#line struggle

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

By Yuezhi Zhao

The ousting of Bo was so significant that it has widely been described as a political earthquake of a magnitude rivaling the downfall of Mao’s designated heir Lin Biao in 1971 or the crackdown in 1989. Bo was no ordinary CCP Politburo member, and the Chongqing Model was not just another instance of the “decentralized experimentation” so characteristic of the CCP’s policy-making process. What was increasingly at issue, and was emphasized by the press, was the contrast between two models of development: the “Guangdong Model” and the “Chongqing Model.” Guangdong symbolized a more free market approach, rising inequality, and an export orientation. Chongqing was characterized as looking to revitalize socialist ideas and populist claims in its push for rapid and balanced growth. At stake today, then, is not just the fate of Bo, but also China’s revolutionary past, the complicated intersections of domestic and transnational class politics, and the unfinished struggle for socialism in China.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

The ouster, which clears the way for Bo to face criminal trial, came at a gathering of 500 top party officials that wrapped up in Beijing. The ten-yearly leadership transition, scheduled for a party congress that opens Thursday, had been dogged by the Bo scandal.  The party's Central Committee "endorsed a decision by the Political Bureau ... to expel Bo Xilai", Xinhua news agency said -- referring to the party's top 25-member policy-making body -- adding it had taken the decision last month.  The months-long controversy surrounding Bo had exposed deep divisions in the top leadership, as he had influential patrons and a following among left-leaning members, ahead of the sensitive power transition. 

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

By Fred Goldstein

It is a tenet of Marxism that beneath any great political struggle lies the class struggle.

Insofar as Bo and his program of reviving the socialist spirit, fighting inequality and combatting the untrammeled rule of the market represents the general interests of the workers and the peasants, within the framework of the present Chinese model, his persecution is a reflection of the class struggle in China.

In justifying Bo’s expulsion, the CPC leadership has conjured up charges of corruption and other unspecified “serious violations,” including ”massive bribery,” “sexual misconduct” and unspecified “other crimes.”

The one charge not leveled against Bo — the one that all China and the entire world bourgeoisie know to be true on the basis not of hearsay but of incontestable, publicly known facts — is that he developed the “Chongqing model.” This was done in opposition to the capitalist-road leaders in Beijing, from gradualists of the Hu Jintao variety (the outgoing party secretary and president) to more aggressive capitalist reformers like Wen Jiabao (the outgoing premier). Bo’s politics were popular among the workers and peasants of Chongqing, and his reputation for fighting inequality and corruption was spreading throughout China.

Bo’s case has been referred to as China’s greatest political crisis since the 1989 counterrevolutionary rebellion at Tiananmen Square. But if Bo’s case is merely a matter of corruption and misdeeds alone, then why should it cause a political crisis that has thrown the leadership into a panic?

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

By Roland Boer, MRzine

Was Lenin, as the standard interpretations would have it, a sectarian who sought to destroy all who disagreed with him?  Or did he also display ecumenist tendencies alongside, or in tension with, his sectarian bent?  Is there perhaps a deeper relation between sectarianism and ecumenism in his work?

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

From afar it's challenging to know what’s what in the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Clearly a split is in the offing following last week's call for new elections to the Constituent Assembly. The Kiran/Baidya group has called for a "National Gathering" on June 15, with the expectation that a new party formation will take shape there. Several Maoist groups around the world are trumpeting the "revolutionary faction" led by Kiran and Baidya as against the "right" and "centrist" factions of current Prime Minister Bhatterai and former PM and Party chair Prachanda, respectively, who are accused of selling out to the bourgeois reformists. From here it certainly appears that the "revolutionary faction" are indeed the ones upholding the revolutionary cause, such as protesting the dissolution of the People's Liberation Army and the handover of weapons to the UN. 

However, we should remember that Mao also maneuvered quite a bit with the Kuomintang and its military in the years before the triumph of the Chinese Revolution. On the international level, Prachanda has shown a great deal of interest in reaching out in a non-sectarian way to other revolutionaries who are not Maoists, reminiscent of the Communist Party of the Philippines. (It is not clear whether the "revolutionary faction" shares this perspective.) The bulk of translated material is coming from the "revolutionary faction," so it is unclear even what Prachanda and others are actually saying about it, if anything. If anyone has insight or direct knowledge of these questions, I would love to hear it! Below is the most comprehensive statement I have seen from the "revolutionary faction." It is from their new journal, Red Front.

