175th Birth Anniversary of Karl Marx

Sitaram Yechury

Totally contradicting the much tom-tomed prognosis of the `death of communism’ by bourgeois ideologues and imperialist pen-pushers, the developments during the last two years, since the dismantling of the socialism in USSR in 1991, have tellingly vindicated the validity and continued relevance of Marxism as a creative scientific world outlook and as a guide to action. The observance of the 175th birth anniversary of Karl Marx, thus, assumes a special significance for this precise reason.

Such an assertion is not the mere wishful thinking of die-hard communists,like us, but based on a reasoned assessment and a dispassionate analysis of contemporary world developments. Two aspects, that formed the raison d’etre of such attacks on Marxism, were the collapse of the socialist system in the USSR and Eastern Europe and the so-called “invincibility” of capitalism. The latter continues to portray capitalism, not only as an ever-dynamic crisis free system but also as the last stage in the evolution of human social organisation and hence the final stage of social history.

Before proceeding to analyse certain developments related to these two aspects, during the last two years, it is necessary to briefly recapitulate the essence of Marxism. Lenin, had once said, “the irresistible attraction of this theory, which draws to itself the socialists of all countries, lies precisely in the fact that it combines the quality of being strictly and supremely scientific with that of being revolutionary. It does not combine them accidentally and not only because the founder of the doctrine combined in his own person the qualities of a scientist and a revolutionary, but does so intrinsically and inseparable.”

The failure to precisely understand this combination had led to many deviations and consequent distortions in the process of socialist construction that the CPI(M) had evaluated in its XIV Congress. The point to note is the fact that by ignoring the supremely scientific basis of Marxism dogmatic deviations arise, while ignoring its revolutionary content leads to revisionist deviations. Marxism is a creative science that identifies the process and derives the laws on the basis of which human social development is taking place. It is precisely this combination that distinguishes Marxism from all other philosophies and places it on a higher pedestal that provides the oppressed classes with the theory and the tools to intervene in the process of social development to intensify the struggle for complete human emancipation.

It is on the basis of such an understanding that Lenin had said that the living essence of Marxism is the `concrete analysis of concrete conditions’.

Following this understanding, the CPI(M) XIV Congress resolution “On Certain Ideological Issues” had stated:

“Marxism-Leninism is inherently materialistic, creative and intrinsically dialectical. It is hence supremely anti-dogmatic. It is a world-view that embraces the vision of liberation and expresses emancipatory ideals. It is a tool for understanding and analysing the multitude of phenomena that constitute changing historical situations. It is a guide to action that defines programmatic objectives for the people’s struggle for liberation, subject to the necessary adaptations as required by changing historical situations.” It further stated: “The shortcomings and failures in the process of constantly enriching this creative science in accordance with unfolding historical developments, is not due to its inadequacies or lack of scientific method of its content. It is due to the inadequacies and lack of scientific rigour on the part of those who have embraced this philosophy.”

These remarks are essential to understand that Marxism while laying bare the contradictions and consequent crises of capitalism exposing its exploitative character never prophesied its automatic collapse. The historical inevitability of its replacement by socialism, of an exploitation free society, is not automatic. “The key factor that can affect such a social transformation is the correct ideological, political and organisational leadership of the growing struggles of the working class, the peasantry and all working people. When this class consciousness is defused or blunted the forces of counter-revolution exploit the situation to perpetuate their class rule.” We shall return to this aspect subsequently.

First, do the developments in former socialist countries repudiate Marxism? On the contrary.

In fact these developments had taken place in spite of the richness of Marxist philosophy, precisely because of the ideological deviations and distortions in the process of socialist construction that were thoroughly analysed by our XIV Congress. But then, why did such deviations and distortions take place at all? In fact even to understand as to why the socialist system was dismantled, and how this has happened, one cannot arrive at a conclusion except with the aid of Marxist theory and its tools of analysis.

This is not the occasion to restate the nature and content of the deviations and distortions that had occurred during the process of socialist construction. This task was thoroughly undertaken by the XIV Party Congress resolution on “Certain Ideological Issues”.

But do, the subsequent developments and the process of restoration of capitalism in these countries repudiate Marxism and invalidate the ideal and experience of socialism? Notwithstanding all claims of `liberating’ the peoples from the socialist bondage what is their condition today? The following table reveals just one aspect, an important aspect, of their plight.

FALL IN REAL WAGES

1991 1992

Russia (-) 10.5 (-) 46.5
Bylorussia (-) 2.2 (-) 38.3
Ukraine (-) 3.7 (-) 30.0
Poland (-) 0.3 (-) 3.6*
Romania (-) 16.6 (-) 15.1
Croatia (-) 25.1 (-) 38.0
Slovania (-) 11.1 (-) 2.8*


Yugoslavia(FR) (-) 5.8 (-) 50.0

*( In 1990 the real wages in Poland fell by (-) 25.4 per cent while in Slovania they fell by (-) 25.8 per cent.)
(Source : A study by Doriusz K.Rosati quoted in Business Standard)

Combined with the total and complete withdrawal of the state welfare measures, this fall in the real wages is mounting miseries unprecedented and unknown to generations in former socialist countries.

