Question on Marxist-Leninist parties in Russia

[Die Neue Zeit]

Open question to RevLeft posters (but especially Hoxhaists):

Why are there three separate "Marxist-Leninist" (and one Maoist) parties in Russia?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Union_Communist_Party_Bolsheviks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281992%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Communist_Workers%27_Party_%E2%80%93_Revol utionary_Party_of_Communists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Maoist_Party



Which one has the "correct line"? [During my "Marxist-Leninist" days, I browsed North Star Compass (http://www.northstarcompass.org/) quite a bit, and it seemed to me that they were closest to the RCWP.]

[Wanted Man]

I'm not sure if anyone of them has "the correct line". Perhaps some of them simply work for a strong communist party in Russia, while others seek to restore the Soviet Union.

I guess that most of these parties have a presence in particular parts of the country. It's also different from the left in the US, which almost exclusively consists of small sects; in Russia, with a smaller population, the smallest communist party would still have thousands of members.

I once met a comrade from the RCYL(b), the youth movement of the third party in your list.

[Die Neue Zeit]

^^^ I'm a bit pissed at the multiplication of these parties that aren't mentioned in the wiki:

http://www.broadleft.org/ru.htm

Two "All-Union Communist" parties, four "Communist Parties of the Soviet Union," and who knows how many more "Marxist-Leninist" and Trot parties... :(

[Wanted Man]

That kind of mega-sectarianism seems to be prevalent in bigger countries. The US has a huge amount of groups as well. I wonder if, in Russia, they also have a particularly strong base of support in certain cities. That seems to play some part in sectarianism: "Why would we merge with them? They don't have any presence in city X, so we don't want to lose any ground to them."

I wonder how much cooperation there is between all these groups. I know that most of them vigourously oppose Zyuganov's line, but they do support him in elections.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Mega-sectarianism:

http://struggle.net/Ben/2008/222-HowTo.htm

In a lot of cases, it is because the groups are insulated from external information, and because the groups do not wish to share information with others.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pof-300/message/1918


Yes, we need to be thinking in this direction. The key question is how to make this happen. Most of the groups that have locked within their ranks comrades with years of experience as revolutionary activists-are thoroughly infected with the sectarian disease-and will never voluntarily join any project that threatens their exclusive hold on these comrades. So there is a need for a project that will, so to speak, drag these groups (against their will--kicking and screaming) together.



Sorry if I'm about to piss off the Trots on this board, but if I were a revolutionary Marxist in Russia, I would be forced to adopt the "Ludo Martens" line out of pragmatism. :( Likewise with pissing off MLers and adopting a more pan-Trot line in countries where Trotskyist activity is more prominent, and the same with a pan-Maoist line in countries where Maoist activity is more prominent.

[Out of the revolutionary Marxist currents worldwide, only the "Connollyist" / Republican Socialist one is widespread (not many "orthodox Leninist Marxists" like myself or "Luxemburgist" / Sparts like Luis). :( ]

[redarmyfaction38]

Mega-sectarianism:

http://struggle.net/Ben/2008/222-HowTo.htm

In a lot of cases, it is because the groups are insulated from external information, and because the groups do not wish to share information with others.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pof-300/message/1918





Sorry if I'm about to piss off the Trots on this board, but if I were a revolutionary Marxist in Russia, I would be forced to adopt the "Ludo Martens" line out of pragmatism. :( Likewise with pissing off MLers and adopting a more pan-Trot line in countries where Trotskyist activity is more prominent, and the same with a pan-Maoist line in countries where Maoist activity is more prominent.

[Out of the revolutionary Marxist currents worldwide, only the "Connollyist" / Republican Socialist one is widespread (not many "orthodox Leninist Marxists" like myself or "Luxemburgist" / Sparts like Luis). :( ]

ffs! translated into english, does that mean you favour some kind of federal alliance in order to promote workers unity and international socialism?
cos it aint just russia that needs some sort of "workers federation" to overcome sectarianism!

over two weekends in britain, there were 9 seperate conferences aimed at building a "new workers party" in britain! how firkin sad is that?

how many egos, personal or collective, are considering themselves more important than the obvious need for revolutionary solidarity?

march seperately if we must but strike together.

ffs, the capitalists are taking our money to prop up their bankrupt system and we're all arguing firking semantics.

what the fuck do we think we're playing at?

[Die Neue Zeit]

^^^ Sorry, but Trotsky's one-liner there only breeds MORE "sectarianism," not less. The problem with modern CIRCLE-ism (if you've actually read Lenin's One Step Forward, Two Steps Back, that's what modern Marxist "sects" are, anyways) is the modern interpretation of "democratic centralism." Freedom of discussion and criticism also applies to publicly criticizing the party's position on decided resolutions.

And for the sake of bobkindles ( :glare: ):

Democratic centralism versus Lenin's slogan (http://www.revleft.com/vb/democratic-centralism-vs-t70106/index.html)

[Comrade Nadezhda]

Open question to RevLeft posters (but especially Hoxhaists):

Why are there three separate "Marxist-Leninist" (and one Maoist) parties in Russia?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Union_Communist_Party_Bolsheviks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281992%29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union_%281992%29)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Communist_Workers%27_Party_%E2%80%93_Revol utionary_Party_of_Communists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Maoist_Party



Which one has the "correct line"? [During my "Marxist-Leninist" days, I browsed North Star Compass (http://www.northstarcompass.org/) quite a bit, and it seemed to me that they were closest to the RCWP.]

I can understand russian text somewhat, which can be of use with things like this. ВКПБ (VKPb) seems to have its origins grounded more strongly in marxism-leninism. However I do not know a whole lot on this. i would have to read the programme more thoroughly and have some knowledge outside of it to really have an idea, i'm not familiar enough with any of these parties and their activity

[mac1905]

Ok, I am not Russian but I try to write what I know and what other people say.

1. Communist Party of Russian Federation, led by Giennadij Ziuganow, has more than 0,5 milion members. Their stronghold is in postindustrial or still industrial cities in the European Union especially in the areas close to borders with slavian countries (Bielarus, Ukraina etc.).

Unfortunatelly program of this party is quite reformist, to gain more support they use nationalist rethoric. Their electoral coalition name is national-patriotic front and they ally with Movement Against Illegal Imigration.

2. Russian Communists Party- Russian Communist Workers Party, led by Wiktor Tiulkin. It endorses so called "stalinism" but the party is also accused for 'syndicalism'. This party is very active in workers movement and takes active role in Russia major strikes. They are against KPRF. They have around 60 thousands of members in whole Russia and are the biggest communist party after KPRF. Despite that fact in 2007 they were delegalised by the Central Court due to some problems in papers.

All parties jak VKPB, KPZR are concerning to the russian standart very minor parties. Of course comparing to the some western countries these parties are very big and active but not to Russia standarts. Also needed to add is fact that other post KPZR group 'Trudovoj Rassija' led by Anpilov (I am not sure) is not big group but their youth wing Red Youth Vanguard (Avangarda Krasnoj Molodiozy) is one of the most powerfull youth left wing groups in Russia.

From parties I remember is also Party of Dictatorship of Proletariat founded in Volgograd that is quite strong in that city.

Comparing to all of this russian trotkyist movement is very small. I think the biggest is russian section of CWI, I am not sure if they have their IST section, but they used to have russian ICL and they have group of grantists doing some entrism in KPRF.

I've never heard of Russian Maoist Party.

[Die Neue Zeit]

^^^ Is the PDP the "Proletarist" party of Razlatzki?