Programme of N.D.R.(New Democratic Revolution) in India
&
The Constitution of C.P.I(ML)
Chapter-I
Introduction:
Our country, India is one of the biggest countries and one of the ancient civilizations of the world, inhabited by more than a hundred crores of people, who have rich revolutionary traditions and a glorious heritage and culture. It is the country of many nationalities, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious.
Besides, caste divisions remain a historically determined unique and inhuman feature of Indian society.
The free and sovereign land of ours was transformed into a colonial country by the British imperialists. The Indian people were under the subjugation of this imperialist power for nearly two centuries.
In order to consolidate their rule, the colonial rulers created a new parasitic intermediary class of landlords through permanent settlement and ryotwari system. In the process it was mostly the highly powerful and wealthy higher caste people who became the beneficiaries and provided a strong support base to the colonial rule. They retained and utilized the caste system- a bane of Indian society. To safe guard their colonial rule they resorted to communal divide of the people that in the end led to the partition of the country. They crushed the emerging capitalist productive forces and paved the way for the emergence of a new class, the comprador class.
But our people never reconciled to live in subjugation. They rose in struggles, revolts and uprisings to free themselves from the yoke of colonialism. Armed struggle played a distinctive role in the national liberation struggle. A protracted independence struggle was waged in the country. And the first war of Independence- 1857- shook the very foundation of the British Colonial Rule.
The national independence movement led by the Indian National Congress was reformist in nature though in the course of time it assumed a mass character and at many times it crossed the limits set by the leadership. The Congress was the Party of the Comprador Bourgeois’ and Big Land Lord Classes. They were different streams in the National Independence Movement including the progressive and Communist forces and section of fledgling national bourgeoisie.
The crushing defeat inflicted on the fascist forces during World War 2nd under the leadership of Soviet Union, weakening of British Imperial Power and other colonial powers, and the upsurge of national liberation movement all over the world provided further inspiration to the national movement against the British colonial rule. And the country witnessed one after another great upsurges throughout the land during 1940s
.
In this situation, the British Colonial power was compelled to transfer power in 1947 to the domestic ruling classes, thus replacing the direct colonial rule with the rule of comprador bureaucratic bourgeois and big landlord classes serving imperialism.
The Communist movement which emerged in 1920s led countless struggles and movements of workers, peasants, students, youths, women, national minorities and other oppressed sections. It made deep imprint on the national movement. And the Communists were the first to raise the demand for full Swaraj. But the communist movement failed to emerge as the leader of national movement because of various weaknesses in its political line.
Through the rule of British Imperialism ended, the new ruling classes kept the exploitation by the British finance capital untouched. Along with it, they opened up our economy to other imperialist powers, especially to US imperialism.
Against the back drop of the waves of revolutionary struggles including the Communist led Telangana,Tebhaga and Punnapra Vayalar movements and the existence of powerful socialist camp, the ruling classes to safeguard their citadel of power opted for welfare policies, nationalization of core sectors, and building up of powerful public sector. In foreign relations, while on one hand they adopted a ‘Non-Alignment’ policy; on the other they adopted an expansionist policy towards neighboring countries. A concrete example is the annexation of Sikkim. At the same time they went on brutally suppressing all the peoples’ movements.
Thus, with the trans of power, India became a happy hunting ground for neo-colonial exploitation, while keeping semi-feudal relations intact. Thus, the colonial and semi-feudal India society was transformed into semi-colonial and semi-feudal society.
They adopted parliamentary form of democracy based on 1935 Government of India Act and promised ensuring and protecting life, rights and livelihoods of the people. But it has failed to solve any of the basic needs of the people and the façade of parliamentary democracy is beset with severe crisis. Compromise with feudalism and dependence of imperialism led to this crisis. The aggressive thrust of international finance capital following the collapse of Soviet Social imperialist camp with the slogan of globalization, liberalization and privatization has further deepened this crisis.
Following the introduction and implementation of imperialist globalization from early 1990s, the neo-colonial form of exploitation is ever deepening. Under the dictates of IMF-WB-WTO, the free entry of MNCs and other imperialist capital along with the compradors have come to dominate every sphere of our peoples’ lives and the country.
The current national situation is also marked by the increasing communal and castes attacks and curtailing of democratic rights by autocratic fiats.
