"The working class, its role and
its mission today.
The tasks and concrete experiences of the Communist Party in the working class
and the trade union."
Brussels, 16-18 May 2008
www.icsbrussels.org , ics@icsbrussels.org
The Role of the Communist Party as a Guide for the Working Class
Communist Party of Malta
Many countries around the world are presently governed by pro-capitalist administrations. Such governments have exhibited a tendency to allow – if not encourage - the merciless campaigns waged by countless private companies against anything that is owned by the State. The aim of this campaign appears to be that of tarnishing the State’s role in a country’s economic progress. By doing so, it is hoped that the masses are won over fairly easily whenever a State-owned company is privatised. The organisers of such campaigns go around spreading propaganda to the effect that the State is incapable of the wonders associated with the private sector.
As one State after another surrenders its assets to private companies, there is little doubt that the private sector in such countries is becoming increasingly powerful. It is not so difficult to predict the consequences of such a transfer of power. Indeed, as the private sector in a country becomes stronger, it will become much easier for politicians to become nothing more than puppets in the service of various companies. Given such a scenario, if politicians attempt to resist the demands made by one or more large companies in order to safeguard the interests of the masses, blackmailing is extremely likely to be utilised to squash any resistance. Put differently, if a certain company’s measures are not accommodated by the government of the day, that company can simply threaten to shut down and move to another country where its requests will be accepted without any problems.
The campaigns witnessed in numerous countries to facilitate large-scale privatisations are characterised by other disturbing features. The main one of these seems to be an ideological battle against any organisation that talks in favour of improving the plight of the working class all over the world.
Nowadays, there are many individuals who believe that it is no longer possible to talk about the existence of a working class. It is said that such discourse belongs to the past. With the enormous diversity of jobs that exist in our times, several people say that it is impossible to make any statements about a working class. According to this discourse, employees are just individuals who should be grateful for their jobs in view of the threat of unemployment. Furthermore, the same discourse promotes a high degree of individualism by stressing the notion that competition is a must in order to improve one’s position in life. In this way, countless individuals are indoctrinated to believe that as long as one is comfortable with one’s job, there is no need to care about the welfare of other employees.
The almost incessant ideological battle against the notion of the working class together with the excessive individualism that has pervaded numerous societies needs to be addressed by every Communist party. The failure to do so will lead to a greater degree of alienation among the masses. The latter can then be expected to lose all confidence in several leftist organisations and to vote for capitalist parties. In Malta’s case, it was perfectly possible to witness such a phenomenon over the last few years. Indeed, the Malta Labour Party lost three consecutive elections. In Italy, the results of the latest election were not particularly encouraging for those parties that group themselves on the leftist side of the political spectrum.
How can numerous Communist parties address the disturbing alienation affecting millions of people in several countries? First and foremost, the various Communist parties need to focus on increasing public awareness about the fact that the working class still exists. There is no doubt that as technology has developed over the years, the working class has also been subjected to a number of changes. For example, whereas there were several people working in the manufacturing industry in the past, the last decade or so has witnessed a huge increase in the amount of individuals working within the services industry.
Contrary to the propaganda of several capitalist organisations, the fact that some jobs have become more popular than others does not mean that it is no longer possible to talk about the existence of the working class. The latter consists of the millions of human beings who depend on a monthly salary in order to survive. The term "wage-slaves" is sometimes utilised to describe the members of the working class due to the fact that survival for such people is practically impossible without a salary.
Communist parties need to use all the technology and resources available to them to show the masses how they are being deceived by the propaganda of the capitalist parties. The Internet is an extremely useful tool in order to achieve this goal. Yet, in order to reach as many members of the working class as possible, it is essential to leave no stone unturned – newspapers, leaflets, participation in TV and radio broadcasts…no avenue to the masses must be omitted.
Using the rational and scientific approach that has always been associated with a Communist organisation, it is important for the Communist party in every capitalist country to expose the sad plight of thousands of working class people. It is fundamental to focus on specific cases so that the masses can identify with the issues being raised. Highly academic or technical terms should be avoided when trying to educate the masses.
In capitalist countries, a Communist party should also portray the benefits of being a member of a trade union. Sadly, the ideological battle waged by several capitalist organisations against the idea of the working class has apparently also led to the popular belief that trade unions are counterproductive when talking about an employee’s general welfare. In order to reverse the damage that is being caused by the propagation of such beliefs, Communist parties need to devote more time and energy to highlight the positive achievements of several trade unions around the world.
More work needs to be carried out to support various trade unions as they struggle to improve the living conditions of the people making up the working class. As the current international economic crisis continues to affect more and more individuals, it is essential for Communist party members to be at the frontline with several trade union representatives so that numerous rights can be safeguarded.
Given the international characteristics of the working class, it is fundamental for the various Communist parties around the world to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts. At the end of the day, every Communist party should be interested in the construction of socialism so that humanity can progress towards Communism. It is very sad to notice that particularly following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many Communist parties have often been caught up in disputes with one another over a number of issues. Such disputes are often identified by the capitalist parties who waste no time in using them to destroy the faith of the masses in the ideals of the many Communist organisations. Any inter-party conflicts should be ironed out so that the workers of the world can be presented with a solid network of parties that share the same goal – the overthrow of the capitalist system in favour of one that will lead the human species towards Communism.
Talking about the international nature of the working class, one must dedicate a few words to the many reports concerning the countless immigrants travelling from one place to another. Communist parties need to educate the alienated masses about the fact that such immigrants are fellow human beings. Like virtually every other member of the working class, most of them are searching for the same things – food, education, safety, a stable and decent roof over one’s head, easy access to health care…Sadly, in several countries, including Malta, immigrants from certain parts of the world are frequently treated as second-class citizens. Consequently, many of them end up living in degrading conditions and as victims of gross exploitation.
To conclude, in view of a Communist party’s task to guide the masses that constitute the working class, it is essential for the members of such a party to provide a good example to those who share their ideals. Although all humans make mistakes, it is extremely important for Communist party members to learn from their errors so that they can be avoided in the future. Furthermore, it is also fundamental to avoid having huge gaps between one’s beliefs and their deeds. A Communist party’s members need to have the faith of the masses so that they can all work together to travel along a single pathway towards a better future – a Communist future.