Perestroika: The Complete Collapse of Revisionism 1874613001

Table of contents :
Preface
Chapter 1 Perestroika - A complete departure from Leninism
Chapter 2 Economics of Perestroika - A complete departure from Marxism-Leninism
Chapter 3 Economics of Perestroika - A complete departure from Marxism-Leninism, Part II
Chapter 4 Economics of Perestroika - A complete departure from Marxism-Leninism, Part III
Chapter 5 Glasnost - A complete departure from Marxism-Leninism
Chapter 6 Glasnost - A complete departure from Marxism-Leninism, Part II
Chapter 7 Historical Questions - A reassessment of the past, Part I
Chapter 8 Historical Questions - A reassessment of the past, Part II Stalin and the role of the peasantry
Chapter 9 Historical Questions - A reassessment of the past, Part III Stalin and the 'decapitation' of the Party and the Red Army
Chapter 10 Historical Questions - A reassessment of the past, Part IV Stalin and the 'Cult of Personality'
Chapter 11 The Economics of the Class Struggle under Socialism
Appendix I
Section A - A Counter-Revolutionary Current Sweeps Eastern Europe
Section B - The 28th Party Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Section C - Counter-Revolutionary coup against the Counter-Revolutionary regime fails and strengthens the Soviet Counter Revolution
Section D - Chinese Counter-Revolution Crushed
Appendix II Trotsky, the Market Socialist

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ev 1s 1o n1 sm Ha rpa l Bra r

Dedicated to

J. V. Stalin Fearless and Faithful Frien d of the International Prole tariat and Resolute Defe nder of Socialism and the Dictatorship of the Prole tariat

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Preface Cha pter 1 Pere stroi ka A comp lete depa rture from Lenin ism (From

1

March/April 1990)

Cha pter 2 Econo1nics of Pere stroi ka A comp lete depa rture from Marxism-Leninism (From

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June/J uly 1990)

Cha pter 3 Econo1nics of Pere stroi ka A comp lete depa rture from Marxism-Leninism - Part II (From

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July/August 1990)

Cha pter 4 cs of Pere stroi ka Econo1ni . A comp lete depa rture from Marxism-Leninism - Part Ill (From

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Decem ber/Ja nuaiy 1990/1)

Cha pter s · Glas nost A comp lete depa rture from Marxis.m-Leninism (From ·

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Februa ty/Ma rch 1991)

Cha pter 6 Glas nost A comp lete depa rture from Marxism-Leninism - Part II (From

March/April 1991)

Cha pter 7 Hist oric. al Questions A

reasse~ment of the

(From

past - Part I

May/June 1991)

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PERESTROIKA ~THE COM PLEIE COLLAPSE OF REVIS IONIS M

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Cha.p ter8 Hist oric al Que stion s - A reass essm ent of the past :P art II Stalin and the role of the peasa ntry

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. July/August 19," ti,. ha d its respectable sta by ly on t no ed pt om pr en be ve ha ka oi str re pe of at all cost." Th us th e id ea s it11 o1 ind tlie by ce, 11 cie n.} co led ub tro e cJz "by o als t bu ec on om ic co ns id er at io ns s 1u 11 " . .. 1z tio lzl vo Re e tlz 111 fro ed rit he in we h zic wJ ls ea id able commitment to •

fa r Go rb ac he v. v, he ac rb Go of ts en em nc ou on pr nt rta po im e th l al t un co If we ta ke in to ac e th at to ·ed er1 f re ts 11 me cu do e tiv ita or th au t os as co nt ai ne d in th e th re e m bsu lJe n ca ka oi str re pe of is es th s hi at th y sa n ca we le, be gi nn in g of th is ar tic di vi de d in to th e following ca teg or ies : d an ed nt ra ar nw t1 r t·o ism em ph eu a ry sto hi 1. A re as se ss m en t of So vi et nco ry ve a t no eit alb , pt m te at an d an n ali St ph se Jo tin sc ien tif ic at ta ck s on rld wo e th of ry sto hi e th in r te ap ch us io or gl at th g tin ga ne vincing on e, at d an ism in en -L sm xi ar M of er nn ba e th r de un , SR US pr ol et ar ia t in wh ich th e d le lle ra pa lln ed rm rfo pe , ad he its at n ali St th th e le ad er sh ip of th e CP SU , wi fe ats in the bu ild in g of so cia lis m. 2. Glasnost (o pe nn es s) - "den1ocratisatio11 of ..5oviet society.

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3. Re str uc tu rin g of th e So vi et ec on om y. 4. So cia lis m an d th e wo rld . is Th r. de or e rs ve re in a oik str re pe of s ct pe as e es th s us sc W e pr ef er to di e. th h t , wi g in al de w llo fo ll wi les tic ar er th O ar tic le is co nf m ed to 4. ab ov e. ot he r as pe cts .

SOCIALISM AND THE WORLD oc e th on rt po re s Hi . ue iss s thi to d te vo de is ok bo v's H al f of Go rb ac he a ns ai nt co n tio lu vo Re r be to Oc at re G e th of y ar ca sio n of th e 70 th An ni ve rs Jn i< lut vo Re er tob Oc he "T n tio ua sit l na io at rn te in e th se ct io n de al in g wi th em nt co e th of sis aly an his es giv v he ac rb Go and Today's World" - in wh ich vlie be tin of e iiS se e th (in tic as nt fa e m so th wi po ra ry wo rld an d co m es up th wi ds od at e ar st, lea e th y sa to , ich wh ns tio ula ab le) th eo re tic al f or111 by en ev ed rs do en n tio ua sit rld wo e th of sis aly an e th th wi e reality, at va ria nc e nc ie sc e th m fro re rtu pa de r ea cl a d an , ss re ng Co th e CP SU at its 27 th Pa rty nu r1 fo e am lfs se e es th s at pe re o to rt po Re 88 19 e Th of M ar xi sm -L eP in ism . lat io ns .

