Improving Study of Dialectical Materialism here ♦ Exposing European Left Party here ♦
Immigrant workers protest sweeps of Paris streets, July 2024
Improving Our Study of Communist Philosophy
I have gone through both ICWP videos about dialectical materialism. First of all, let me congratulate your party for this extraordinary initiative. Absence of Cadre camps for new comrades is one of the main reasons for the world-wide defeats of Communist movements.
And as your party has started, it is a sign that your organisation is alive. They are nicely explained videos and nothing critical. But my observations are as follows:
There are four basic parts of Marxist philosophy:
- Dialectical Materialism. This is simply about general rules of nature. Your video has tried to cover it, but it is vague and incomplete. For example, there are many more topics besides the basic rule of contradiction and unity of elements. I think you should include those remaining items also. Secondly, while an attempt is made to simplify the subject matter, it is presented in disconnected pieces. It could have been done in a better way. If you want, I will give complete syllabus of dialectical Materialism. You and your comrades may sit together and try all the topics. If any help is needed, I will be more than happy.
- The second part is Historical Materialism. It is the application of the rules of Dialectical Materialism to society. One should try to cover all the topics in nice and lucid way. Without a detailed understanding, our comrades, specifically younger ones, will never understand how society changes and what are the classes and what is class struggle.
- The third part is Political Economy. This system under which we live is a society based on capitalism. How this system works and how exploitation takes place within this system, is a most important lesson for our new comrades. We must teach it.
- Last but not the least, the fourth part is Scientific Socialism. We all know that we want to destroy capitalist system and create a new society. But how? There are rules and other basic points which must be taught to the new comrades so that they can understand for what they are fighting.
If you want, I can give you a detailed syllabus for each of these parts. Kindly treat this as a friendly suggestion and not criticism. I do not see any major difference in our thinking.
With lots of love and great respect,
Red salute!
—Long-time friend in India
Red Flag responds: Thank you for your thoughtful review of the Dialectics video. We agree with much of it, and we would certainly like to see your detailed syllabus. We have study groups and Red Flag articles about dialectical materialism that are directed toward educating young comrades and friends. We encourage our comrades to make videos.
Exposing the European Left Party: A Historical Betrayal of Progressive Ideals
In February 2019, the People’s Party of Palestine condemned the actions of the president of the Parliamentary Group of Die Linke. He is a prominent figure in the European Left Party (ELP). During a visit to Israel, he visited an Israeli settlement and planted trees, symbolically endorsing the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory, and downplaying the severity of Israeli actions against Palestinians.
This incident highlights the duplicity of Die Linke and similar parties within the ELP. They presented themselves as progressive but in practice supported the interests of the bourgeoisie, the European Union, and imperialist strategies. This was not an isolated case. The ELP consistently backed imperialist interventions in Libya and Syria, aligning itself with US, NATO, and EU agendas.
In Greece, SYRIZA, another prominent ELP member, repeatedly showed its true colors. The SYRIZA government provided extensive support to US and NATO military operations, offering bases and territorial access. Despite its rhetoric, SYRIZA deepened its military and economic ties with Israel and failed to recognize the Palestinian state. It betrayed its supposed commitment to Palestinian rights.
The ELP’s actions demonstrate a clear pattern of opportunism and social democracy. It prioritizes imperialist objectives over genuine progressive values. This organization not only supported anti-communist campaigns but also joined forces with reactionary elements to rewrite history and undermine socialist achievements.
For authentic Communist Parties, it remains vital to expose and challenge these deceptive forces. The ELP, far from being a true representative of leftist ideals, has proven to be a sham, betraying the very principles it claimed to uphold.
—RB, a reader in India, July 2024
Red Flag responds: Thank you for your timely letter. We add that Melancon’s La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party, an ELP member, raised false hopes in the recent elections. We see, though, that the People’s Party of Palestine continues to hold wrong policies common among many twentieth-century communists. In 1991 it put the class struggle on hold to further the “national liberation” struggle. It still advocates socialism, not a direct fight for communism. And as recently as 2021, it pursued an electoral (rather than revolutionary) path. We invite you, and Palestinian Red Flag readers, to study ICWP’s communist political line and join us.