Youth and
Students should Unite under the Political Banner of the Working
Class.
( Published in
‘CLASS STRUGGLE’, Organ of the Central Committee of CPI(ML) )
India is a
semi-feudal, semi-colonial state. What is the principal contradiction
in this state? It is the contradiction
between the alliance of imperialism, feudalism and comprador
bourgeoisie on the one hand and the people
on the other. The people, the exploited classes are the workers,
peasants, small traders, national bourgeoisie and the
petty-bourgeoisie. The petty- bourgeoisie comprises the
intelligentsia that
is, teachers, students, office employees, engineers, doctors and so
on. They are all exploited and constitute the masses. The only
solution of the principal contradiction in Indian society is a
people’s democratic revolution, which will be completed when under
the leadership of the communist party a people’s democratic state
will be founded by means of people’s armed struggle. A
revolutionary front has to be formed by uniting all exploited people
in the country opposed to imperialism and feudalism. This front will
destroy feudalism and comprador capitalism and will
root out imperialism from the country.
Revolutionary
Front and the Intelligentsia
So, the first and
foremost task is the formation of a revolutionary front under the
leadership of the proletariat and its
political party, the communist party, the main force being the
peasantry. Other classes and people ruthlessly oppressed by the
ruling clique will be in the front as potential allies. Among them a
big section is the petty- bourgeoisie, intelligentsia and the student
community. So it is essential to bring them into the revolutionary
front. Every member of the intelligentsia, who is honest and
patriotic, has to be brought into within the front. The reason is,
“The young people are the most active and vital force in society.
They are the most eager to learn and the least conservative in their
thinking.” Students are the biggest section among youth, therefore
the importance of students in a people’s democratic revolution
can’t be minimized. Because of various social factors they have had
the opportunity for learning unlike workers and peasants. To organise
workers and peasants and to propagate revolutionary thoughts among
them, the help of the intelligentsia is needed. But it is not enough
to get them inside the party. Their class character has to be changed
and they have to be imbued with the thought of the working class. The
ultimate aim is to transform them into workers as well, and with
their help create intellectuals from among the working class. The
ruling class always tries to purchase the intelligentsia to suit
their requirements. The task of the revolutionaries will be to
frustrate their game.
Intelligentsia: A
Force in the Revolutionary United Front
It is true that the
intelligentsia and the students are a powerful force in the anti
feudal anti imperialist front. But can revolutions be completed by
relying only on them? No, because they are not the
main force in the revolutionary struggle. Why not? Why can’t they
give leadership in the revolutionary struggle? They know so much,
they have learn so much! The reasons can be divided into three
categories.
First, the most
progressive section in a capitalist society is the working class.
They are related to the most advanced
productive system. This class is the most organized, the most united.
This class is the most
selfless because they have nothing to lose but chains. Therefore,
they can throw themselves in the
struggle without any hesitation and suffer any amount of sacrifice.
At the same time, they are modest, unlike the intelligentsia who are
proud of their learning. For this reason, the working class alone
can give revolutionary leadership. The intelligentsia and the student
community lack these distinctions of the working class. Therefore,
they cannot be leaders in the revolutionary struggle.
Secondly, the
intelligentsia mainly belongs to the petty bourgeoisie. The
petty-bourgeoisie are parasites. Even
when they do not directly exploit they partake the fruits of
exploitation. They are exploiters and the
exploited at the same time. Society advances on the basis of the
development of productive forces,
when a particular productive relation becomes an impediment in the
development of productive forces, the advancement of society is
hampered unless that relation is altered. When feudal productive
relations had been hampering the growth of productive forces, the new
capitalist productive relations
were created. Its driving power was the new born bourgeoisie.
Feudalism was replaced by
capitalism. Today, capitalist relations cannot carry society forward.
New relations have to be brought in.
The new relations will be socialistic and its driving force will be
the working class. This new society will be built on the basis of
friendship with broad peasant masses. In the place of capitalism
there will be socialism, the petty bourgeoisie, partners in the old
rotten productive system of capitalism cannot be the main force
behind this social change, cannot give leadership in this process.
Thirdly, many people
think that the members of the intelligentsia are well-read and they
know everything. But it
is not true. Whatever they may learn, their knowledge is partial,
incomplete, because it is
derived from bookish study. Real knowledge can be had only through
work, through application of
knowledge to social practice. Unless one participates in the
productive-processes, and join the class struggle, no knowledge can
be complete. If anyone wants to acquire correct knowledge about any
subject, he must get in direct touch with it. He must get his hands
into it. Otherwise his knowledge will remain imperfect.
Therefore it is
important to take part in social practice, in any productive process.