In spite of the momentous developments all over the country the communist movement led by the CPI could not carry forward the spirit of the revolutionary struggles of Telangana and Tebhaga. It soon succumbed to Krushchovite revisionism. In the course of struggle against revisionism though the CPI (M) was formed in 1964, its leadership soon succumbed to neo-revisinism.The Naxalbari uprising in 1967 ushered in a new hope for the toiling masses and created a great political stir throughout the length and breadth of the country rallying tens of thousands of workers, peasants, youths, students and intellectuals around the movement. The revisionist CPI andCPM leadership opposed the movement tooth and nail. They collaborated with the ruling class to suppress the movement. Because of the left adventurist line of the CPI (ML) formed in 1969, the movement could not be sustained and advanced.
Chapter - II
CONSEQUENCES OF RULING CLASS POLICIES.
The working class both the organized and unorganized sectors are the worst victims of the reactionary policies pursued by the ruling classes. All the rights and benefits achieved through tenacious struggles are being snatched away and casualisation, and ‘hire and fire’ have become the order of the day.
The so-called land reforms and green revolution did not serve the interest of agricultural labor and poor peasants. Semi-Feudal exploitation still continues in vast areas of the country. The imperialist globalization has further aggravated the crisis as it has led to reversal of land reforms, drastic cut in subsidies and the “benefits” resulting immigration of agricultural labour, distress sale of land, starvation deaths and large scale suicides.
The Petty bourgeoisie, both urban and rural, is under increasing attacks. Cut in jobs, privatization, intensified attacks on their rights is causing acute distress in their life.
The small and weak national bourgeoisie are pushed in to a state of unprecedented crisis that threatens their very existence.
Women who constitute nearly half of the society are the worst victims of feudal and imperialist exploitation. They are also oppressed by patriarchy, religion and caste system. Under globalization the conditions of women and children have further worsened. There is sharp decline in female ratio. The female body is being wantonly commercialized.
The caste system which is a distinct feature of Indian society continues with its ugly features of caste hatred, caste discrimination, caste oppression, untouchability, etc. The parties and organizations who are claiming to fight for ‘social justice’, instead of qualitatively altering the socio-economic status of the most backward castes are only hoodwinking them for expanding their vote banks.
In the process the NGOs either domestic or foreign have been introduced to blunt the class struggle and thereby maintain their exploitation and class rule.
The tribes have remained the most exploited section of our society. They remain the cheapest source of labour.The ruling classes together with imperialism are engaged in an all out attack on their natural rights over forest land and resources. The globalization has further aggravated their miseries.
In multi-national India, various nationalities are being continuously denied the right of self determination. The national struggles of NGAS, MIZOS, MANIPURIS, and KASHMIRIS are being suppressed.
The religious minorities, particularly the Muslims and Christians are discriminated. They are treated as aliens and singled out for persecution.
Growing unemployment under globalization is leading to alienation and criminalization of large section of youth. They are also coming under the increasing influence of decadent culture.
The students are hapless victims of commercialization and communalization of education with a bleak future. Many of the educational institutions are under religious control and influence.
Along with the medieval and feudal culture coupled with various forms of superstitions, the imperialist cultural values are also promoted brazenly, commercializing and commodifying our culture under globalization.Saffronisation has further added to the pollution of our cultural values.
CHAPTER - III
THE CONTRADICTIONS AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL.
In this era of imperialism and proletarian revolution, the imperialist system is beset with ever deepening crisis. It has led to sharpening of all the contradictions in the international level, viz.
1. 1. The contradiction between the imperialism and the oppressed nations and people of the world;
2. 2. The contradiction between capital and labor;
3. 3. The contradictions among the imperialist countries and among the monopoly groups;
4. 4. The contradiction between imperialism and socialism.
The intensification of imperialist globalization and plunder and suppression by imperialism and the comprador ruling class has sharpened all the contradiction in the country;VIZ;
1. The Contradiction between imperialism and the Indian people;
2. 2. The contradiction between feudalism and the broad masses of people;
3. 3. The contradiction between capital and labor;
4. 4. The contradiction among the ruling classes;
The ruling classes represented by the comprador-bureaucratic bourgeoisie and big landlord classes depending upon and serving imperialism is engaged in joint exploitation and plunder of the country and the people.
