Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

Documents of the First (Founding) Congress of the Communist Labor Party of the United States of North America


Resolution on the National Colonial Question

National oppression in the USNA has its roots in the history of the expansion of USNA imperialism. This ruthless annexation and subjugation of weaker nations and peoples is increasing each day. Modern imperialism entangles colonies and neo-colonies in a vast web of exported financial capital. The growing resistance of the peoples in the colonies and neo-colonies is part of the general crisis of USNA imperialism.

The rights of all nations oppressed by USNA imperialism to freely secede and form independent states shall be recognized. Concretely, this right to self-determination means the political independence of the oppressed nation and the erection of an independent national state. To negate this right, or fail to take measures guaranteeing its practical realization, is equivalent to supporting a policy of seizure and annexation. The recognition by the proletariat of the right of nations to secede can alone bring about complete solidarity among the workers of the various nations and help to bring the nations closer together on truly democratic lines.

The question of the right of nations to freely secede must not be confused with the question of whether it would be expedient for any given nation to secede at any given moment. This latter question must be settled by the Party of the proletariat in each particular case, independently, from the point of view of the interests of the social development as a whole and the class struggle of the proletariat for socialism.

The Party demands wide regional autonomy, the abolition of all tutelage from above, the abolition of compulsory state language, and the determination of the boundaries of the self-governing and autonomous regions by the local population itself, based upon economic and social conditions, the national composition and so forth.

The Party demands Independence for the Negro Nation!
The Party demands Independence for Puerto Rico!
The Party demands Regional Autonomy for the Southwest!
The Party demands Regional Autonomy for the Indian Peoples!
The Party demands Regional Autonomy for the Hawaiian Peoples and for the Eskimo and Aleutian Peoples!
The Party demands Regional Autonomy for the USNA “dependencies” known as Samoa, Canton and Enderbury Islands, Guam, Pacific Islands under Provisional USNA administration (sixty islands), Palmyra Island, Howland, Baker, Jarvis and Wake Islands, the Corn Islands, the Swan Islands, the Virgin Islands! The Party demands Freedom for the Philippines!
The Party demands That the Panama Canal Zone be given back to the Panamanian people!
The Party demands Independence and Freedom for all Nations oppressed by USNA imperialism, and the withdrawal of all USNA troops and bases from foreign nations and territories!
The Party demands Equality for national minorities!