It is because of this that despite
lack of formal knowledge, a worker and a peasant knows more than a
member of the intelligentsia. Being a participant in the production
process, being instrumental in social change, he carries forward the
task of revolution and hence historical development. A member of the
intelligentsia, in
the absence of this experience, can have only a partial
understanding. Therefore, he can not belong to the leadership of
revolutionary struggle.
The educational
system in India was created by the colonial power in the interest of
having a comprador class in this country. The system today supplies
the manpower needed to preserve the imperialist mode of exploitation
and feudal pattern of relations. Its use is to produce robot-like men
to aid exploitation. The new liberal policies being implemented at
the behest of imperialist financial
institutions are
shaping the education system into a profit making sector. At the same
time, it is being designed to turn the Indian youth into tools who
apply technology, but never able to gain the scientific
knowledge needed to develop our own appropriate technologies. This
perpetuates our dependency on the
imperialist countries. Those who cannot give up illusions about this
system
meant only to help
exploiter class, are unable grasp the working class politics.
Exploited
Petty-bourgeoisie
The petty-bourgeois
intelligentsia is also the exploited. How? Most of them are employees dependent on
salaries. Their emoluments do not increase corresponding to the price
rise of commodities. As a
result, their condition is getting worse day by day, particularly so
since they have to preserve the
trappings of gentlemanliness. Unemployment, the inevitable outcome of
an all
round crisis, has
assumed monstrous proportions, students cannot look forward any more
to getting jobs. At this stage of economic crisis, these sections
cannot keep their identity and are bound to get DE-classed. They are
ground by the giant exploitative machine, the common victims of
capitalism.
The much-trumpeted
free enterprise is a cover to hide the hideous fight of big fish
gobbling small fry!
The petty bourgeois
have no roots. To belong to the bourgeoisie is beyond their power,
but they feel humiliated at the same time to be one with the
proletariat. Of course, in the end in their own interest, they will
join the PDF. The liberation of the laboring masses is their
liberation too. They are also exploited, the difference being, the
workers and peasants are more directly exploited. They have to come
to the united front of revolutionary classes. There is no other way.
Students are the
exploited section, not only in an economic sense of the term, but
also in the sphere of education.
The education they receive, unfit to serve the masses, only make them
adept in exploiting the people. The bookish knowledge they get,
unrelated to reality, they realise later, have made them cogs in a
vast machine. They find themselves on the opposite side of the
barricade, arrayed against the people. This perverted system has
produced only weaklings, whose lives are centered round pay- packets.
A student has no
choice before him in the matter of subject he wants to learn, chances
of getting a job is the
criterion. One who wants to learn English literature goes in for
Economics. In this system the talk of
free development of personality is humbug. Extracurricular activities
are discouraged. Their
talents are wasted. Their youthful vigor is lost in the welter of
economic, social
and political
taboos. Students have no say in making the syllabus or in the mode of
instruction. On the other hand, the authorities enjoy absolute
liberty of actions, of serving the interest of the exploiters. They sow
the seeds of reaction at the behest of the ruling class and its
mentor, US imperialism and propagate the virtues of Yankee culture.
Liberation of the
student community is impossible unless this system is resolutely
fought and crushed. To achieve
this student must join the ranks of people’s democratic forces, the
workers and peasants.
Come Forward
Young Intellectuals, Students & Youths
The intellectuals
and the students have to mix thoroughly with the working class and
the peasantry. They have to be one with them. They have to serve the
people. Their petty-bourgeois mentality which tries to keep them away
from revolution will disappear gradually if they try to be one with the people. Only in
this way can they become real revolutionaries and can dedicate
themselves to the bigger cause by
giving up their own class interest. Only then can they be able to
unite with the progressive classes
and give up their own class position. But the task is not easy. They
have to bring this change.
The intellectuals
and students have to go among the workers and peasants to unite and
organise them. The main task
will be to propagate politics among them. The intellectuals and
students will in this way help in
forging a political united front of the toiling masses.
What is the class
character of the Students?
A large section of
young intellectuals is the student community. Students do not belong
to any particular class, because young men and women of all classes
are there among them. They are young in age. So the forces of
reaction can influence them little. They have a tremendous
life-force. They are very much interested to learn new things. They
have less conservatism in their thought. They have a strong sense of
Justice. They are always ready to oppose injustice. A great advantage
for them is than they have time at their disposal. They can spend
this time in revolutionary work. For all these, the student community
as a whole, is always progressive and a party to the people’s
democratic front.
Build yourself in
the light of Mao’s Thought
Mao wrote, “How
should we judge whether a youth is a revolutionary? How can we tell?