In the present stage;
1. 1.The contradiction between imperialism and Indian people, and
2. 2. The contradiction between feudalism and broad masses of the people are two basic contradictions.
These contradictions are inter-penetrating and inter-acting.
The way these two basic contradictions, express themselves in the present day society makes the contradiction between the alliance of imperialism, feudalism and comprador-bureaucratic capitalism on one hand and the broad masses of people on the other the principal contradiction in the present phase of New Democratic Revolution.
Imperialism, during the colonial period-brought changes in the feudal relations in India to suit its exploitation and protected it. Since then feudalism changed in to semi-feudalism and became the social basis of imperialism. After the transfer of power, the Indian big bourgeoisie in compromise with the landlord class maintained the status quo and strengthened it through rural credit, panchayat raj, fake land reforms, green revolution etc. The big bourgeoisie is making hidden and open compromises with imperialism since 1947.Thus Imperialism, big bourgeoisie and feudalism became impediments to the progress of Indian society.
In the course of these, especially after the imposition of imperialist globalization, changes in the agrarian sector were further speeded up to serve the need of imperialist capital and its market system. In the present world situation, the neo colonial form of exploitation is intensifying with every passing year and various imperialist powers are contending for a dominant position in India.
Chapter -IV
Stage of Revolution:
The Leader, Motive Forces and Targets.
In the Indian society, the position and role played by various classes determine the enemies and friends in the present stage of our revolution. Imperialism, feudalism and comprador-bureaucratic capital constitute the enemies as they are the biggest exploitation and oppressors, and the biggest road blocks in the way of achieving all round independent and democratic progress of our country.
The Indian state is the organ of class rule, that is, the dictatorship of the comprador bureaucratic bourgeois and landlord classes subservient to imperialism over the vast masses of exploited and oppressed classes. It serves the interests of imperialism, feudalism and comprador bureaucratic capital.
The working class, peasantry, petty-bourgeoisie and national bourgeoisie constitute the revolutionary classes in the present stage of revolution. The working class and peasantry are the most exploited and oppressed among these classes. All these classes are in dire need of over throwing enemy classes along with the state controlled by them. A united front of these oppressed classes based on worker peasant alliance must be forged in the course of class struggles, revolutionary movements against imperialism, feudalism and comprador bureaucratic capital and it will be led by the working class. The working class, being the most advanced and revolutionary class, alone can and must lead this revolution.
The historic developments and concrete conditions o the country determine the present stage of revolution which is New Democratic. The CPI(ML) which up holds Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tse Tung Thought as its guiding ideology and seeks to apply it to the concrete conditions of India and to integrate it with the concrete practice of Indian revolution, uncompromisingly struggling against both revisionist and sectarian tendencies of all hues, is committed to complete the New Democratic Revolution. The task before the party in the stage of the New Democratic Revolution is to over throw the rule of comprador bureaucratic bourgeois-land lord classes serving imperialism and to replace the present reactionary Indian State with the New Democratic or Peoples Democratic state led by the proletariat and based on the worker peasant alliance. The basic program of the party is to complete the tasks of the NDR with agrarian revolution as its axis and to advance towards socialist revolution to the realization of socialism and communism.
The path of new Democratic Revolution in India is based on the concrete conditions in our country, taking the experience of all hitherto revolutions in the world and the peoples’ revolutionary movements in our country. The Path of New Democratic Revolution in India is the Protracted Peoples War.Rejecting parliamentary cretinism and the line of individual terrorism, and upholding the revolutionary mass line, we resolve to utilize all forms of struggles and organizations to seize political power by overthrowing the Indian state through armed means. Strategic united front of all revolutionary classes’ and forces with the working class as the leading force and the peasantry as the main force based on worker peasant alliance as well as necessary tactical united front should be developed for furthering the people’s revolutionary movement.
Chapter -V
The Program
New democratic state structure
India will be a People's Democracy aiming to advance towards Communism through Socialism.
India will be a People's Democracy aiming to advance towards Communism through Socialism.
The new democratic state shall be based on the principle of supreme power to the people. A ne w constitution to establish New Democratic state with Peoples’ Democratic Dictatorship shall be adopted by the constituent Assembly elected by the people.
There shall be Peoples’ Congress from the Union to the Village level consisting of elected representatives with legislative and executive powers. There shall be judiciary elected by the people at all levels and it will function as an autonomous body.
