Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

Draft Program of the Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist)


6. Down with the Two Superpowers, Build Proletarian Internationalism

The struggle of the U.S. proletariat and its allies for socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat cannot be viewed apart from the worldwide struggle against imperialism and social-imperialism.

We are living in the era of imperialism and proletarian revolution. Although many changes have taken place since the dawn of this era, the fundamental principles of Marxism-Leninism still apply.

The United States, along with the Soviet Union, stands today as one of the two imperialist superpowers who are the biggest international oppressors and exploiters. Together, they constitute the main enemy of the peoples, nations and countries of the world. The contention between the two superpowers is the source of a new world war.

The current international situation is characterized by great disorder, which is a good thing for the people of the world. It is a situation very favorable for revolutionary struggle because it reflects the weakening hold of imperialism and the growth of the anti-imperialist forces.

The movements of the oppressed nations, countries and peoples have opened up new and greater revolutionary prospects. Countries want independence, nations want liberation, and the people want revolution. This trend represents an irreversible historical force. At the same time, however, the menace of another imperialist world war between the two superpowers is growing rapidly. The factors for both war and revolution are on the rise.

The U.S. working class must firmly unite with the international proletariat and with the oppressed nations and people of the world, and with all the countries subjected to aggression, subversion, interference, control or bullying by imperialism or social-imperialism to form the broadest possible united front against imperialism and especially against the two super-powers.

A very important feature of today’s international situation is the existence of three major zones, or three “worlds.” The two imperialist superpowers, the U.S. and the USSR, make up the first world. The third world is made up of the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere. The second world lies between the first and the third world; it is made up largely of the countries of Europe, along with Japan, Canada, Australia and other lesser imperialist countries.

The peoples of the third world make up the great majority of the earth’s population. They have been the hardest hit by imperialism and the two superpowers. A powerful upsurge is taking place in the third world as these countries fight resolute battles against imperialism, colonialism and superpower hegemonism. The tremendous victory of the peoples of Indochina against U.S. imperialism has served to inspire the people of the world and especially the national liberation movements of the third world.

The struggle of the third world countries in defense of their sovereignty and political and economic independence, especially their efforts to gain control of their own resources, is forging a new economic order in the world. Today the third world is the main force in the fight against imperialism, colonialism and superpower hegemonism.

The CP(M-L) firmly supports the great African people in their struggle against racism, apartheid and the settler regimes in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Azania. Our Party stands firm with the Palestinian and Arab people in their opposition to Zionism and supports the efforts of the Palestinian people to recover their homeland and national rights. We support the growing independence movements in the countries dominated by the colonial rule of U.S. imperialism, particularly in Puerto Rico.

Our Party supports the struggles of the third world for independence, national liberation, and socialism. We support the growing trend of unity among the countries of the third world The CP(M-L) recognizes its special responsibility as the Party of the proletariat within one of the imperialist superpowers to render direct aid and support to the third world countries and peoples, especially those dominated, threatened or bullied by U.S. imperialism.

While the countries of the second world exploit and oppress their own working class and toiling masses, as well as the countries of the third world, they are also subjected to super-power exploitation, oppression, control and bullying. Therefore, we not only give wholehearted support and aid to the proletarians and oppressed masses within the second world in their struggle against their own bourgeoisie and for socialism; we also support the steps taken by these countries to unite among themselves and with the third world to resist superpower hegemonism.

The CP(M-L), while supporting the struggles of the second and third worlds against the two superpowers, never merges its own ideology with the ideology of capitalists or feudalists of those countries. We oppose all forms of exploitation, oppression and repression of the patriotic, democratic or Marxist-Leninist forces by the bourgeoisie and reactionary forces of all countries and we oppose all imperialism.

U.S. imperialism, which up until its defeat in Indochina was the dominant imperialist power in the world, is now on the decline. The Soviet Union is a rising imperialist power contending with the U.S. for world domination. Everywhere that U.S. imperialism is being expelled from the front door the Soviet social-imperialists are trying to sneak in the back door. The Soviet Union today is the mightiest military power in history, fully armed and geared for war. This war-mongering upstart is the main source of a new world war.

An essential feature of imperialism is the continuous contention between “Great Powers” for world domination, which inevitably leads to imperialist wars. The only way to prevent imperialist wars is by the revolutionary overthrow of the entire system of imperialism.

Today the U.S. and the USSR are locked in a life and death struggle as each strives for worldwide hegemony. The contention and uneven development between the two superpowers is bound to lead to a new world war, a war for a new redivision of the world.

Although this war is not necessarily imminent and despite the talk of “detente” by the superpowers, it is inevitable that there will be war. While the rivalry between the two superpowers extends to all parts of the earth, it is focused on Europe. Both superpowers are daily heightening their war preparations. The danger of a new world war is daily growing and the people of the world must get prepared.

The Party staunchly opposes the war preparations of the two superpowers and resolutely fights against them. While we oppose this war, we are not afraid of it. The advent of an imperialist war will heighten all the contradictions in every country, creating even more favorable conditions for revolution. Our policy will be to turn this unjust imperialist war into a revolutionary civil war for the overthrow of U.S. imperialism.

The Soviet Union was once the proud home of the first socialist state, but today the modern revisionists have seized state power, completely restored capitalism and instituted a fascist dictatorship of the Hitler-type.

The Soviet Union is not only an imperialist superpower; it is also the center of modern revisionism, which is the main social prop of imperialism in the international working class movement. The Soviet Union, which carries out its aggression under the signboard of socialism, is the most dangerous of the two superpowers. Therefore, while we oppose both superpowers, as part of the worldwide movement against imperialism we must direct our main blow internationally at Soviet social-imperialism.

While opposing the Soviet Union as the center of modern revisionism, we also oppose revisionism everywhere it rears its ugly head in the world. Our Party actively supports the international struggle of the proletariat to smash modern revisionism, to strengthen the already existing genuine anti-revisionist communist parties and forge new communist parties around the world.

The general line of the CP(ML) is based on proletarian internationalism. Our Party is a detachment of the international proletariat. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the workers in every country who have a common destiny and common aims.

We defend and support China, Albania, and all socialist countries and we unite with all genuine Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations in the world on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and opposition to revisionism. We carry out relations with the Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations on the principles of independence, equality, mutual respect, fraternal friendship and internationalist cooperation. Ours is a common struggle for the abolition of the system of exploitation of man by man, the realization of communism and the liberation of all mankind.