Of incomplete revolutions

The article says that the CPM’s strategic objective is the successful completion of the ‘people’s democratic revolution’. This lays the foundations for the transition towards the completion of the ‘socialist revolution’ subsequently.

The successful completion of the people’s democratic revolution can be achieved, according to the article, only by completing the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal and anti-monopoly capital tasks. This can only be possible if the present Indian state led by the big bourgeoisie is replaced by a state led by the working class.

This can be achieved, according to the CPM’s programme, by the people’s democratic front — a front of all classes that are ranged against imperialism, feudal landlordism and the big bourgeoisie.

The article says that communalism poses an added threat to the advance of the revolutionary process. Communalism needs to be defeated for the most important objectives of safeguarding the secular democratic character of modern India and for protecting religious minorities — in other words, to safeguard India’s unity and integrity. “The stronger the communal forces become correspondingly weaker becomes the revolutionary unity amongst the exploited classes. To advance towards the people’s democratic revolution, it is, therefore, necessary to have an uncompromising struggle against the communal forces,” it says.

The intimate enemy

Prakash Karat, in his article, says that the 19th congress of the CPM is being held at a time when the global economy is being shaken by the onset of recession in the US and the crisis engulfing the global financial system. “The CPM has maintained that this finance-driven imperialist globalisation is unsustainable. This is becoming manifest in the present turmoil in the financial system”.

According to him, the trends towards multipolarity have developed further. The rising economic power of China, and the growing assertion by Russia of its vital interests are important factors in this development, he says. A number of countries have chosen Left governments and expressed their will to turn away from neo-liberal policies.

... contd.