There can only be one criterion namely, whether or not he is willing
to integrate himself with the broad masses of workers and peasants
and does so in practice. If he is willing to do so and actually do
so, he is a revolutionary; otherwise he is a non-revolutionary or a
counter revolutionary. If today he integrates himself with the
masses of workers and peasants, then today he is a revolutionary; if
tomorrow he ceases to do so or
turns round to oppress the common people, then he becomes a
non-revolutionary or counter-revolutionary.”
The Chinese youths
and students occupied the front rank during the historic May 4 th
Movement in China in 1919. How could they do this? Intellectuals and
students were the first to realise the need for a revolution to win
freedom from the yoke of exploitation, as they possessed some
progressive
consciousness
derived from their education. If political consciousness and the
sense of revolutionary self- sacrifice intermingle, the intellectuals
acquire a revolutionary character. Youths and students fought from
the forefront during the May 4 th Movement because they believed in
revolutionary politics and were ready to sacrifice everything for the
interest of the masses. As a result, they could show courage and take
a leading role in the movement.
Moreover, the
Chinese working class was not advanced and united at that time. The
Communist Party of China was not yet there. As a result, the movement
was deprived of such a party leadership. So the working class could
not come to the forefront of the movement. In this situation the
intellectuals and students came to the forefront of the movement with
their progressive thoughts and political consciousness. They created
a revolutionary impact throughout the country. But yet they could not
be the motive force leading the Chinese revolution to success.
A trend in
Student movement
Some politicians
have, of late, raised such slogans – students, leave the
educational institutions; go to villages; mix
with the peasants; propagate politics of revolution. These cannot be
done by attending schools
and colleges. So, go to villages by leaving schools, colleges and
universities. This system of
education is the fulcrum of this decaying society. So it must be
destroyed. Boycott
examinations.
Are such slogans
correct? Two things must be examined to find out whether a slogan is
correct or wrong. First, why is
a slogan being given? And secondly, when is the slogan being given?
1. Why will a
student cadre be sent to the village or to the working class?
Communists should be, at the same time, both
a student and a teacher. To teach revolutionary theory to the masses
one must become a student as
well of the masses. Then only can one qualify himself for propagating revolutionary theory
and become an organizer. So while trying to disseminate the theory of
revolution, he must stay with them, must share the stresses and
strains of their life. This is why he should live among the peasant
in villages and among the workers in cities. And as the peasantry
constitute by far the greatest numerical strength in the
revolutionary camp. It is necessary to place large number of
political cadres in the rural belt. Herein lays the urgency of
sending revolutionary intellectuals in large numbers to the villages.
The work requires patience and theoretical knowledge. Time as well as
adequate training is needed for his. But why are the students being
sent to villages now by giving “leave the colleges” slogan? They
are being sent to participate in operation extermination. The idea of
those people who are giving this slogan to leave educational
institutions, is that the local reactionaries must be killed one by
one by secret guerrilla units and only in this way can the local
people be awakened. These extermination operations are being called
“actions”. Students are being sent to villages to lead and
participate in these actions, and not to preach revolutionary
theories, or build a revolutionary party or mass organization. This
theory of action is against the “people’s war” theory of
comrade Mao Tse-tung. Leave the colleges will not be a revolutionary
slogan if the students are asked to go to villages for this action.
Another thing must
be made clear. Those who are going to villages may do so by
revolutionary impulse. But they
cannot do serious revolutionary work if they do not acquire complete competence for this.
To build up revolutionary struggle and organization is a tough job.
Strong determination,
patience, courage and correct theoretical knowledge are needed for
this. It must be seen whether a cadre possesses these qualities
before sending him to build up revolutionary
organizations in
village or in a workers’ colony. If he does not have these
qualifications he will do harm instead of doing good. Revolutionary
organization cannot build only with revolutionary impulse.
The first necessity
for the success of revolution is the existence of a real communist
party. The revolutionary forces are rising in India with a tremendous
speed. These forces fail to proceed in the proper way for the absence
of a correct leadership of a party. There exists much theoretical
confusion in the revolutionary camp. The revolution is not proceeding
along the correct line as a result of wrong application of correct
theories or application of incorrect theories. And no real revolutionary Party
has emerged as yet. When there is no real party, the main task should
be to strive to build up a real party and not to send student cadres
indiscriminately to rural areas enmasse. Ideological battle
must be carried on in building up the party, relentless theoretical
war must be
continued against
all sorts of deviations. At the same time, every revolutionary cadre
must take part in all class
struggles and mass movements. Through all these works a revolutionary
leadership will emerge and
develop.