PER ESn lOI KA - A coM PLE ITE DEPAR·1·uRE FRorv1 I... El\JlNISM

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Integral and Interdependent World. Go rba che v's mai n the sis is tha t the wo rld we live in is an inte1·dependcnt and inte gra l wor ld. Ign orin g all the bas ic con trad icti ons of our epo ch ( tl1e con trad icti ons bet wee n soc iali sm and imp eria lism ; bet wee n imp eria lism and the opp res sed nat ion s and peo ple s of the wor ld; between the proletariat and the bou rge oisi e; and bctv1een the variot1s imp eria list cou ntri es) , Go rbac hev says:

know this concept proceeds fro111 the idea tlzat for all the profou1zd co11tradictio11s of the co1ztenzporary world, for all tlze radical differe1zces a111ong tlze co1.i1ztries tha t conzpri:;e it, i.t i~, i1zterdepe11de1zt and integral" ( 1987 Re.p ort) . On wh at gro und s can one cha rac teri se this wo rld as inte rde pen den t and inte gra l? He re is Go rba che v's ans wer : "11ze reasons for this i1zclude the intenzatio11alisation of the world economic ties, the conzprehe11sive scope for scientific a11d technological ,..evolution, the esse1itial .novel role pla yed b)' tlze nzass nzedia, tl1e state of the earth's resources, tlze co1nnzo1i e11 i iron11iental da1zge1· a1zd tlze cryi11g social problems of the developi1ig world whiclz affect us all. Tlie mai1i rea..\To1i however is tlze problenz of .lz11.11zan sz1.rvival. This problem is now with us because tlie developme1zt· of 1zuclear vveapo1is a1zd the tlz1·eate11ing prospects of their use have called into qLlestio1z tJze very existe1zce of tJze J1uma1i race." (ibid.). The re is not hin g· new about this "internationalisation of world economic s day ly ear y ver its m Fro lf. itse ism ital cap n der mo as old as is it for , ties 1

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cap ital ism has sou ght not hin g sho rt of a wo rld ma rke t. Thi s fac tor was at the bas is of the geo gra phi cal disc ove ries from the 15t h cen tury onw ard s, not to mention the slave trad e, col oni sati on of the new world and subsequently inof s term in n eno nom phe this of talk to is one If ica. Afr and a Asi of t tha terd epe nde nce , one mig ht as wel l go on to talk jus t as leg itim atel y of the interd epe nde nce of the rob ber and t11e one wh o is rob bed . Tha t imp eria list s, and the ir ideologi1es, shot1ld spe ak in suc h term s in an atte mp t to con cea l their exploitation of the opp res sed peoples is und ers tan dab le. Bu t on the of les cip prin the m fro re artu dep ble issi erm imp an is it ts nis mu com of t par Marxic;m-Leninism. -As for the mu ch- trum pet ed "scientific and technological revolutio1z," aga in the re is not hin g new abo ut tha t eith er. The nev er-c eas ing cap ital ist ue, val s plu sur of ts oun am r ate gre and te1· grea of tion rac ext the r afte ~e cha

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PERFS:rROIKA - TI-IE CO MP LEI E COLLAPSE OF REVISIONISM

exp ress ing itse lf thro ugh the law of com pet itio n, sees to it tha t technical ·progress tak es pla ce continually. Bu t no one wh o calls himself a com mu nis t should allow himself to be so daz zle d by suc h technological .revolutio·~ as to

forget that " ... within the capitalist system all methods for raising the social productiveness of labour are brought about at· the cost of the individual labourer_; all means for the development ofproduction transfotf!l themselves into . me ans of domination over, and exploitation of, the producers; they mutilate the labourer into a fragment of a man, degrade him to the level of an append'age of a machine, destroy every remnant of chann in his work and tum i..t into a hat efu l toil ... subject· him to a ·despotism the more hateful for its mean11ess. u (M arx , Capital Vol I, p. 645). Fur the.r, the ad\ranced cap ital ist co·untries are busily pre ssin g into service

this scientific and technological revol.ution for the inte nsi fica tion of t4e sup er-e xpl oita tion of the peo ple in the vas t con tine nts of Asi a, Africa an.d. Lat in Am eric a and now increasingly those of Eas tern Eur ope , e.g., Poland, Hungary, etc. No.r are the imp eria list s par ticu larl y con cer ned about nthe com mo n environ men tal danger and the crying social pro ble ms of the developing world.'' Tha n.ks to imp eria list sup er-e xpl oita tion , the peo ple of this ttdeveloping world11 are sinking ever dee per into pov erty and deb t, to rep ay wh ich th.e y are inc rea sing ly des troy ing· rain fore s ts, gro win g cas h cro ps instead of th.e food they nee d to eat, imp orti ng food at· great cost, and get ting into fur th.e.r· ind ebt edn ess as a res·ult.

But above all, Go rba che v in his Re por t presses hom.e his main.· argume nt·: .