--redguard

---------------------------- 

By Netra Bikram Chand 'Biplab' 

The leadership of Baburam Bhatterai and Prachanda in the Nepalese revolution has disintegrated. It has shown that rightist reactionary politics emerged again in Nepal’s history. 

The situation has become difficult because their leadership abandoned the goal of the People’s Federal Republic.  

But because the proletarian current within the Party is strong the Party has not been damaged and even if we face temporary problems our revolution is safe.  

Now the principal task of the revolutionary is to take the movement forward to victory. 

We need to evaluate how Prachanda and Bhatterai diluted and corrupted our politics and reach a clear solution.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Kathmandu: Nepal's ruling Maoist party is on the verge of a split after a dissident faction led by Mohan Vaidya 'Kiran' on Friday demanded the resignation of party supremo Prachanda, accusing him and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai of going astray from "communist ideals".

UCPN-Maoist, the largest party in the dissolved Constituent Assembly, faced a split after efforts for a patch up between the establishment faction led by Prachanda and Bhattarai, and dissident group led by Vaidya and general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa failed.

The Maoist Central Committee members loyal to Vaidya on Friday held a meeting at the Kupondole, the liaison office of the dissident faction, and discussed the proposal to form a new party.

During the meeting, the party hardliners underlined the need to form a new party to preserve the "communist ideals".

"Vaidya faction has also asked party chairman Prachanda to resign from the top post to save the party from being split," said Pampha Bhushal, politburo member of the party.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

The radical faction of the Unified CPN-Maoist led by its senior vice chairman Mohan Baidhya has said that initiatives for the formation of a new communist party has already begun.

Speaking at a press conference held at the office of the party's Newa State Committee in Kupandole following a 2 day central committee meeting of the leaders loyal to him, Maoist Vice Chairman Baidhya claimed that a national conclave called by his faction on June 15 would declare a new party. Stating that his faction was not in favor of splitting the party, he clarified that moving ahead through a compromise was not possible either. He was of the view that it was time for those having similar ideological position to come together at a common point.  Baidhya went on to say that his faction wouldn't stop from raising the weapons again if faced with any obstruction in its peaceful means. He has also proposed to issue a draft of the constitution and form an interim government through round table talks while calling the incumbent governmnet 'unconstitutional'. 

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Nepal: Kiran/Badal faction statement on extension of Constituent Assembly

From Yuba Nath Lamsal:  This is a press statement jointly issued by senior vice chairman Mohan Vaidya Kiran and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), protesting against the decision of the government with consent from the establishment (Prachanda - Baburam) faction of the party to register a bill in parliament seeking extension of the life of Constituent Assembly for another three months. Press Statement Our attention has been seriously drawn towards the abrupt decision of the government to register the bill for the extension of the life of the Constituent Assembly for another three months despite the constitutional provision that requires the Constituent Assembly to complete the constitution writing process by May 28 and also the political commitment earlier expressed in the same line.

First of all, maximum efforts should have been made to complete the constitution writing by May 28. But such efforts have not been made for the last two years. 

The efforts were confined only to the tasks of repeatedly extending the life of the Constituent Assembly and rescheduling the calendar of the Constituent Assembly. This becomes clear that the leadership of the major parties in the Constituent Assembly has failed to accomplish the Constitution making task. 

Despite this, the parties, analyzing seriously the current situation and their failure, should have once again made maximum efforts to complete the constitution writing by May 28. Should that fail, efforts should have been made to forge an all-party national consensus among the political forces for the alternative political outlet. The way the bill for the extension of the Constituent Assembly was registered in an abrupt and conspiratorial manner without paying due attention to the above mentioned factors and even without consultation and decision of our own party, smacks of external meddling against the national sovereignty of our country. We have, therefore, strong reservation and objection to this decision. 

Against this background, we appeal to all stakeholders to take immediate initiative to build an all-party national consensus for an alternative political outlet by May 28 keeping the question of protection of our national sovereignty and the establishment of people's rights at the central stage.  In addition, we want to inform all of you that, taking into account the current situation, all previously announced plans and programmes of the movement have been deferred for the moment.  Mohan Vaidya Kiran  Vice Chairman  Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal  General Secretary  Unified Communist Party of Nepal ( Maoist)  Date: May 23, 2012