Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

Constitution of the Revolutionary Communist Party USA


GENERAL LINE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST PARTY

The Revolutionary Communist Party is the political Party of the working class, the vanguard of the working class of the USA, and stands with the working class world-wide.

The Revolutionary Communist Party takes Marxism-Leninism, Mao Tsetung Thought as the theoretical basis guiding its thinking.

The basic programme of the Revolutionary Communist Party is the complete overthrow of the bourgeoisie, the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat in place of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie and the triumph of socialism over capitalism. The ultimate aim of the Party is the realization of communism.

In order to accomplish this historical mission the working class, led by its Party, must establish under its leadership the broadest united front, uniting all who can be united against the main enemy, and must carry the struggle through to the complete elimination of the bourgeoisie and all exploiting classes.

MEMBERSHIP

Article I

The Revolutionary Communist Party seeks to recruit the most dedicated members of the working class and other strata. Any worker or any other person involved in the revolutionary struggle who accepts the Constitution and line of the Party, is committed to working actively in a Party organization, to carrying out the Party’s decisions and to observing Party discipline and paying Party membership dues, may become a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party of the USA.

Article 2

Applicants for Party membership must go through the procedure for admission individually. An applicant must apply for membership, be recommended by two Party members, and discuss his application with a delegation of the Party branch. These discussions must include an evaluation of the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to the requirements for Party members, based upon the delegation’s extensive knowledge of the applicant’s practice. Application is subject to acceptance by the general membership meeting of the Party branch and approval by the next higher Party committee.

Article 3

Members of the Revolutionary Communist Party must:
1. Put the interests of the working class and of the revolution above everything else;
2. Be active among the masses and involved in their struggles;
3. Conscientiously study Marxism-Leninism, Mao Tsetung Thought and thoroughly oppose revisionism and all forms of opportunism;
4. Systematically apply the mass line in all their work;
5. Be bold in making criticism and self-criticism;
6. Uphold proletarian morality.

Article 4

When Party members violate Party discipline, the Party organization at the level concerned shall, within its functions and powers and on the merits of each case, take appropriate disciplinary measures–warning, serious warning, removal from posts in the Party, placing on probation within the Party, or expulsion from the Party. Such decisions must be reported to the next higher body and the general right of members to appeal also applies in these cases.

The period for which a Party member is placed on probation shall not exceed one year. During this period, he has no right to vote or elect or be elected.

A Party member whose revolutionary will has degenerated and who, after serious struggle to rekindle his revolutionary spirit, does not change, should be persuaded to withdraw from the Party.

When, after a period of discussion and struggle, a Party member asks to withdraw from the Party, the Party unit concerned shall report the matter to the next higher Party committee, and after consultation, drop his membership.

Proven opportunists, enemy agents, degenerates and anti-working class elements must be cleared out of the Party and must not be readmitted.

ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE PARTY

Article 5

The organizational principle of the Party is democratic centralism. This principle combines centralized leadership and the greatest degree of discipline with the fullest discussion and struggle over policy within the Party and the selection and supervision of Party leaders by the Party membership.

The leading bodies of the Party at all levels shall be elected through democratic consultation between higher and lower levels in accordance with the requirements of leadership of the proletarian revolution–to work out ideas and to use cadre well. The Revolutionary Communist Party neither removes leadership lightly, nor fails to bring forward new leaders, especially from the ranks of the working class, who come to the fore in the revolutionary struggle.

The whole Party must observe Party discipline: the individual is subordinate to the Party, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower level is subordinate to the higher level, and the entire Party is subordinate to the Central Committee.

Standing bodies of the Party at all levels shall regularly report on their work to the congresses or general membership meetings of the bodies to which they are directly responsible. Leading bodies on all levels must constantly listen to the opinions of the masses, both inside and outside the Party, accept their supervision and encourage their criticism. Party members have the right to criticize leading bodies or members of the Party at all levels and make proposals to them.

If a Party member holds different views with regard to the decisions or directives of the Party body he serves on, or others above it, he may reserve his opinion while maintaining Party discipline, and has the right to bypass the immediate leadership and report directly to the higher levels, up to and including the Central Committee. It is absolutely impermissible to suppress criticism or to retaliate. It is essential to create a political situation in which there is both centralism and democracy, both unified line and broad initiative, both discipline and freedom, both unity of will and action and personal ease of mind and liveliness.

CENTRAL ORGANS

Article 6

The highest body of the Party is the National Party Congress, and when it is not in session, the Central Committee elected by it.

Article 7

The National Party Congress shall be held every 3 years. Under special circumstances it may be convened before its due date or postponed.

Article 8

The Central Committee elects its Chairman and other officers and standing bodies to whom it delegates all of its authority when it is not in session.

Article 9

The Central Committee, under the leadership of its Chairman and other officers and its standing committees, shall set up a number of compact bodies to carry through its work in the most correct and efficient way.

BASIC UNITS OF THE PARTY

Article 10

Party branches shall be set up as the basic units of the Party, along the lines of the organization of production and society, in order to be most rooted in the actual struggles of the working class and the masses.

Article 11

Party branches shall hold elections of their officers once a year.

Article 12

The main tasks of the Party branches are:
1. To give constant education to the Party members and supporters concerning the ideological and political line and lead them, together with the proletariat and broad masses, in fighting resolutely against the class enemy;
2. To maintain close ties with the masses, constantly listen to their opinions and demands and wage an active ideological struggle so as to keep Party life vigorous;
3. To propagate and carry out the policies of the Party, implement its decisions and fulfill every task assigned by the Party;
4. To lead the Party members and supporters in studying Marxism-Leninism, Mao Tsetung Thought conscientiously and thoroughly opposing revisionism and all forms of opportunism;
5. To take in new Party members, enforce Party discipline and constantly consolidate the Party organizations, getting rid of the stale and taking in the fresh, so as to constantly strengthen the proletarian character of the Party and its role as the vanguard of the working class.