"The ma in reason, however, is the problem of hum an survival. 11 An d this pro ble m of hum an survival, this fea r co·ncer11ing the pos sib le extinction of the ht1man rac e through a nuc lea r exchange, arg ues Go rbachev, is com pel ling even the imp eria list s t~o com e to ter1ns with. the fact ·t hat we are all intc:rde pen den t in an inte gra l world and mu st coo per ate with. eac h other. An d in this passionate, not to say wishful, pur sui t of a wo rld of coo per atio n - bet wee n imp eria lism and socialism, bet wee n exp loit ers and the exp loit ed, betWeen the o.p pre sso rs and the op_p res sed - all th.e rea l con . tradictions of the con tem por ary wo rld are swe pt und er th.e rug.. Tru e, the re is the fea r of mu tua l destruction . :But this has not: stc»pped.. the im.p eria list wa r pla ns. Wh at has prevented a nuc lea r att·ack by im.perial.ism so far has bee n the abili.ty of the -Soviet ·u :n ion to lau nch an effective reI

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.PERESTROIKA. - A COMPI .~EIE DEPA RTUR E FROM LENINISM

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taliat ory strike , and not some comm on conce rn on the part of the warn1on. gers of the N.A TO Allia nce for saving h11manity from the scour ge of a nucle.a r war. While Gorb achev is busy putting the best gloss on the foreign · ·polic ies o.f the impe rialis t count ries, the US busie s itself with the Star Wars project, which is aime d at enabl ing the u·s to break. out of the restri ction s of nucle ar parity and acquire a first-strike capacity against the USSR. While Gorb achev make s the asser tion "a new comprehensive system of international. security in the context of disannament is needed and possible," while he gropes in the dark, out of faith. rathe r than reaso n, "to identify the laws gov-

erning the inter-action of the forces which through rivalry, contradiction and conflicting interests, can _produce ~he desired effect·" [desi red by whom, one might ask], the impe rialis ts are going abou t their usual busiriess of undermining the mora l, politi cal, social, econo mic and military fotind ation s of socialism with truly Ame rican - or shall we say Japan ese - efficiency. Without firing a single shot they have achie ved the virtual disintegration of the Warsaw Pact as a cohesive defen sive allian ce for peace and socia l progr ess, while keeping intac t the aggressive warmongering N.A TO Alli~ce. Nature of lmpef'.'i&lism On the funda ·m ental quest ion of the natur e o:f imperialism, Gor.bachev asks:

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''But given the cu"ent stage of ·the world's devel~pment and the new lev~l of its interdependence and integration. is it possible to influence that natu·':e and block its more dangerous manifestations? Jn other words, can. we be sure that the laws operating in the integral world in which universal human values have i·op priority will restrict the scope of the destructive· effects produced by the ~peration of the egocentric laws which benefit· only the ruling classes and are basic to the capitalist·system." (Our emph asis - 1987 Repo rt, page 48). The formulation above is nothing sho·rt· of a self-annibilatory, seJf-co.ntradictory m11mbo-jumbo. On the one hand we are told that ours is an int·e-· gral world with its own laws; on the other hand the quest ion is asked: can the laws of this integral world block the working of the basic law of the capitalist system? It is the type of question of which it is said that a fool can ask ' more of than ten wise men can answer. One.' s head begin s to swirl on reading such a forinu lation . One does not kn.ow whic·h is more powe rful, the laws of the integral. wo.rld or the basic. law of the capitalist system, or lJniversal hum.a n val.u.es, which, we are told, have top priority.

PE RE SIR OIK A - 'IH E CO MP ! .EI E CO LL AP SE OF REVISIONISM

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afthe in ion est qu ve abo n ow his ers sw an. v che rba Go y, ma it Be tha t as fir111ative . An d this affirrnative ans we r of his is fir·mly gro un de d in wishful of s ion dit con te cre con the of is lys ana te cre con any on n tha thinlcing rat her sspre op s rou nst mo e, rac ns ar1 c nti fra a by d ise ter rac cha is ich wh , rld ou r wo

ion an d exploitation of the thi rd wo rld , nak ed agg res sio n aga ins t sm all ifiens int d an a)) nam Pa d an a ad en Gr a, agu car Ni as ch (su s ion nat sov ere ign to nce gla y sor cur a t cas to y onl s ha e On ns. tio dic tra con s cat ion of var iou wn do ht rig it spl is ich wh e on t bu rld wo al egr int an t no is rs ou t tha rea lise the mi dd le. Go rba che v, the n, go es on to ask fur the r que stio ns:

neco the iii p elo dev d an n ctio fun d an m ris ita mil of rid get lism ita "Can cap ? • •th h . . .. it. t ou omzc .sp ere wz II

An d fur the r:

the eat thr ible terr the of s nes are aw s thi t tha pe ho r ou is ic list rea ''How world is facing an d we know that this awareness is making itj~ way even i1zto the t par a e om bec l wil ] ists ial per im ., [i.e e elit ing rnl rn ste We the of ns elo higher ech 011 111 com of ~· ent uni arg the ul cef for r eve how all er Aft s? icie pol al ctic of pra the l rfu we po r eve how y, ilit sib pon res of se sen the ed lop eve ll-d we sense, however stiere und be t no st nzu ich wh gs thin ll J'ti are re the ion vat ser pre fsel instinct of mated and which are detemiined by economic a1id consequently class based interests." secon d an ic o1n o1z "ec ore ign to ion nat 11i er1 det v's che rba Go of w In vie qu,ently class based interests," on e is baf fle d by the inc lus ion of the last senlity rea the g tin lec ref ce, ten sen ich wh , aph agr par d ote qu veabo the ten ce in aro11nd us, effectively dem oli she s all the no nse nse abo ut ou r 'in teg ral ' an d 'in ter dep end ent ' wo rld with its own laws. Finally, Go rba che v rep eat s the sam e qu est ion in the following gen era l for m:

