Conghaileach
12th August 2002, 20:44
August 2002
Speech Given by the All-African People's Revolutionary Unification at
the African Women's Youth Conference
Women's Emancipation and the Socialist Movement
The All-African People's Revolutionary Unification Union is the women's
wing of the All-African People's Revolutionary Unification Party. A
party is a permanent political group organized to promote and support
its principles and struggle for state power. A party is the highest
level of organization that people can attain. The biggest difference
between a party and other organizations is that the objective of all
parties is to obtain power in the society.
The independence struggle must necessarily be a political struggle for
power in our communities. The masses of our people must have political
control over those who are supposed to represent us. We must have
political control over the institutions in our community, especially our
educational institutions because it is education that determines the
personality of a people. We must control the commerce in our community.
We must be willing to struggle for true independence and be absolutely
responsible for our own affairs. Independence involves a great deal of
sacrifice, and it will be a protracted struggle.
How do Africans attain political and economic independence in the
Diaspora? If the masses of Africans living outside of Africa are going
to achieve true independence, our struggle must be one with the total
liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism leading
to communism - communism being a society where all work and receive
according to their needs and socialism being a transition from a
capitalist society to communism, a society where all work and receive
according to their work. It is also absolutely necessary for us to
tightly organized.
This is why it is so important to build an African Women's Movement, a
movement that will connect the masses of African women inside and
outside of Africa. We must also be one with the oppressed all over the
world in their struggle against capitalism, Imperialism, Zionism, and
exploitation in any form. Today we are honoring International Women''
Day and we are part of the International Women'' Emancipation Movement.
The Women's Emancipation Movement that is rooted in the worldwide
struggle for socialism and communism is an example of class struggle.
This noble and continuing struggle has forced a situation in which women
are heard, respected, and valued. This movement has waged an ideological
struggle that has affected the whole world. The proliferation of women's
organizations all over the world is a manifestation of this struggle. In
the Soviet Union in 1918 it became legal for women to vote. This was
before women in the Western world (the so-called democracies) were able
to vote. The sexual harassment laws, the Feminist Movement, equality in
society and relationships. These are just a few accomplishments and it
points to the importance of building and African Women's Movement
because this struggle must be continued. It must become clear that the
Women's Emancipation movement is not a movement of women against men,
but it is a struggle against capitalism and exploitation. A quote by the
late President Sekou Toure from the article, Women in Society,
underscores this point. "If the women's condition as compared to the
man's is the one of the exploited, it is normal that, representing the
most dejected class, she makes the problems of the revolutionary
organization her own problems when she becomes aware of them."
Women's liberation is a class question. For example, lets look at a
woman who earns or whose husband earns annually $100,000. She has two
luxury cars, maids, nice houses and a live-in nanny or baby-sitter to
care for the children. Her reality is vastly different from a single
woman with three children, of school age, who earns $1,000 monthly, and
her rent is more than half of her gross earnings. The former's chief
concern may be, where are she and her children going to vacation. The
latter may be, how is she going to feed her children. This is a class
question.
We must understand that women were not oppressed during the communal
stage. Nobody was oppressed during this time. Women were held in high
esteem by all. Women were the collective organizers of society. The
communal stage was 90% of humanities existence. Communism has the same
principles of humanism and collectivism applied in the modern context of
technology and industrialization. The African Women's Movement is going
to make an awesome contribution towards the total liberation and
unification of Africa. We should be proud to know that we are part of
that process.
In his book, "Class Struggle in Africa" President Kwame Nkrumah wrote,
"The total liberation and the unification of Africa under an All-African
socialist government must be the primary objective of all Black
revolutionaries throughout the world. It is an objective which, when
achieved, will bring about the fulfillment of the aspirations of
Africans and people of African descent everywhere. It will at the same
time advance the triumph of the international socialist revolution, and
the onward progress towards world communism, under which, every society
is ordered on the principle of - from each according to his ability, to
each according to his needs." This is the definition of Pan-Africanism.
This is the objective of the All-African People's Revolutionary
Unification Party. If there is to be a revolution, there must be a
revolutionary party. The proletariat needs its own party to represent
its interest - that is, the overthrow of the whole capitalist system of
exploitation and the eventual elimination of all classes and oppressive
divisions between people. To put it another way, the proletariat needs a
leading core of people who have shown to be dedicated and able to
identify and fight for the fundamental interests of the masses of the
people through every twist and turn of the struggle.
We (the party) shall go our way and try as carefully and as patiently as
possible to test and discover real organizers. People who combine
loyalty to Pan-Africanism with the ability to get a large number of
people working together steadily and correctly within the framework of a
revolutionary organization. Only such people, after they been tested a
dozen times, by being transferred from the simplest to the more
difficult tasks, should be promoted to the responsible post of leaders.