Democracy' had been the most contentious of issues in the process of dismantling of Socialism. These worsening conditions, which are provoking growing protest actions tellingly demonstrate the difference between bourgeois democracy and socialist democracy. While the former is formal the latter is real. Bourgeois society gives rights to its citizens without giving them the capacity to exercise the same. While socialism by giving the capacity to every individual, in the sense of the State taking the responsibility for housing, clothing, employment, health, education, etc., provides a real basis for the thriving and enrichment of democracy beyond the limits set by bourgeois society. Unfortunately, distortions and shortcomings had prevented this enrichment of socialist democracy leading to people's alienation. The people of these countries are today realising that instead of correcting mistakes committed under socialism, the full-throated restoration of capitalism is not the path forward.Democracy’ has shown itself to have been a cover to camouflage the counter-revolution. However, the struggle to reverse the process of such an on-going transition to capitalism, accompanied by all related miseries of an exploitation based society, will be both long and arduous. The crucial factor in this struggle will once again be the correct ideological, political and organisational leadership of the growing struggles of the people based on the scientific revolutionary tenets of Marxism-Leninism. Though the struggle is long and the emergence of such formations appear today as distant, the last two years have nevertheless resoundingly vindicated that the answer to the problems and the alienation of the people in the former socialist countries cannot lie in the restoration of capitalism.

While this has been the situation in former socialist countries what is the situation in the advanced capitalist world? The estimated combined growth rate of all capitalist countries in 1992 will only be 1.5 per cent i.e. a drop of 1.1. per cent from last year. The following table gives the gravity of the continuing recessionary conditions in the G7 countries:

    Industrial Product-     Unemployment rate
    ion (percentage of      percentage
    change last three       (Feb, Mar, 1993)

months)

USA* 5.3 7.0
U.K.* 1.0 10.5
Japan (-) 12.4 2.3
Germany (-) 18.0 7.8
France (-) 11.9 10.6
Canada 5.1 11.0
Italy (-) 3.1 10.0


  • The positive growth rates are due to the low rates in the earlier period.
    (Source :Economist (London April 30, 1993). Such manifestations of continued capitalist crisis are imposing unprecedented burdens on the working people in the capitalist world. Unemployment, reaching new heights in the post Second World War period is accompanied by rapid cuts in social welfare measures. The response of the people can be seen in the growing protest actions that have swept across Western Europe in April this year. Capitalism is, thus proving itself, once again incapable of solving the most pressing problems being faced by humanity. But the important point to note is that, though crises are inherent in the very dynamics of the capitalist economy, capitalism does not collapse under its own weight. In the absence of a revolutionary force wedded to the principles of Marxism-Leninism, capitalism continues to retain the capacity to manoeuvre its way out of the crisis. Marx had in fact said that, “crisis in a way are a forceful solution to the contradictions upon which capitalism is based and which determines its development. By dislocating the forces of production (through depreciation of capital, destruction of commodities and reduction of output) and by limiting production, the crisis again brings capitalist production, for a brief space, into accord with the narrow foundation of its consumption on which it rests.” Capitalism therefore emerges out of the crisis by destroying a part of the productive forces. This complexity finds reflection in the political developments taking place in many of the capitalist countries. The emergence and growth of the right-wing forces exploiting the popular discontent arising out of the capitalist crisis shows that in the absence of a revolutionary force capitalism retains the capacity to manoeuvre its way out of the crisis. It is precisely the science of Marxism that is able today to analyse the crisis of capitalism and also its continued advance as a result of what we have discussed above. Capitalism’s continued survival or in fact its development far from repudiating Marxism, can only be properly understood with the aid of tools provided by Marxist philosophy. The contemporary world situation therefore, is one where the crisis of capitalism finds its reflection in the intensification of contradictions at all levels. The contradiction between working people and the bourgeoisie in the capitalist countries, the contradiction between imperialism and the third world countries; the inter-imperialist contradictions (between rival centres of USA, Japan and Germany) and the contradiction between imperialism and socialism (the renewed US aggressiveness towards Cuba and DPR Korea) continue to intensify. Thus, vindicating, the inviolable Marxist understanding of intensification of contradictions under capitalism. The validity and continued relevance of Marxism to the all supreme task of achieving real and meaningful human liberation and emancipation continues to remain. The entire body of the Marxist path breaking revolutionary philosophy and its supreme humanistic content can be traced to its answer to the question: `what constitutes the basis for human liberation?’ Concluding his contribution to the critique of Hegelian philosophy of law in 1943 Marx said ” neither legal relations nor political forms can be comprehended on the basis of a so-called general development of the human mind ( which is the conclusion of Hegelian idealism). On the contrary, they originate in the material conditions of life, (the totality of which Hegel embraces in the term civil society) and the anatomy of this civil society is to be sought in political economy.” Breaking from the idealist confines which placed men as prisoners of their own consciousness and argued for a revolution of the mind as the only basis for real human freedom, Marx conclusively proved that the pre-condition for human freedom is not the revolution of mind but a revolution in the material conditions of life. These material conditions themselves in fact define the corresponding human consciousness. The entire work of Marx was to develop this revolutionary philosophy in identifying which social classes can lead this revolution and under capitalism identifying this force as the proletariat. Thus conclusion of seminal importance that real human emancipation is not based on a change of heart but in changing the material conditions of life -constitutes the abiding validity and continued relevance of Marxism. For the majority of humanity Marxism constitutes the most potent weapon for real and complete human liberation.