''In other words, the question is wlzether capitalism can adapt itself to tlze d mi new a of s o11 diii con the to , rld wo free ns apo we r lea nuc a of s ion dit con d an al ctu elle int the ich wh in s ion dit con the to er, ord mic eQ-Uitable eco11o moral values of the two ivorld systems will be compared honestly. u In view of Go rba che v's ow n adm~ssion tha t the re are "thing,.r; w/1£ch niu st secon d an c mi no eco by d ine enn det are ich wh d mi ted ima est not be u1zder 11 it s les un ion est qu s thi ask to d nee he es do y wh ts, res inte sed ba ss cla y ntl que by ely cis pre ns sio clu con ss dle 11n gro e som ng chi rea of se rpo is for the pu

SM NI NI LE OM FR E UR RT PA DE IE .H I MP CO A KA OI SIR RE PE

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is f sel him he t tha sts ere int ic om on ec d se ba ss cla ry ve se tho ng ati un de res tim aw are of? Modification of Contradictions. red ow lab be his d hin be t cre se the us to ls ea rev v he ac rb Go g Be fo re lon qu es tio ns in the following ter1ns:

antr co the of n tio ica dif mo th ep ind an d sse tne wi s ha d rio pe r wa st"The po y om on ec 's rld wo the in s nd tre l ipa inc pr the e zin tem de to dictions that used en n,e ber rs wa to d lea ly ab iit ine t tlza s nd tre the to all e ov ab er ref I cs. an d politi capitalists themselves." ifiod n1 th ep ind an of e tim a as d rio pe r wa stpo the e ris cte ara ch to First, of d rio pe a t fac in is It th. tru all of sty ve tra a is s" ion catio1i of contradict 0

res d an n tio ica sif en int st he hig the gh ou thr y tor his an 1m h1 in e nc gr ea t ad va d an m lis cia so n ee tw be s ion ict ad ntr co ly lar cu rti pa s olu tio n of co ntr ad ict ion d se es pr op the d an m lis ria pe im n ee tw be d an , nd ha e on the im pe ria lis m on twi t tha d rio pe a is It . nd ha er oth the on rld wo the na tio ns an d pe op les of the , pe ro Eu rn ste Ea in s cie cra mo De ' les op Pe the of ce en erg ne sse d the em e th , ns tio olu rev e es am etn Vi d an n ba Cu n, rea Ko se, ine tri11mph of the Ch Ca d an an ric Af , ian As of es or sc l era sev by e nc de en ep ind of t en ac lii ev em op c nti fra of th tee the in ce pla k too es nc va ad se the l rib be an co un tri es. Al of n tio ica dif mo th ep ind gh ou thr t no m lis ria pe im m po sit ion fro co ntr ad ict ion s in ou r su pp os ed ly int eg ral wo rld . nco the of n tio ca ifi od 1n th ep ind an th wi ed dit cre be d rio pe s No r ca n thi t no ve ha es tri un co t lis ria pe im the t tha nd ou gr the tra dic tio ns me rel y on ne do t no ve ha y the y wh ow kn e W er. oth ch ea st ain ag r se en fit to wa ge wa is g, eg e's rat cu e th e lik , ich wh er, sw an an s lie pp su f sel him v so. Go rb ac he go od in pa rts :

t bu r wa st pa the of son les the ly on t no is It t. e1i fer dif is n tio "Today the situa sys rld wo a v no~ by m, lis cia so of e fac the in gth en str its 1g pi1 sap also the fear of ns tio dic tra 11 co l' na ter 'in its ing ow al/ m fro sm ali pit ca d ite ve1 pre ve Jza tenz, tliat al gic olo hn tec a o int lve evo to n ga be s ion ict rad 1zt co ese Th to go to extremes. m. lis nia olo o-c ne of lp he the th wi ed en mp da re we d wi s tor eti nip race agai1zst co e nll the h wit d rte sta s wa rld wo the of ing ion tit pw l' A kind of new 'peacefu the s wa ver oe wh to ing go re sha big the l~ ita cap to ng rdi co )ac ed Lenin i.de1ztifi ten se' 'ea to n ga be es tri un co me So nt. me mo the at st liie alt we strongest an d us ind ry lita mi the o int s rce ou res the g sin eli 1zn ha rec by sions in the eco1zomies n thi wi g i12 zirr occ s ge an ch e Th t'. ea thr t vie 'So of t tex pre the r ide u1 trial complex

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Ifie technological and organisational infra-structure of capitalist economy also helped to clear contradictions and balance different interests." In the opening sentence, Gorbachev makes the correct remark that imperialists have not come to blows with each other for fear of sapping their strength ·ln the face of socialism. 'l his, far from being evidence of an indepth modification of _contradictions in our allegedly integral worl.d, only goes to prove subordination of one type of contradiction - the inter-·imper.ialist one - in the face of another type - the one between imperialism and socialism.-. and the attempts of the i111perialist counttj_~s to solve their crisis at the cost of socialism.. And sadlyy the attempt appears to be succeeding thanks to the theory of the integral world with its oW.n laws and.modification of contradictions.. · •