Complete loyalty to the ideas of Pan-Africanism, socialism, and
communism, to the interest of the working class, the nation, to the
political line of the party, the severest sense of organization and
discipline, close contacts with the masses, and the ability to fulfill
the tasks assigned. These are fundamental, unvarying requirements in the
qualifications of cadre in whatever period.
Furthermore, before anyone can become a Party member, they will have
first to be a candidate for the Party. They will have to show evidence
that they deserve in fact to be admitted to our Party, and then they
will be admitted. It has to be like this, because we want to serve the
African masses effectively. We cannot afford mistakes. Our party is open
to the best sons and daughters of Africa. Little by little the nucleus
who is the Party is being defined. Anyone who is in fact of the Party is
in or will join that nucleus; anyone who is not of the Party will not or
will have not place in the Party. We can only genuinely achieve what we
want in our land if we form a group of women and men who are strong,
will not cheat their comrades and not lie, who are able to look their
comrades straight in the eye, and be able to accept that our youth will
be the masters of tomorrow in our land, Africa. There should only be
honest and serious persons in the Party. Anyone who is dishonest should
leave, as should all those who wish to take advantage of the party to
serve their personal interests. Deception becomes more difficult over
time.
Everyone must work his or her way through the ranks. Everyone must start
in support or a party organization. The support level of the Party will
be individuals volunteering to do specific tasks for the party. All
supporters will be encouraged to actively be involved in Political
Education. In order to be promoted to "cadre training" one must first
become a Candidate for the Party.
What is our must fundamental duty as Party members? It is to achieve
communism. Will the communist world be good? We all know it will be. In
that world there will be no exploiters and oppressors, no landlords and
capitalists, no imperialists and fascists, nor will there be any
oppressed and exploited people, or any of the darkness, ignorance and
backwardness resulting from the system of exploitation. In such a
society the production of both material and moral values will develop
and flourish mightily and will meet the varied needs of all its members.
By then all humanity will consist of unselfish, intelligent, highly
cultured and skilled communist workers; mutual assistance and affection
will prevail among people and there will be no such irrationalities as
mutual suspicion and deception, mutual injury, mutual slaughter and war.
It will of course be the best, the most beautiful and the most advanced
society in human history. Who can deny that such a society is good? But
we can this good communist society be built? We say that it can and will
be.
Lastly, there are three ingredients necessary for the success of our
Revolution, and indeed all revolutions. They are political education,
organization, and faith. We know that with the full participation of
African women in every aspect of organization especially the African
revolution, we have the complete faith that Africa Will Be Free!
Speech Given by the All-African People's Revolutionary Unification at
the African Women's Youth Conference
Women's Emancipation and the Socialist Movement
The All-African People's Revolutionary Unification Union is the women's
wing of the All-African People's Revolutionary Unification Party. A
party is a permanent political group organized to promote and support
its principles and struggle for state power. A party is the highest
level of organization that people can attain. The biggest difference
between a party and other organizations is that the objective of all
parties is to obtain power in the society.
The independence struggle must necessarily be a political struggle for
power in our communities. The masses of our people must have political
control over those who are supposed to represent us. We must have
political control over the institutions in our community, especially our
educational institutions because it is education that determines the
personality of a people. We must control the commerce in our community.
We must be willing to struggle for true independence and be absolutely
responsible for our own affairs. Independence involves a great deal of
sacrifice, and it will be a protracted struggle.
How do Africans attain political and economic independence in the
Diaspora? If the masses of Africans living outside of Africa are going
to achieve true independence, our struggle must be one with the total
liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism leading
to communism - communism being a society where all work and receive
according to their needs and socialism being a transition from a
capitalist society to communism, a society where all work and receive
according to their work. It is also absolutely necessary for us to
tightly organized.
This is why it is so important to build an African Women's Movement, a
movement that will connect the masses of African women inside and
outside of Africa. We must also be one with the oppressed all over the
world in their struggle against capitalism, Imperialism, Zionism, and
exploitation in any form. Today we are honoring International Women''
Day and we are part of the International Women'' Emancipation Movement.
The Women's Emancipation Movement that is rooted in the worldwide
struggle for socialism and communism is an example of class struggle.
This noble and continuing struggle has forced a situation in which women
are heard, respected, and valued. This movement has waged an ideological
struggle that has affected the whole world. The proliferation of women's
organizations all over the world is a manifestation of this struggle. In
the Soviet Union in 1918 it became legal for women to vote. This was
before women in the Western world (the so-called democracies) were able
to vote. The sexual harassment laws, the Feminist Movement, equality in
society and relationships. These are just a few accomplishments and it
points to the importance of building and African Women's Movement
because this struggle must be continued. It must become clear that the
Women's Emancipation movement is not a movement of women against men,
but it is a struggle against capitalism and exploitation. A quote by the
late President Sekou Toure from the article, Women in Society,
underscores this point. "If the women's condition as compared to the
man's is the one of the exploited, it is normal that, representing the
most dejected class, she makes the problems of the revolutionary
organization her own problems when she becomes aware of them."
