Communist Party and Labor Party co-operation

by Jim Henderson

In a report in the Guardian (15/10/97) it is stated that the Labor 
Party suffered a setback in the South Australian elections and that they 
won an increased vote of 5.4 per cent in the Lower House and only 3.7 per 
cent in the Upper House.

The Democrats increased their vote in the same elections by seven per cent 
overall.

The fact that the Labor Party increased its vote and remains a major party 
in Australia must not be lost sight of. It is clear that a swing back to 
Labor was evident.

For quite some time, the Guardian has reported that the masses were 
swinging towards the Democrats, Greens and also independents. Often this 
was shown as a boost to the Democrats who "controlled the position in the 
Senate".

While this is true, but what must be recognised is that without the far 
greater numbers of Labor Party representatives in the Senate the Democrats' 
vote would have been of no importance. The main force was the Labor Party 
representatives.

The recent resolutions of the ACTU Congress certainly show there is a great 
deal of opposition to the policies that the ALP has been seeking to 
implement. However, it is also evident that the standard demand was for the 
ALP to change its backward policies.

In the Congress there were large numbers of ALP leaders and rank and file 
members who made it clear they oppose the right-wing attitude of the 
leadership.

The cold hard fact remains that the great mass of the working class still 
see the Labor Party as the party they should support, provided that it 
changes its reactionary policies.

The ALP has been in existence for 100 years and has won parliamentary 
leadership, then been defeated, then swung back again.

This has been the position of such parties in other parts of the world, 
especially Europe.

For example in Ernst Henry's book, Can Socialists and Communists Co-
operate (1972), he states: "We cannot therefore assert that in our time 
Social Democrats no longer have any future. They are still followed by more 
than 73 million voters all over the world."

Further: "Social-Democracy has gone through many hard years; nevertheless 
owing to the traditional loyalty of its adherents it repeatedly managed to 
retain and again consolidate its position." That is exactly what has 
happened in Australia.

Let me cite two examples from Queensland experience: The Protestant Labor 
Party was formed and for a time won quite a number of votes. However, it 
gradually faded away and the voters returned to Labor. The Democratic Labor 
Party was also formed with Gair as leader, and for a time won quite a large 
vote. However, it suffered the same fate as the Protestant Party and the 
workers returned to Labor.

While the Communist Party is willing to enter into alliances with other 
organisations to work for immediate improvements in the conditions of life 
of the people, but this does not in any way suggest that the Party program 
should change. This "must be developed on the basis of one's own 
understanding of history". (The Downfall and Future of Socialism, p 
44)

The Communist Party is still small, but: "The more pressing the problems of 
humanity become, all the more will humanity again seek guidance in Marxist 
theory." (ibid, p 92)

The Constitution of the Communist Party, in its opening paragraph, makes it 
clear that it is established for the purpose of changing the order of 
society. Its aim is to introduce a socialist society.

Whether in alliances or not, that is the main drive of a Marxist-Leninist 
Party. Others in an alliance (should one be formed) will no doubt seek to 
advance their anti-Marxist theories, such as the Democrats have done with 
their standpoint of marking time only and remaining within the capitalist 
system.

The Guardian, in my considered view, went too far in popularising 
the position of the Australian Democrats.

The Communist Party of Australia is part of the world communist movement 
and, no matter how small it may be at the moment, we must see ourselves as 
part of that international movement which is without doubt growing in many 
countries. Importance must be given to increasing the ranks of our Party 
and its influence in the ranks of the working class.

Marxist theory as well as history make it clear that the Communist Party is 
the only organisation that can lead to the overthrow of capitalism and 
introduce socialism. There are two firmly entrenched working class parties 
world-wide <197> the social democrats, represented in Australia by the 
Labor Party, and the Communist Party.

Winning the battle for a change to socialism calls for these two 
organisations to unite for this purpose. This necessitates the defeat of 
the right wing of the Labor Party and the continued growth of the Communist 
Party.

The Labor Party and the Communist Party can co-operate, but this can only 
be achieved with the defeat of the right wing of the Labor Party and the 
adoption by its left members of a truly working class policy.