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The extraction of superprofits "with the help of neo- colonialism" is presented ·by Gorbachev as a "kind of new 'peaceful' partitioning" and as yet another proof of the indepth modification of contradictions in our wonderfully integral -and interdependent' world. It scarcely needs proof th·a t in this instance too the picture painted by Gorbachev is violently discordant with. reality. In order to impose these neo- oolonial relations, to achieve- this 'peaceful' partition, imperialism has waged, and continues to wage, wars against the newly-emergent countries. The wars of intervention and imper- · ialist-inspired civil strife in countries such as .Angola, Moz.ambique, Nica:ragt1a, El Salvador and a host of other countries are hardly a testimony to the modification of contradictions and peaceful partition of the world. Equally, the people of the third world continue to wage their revolutionary wars against imperialism and its puppets with increased ferocity. They do not· peacefully submit to such 'peaceful' partition, which is aimed at solving the inter-imperialist contradictions at their expense. If Gorbachev were to visit places such as Soweto, San Salvador, the Occupied Territories of Palestine, etc., an.d talk to the peoples there about this ,peaceful' partition, it is not hard to imagine that the response he would get would be terse and less than civil. '

It is equally wrong of Gorbachev to p~esent the n1ilitary industrial complex in the imperialist countries as a rather haf.01less agency for easing tensions, rather than presenting it ·for what it really is, namely, the natural and inevitable product of monopoly capitalism, an integral.part of its very being, and an instrument directed against socialism and national liberation movements the world over.

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PE RF SI RO IK A- A COMPI RI B DEPARTIJREFROM LENINISM

nco of ing en mp da e th d an n o i. t . rti pa l' efu ac 'pe st ali eri Of course, the im.p ge en all ch a t me ve ha d ul. co . ism ial n lo. co one of lp he e th th wi tradictions rGo ut B : n. tio rti pa ~ ful ace 'pe . ch su t ep cc a . to , ing us ref c. blo t lis · fro m th e socia rde un SR US e th t tha ce ran su as g hin uc t(1 es giv rt po Re 87 19 his ba ch ev in ut· tho wi do to le ab un be ll wi d an en be J; ha sm ali pit ca stands tha t "developed his ng eri sev for lls ca e Th ct fa e tiv jec ob an is is Th s. rce ou res these countries' . (p ." ion lut so no er off d an s mt e1 ng da are s tie ic om on ec torically shaped world 51). He is even mo re candid.in.his book where he says: l ca mi ini als go e rsu pu t no do we ~ ns sio ca oc ny ma on d ine pla ex "I have tin La ia, As st, Ea le dd Mi the nt· rta po im w ho ow kn We to· Western intereits. n ica er Am for are a ric Af uth So o als d; an ns gio -re rld wo rd thi America, other t i:u To s.. rce ou s . ial ter ma w .ra as r ula rtic pa in s, ~e om on ec an pe ro Eu and West e ok ov pr to e sir de no ve ha we d an , do to nt wa we ng thi t these links is the las lf (Perestroika p. . sts ere int c mi no o ec· l tua mu 4 me fo1 lly ica tor his ruptures in •

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178).

.

d, ge an ch s ha at th m lis ria pe im of e· tur na the t no is it ~ ou ns tur it Thus, . m lis ria pe im of s ed ne the to SR US the of ip rsh de lea the bu t the attitude of . pil t lis ria pe im g sin po op of ad ste In .. ion nit og rec nd yo be d ge n a· cb th at has ng hti fig se tho ~to e nc a t· is a~ ble ssi po all · ing giv of d tea ins lage and robbery; t en es pr the , ee cti a r· p : the en be d ha rto he hit as , rld wo rd thi against it in the the of. g din an rst de ·un e · let mp co a ch su s ow sh n io Un t vie So lea de rsh ip of the nt wa to t· no as es tri un co se the of es urc so r·e e th r de un pl to ed imperialist ne . bly ma s11 Pre ". sts ere int ic om on ec l tua mu d, ne fon . to ru pt ur e "the historically be se tho ing lud inc s, on ati rel c i. om on ec tr me fo1 lly ca fr·o m now on no "histori its plo ex ter lat the . ich wh r de un e, isi eo urg bo e th d an iat tw ee n the pr ole tar KTUpto ke sta mi a s wa it o to ly ab um res P · d. ge en all ch . be st mu er, the foroa an ssi Ru e th ~d sm ari Cz n ee tw be stt on aa rel d ne on f y all nc sto "hi ture" th e ita plo ex st ali pit ca f o· sts ere int the r fo ard reg ing ch tou pe op le in 1917! Such in d, fie cti san , ay n · , ted era tol be to is n tio ita o l. xp r-e pe tion an d imperialist su th ep ind an ich wh in d, orl w · t · n · de en ep erd int d an ral eg int the the name of ex~ the of r fea the of e us ca be ce pla n ke a t· s ha s ion ict ad ntr co of n tio modifica ch su er nd wo o N· . s. on ap we ar cle nu by d se po e rac n tinction of the b11ma m, lis ria pe im of s ive tat en res rep : ist un mm co tian y idl raQ d an ary arc h rea cti on r he atc Th t· are arg M ier em Pr d an t) en d i, es Pr US er rl~ as Ro na ld Reagan (fo sibu do n ca We v~ he ac ib Go r M . e lik e '*W es: fac ir the on n. declare With a gri ness with him." Yes indeed!