The people shall elect the representative of revolutionary classes through a free and democratic election. The people’s Democratic Government shall be formed from these representatives. The parties including the Communist Party shall respect and carry out the people’s verdict.
The people shall have the right to recall the elected representatives when they lose people’s confidence.
THE ECONOMY.
1. 1. The New Democratic State shall b confiscate all imperialist capital, liquidate all imperialist debts and scrap all unequal treaties or agreements with imperialist countries and agencies which are against national interests. It shall be put an end to all interference and d control of agencies like IMF and World Bank and put an end to all relations with them which are against national interests. It shall quit WTO and strive for international trade based on equality and well being of all nations. It shall prohibit MNC’s operations and flow of speculative capital to India. It shall free the country from all forms of imperialist exploitation, interference and bullying.
2. 2. The New Democratic State shall confiscate all enterprises, capital and properties of the comprador bureaucratic bourgeois class. It shall unearth all foreign deposits and black money of these and similar classes and sections and confiscate them. It shall eliminate all monopolies.
3. 3. The New Democratic state shall complete the agrarian revolution by abolishing all the feudal and semi-feudal relations. It shall confiscate all land belonging to the landlords and implement redistribution of land among agricultural workers and poor peasants based on the principle of land to the tiller. It shall confiscate the plantations and farms of MNCs, comprador bureaucratic bourgeois class and other and bring them under collective ownership of the workers. It shall abolish all forms of bonded labor and all forms of usury.
4. 4. TheNew Democratic State shall formulate and implement comprehensive policies for the development of agriculture and for raising the living standards of the peasantry. It will cancel all debts of agricultural workers, poor peasants and artisans. It will controls cost of all inputs and ensure remunerative prices for agricultural products. It will ensure a progressive credit system and loans at nominal interest through a modern banking system at all levels. It will initiate co-operatisation and collectivization progressively ensuring all round development of agriculture and living standards of all belonging to the agrarian sector. It will ensure self reliance in food and all agricultural products.
5. 5. The New Democratic state shall develop and implement a comprehensive national policy in accordance with concrete conditions and vastness of the country and availability of rich national resources in different regions and serving the needs of the country and the people in order to ensure self-reliance in all fields. It shall develop research in all fields and ensure technological advances in all fields. It shall make sure that all transactions on technology with imperialist countries and agencies are made on equal terms, preventing any form of exploitation by them. It shall develop proper relation between the building up of heavy, medium and small-scale including the cottage and handicraft industries. It shall chalk out national and local policies for ensuring all round development of small-scale industries.
6. 6. The new Democratic State shall eradicate corruption; punish all involved in economic crimes and corrupt practices.
7. 7. The New Democratic State shall ban all imperialist funded anti-nationals Voluntary Organizations/ Non-Governmental Organizations.
DEFENSE:
1. 1. New Democratic State shall abolish the mercenary and police and replace them with people’s militia which will defend the country’s borders and protect the people’s interests from the counter revolutionaries.
2. 2. Improve the living conditions of soldiers and ex-servicemen.
3. 3. Guard against all subversive acts by imperialist forces.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
1. 1. The New Democratic State shall implement a comprehensive national science and technology policy.
2. 2. The New Democratic State shall modernize production in all fields including agriculture and industry and ensure equitable distribution in all areas. For this it will ensure a progressive service sector comprising banking, insurance and credit policies and implement them effectively.
BASIC NECESSITIES:
1. 1. The New Democratic State shall ensure employment, education, health-care, housing and social insurance cover as fundamental rights for all. Implements social welfare policies in all fields including a scientific health policy for all.
2. 2. The New Democratic State shall implement a comprehensive sports policy which shall serve the all-round physical and mental development of all people.
3. 3. The New Democratic State shall implement minimum wages, employment and better living conditions to all agricultural workers. It will ensure crop insurance and all assistance to the peasantry. It will implement rural development project according to concrete conditions and taking into consideration the back wardens of different areas.
4. 4. The new Democratic State shall implement six hours working days and five days per week progressively in all sectors employment for all, coping up with the technological developments which increase productivity continuously. It will increase wages and implement uniform pension scheme. It will put an end to the contract labor system and remove all inequalities on the basis of equal pay for equal work. It will implement the right to organize and right to strike as fundamental rights to all workers.
