and other foreign countries, and the actual American working class lacks any form of class conscience. Most people lack class consciousness in the "USA", in fact. The country is the most bourgeois nation on earth.

[João Jerónimo]

The CPUSA has a long and miserable history. After a promising start in the late teens and early twenties, it was sabotaged by the degeneration of the Communist International -- Internal problems, and ultimately all matters were decided by moscow -- based on narrow factional issues.
I don't know how the things work in the USA because I've never been there, but it's obvious that it will never be easy to build a revolutionary party there in the belly of imperialism. This difficulty mainly encompasses making difficult political choices. Hoping to find a mature revolutionary party that was built under such conditions and that has never had some misfortunes is hoping to find utopia. People who want such a party are those who are not interested in real class struggle, but in an idyllic form of political struggle that simply does not exist and is impossible. I'm sorry, but life is like that.


By the mid thirties however, they basically had their lips pressed against Roosevelt's butt as part of the "people's front" strategy. In Europe and elsewhere it meant forming governments with reformist and bourgeois parties. In the US, where the CP was not strong enough to actually be a significant part of the government, it meant supporting Roosevelt and the Democrats -- the "progressive wing" of the bourgeoisie. Of course, Roosevelt's policies were primarily aimed at calming and placating the restive proletariat.IMHO, the intelligent tactic for a truly communist party in such a situation is to help guide the popular movement (working-class but not only) towards the fight for the concrete reforms that were promised (i.e. defend not the government, but what the government promised to do), and build it's reputation on the organizational work done by party members which contributed to the strengthening of the popular movement. This reputation and visibility must be used to propagate the revolutionary program of the party, and to say that the reforms were good but meant actually very little to the working class & allies as a whole, because they were reforms, not a revolution. Otherwise, how could a party take advantage of the situation? Should the party oppose the reforms? I think I don't have to convince you about what stupid such a tactic would be...


They carried forward Lenin's program as the CP degenerated into a reformist, social patriotic group. Today there are quite a few groups that call themselves Trotskyist in the US. This is off topic, however -- send me a message if you want more info.My point was not that ambitious. I was only ciriticising what I see as an excessive emphasis in ideological principles in a country that doesn't even have a strong communist and revolutionary movement, let alone one with the Correct Line (TM). I see people saying "fuck them" or "dump them" out of the blue as if a party was some sort computer-based database that can be erased and recovered by a few simple commands. :-) Those people act just like the demoniac "stalinists" who they usually accuse of threating people like numbers. It's exactly that: leftists treat their comrades like numbers who can be discarded and dumped at will, so they copy the worst of Stalin, whereas the best of him was shunned.
In my country, the annals of our communist party say very clearly that the party had a "right-wing deviation" in the end of the 1950s, when the comrades of the clandestine central comitee adopted the theory that the (portuguese) fascist regime would fall by pacific means. At that time, many leftist groups appeared. This thesis had some negative effects in the practical work of the party, and some years later the insurrectionist path to overthrow of fascism was restored. However, the cretin pseudo-maoist radical groups lasted, and some of them still say such bullshit as that the PCP program is a capitulation to capitalism, or that the PCP strengthened capitalism during the carnation revolution. Most of them were controlled by the CIA and by murderer Frank Carlucci who was ambassador at the time, and this fact alone provides enough reason to think twice before creating another stupid sect party. And this is a universal lesson.
That's why I usually don't buy the claims of some people who say that this or that CP is lost.

JJ.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Psh, most Americans are too stupid to know what any of these terms mean at all.

"Socialism" = Universal Healthcare to most of these people. What a fucking joke.

I honestly do not see any form of communist revolution in the near future of this awful country. The "working class" of the "USA" is exported to China and other foreign countries, and the actual American working class lacks any form of class conscience. Most people lack class consciousness in the "USA", in fact. The country is the most bourgeois nation on earth.
yeah, just shit all over a few hundred million workers in the US. fuck them, what do they matter?

[SinoRebel]

yeah, just shit all over a few hundred million workers in the US. fuck them, what do they matter?
My point is the working class in the USA is the most drugged and clueless of this entire planet. What percentage of them actually have a class consciousness at all?

I am not going to lie; I hate this country with every bone in my body, so I am somewhat biased, but you cannot tell me that most Americans aren't totally ignorant of politics and economics in general.

[Positivist]

My point is the working class in the USA is the most drugged and clueless of this entire planet. What percentage of them actually have a class consciousness at all?

I am not going to lie; I hate this country with every bone in my body, so I am somewhat biased, but you cannot tell me that most Americans aren't totally ignorant of politics and economics in general.