PE RE ST R·OIKA - 'I'H E CO MP I .EI E CO LI. AP SE OF REVISIONISM

The Question of Militarisation the are se the , SU CP the of s res ng Co rty Pa th 27 the to ort rep In his tern1s in which Go rba che v des cri bes the mi lita ris m of the age of ele ctr on ics :

n tio olu rev l ica log hno tec d an ific ent sci the of ces uen seq con d mi ets "The fac differ in different socio-political syste1ns. Capitalism of the 1980s, the capitalis , ots rob d an ers put com e, enc sci n atio 01m itif d an cs oni ctr ele of age ism of the of t ou , ple peo ed cat edu d an ng you ing lud inc , ple peo of is lio1 mil throwing more a of s nd lia the in ted tra cen con gly sin rea inc ng bei are r we po d an h alt We jobs. lly dua gra ves stri o als d an , atly gre e rac zs am the on g ivin thr is i risn lita Mi f elv. d an t ies ugl the ing om bec is It er. pow o.,f ers lev cal liti po the r ove to gain control the rts, effo its of se cau Be y. tur cen h 20t the of er nst mo ous ger dan the mo st mo st ad1,,anced scientific and technical ideas are being converted into weapons of mass destruction. u t Bu 6. 198 h, arc -M ary bru Fe in s wa s tJJ.i t bu t, rec cor y tel olu Th is is abs t tha ert ass to on es go he rt, po Re 7 198 his in er, lat s nth mo en hte bar ely eig mi lita ris ati on is nei the r inh ere nt to, .n or the inevitable con seq uen ce of, mo nly Ita d an y an rm Ge st We an, Jap of les mp exa the es giv He . lism ita op oly cap rafte the in on ati ris ita mil t hou wit ved zie acl y the e" acl mir mic ono "ec the an d e acl mir this en wh t tha t mi ad to ced for is He r. Wa rld Wo d on ma th of the Sec , ists ins he , ver we Ho . i11" aga m ris ita mil to ck ba ed itch sw y the end an "came to thi s was no t roo ted "in the essential laws governing the operation of the co11temporary monopoly capital" bu t "by extraneous /actors - the 'contagious rit, spi its d an r, wa ld co the ex, npl co1 l ria zist ind d an ary ilit m . US exaniple' of the to le ab be to ' fist d ile 'ma n ow e's on e hav to ed 1ze the e, sti.g pre of s tion era co1isid •

talk to one's competitors i1; a commo1ily-understood language and the desire s. itic pol r we po h wit ies ntr cou rld Wo ird Th of on asi i1iv c mi no eco to back one's list ita cap m de mo tl1e en wh iod per a s •va re the , son rea ual act the r W1zate11e s wa ing nd spe ry ita mil ere wh ies ntr cou l era sev in idly rap ped elo dev my eco1io 11ii11i1nu1n. The relevant historical experience is m1ai/able." aress nec t no es do lism ita cap ly po no mo of ent pm elo dev , rds wo er In oth ily lead to militarisation. It is strange indeed to suggest tha t fac tor s suc h as le lab nci eco irr the of es tim ' ful ace 'pe in n sio res exp an is h hic (w r wa the col d ha tre d of im per ial ism for socialism), int er- im per ial ist rivalry (" .... the need to be able to talk to 01:e's co11ipetitors iii a commonly un de nto od language," if

rld Wo ird Th of on asi i1iv c mi no eco e's on ck ba to ire des e "th and ), you please countries with power politics" (i.e., in1perialist bullying a·in1ed at securing the

SM NI NI LE Vf OI FR RE IJ RT A EP D "IE .E PI M CO A . PERFSrnOll

~ , ~~

··~.i,

agr eem ent . Eac h sc·n tcn t.e glorifying the ad\ ant·a ges of soc iali sm is bal. . anc ed by a scnt1.:.n ce bcm.oaning :the tragedy· o·f S()Cialism; cacf1 ·1Jr,JnouncC-· me nt in favour of th.c-st·re·ngtl1 c>f t. hc pla n·n cd soc iali st CC()n.om)~· il.1 countc;rerming'· intelligentsia. said yesterday, Goiba.c hev is 'bound t() follo·w· tom.·m ; • The Ilogical 6Ud ab · I

44

PER EST RO IKA - TI-IE CO MP LE l'E CO LlA PS E OF RE \'lS ION ISM

sur d con clu sio n, alb eit t1nstated, is tha t onl y in the con dit ion s of the revival an d res tor ati on of cap ita lism is it pos sib le to bu ild socialism! On ly in the " con dit ion s of a ma rke t eco nom y, as op po sed to a cen tra lly -pl ann ed soc ial ist eco no my (be g-y ou r-p ard on , an 'ad mi nis tra tiv e' or a 'co mm and ' eco no my ), is it pos sib le to ..mobilise rather thOJi suppress all of the working people's crea-

tive e1iergies."