National Questions and Democratic Rights
The new Democratic State shall ensure real equality and autonomy for all nationalities, unite all the nationalities based on the right of self determination including the right to secede of the nationalities and build up a federal democratic state structure. While dealing with the nationalities’ question, it shall not overlook the imperialist policy of Balkanization of our country. It implements people’s political power at all levels through revolutionary people’s councils. It shall give equal status to all languages. It shall guarantee full civil liberties and ensure freedom of speech and assembly right to organize, freedom of movement and occupation and right to dissent.
Caste and Religious Question
1. 1. Starting with putting an end to all forms of social oppression based on the caste system and untouchability, the New Democratic State shall abolish the caste system and all forms of social inequalities. It will ensure implementation of reservation based on caste as a democratic right, till all social inequalities are abolished.
2. 2. The New Democratic State shall abolish all discrimination based on religious ground and protect religious minorities. It shall guarantee genuine secular character of the state structure. It shall put an end to all communalization drives and prohibit the interference of religious institutions in the state affairs and political life of the country.
Women and Children
The New Democratic State shall guarantee equality of women in all fields and abolish all forms of gender inequality. It shall ensure right to women for inheritance of property including land. It shall ensure protection of all women from all sorts of family and social violence and exploitation. It shall guarantee protection, health care and education for all children and abolish all forms of exploitation of children including child labor. It shall take adequate steps to ensure participation of women footing in all social and political institutions.
ADIVASI S:
The New Democratic State shall abolish all forms of exploitation and oppression against Adivasis and ensure their democratic rights. It shall protect their right to natural resources, land and forest and provide economic assistance for their overall development. It shall establish regional autonomous councils for the Adivasis where they are in majority.
ENVIRONMENT:
The new Democratic State shall protect the environment, bio-diversity and biological resources. The question of the environment will be kept in mind while formulating and implementing the national industrial policy.
Culture
The New Democratic State shall develop new democratic culture fighting against the influence of feudal and imperialist values in the cultural field. It will promote scientific outlook in all fields and eradicates all forms of superstition and revivalism.
Education
In place of present education system the New Democratic State shall build up new and scientific education system. It shall put an end to commercialization and privatization of education. The New Democratic State shall free and compulsory education up to secondary level and ensure all facilities for higher education. It shall ensure education in mother tongue. There shall not be any discrimination in education and all kinds of elitist school shall be abolished.
Foreign Policy
1. 1. Based on equality and peaceful co-existence the New Democratic State shall establish closest possible relations in all fields with the neighboring countries and resolve all boundary disputes through friendly negotiations.
2. 2. The New Democratic State shall unite with all progressive, anti imperialist forces all over the world against the imperialism especially US imperialism.
3. 3. The New Democratic State shall struggle for world peace and work against nuclear war, threats and for universal nuclear disarmament and for elimination of all weapons of mass destruction.
4. 4. The New Democratic State shall promote the international co-operation among world people against the imperialist system and for democracy and socialism. It shall uphold proletarian internationalism and intensify struggle against imperialism.
Chapter- VI
The New Democratic revolution in India is taking place in the era of imperialism and proletarian revolution, when imperialism headed by US imperialism is striving for world hegemony. The New Democratic Revolution in led by the Communist Party, as the vanguard of the proletariat, is an integral part of the world proletarian socialist revolution. The historic task of the Communist Party is to give leadership to the India proletariat in this momentous struggle by mobilizing all revolutionary classes, sections and masses of people for it.
The CPI (ML) upholds MARXISM-LENINISM-MAO TSE TUNG THOUGHT, fighting against revisionism and sectarian positions and left adventurism.
The CPI (ML) is engaged in a strenuous struggle for uniting the communist revolutionary forces. In the real sense, it is the historic task of reorganizing the communist movement itself, uniting the genuine communists in our country and paving the way for the building of the communist party which is capable of leading the New Democratic Revolution in a country of more than 100 crores of people.
The CPI (ML) is placing this Outline of Party Program before the people of India and dedicates itself to the great revolutionary cause of building the communist party to lead the masses of Indian people in a protracted revolutionary struggle to over throw the present system and complete the tasks of the New Democratic Revolution leading towards socialism and communism.
[ADOPTED BY THE ALL INDIA SPECIAL CONFERENCE OF CPI(ML)HELD IN Dec.2009]
Published by KANU SANYAL.
