“Humanity Needs Revolution and the New Synthesis of Communism”
Event in Mexico with Talk and Discussion

August 15, 2016 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

 

In the context of the appearance and discussion of the important document “Six Resolutions of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA,” the Organización Comunista Revolucionaria, México (OCR,M) summed up the need to put the new synthesis of Bob Avakian’s at the head of all our revolutionary work, to take a leap to arm everyone involved in the movement for revolution with this qualitative development of the science of communism, and greater dissemination and presence of the new synthesis in society. For years the OCR,M took up this new synthesis, recognizing it as an essential development that puts communism more consistently on a scientific basis: the study, dissemination and struggle to apply it to make revolution in Mexico and in the world (including the theoretical struggle against erroneous lines that reject it or distort it). We have learned that it is a question of a continuous process of struggle to take up this method and approach more fully while wielding it to transform the world.

As part of this, the OCR,M called for a by-invitation talk and discussion in May this year, off of the publication of the aforementioned “Six Resolutions of the CC of the RCP.” A diverse group of about 25 people gathered, from a university research academic to a peasant bricklayer, veterans of the ’60s and ’70s, women fighters against the oppression of women and girls who are coming with an edge into the fight for a radically different and much better world. For everyone it was an important opportunity to dig into, together, the new synthesis of communism developed by Bob Avakian (BA). The talk, “Humanity needs revolution and the new synthesis of communism,” given by a compañero of the Movimiento Popular Revolucionario, established the framework for the lively exchange of ideas among participants. Furthermore, “How the world got this way,” from the DVD Revolution: Why It’s Necessary, Why It’s Possible, What It’s All About, a film of a talk by Bob Avakian, was shown. And some compañeros presented two rap songs, one composed for this event, as part of promoting a new culture. All this helped create an atmosphere of hope and lively and serious exchange about the new synthesis of communism and the urgent need for revolution today.

In the weeks before the event, teams of revolutionaries and communists broadly took out the literature of the new synthesis, focusing on: the interview with Ardea Skybreak titled SCIENCE AND REVOLUTION: On the Importance of Science and the Application of Science to Society, the New Synthesis of Communism and the Leadership of Bob Avakian; “The New Synthesis of Communism: Fundamental Orientation, Method and Approach, and Core Elements—An Outline,” by Bob Avakian; “Six Resolutions of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA;” and Communism or Nationalism? from the journal Aurora Roja No. 18, voice of the OCR,M. We went to demonstrations for May Day, for justice for Ayotzinapa, in the teachers’ movement fighting against the “counter education reform” and courageously facing the brutal repression of the state, as well as in neighborhoods and universities. We approached people with the basic point that: The new synthesis of communism developed by Bob Avakian lays the foundation for a new stage of communist revolution to end the current system with all its horrors, create a society in which we all would want to live in and finally emancipate all of humanity. If you really want to change the world, you have to get into this, and we listened to what people thought of all this. The importance of reading these materials was also addressed, and thus it was possible that almost everyone who was invited to the event bought materials. With those who were interested, it was not merely a question of inviting them, but first a process of addressing and talking about the importance of attending the event and getting people to start reading these materials. The specific goal of the event was to get more people won over to study and discuss the new synthesis of Bob Avakian and they were drawn into working together to apply it for making revolution.

With some people, when talking to them in this fashion, the discussion that was carried out to win them over to attend was important, and they were part of a collectivity grappling with the new synthesis of communism and the cardinal questions of the revolution. To mention just one example, a compañera put forward that “We aren’t going to attend... we’ve been in the fight and we have not pulled back. We have remained steadfast and we will move forward, because we know that the transformation of society is going to happen, we know all this, and so we have continued fighting.” We raised with her that it is important that they have fought and are still in the struggle with the determination to go forward, but if they do not get into this new theory to really have a scientific understanding of what the problem is and what the solution is, then there can never be the revolution that is needed and the construction of a new society that is radically different from the society that we live in today. Regardless of the intentions of anyone, if you are not getting into this, what is being guaranteed is that all these horrors and their worsening will continue against the people. But this must not continue, there is now the possibility of ending it and that is why it is important to attend. The compañera changed her position and said, “We will try to be there,” and yes, they were, which was very positive.

In the event, the participation of people showed the impact that reading the interview with Ardea Skybreak has had on them. This was clear in comments such as: “Ardea Skybreak says there is good science and bad science... She (and also BA) say that the new synthesis is not something that is over with. There are different sciences, and social science... if we can analyze past societies, then we can also analyze future societies, although they do not yet exist, and the comrades up there [RCP, USA], they are already doing this with a draft proposal of the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America. This is another weapon that arms us... so it’s important that we have this new science and we have to circulate it more, get it to more people who are interested.” “Yes, [the new synthesis] is scientific... and as Ardea Skybreak says, everyone can become scientists, everyone can understand, and break with the idea that it’s just gonna be for a small group. In other words, this is going to unite more people.”