Fro m the con tem pt wit h wh ich Sh me lyo v tre ats the So vie t wo rke rs, accus ing the m of "sloth", "indolence", "dr unk enn ess ", "irresponsibility'', "ap ath y', "lack of res pec t for ho nes t work" - eve n as suf fer ing "physical de gra dat ion ", for no oth er rea son tha n tha t the y do no t wa nt to give up the fru its of full em plo ym ent tin der soc ial ism wh ich the y hav e enj oy ed for ov er six dec ade s, it is no t difficult to see wh ich "people" he has in mi nd, an d wh ose "cr eat ive energies" will be mo bil ise d rat he r tha n sup pre sse d if the Shmelyovs in the US SR suc cee d in eff ect ing the tra nsi tio n fro m "ad mi nis tra tive socialism" to "economic-acco11ntability socialism", i.e., fro m soc ial ism to cap ita lism . Th ese peo ple are no ne oth er tha n the bo urg eoi s int ell ige nts ia in the US SR - the Shmelyovs, Ma kar ov s, Ag anb egy ans an d the ir cou nte rpa rts in the Co mm un ist Pa rty of the So vie t Un ion , the Yeltsins, Ab alk ins an d so on an d so for th - wh o are the mo st ard en t adv oca tes of a ma rke t eco no my an d wh o wo uld ben efi t mo st fro m it. Th e wo rki ng cla ss of the US SR , kno wing tha t it wo uld los e eno rrn ous ly in a ma rke t eco nom y, is nat ura lly no t ver y kee n on its int rod uct ion . Th e rea cti on ary fairy tal e con coc ted by Sh me lyo v do es vio len ce to reality, for the NE P pro du ced in its wa ke no t only the kulaks (ri ch pea san ts) , bu t als o ins ati abl e pro fit- mo ng eri ng tra der s kn ow n as Ne pm en. Th e dev elop me nt of the NE P finally rea che d a po int at wh ich the So vie t gover11ment had eit her to give ttp the NE P or sur ren de r to cap ita list ele me nts ge ne rat ed by it. Th e So\Tiet gover11ment qu ite cor rec tly cho se the for rne r pa th an d lau nch ed its pro gra mm e of soc ial ist con str uct ion with the first five-year pla n an d the collectivisation drive.

Du rin g the course of the implementation of the first an d sec on d fiveyear plans, the Comm11nist Party of the So vie t Un ion and the So vie t go ver nme nt were abl e to mo bil ise the cre ati ve ene rgi es of the So vie t pe op le to sucl, an extent tha t the se pla ns we re no t me rel y fulfilled bu t overfi1lfilled in less than the pla nn ed five yea rs for eac h plan. Bu t list eni ng to this bo urgeo is sniveller, Shmelyov, it wo uld ap pe ar tha t the ina ug ura tio n of the five-

ECONOMICS OF PERESIR OIKA - II

45

year plans put an end for all time to the creative energie s of the Soviet people. This vile slande1· and bourgeo is whining does not corresp ond with the historic al reality of the late 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, during which the Soviet people, through feats of heroic socialis t labour, broke out of their medieva l integum ent and almost caught up with the most advance d capitali st countries in less than a decade and a half of socialist plannin g and constru ction. Had it not been for this truly miracul ous speed of constru ction, thanks to central plannin g and collectivisation, the USSR would not have been able to lead successfully the fight against Hitlerit e German y. During the war the Soviet Union produce d the best war planes, the best tanks, and the most advanced armame nts - the materia l basis for \Vhich had been laid in the building of heavy industry , in particul ar the metallu rgical and machine -buildin g industri es, during the five-year plans. It is precisel y these develop ments in Soviet industry , which provide d the materia l basis, along with the self-sac rificing heroism of the Soviet people, for the smashin g of the Nazi war machine. This fact has been recog11ised the world over to such an extent that no one has hitherto dared to questio n it. But no\v come 'Soviet' bourgeo is econom ists, who, motivat ed by a desire to restore capitali sm, are obliged to denigra te the greatest achieve ments of socialis m and paint the period of socialist constru ction in the darkest colours.

was

introdu ced, the Soviet econom y was In early 1921, when the NEP shattere d. The gross out·put of agricult ure was only one half of the pre-war output, that is, one half of the output of the poverty -stricke n Russian country side of Tsarist days. What is worse, there was a harvest failure in many of the provinc es. •

Matters were far worse on the industri al front. Output of large-sc ale industry was a mere one seventh of pre-war output. Most mills and factorie s were at a standstill; mines and collierie s were wrecked and flooded . The conditio n of the iron and steel industry was the gravest of all. The total output of pig iron was only 116,300 tons - a mere 3% of the pre-war output. There was a shortag e of fuel, and transpo rt was in a state ot' dislocat ion. Stocks of metal and textiles were all but exhaust ed. There was an acute shortag e of such basic necessit ies as bread, meat, fats, footwea r, clothing , salt, matches , kerosen e and soap. People put up with such conditio ns of scarcity during the war. But now that the war was over, they were no longer prepare d to do so. Discont ent

46

PEF_fSf ROIKA - TIIE COMPLE TE COLlAP SE OF REVISIONISM

began to s1lfface a111ong the peasant ry. The fire of civil war had welded and healed the military and politica l alliance of the working class and the peasantry. The basis of this alliance was that while tl1e peasant ry received the protecti on of the Soviet govern1nent against the landlord s and the kulaks, the \Vorkers receive,} foodstuf fs from the peasant ry l1nde1· the surplus- ap-

propria tion system. With the wai· ending, this basis was no longer adequat e. Now that there was no longc1· any danger of the landlords returning, the peasant s began to express dissatisfaction with the surplus- appropr iation system and to demand an adequa te st1pply of goods. As Lenin put it, the whole system of war comm11nism had come into collision with the interest s of the peasant ry. The spirit of disc,o ntent began to affect the working class as well. In the conditio ns of~ utter econom ic dislor.ation, with few factories and mills operating except spasmod ically, the ·W'orkers were i-e.duced to doing odd jobs for a living, making cigarett e lighters and engagin g in petty barterin g for food in the villages ('bag tracling'). Hunge1· and wearine ss we1·e causing discont ent among the Vt'orkers. 1 'he class basis of the dictator ship of the proletar iat was being tmde1·mi11ed. It was ii1 these dire circ1amstances that Lenin and the Bolshev ik party put into operatio n the NEP, even though it involved a partial return to capitalis m.

