EL SALVADOR, February 12— Industrial workers in maquilas (garment factories) organize themselves to devote part of their break time on their only day off each week to meet with their comrades throughout the country and discuss once again: communist dialectics. Some are accompanied by their families (husbands, wives, sons and daughters, grandparents, etc.).
The document for discussion appears in the pamphlet entitled: “Fighting for Change.” The text covers the basic definitions of philosophy, dialectical materialism, the importance of internal contradictions, and determining what the main contradiction is in our environment, and how to mobilize the masses for communism.
Far from being a precise and comprehensive account of the discussion, this collectively written article aims to reflect the most important points of the discussion and convey the passion and dedication that textile workers show week after week in the struggle for communism. This is intended to inspire other workers around the world in our struggle for a new communist society.
“Philosophy tells us how to learn about reality and how to change it”
A comrade adds: “The capitalists want us to believe that their system is eternal, and they lie. When we look back at history, we see that they needed the working class to overthrow the kings. History teaches us about the transition from the feudal system to the capitalist system. They want us to believe that their system is the end, to prevent the triumph of the communist revolution.”
“Dialectics teaches us that reality is always changing. We must understand how we can change it,” added an education worker.
The article under discussion continues with dialectical contradictions. It cites as an example the capitalist-worker connection:
“Contradictions imply that two things are connected to each other, but also interfere with, restrain, or struggle against each other. We are together but not mixed up. We are the working class. We live under wage slavery. The bosses need us more than we need them. The study of dialectics serves to help more workers remove the veil that covers them and recognize that they must break their chains. When a worker acquires class consciousness, there is no turning back,” said another comrade, a healthcare worker.
He continued, “Contradictions are resolved, they are not eternal. The main contradiction at the global level is the inter-imperialist struggle between China and the United States. It will be either them (the bosses) or us who will die. We must organize so that no other worker ever dies in a war between capitalists again. We must overthrow them.”
“Comrades, being here tonight, on your day off, means that you have taken a qualitative step forward, that we have class consciousness and continue to mature in our political thinking,” he concluded.
“The internal struggle is the most important thing: overcoming capitalist ideas within ourselves, overcoming fear, and fighting for communism,” says E, an education worker.
“Let’s imagine an egg. The embryo grows until it becomes a chick. To do so, it must break the shell in which it was formed and lived the first days of its life. Only then can it become a hen or a rooster. The internal contradiction breaks the initial state and generates change. It breaks the egg and the chick is born,” explained another comrade, one of many examples of dialectics during the discussion.
“The internal contradiction is realizing that we are workers, that the bosses are the enemies to be defeated. From then on, there is no turning back. The worker frees himself from his mental bonds and wants power,” adds the comrade.
We ended the discussion feeling very motivated. “What is discussed in the documents are examples of what is experienced in the maquilas in El Salvador and what all workers around the world experience,” said a maquila worker.
“These meetings help to strengthen the party line. They must continue because, in groups, listening to comrades reinforces the knowledge that each one has,” said another member of the ICWP cells.
We thank and honor the memory of comrade Tom and his collective for their efforts in making these writings on dialectics and philosophy more accessible, illuminating the path for workers’ and peasants’ cells around the world.
Until Victory Always! Goodbye Tom!
Read “Fighting for Change” here