Date: Wed, 3 Jul 1996 10:44:10 +0200 (MET DST)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: Re: Vanguards?


louis writes;
>
>The most elaborated presentation of Lenin's concept of a vanguard 
>occurs in the section of "What is to be Done" titled "The Working 
>Class as Vanguard Fighter for Democracy". The notion of a vanguard 
>emerges out of Lenin's struggle with the "economists", *not* the 
>"Mensheviks". This is often neglected by those "Marxist-Leninists" 
>who use the pamphlet as some kind of organizing handbook.

This is both a stagest view and Louis,s attempts to throw shit on the 
neccessity of a vanguard party. in fact Lenin,s struggles  against both the 
economists and the Mensheviks were both struggles of life and death in 
forming the Bolshevik Vanguard. This against those for different reasons had 
a line which meant the destruction of the Vanguard, but also the Russian 
revolution..

>A vanguard in the world of contemporary Marxism-Leninism is above 
>all a group that adheres to a fully evolved ideological program that 
>takes into account historical and international questions. Now small 
>groups such as Jim Miller's, Adam Rose's, Walter Daum's, Hugh 
>Rodwell (have I left anybody out?) would not call themselves a 
>vanguard *right now*. They are instead the "nucleus" of the vanguard. 
>All they need to do is add recruits. That is what they are on this list 
>for.

OK i can accept this..

>
>This means that a group of several hundred in a nation of over a 
>quarter-billion citizens claims that it will lead this nation to socialism 
>on the basis of some correct ideas it has right now. This is not 
>Marxism. It is petty-bourgeois idealism.

Nope, it means that there are unfortunately that the Vanguard that has a 
program and tactics for leading a successful revolution..


>The type of vanguard that we need in the United States would have 
>some of the following features:
>
>1)  It would strive for a revolutionary program that was centered on 
>the tasks of the American class-struggle. Disagreements over the 
>Spanish Civil War and the class-nature of Grenada under Maurice 
>Bishop would be secondary and not a cause for a split.

Wrong again. It would be a section of a Communist International and under 
International disapline to the whole movement. 
>
>2)  It would fight in all of the movements: labor, women, gays, 
>students, environmentalism, Blacks, Latinos, etc. It would try to 
>link these movements together in a common fight against 
>capitalist oppression. It would also draw the class line in all of 
>them. In the environmental movement, for example, it would 
>struggle against the accomodationist path of groups like the Sierra 
>Club and fight alongside communities of color that are being 
>assaulted by toxic dumping.

Wrong again. It would certainly work in these movements in order to win the 
best cadre to a program of revolution. And would not try to liquidate itself 
in order to be part of the mass struggle.
>
>3)  It would fight in the electoral arena. It would support electoral 
>initiatives by working people and oppressed minorities. The fire 
>would be directed against Democrat and Republican alike. No 
>liberal Democrat would ever be endorsed by this type of vanguard.

Wrong again. It would work in the electoral arena putting forth its own 
candidates where possible. And in other cases give *critical* support to 
groups or parties for specific reasons while standing for its program for 
revolution..
>
>4)  It would participate in anti-imperialist struggles. It would take up 
>the cause of Peruvian peasants, South African miners, Cubans 
>fighting against economic blockade, etc.

Yes, under the same conditions as above..

>5)  It would develop fraternal relations with like-minded parties 
>around the world. The relations would be built on the basis of 
>mutual respect and camaraderie.

It might depending on the orientation and political evolvement of such 
groups or parties..
>
>This is the type of vanguard I advocate.

This is very close to the Mandelite type opportunism of pressuring people to 
the left by liqidating your program in order to cuddle up to various 
movements and groups that evolve in the class struggle. A sure strategy for 
opportunist Kamakaze!

Warm Regards
Malecki




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