In vie.w of the foregoing, is it permiss ible to compar e the lTSSR of today, which is the second most powerft1l economy in the world and in which the working class constitu te a majority of the population, with that of 1921? Those who now demand , on the pretext of the slowing down of the rate of growth of the Soviet economy, a 1·eversion to the methods of 1921 and the re-intro duction of tl1e NEP, are simply advocating the restorat ion of capitalism pure and simple. Ca.!li11g it a 'regulat ed market econom y' does not change matters one iota.

. . . . . ha pt er ~ Dece mber /] anua ry 1990/1

Th e Ec on om ics of Pe re str oi ka A complete dep art ure from Ma rxi sm -Le nin ism Pa rtm Attempts at de-Collectivisation advo catin g the dism antl ing of the socialist plan ned econ omy and its repl acem ent by a mar ket econ omy in the field of indu stry , on the agri cult ural fron t Shmelyov's pres crip tion is noth ing shor t of de-collectivisation of Sov iet agri cult ure and its repl acem ent by sma ll-sc ale indi vidu al farm • mg. ~·e

''Collective and state farms'~ he says, "mzist have the right to sell tlzeir output freely to state and cooperative organisatio1is and to consumers ... Personal auxiliary farming must be put fully on a par witli collective fanning in terms of both economic and social rights". (Shmelyov p.4). Her e Shmelyov is riot only calling for pers onal and collective farm ing to be put on an equa l basis, whic h wou ld be a reac tion ary and back war d eno ugh step anyway, but also for the intro duct ion of an "unrestricted rigJit" by the colle ctive and state farm s "to sell tlieir output freely to state and cooperative organisations and to consumers'~ which can only lead to unre stric ted, bou ndle ss and all-e mbr acin g com mod ity prod ucti on and capi talis m in agricult ure, albe it thro ugh a n11mber of inte rme diar y step s. All thes e mea sure s advo cate d by the Shmelyovs, who are, sad to say, r11nning the show and than ks to who m the Sov iet econ omy is on the verg e of coll apse , are desi gned to u.nder111in~ collective farms, the idea bein g that sma ll com mod ity econ omy will sure ly - if slowly at frrst - lead to sma ll farms, with thei r alleg ed enterp rise and individual initiative, supp lyin g ab11ndantly to the Soviet econ omy . To even thin k that sma ll farm ing can solve the food prob lem s of the USS R with its pop ulat ion of 280 million is to indu lge in reac tion ary day-

·'.L.~.:t-~ .·1.·H · .,\.·'IS 1-,, -(.,. . . p .,s·.... ·.- )L·1·., , · ...... P"n-·R·. 1·~ ',s . "Io '11...,'t. ·" .l ~~ ·Ill.~ . . .r ~J .. ."·... .1I'~- (~c ".: ,:'\-.,. "' '11· " .· JK

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·.. · l~bn1' or ~~" (·)c1~·-~;\·1.~1d, ·which. are notorious en.rld. But these bo·urgeois economists don:; t give a da·mn a·bout f'ood sh.ortages and th.e misery such shortages visit on c1r·dinary working :pcoplel T;hcy are sc) passion ately and single-mi·ndedly en... gaged. in the attem.p ts at restorin g ca~pi.t·alist relations o:f~ prod·u ction i·n. industry and agric·U:lture t·hat t'hcy· are pre:pare d tc) overloo.k: such '·m·inc)r' in-conveni ences as t:he suf'fering bo·und. to be ca·uscd to te:ns of millions of people consequen.t ·upon suc'.h restoration, 'With its resultan t exploitati.on o:f the many ·by th.e few, ·unempl oyment , hr1nger, squalor and .misery. On the which, class contrary , they th·ink it rathe·r a good t'hing :for ·the So·viet workiqg .. they claim, :has degener ated because of the security· of=full employ ment. Continu es Mr Shmelyov:

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We must·finally decide once at.id for all ·what· is most· important to u.~~- to .ha.ve an abundance of food or to eternally indulge an assort1n e1zt of i"espo1i.sible loudmouth:·} and proponents· of equality in _poi'erly. We need to call stu.Pidity, inc·ompetence and active Stalinism by their proper nam.es. We need to · do whatever it takes·to ensure an ample supply of foodstuff.v, for without that the idea of actiyating the hunian factor will.go nowhere•· ('ibid). 0

:In ordinar y language, the meani·n g of the above-q uoted r emarks boils down to ·the fallowing: First, only privatised market-.orientcd agricul.turc can. ensure an abun~ dant supply of food. SeC()n.dJ·y, that the struggle of t'hc prol.etariat to do away "'ith explo.i.tation, its struggle for equality through the a·bolitio.n. of classes, its struggle to ·traverse-in the direction of the .higher phase of co.m. . m11nism by reducing disparity, .is. tantamo unt to a strµggl.e for ~!equality ·in .povertytt. And fmally·, anyon.e who disagrees with. these two ·p ro.positions is guilty of ustupidity", in.competence'~ and ~tstalinism'! ! We know what .m