Interest in Communism surges: Where is the CPUSA?

[João Jerónimo]

http://houstoncommunistparty.com/int...-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_archiv...9_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_archiv...9_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.

[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.

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.