While I agree that the proletariat of the US lacks class consciousness and rather finds itself immersed into the consumer culture that is no reason to abandon it! On the contrary due to it's dismal state of awareness we should place greater focus on the education of American workers! What these polls show is willingness to see another way, they show the potential end of the myth of Capitalist fatalism. Even if their understanding of socialism isn't totally accurate atleast the opportunity to develop it exists. Hating a country should only inspire greater desire to change it, not to discard it as lost.

[Dogs On Acid]

What's the problem of working with religious leaders?

JJ.

They are not only mostly reactionary, but also idealist and part of the system workers should abolish.

Remember: "Religion is the Opium of the People"

[thriller]

I think it's funny people seem to be complaining that the survey said 11% prefer communism over capitalism. I'd hate to see how many people on here would flip out if it was over 50%.

[Renegade Saint]

The CPUSA has become nothing but a "catch and return checkpoint" for straying Democrats. As to their involvement in the antiwar movement, they indeed were heavily engaged in precisely those coordination functions of UFPJ that were completely shut down the minute Democrats gained control of the White House. While the Dem leadership may wish them away and have done nothing to solicit their support, the leadership of the CPUSA has diligently by their "actions" proven themselves to serve functionally as nothing but a Dem Party front group. Those are the actions by which I judge them.
Although that come from very different backgrounds, the DSA serves the exact same function: funnel any potential radicalism back into electoral politics and the democratic party.

[[email protected]]

The current CPUSA are garbage (there's 2 or 3 parties with similar names, neither are very impressive but I think I read one of their newspapers). They hit the skids when they were still supporting Stalin after everyone with a brain realized Stalin was a monster. They were still supporting Stalin when I had the unique misfortune of encountering them.

If you've ever dealt with them, you'd know. They don't actually want to do anything, they just want to be famous. Like dealing with petulant children. I have no problem with dealing with differently minded people with a common goal, either.

God forbid they do anything pro-union, either (which is a shame, because pre-Stalin, they were a good group). I don't even know - are they still even Marxist? Or are they scene kids or something?

[x359594]

...I don't even know - are they still even Marxist? Or are they scene kids or something?

The CPUSA is nominally Marxist. A few years ago they sold their archive to New York University's Library where it was added to the Tamiment Collection. Their current membership is small and they routinely endorse and campaign for Democratic candidates. The Party is ideologically and organizationally bankrupt.

[Delenda Carthago]

http://inter.kke.gr/News/news2011/2011-04-13-kke-to-cpusa

[João Jerónimo]

They are not only mostly reactionary, but also idealist and part of the system workers should abolish.
Remember: "Religion is the Opium of the People"
Well, they sometimes have passion for struggling against oppression, and so they can in some contexts and terrains unite with communists.
But perhaps the leaders of the CPUSA have united recently with reactionary religious leaders. I don't know. I was only criticizing the simple statement that "working with religious leaders" was forbidden for a revolutionary party.

JJ.

[Rusty Shackleford]

My point is the working class in the USA is the most drugged and clueless of this entire planet. What percentage of them actually have a class consciousness at all?

I am not going to lie; I hate this country with every bone in my body, so I am somewhat biased, but you cannot tell me that most Americans aren't totally ignorant of politics and economics in general.
that could have been said about peasants and serfs.



its not like everyone in russia was listeing to "Kill the Tsar" by the Dead Ikons. (joke)




but seriously though. its immature to say that the american working class will never be revolutionary because right now not that many of them have class consciousness. and in fact, i would think you are wrong. Im sure many workers are alienated and do realize they are getting fucked everytime they clock in.

[Geiseric]

Building a party doesn't take generations, one can definately be built seperate from the post Stalinist CP-USA.

[Lucretia]

My point is the working class in the USA is the most drugged and clueless of this entire planet. What percentage of them actually have a class consciousness at all?

I am not going to lie; I hate this country with every bone in my body, so I am somewhat biased, but you cannot tell me that most Americans aren't totally ignorant of politics and economics in general.

Might the pathetic state of class consciousness in the USA be related to how the American proletariat has potentially the most important strategic role to play, since the USA is the heart of global capitalism? Might the lack of class consciousness be the result of some of the most unrelenting and merciless class warfare the world has seen over the past 40 years?

[Thirsty Crow]

Might the lack of class consciousness be the result of some of the most unrelenting and merciless class warfare the world has seen over the past 40 years?
And longer than that, for the past 7 or so decades.

[Delenda Carthago]

And longer than that, for the past 7 or so decades.
Actually, the world had seen some pretty kewl class battles in the 60s and mostly in the 70s. Especially in United States of America.

[João Jerónimo]

Building a party doesn't take generations, one can definately be built seperate from the post Stalinist CP-USA.
Building a party encompasses gathering all the needed political experience and skills, so yes it does take generations. Your declaration contradicts practice.

JJ