In the main part of the event, discussion broke out focused on two points: (1) the importance of really knowing reality as it is with the application of the scientific method and approach of the new synthesis of communism, as opposed to wanting reality to be like you would like it, or wanting the fight to be easier; and (2) if we work on the contradictions in society as they are, on that basis there is the possibility of hastening the revolution, versus the idea that there is no basis for revolution or that it will happen spontaneously. By leading the discussion, people grappled to consciously apply the “solid core with elasticity, based on the solid core,” a key aspect of the method and approach of the new synthesis, which it is necessary to fight to apply in order to understand and transform the world.

Find out more about the revolution         Find out about BA, the leader of the revolution

The voices of those who spoke expressed very important points of what it means to learn about and get into the new synthesis, serious and inspiring reflections. We cannot speak to all of them but let us mention the following:

A young compañera said, “Every time you get more into the theory of scientific communism, you have two options: one, and this is what is happening to me, is that I can no longer turn my back on the people, on the millions of people who are oppressed daily. You could also look at this and say like, ‘Well, yeah, thank you very much, I already knew that, but I want to continue with my life.’ If we understand or we begin to understand how society functions and the possibility that exists to transform it, it would be very cynical of us to say, ‘OK, thank you very much’... The injustices are everywhere, oppression is felt everywhere, every day we women live the horror of being women. This is a constant slap in the face every day that tells you that this has to change, and this has to be transformed and this must be done in a conscious way. It is valuable to get deeper into the new synthesis, defend it and bring it to the masses.” And the compañera added, “We have to get organized. We cannot see ourselves as isolated individuals... Those of us who are dealing with this scientific theory... cannot stop getting together since we are part of the transformation... We cannot say, ‘Oh, OK, the party is made with abstract people’ and not see ourselves as part of the people who can come to make the party and hasten the revolution.”

Another compañera said, “When I started to understand a bit more about this, it was like I had grabbed myself and had said, ‘This is what I have to do’... It’s not enough for a person to stand in front of you and give you a lecture about an issue. You also have to wrangle with it, face it head on, learn about it, accept it, reject it... because in the end I think we are with this revolution, we are going to a certain point and to get this chain off of us, this oppression that affects everyone so much. Because I used to say, ‘What do I care? Nothing’s going on’... I don’t want my children, my nieces and nephews, and the children of my children to have opportunities closed off to them... How they were closed off in my case, or a threat from this government against them, like sometimes is still happening for me now.”

A compañero said, “What we do consciously will be decisive, and to take this new science... to arm ourselves with the new science, of what is true and what is not, and go out into the streets, knock on doors, go to the ejidos [collective peasant landholdings], into the factories, into the student movement... We are gonna talk about this, to criticize this, question this, we are gonna put it up for debate... I believe that this is the way, we are organizing the party, we are building the revolution.”

Another compañero said, “A self-criticism: Also in the movements where we have gone or where we have been, a lot of the time the passion of directly duking it out with the police has won out over us, instead of being tribunes of the people, instead of doing direct agitation among the people and winning them over. A lot of the time the passion of being with the people duking it out with the police was what won out over us. And instead of winning us over politically, we were being won over more by compañeros in the struggle, whoever landed more punches. I recognize this mistake. What has been missing... is being these tribunes of the people, political agitators to spread the new synthesis more broadly so more people learn about it. Many compañeros have stayed at that stage, just staying in the fight, in the fight, in the fight, and then there is a limit, it becomes a barrier, and what is needed is the theory to go further on.”

You can see how deep that the study and discussion of this important theory penetrates in transformation through struggle of the people’s consciousness and their role in the revolution.

Following the event, some of those who attended told us what it was like to be there and be part of this talk and debate. For reasons of space, we will only mention one example of a compañera who said, “I was really impressed. I was impressed by both the issues and by the compañeros who were there. Everyone weighed in focused on the issues that were raised. It was a positive event that I think met expectations.” In other comments, this was a common point: “It was very good, the points made were interesting, and everyone focused on the points.” The fact that they felt they were part of that collectivity really shows that they are not just isolated individuals out there in society who think about revolution, but they are and can be part of a collectivity, of an organized movement for revolution with the guidance of the new synthesis of Bob Avakian that has to grow.

The attendees also had a chance to learn about two important statements that are raising and calling to get into, study and apply the new synthesis of communism. These statements appeared on the occasion of May Day: “Declaration of Grupo Comunista Revolucionario de Colombia, May 1, 2016: Urgently needed: Take up the new synthesis of communism of Bob Avakian, the new framework required for a new stage of revolution!”, and from the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist), May Day 2016: “This Is an Emergency May Day Call! No Time to Waste! A Radically Different World Is Possible! Only If We Take Up the New Synthesis of Communism!” We encourage everyone to study these two important declarations, available at aurora-roja.blogspot.com or at www.revcom.us.

This event and the broad dissemination and discussion of the new synthesis that accompanied it was a good start to make greater leaps in the fight to make the new synthesis of communism become a powerful material force to make revolution and emancipate humanity. Collective study, more events like this in other parts of Mexico, and other new ways are being organized to make this theory and the leadership of Bob Avakian known more broadly and echo throughout the world.

 

For full coverage and the current issue of REVOLUTION click here

Volunteers Needed... for revcom.us and Revolution

Send us your comments.

If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.