Only a revolutionary
party leadership can send bathes of students in a planned manner to
participate in movements on necessary occasions and can direct them
properly under the control of the leadership. When even this primary
revolutionary work is not done the slogan of leaving schools and
colleges is not only a deviation from revolutionary politics, but is
also a slogan to create chaos and anarchy among the student
community. The student community can be consistent in the revolution
only when the basic masses carry on an uninterrupted revolutionary
struggle. The students of Telangana can out of their educational
institutions in 1949 and participated in the movement along with the
peasants only after the peasantry carried on their struggle to the
optimum. Of course, students have work to do at the first stage of
revolution. Advanced students with revolutionary political
consciousness and character will definitely go to villages in a
planned way to awaken the
peasants with revolutionary politics. They will unite with the
workers in cities to organise them for direct class struggle.
Through these works they will acquire the qualities to directly
participate in fights in villages in a bigger way. And those who
acquire these qualities will of course stay in the rural belt as
professional revolutionaries. The advanced students will do this
under the leadership of the party. Apart from students who live in
cities, there are many students who live in villages. The
responsibility of students living in villages is great in peasant revolution. They can
very well preach the politics of revolution to the peasantry. The
students residing in villages
have the best opportunity to work among them even without leaving
schools and colleges.
The students who
come from villages to attend schools and colleges in cities and
suburbs can learn acquire
knowledge about working class struggle in cities. They can utilize
this knowledge in rousing their
respective villages. They can at the same time enlighten the students
of cities with their special
knowledge about the rural life and its struggle. In this way can the
students of cities come in direct contact with class struggle in
villages and vice versa and verify respective knowledge. Moreover,
the students of cities and towns may in leisure time accompany their student friends
coming from the village, to go to their native places to have
firsthand knowledge of the village life.
Student organization
is a type of mass organization. The party preaches and spreads its
politics among the larger
masses through these mass organizations. So, the party must have a
student organization to
reach the politics of new democratic revolution to the student
community as a whole. The advanced students will do this work under
the leadership of the party. The advanced students will be able to
establish mass base for the politics of the working class and bring
the student community into the fold of the revolutionary united front
only if they succeed in spreading the
politics of new democratic revolution. If without doing this the
educational system is paralyzed with
“leave colleges” slogan, a large section of the student community
and middle class people will go
against the revolution. This is a big loss at the stage of new
democratic or
people’s
democratic revolution, when large section of the masses should be
united. It will not do if a handful of students
only go ahead. Politics must be spread among the entire student
community. So long as there is no organization among the students and the largest section of the student community is not participating
in the politics of revolution, the “leave college” slogan cannot
deliver any good for the cause of revolution.
Before doing any
work we must see how far it will advance our main aim. If the cause
of revolution can advance with the
closure of schools and colleges then we must do that. But in practice
the case is just the reverse.
Build a New
Society: Destroy the Thoughts of the Exploiters
The bourgeois
education system must be destroyed. But how? Is it by upsetting the
examinations and closing the educational institutions? Of course not.
That is possible only after the establishment of the people’s
democratic state. The education system is a part of the super-
structure which depends on the system of production, that is, the
economic structure of the society. The super-structure cannot be
radically changed without changing the structure. So, it is not
possible
at this moment to
establish a new system of education by destroying only the present
educational institutions.
But shall we the
revolutionary workers then allow this bourgeois education system to
go unhampered and
unchallenged? Of course not. Comrade Mao Tse tung teaches us that all
reactionary things are of same stuff. They do not crumble down on
their own without any blow. We will oppose everything that the enemy
supports. We have to fight in all fronts. Education and culture is
one of enemies’ important fronts. We have also to fight against it.
We must prove that this system of education is a part of this
decaying colonial and imperialist culture and so this system is also
worn out. In 1968 some examiners of the political science department
of Calcutta University took bribe and gave good marks to many bad
students. Their nasty move was made public by an inquiry forced by a
student movement. Here the students have a major role to play.
Again, a few years
back, the students of political science of Calcutta University
started a movement against the
syllabus and demanded that it must be changed. In this way they
revealed the decadent character of this education system. Though
their movement did not totally succeed but it proved that
no progressive change can be brought under this setup; the whole
system must be changed. That is
possible only after changing the whole society through the new
democratic revolution. But this education system must be constantly
hit by movements like this and other democratic movements. Entry of
imperialism into Universities and other educational cultural
institutions must be resisted by organizing large scale and strong
student movements. Simultaneously, the students must endeavor to
build up a revolutionary culture with the medium of art, literature,
drama, etc. These are the historical limitations within which the
students should necessarily confine themselves just at the movement.
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