International Communist Seminar (Brussels)

Presentation

Since 1992, the International Communist Seminar (ICS), organised every year in Brussels (Belgium), gathers parties and organisations which defend marxism-leninism and proletarian internationalism and which oppose revisionism. About 150 organisations of Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia and Europe have taken part to its works.

For 4 years, from 1992 to 1995, the ICS has worked on identifying the true causes of the capitalist restoration in Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe and to draw from it lessons for the future.

The book "The collapse of the Soviet Union: causes and lessons", published in English and French by the ICS and EPO publishers (Brussels, 1998; 15 euros, postage not included) contains among others 12 contributions presented at the Seminar. One can read:

"In the situation created by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the introduction of wild capitalism in this country and in Eastern Europe; the parties and organisations faithful to the revolutionary principles of marxism-leninism draw the lessons of the counter-revolutionary processes which have destroyed the socialism in Soviet Union. Confronted to the offensive launched by the reactionaries, they feel the necessity to be united to launch a counter-offensive in favour of the exploited and oppressed masses and to give back to all the ones who fight capitalism and imperialism trust in the socialist future of humanity ".

Since 1996, the subjects of the ICS were hot topics for the international communist movement.

The major part of the resolutions and the contributions presented on the different sessions of the ICS are available on the website: www.icsbrussels.org

The basic documents of the International Communist Seminar are:

• Declaration of the ICS, 1999: http://www.icsbrussels.org/ics/1999/1999en/DECL99DefEN.htm

• Declaration of the ICS 2003-2004: http://www.icsbrussels.org/ICS/2004/Intro_documents/Sci04_DeclarationoftheICS_EN.htm

• Book: "The Collapse of the Soviet Union: Causes and lessons": http://www.wpb.be/books/e01_su.htm

The Workers' Party of Belgium (WPB) assures the secretariat of the Seminar.

Themes of the 17^th ICS in 2008:

"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".

Themes of the last twelve sessions of the ICS:

• May 4-6, 2007, The validity and current relevance of the October Revolution of 1917 for the 21^st century - Type of Party needed to respond to the challenges of the 21^st century - Concrete experiences of Party building in the working class and among the youth

• May 5-7, 2006, Present and past experiences in the international communist movement

• May 2-4, 2005, Internationalist experiences and tasks of Communists in the struggle against imperialism

• May 2-4, 2004, The strategy and tactics of the struggle against global US imperialist war

• May 2-4, 2003, The marxist-leninist Party and the anti-imperialist Front facing the war

• May 2-4, 2002, Economical crises and the possibility of a major world crisis

• May 2-4, 2001, The world socialist revolution in the conditions of imperialist globalisation.

• May 2-4, 2000, Imperialism, fascization and fascism

• May 2-4, 1999, Imperialism means war

• May 2-4 1998, The working class, its leading role, new forms of exploitation and experiences of struggle and organisation.

• May 2-4 1997, The way of the October revolution is the way of the liberation of the workers

• May 2-4, 1996, The anti-imperialist struggle under the New World Order.

Complementary information can be obtained at the e-mail address: ics[at]icsbrussels.org

Publications (in French and Dutch) of the ICS [www.marx.be]:

• Marxist studies 79, July-September 2007.

• Marxist studies 74, April-June 2006.

• Marxist studies 61, July-September 2005, History and significance of the Communist International - from the foundation to the dissolution. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 2005

• Marxist studies 66, July-September 2004, How to counter the global war of US imperialism? Reports of the International Communist Seminar 2004

• Marxist studies 63, July-September 2003, Does the United States need a Third World War? Reports of the International Communist Seminar 2003

• Marxist studies 59, July-September 2002, Economic crisis and War in 21st Century. A Marxist analysis. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 2002

• Marxist studies 54, April-June 2001, Globalisation: facts and false conceptions. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 2001

• Marxist studies 50, April-June 2000, Fascism yesterday and today. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 2000.

• Marxist studies 47, July - September 1999, NATO against Yugoslavia, the struggles of the peoples against war. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 1999 (II)

• Marxist studies 46, April - June 1999, The military strategies of imperialism. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 1999 (I)

• Marxist studies 43, September - October 1998. The situation of the working class in Russia. The composition of the working class. The capitalism and the Asian crisis. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 1998.

• Marxist studies 35, January - February 1997, 12 reports on the anti-imperialist struggle in the 'New World Order'. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 1996 (II).

• Marxist studies 33, October 1996, The strategy of the main centres of imperialism. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 1996 (I)

• Marxist studies 19, July - September 1993. In Defence of Socialism. Reports of the International Communist Seminar 1993

One issue of Marxist studies costs 7.5 euros, postage not included.

You can order the various publications cited above by writing to ptb[at]ptb.be