Women's liberation is a class question. For example, lets look at a
woman who earns or whose husband earns annually $100,000. She has two
luxury cars, maids, nice houses and a live-in nanny or baby-sitter to
care for the children. Her reality is vastly different from a single
woman with three children, of school age, who earns $1,000 monthly, and
her rent is more than half of her gross earnings. The former's chief
concern may be, where are she and her children going to vacation. The
latter may be, how is she going to feed her children. This is a class
question.
We must understand that women were not oppressed during the communal
stage. Nobody was oppressed during this time. Women were held in high
esteem by all. Women were the collective organizers of society. The
communal stage was 90% of humanities existence. Communism has the same
principles of humanism and collectivism applied in the modern context of
technology and industrialization. The African Women's Movement is going
to make an awesome contribution towards the total liberation and
unification of Africa. We should be proud to know that we are part of
that process.
In his book, "Class Struggle in Africa" President Kwame Nkrumah wrote,
"The total liberation and the unification of Africa under an All-African
socialist government must be the primary objective of all Black
revolutionaries throughout the world. It is an objective which, when
achieved, will bring about the fulfillment of the aspirations of
Africans and people of African descent everywhere. It will at the same
time advance the triumph of the international socialist revolution, and
the onward progress towards world communism, under which, every society
is ordered on the principle of - from each according to his ability, to
each according to his needs." This is the definition of Pan-Africanism.
This is the objective of the All-African People's Revolutionary
Unification Party. If there is to be a revolution, there must be a
revolutionary party. The proletariat needs its own party to represent
its interest - that is, the overthrow of the whole capitalist system of
exploitation and the eventual elimination of all classes and oppressive
divisions between people. To put it another way, the proletariat needs a
leading core of people who have shown to be dedicated and able to
identify and fight for the fundamental interests of the masses of the
people through every twist and turn of the struggle.
We (the party) shall go our way and try as carefully and as patiently as
possible to test and discover real organizers. People who combine
loyalty to Pan-Africanism with the ability to get a large number of
people working together steadily and correctly within the framework of a
revolutionary organization. Only such people, after they been tested a
dozen times, by being transferred from the simplest to the more
difficult tasks, should be promoted to the responsible post of leaders.
Complete loyalty to the ideas of Pan-Africanism, socialism, and
communism, to the interest of the working class, the nation, to the
political line of the party, the severest sense of organization and
discipline, close contacts with the masses, and the ability to fulfill
the tasks assigned. These are fundamental, unvarying requirements in the
qualifications of cadre in whatever period.
Furthermore, before anyone can become a Party member, they will have
first to be a candidate for the Party. They will have to show evidence
that they deserve in fact to be admitted to our Party, and then they
will be admitted. It has to be like this, because we want to serve the
African masses effectively. We cannot afford mistakes. Our party is open
to the best sons and daughters of Africa. Little by little the nucleus
who is the Party is being defined. Anyone who is in fact of the Party is
in or will join that nucleus; anyone who is not of the Party will not or
will have not place in the Party. We can only genuinely achieve what we
want in our land if we form a group of women and men who are strong,
will not cheat their comrades and not lie, who are able to look their
comrades straight in the eye, and be able to accept that our youth will
be the masters of tomorrow in our land, Africa. There should only be
honest and serious persons in the Party. Anyone who is dishonest should
leave, as should all those who wish to take advantage of the party to
serve their personal interests. Deception becomes more difficult over
time.
Everyone must work his or her way through the ranks. Everyone must start
in support or a party organization. The support level of the Party will
be individuals volunteering to do specific tasks for the party. All
supporters will be encouraged to actively be involved in Political
Education. In order to be promoted to "cadre training" one must first
become a Candidate for the Party.
What is our must fundamental duty as Party members? It is to achieve
communism. Will the communist world be good? We all know it will be. In
that world there will be no exploiters and oppressors, no landlords and
capitalists, no imperialists and fascists, nor will there be any
oppressed and exploited people, or any of the darkness, ignorance and
backwardness resulting from the system of exploitation. In such a
society the production of both material and moral values will develop
and flourish mightily and will meet the varied needs of all its members.
By then all humanity will consist of unselfish, intelligent, highly
cultured and skilled communist workers; mutual assistance and affection
will prevail among people and there will be no such irrationalities as
mutual suspicion and deception, mutual injury, mutual slaughter and war.
It will of course be the best, the most beautiful and the most advanced
society in human history. Who can deny that such a society is good? But
we can this good communist society be built? We say that it can and will
be.
Lastly, there are three ingredients necessary for the success of our
Revolution, and indeed all revolutions. They are political education,
organization, and faith. We know that with the full participation of
African women in every aspect of organization especially the African
revolution, we have the complete faith that Africa Will Be Free!