First Issued: June 6, 1990
First Published in English: International Review, [published by the Revolutionary Communist League of Britain], No. 10 (1991).
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Sam Richards and Paul Saba
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The dramatic changes which have taken place in Eastern Europe over the past year should be first and foremost welcomed by communists and revolutionaries all over the world. Even though these events have also given the bourgeoisie the opportunity of launching an intense political and ideological offensive against socialism and communism. At the same time they are of course implementing new forms of repression and exploitation of the people in the former bureaucrat-capitalistic states.
AKP (ML) was created during the renewal of the communist movement caused by the struggle against these very regimes. They were ruining the attempts to build socialism and changing themselves into hegemonic and imperialist forces. The fight against social imperialism its actions as an imperialist superpower on the world scene and its role in discrediting the esteem of socialism and communism, has been one of our major tasks in the years since we began. Therefore we applaud the setbacks of social imperialism. This both in Afghanistan and other places in the Third World as well as the Soviet Union’s loss of control over its satellites in Eastern Europe. We also consider favourably the liberalisation and opening of the repressive political system within the Soviet Union itself following the attempts to stop the collapse in the domestic economy.
The breakdown and failure of the bureaucrat-capitalistic system has of course also been taken advantage of by the other imperialist forces. Indeed they are promoting their position and are meddling in both the political and economic affairs of the Eastern European countries. The great illusion about the western market system on the part of people in Eastern Europe also paves the path for an expanded influence for western capitalism. Especially West Germany is strengthening its position, both due to its fast growing economic capacity and to the reunification process between the two German states. For the working class and the people of Eastern Europe the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie still prevails, though they now have gained better opportunities to organise political activities following the democratic revolution which took place in several countries. In the future we will see many of the same tendencies in these countries as we have seen in the West; a growing polarisation between rich and poor, people and regions, growing unemployment, and reductions in social welfare. Also the economy in most of these countries is far weaker than in Western European countries. The living conditions of the majority of people in Eastern Europe are not likely to improve in the years to come.
The apparent victory of market capitalism over bureaucrat-capitalism is covering up the deep crisis in the whole imperialist system. Its catastrophic consequences tor the development of the Third World and tor the global environment exposes its failure, as does the polarisation and increasing misery for broad groups of people within the industrialised countries. The fall of the so called “communist bloc” will therefore not give capitalism any long lasting new impetus, although it will greatly affect the changing balance within the imperialist system. In Eastern Europe the rivalry between different factions of the bourgeoisie will continue. In many countries factions of the old nomenclature are still holding strong positions in completion with western supported groups. Neither the old bourgeoisie, reformed or not, nor the new western like one will bring a development in Eastern Europe in favor of the broad masses of people.
In this situation progressive forces and organisations will have to build up their strength in order to defend the interests of the people. Progressive organisations in the West must give their support, and struggle in their own countries against the increasing exploitation of The East by western capitalism.
AKP (ML) has supported the struggles for national self-determination by the peoples in the Eastern European countries. We also support the right of succession of the Baltic states, as is happening in Lithuania now. The right of a people to form their own nation is progressive, in opposition to the nationalist chauvinism waged by bourgeoisie and reactionary forces in order to instigate pogroms and repression of minorities.
Oslo 6.6.90
On behalf of the Central Committee
Arnljot Ask