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FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE SOVIET UNION 1903-1953
IV. THE COMMUNIST PARTY-THE ORGANIZING AND INSPIRING FORCE OF SOVIET SOCIETY
WHICH IS BUILDING COMMUNISM
18. The Communist Party is successfully fulfilling the role of lead er and organizer of the popular masses be cause it is a militant union of like-minded people, Communists, welded together by unity of Views, unity of action, and unity of discipline. In all its activities the Communist Party is deeply permeated with faith in the people, in the revolutionary energy of the working masses. Our Party bases itself on the premise that the workers and peasants who create all the benefits of life are the actual makers of history, that "victory can be achieved and power held only by those who believe in the people, who immerse themselves in the stream of the people's living creative energy" (Lenin). The Party is strong because of its indissoluble connection with the people. The people are strong because they are rallied around the Party.
The entire history of our Party is Marxism-Leninism in action. Guided by Marxist-Leninist theory, by knowledge of the objective economic laws, the Communist Party worked out a scientific policy tested by practice, which reflects the requirements of the development of the material life of society, the fundamental interests of the people, and ca me out as the inspirer and organizer of the revolutionary energy, of the revolution any creative effort of the masses. Generalizing the rich experience of the building of Socialism in the U.S.S.R . and the experience of the present -day international liberation movement, J. V. Stalin creatively developed Marxist-Leninist theory in conformity with the new historical conditions, and on a number of questions he enriched revolutionary theory with new theses.
19. At the present time the Communist Party is solving extremely important problems connected with the building of communism, with the further consolidation of the multi-national socialist state and with the continuous rise in the material and cultural standard of living of all the Soviet people.
We possess all that is needed for the building of complete communist society. The natural wealth of our country is inexhaustible. We have a mighty socialist industry, a comprehensively developed heavy industry-the foundation of foundations of socialist economy. The light and food industries of the U.S.S.R. are capable of satisfying the growing requirements of the working people in town and country. Our state farms and collective farms, sup plied with up-to-date, advanced machinery, are able quickly to increase the yield of all agricultural crops and the productivity of commonly-owned livestock.
However, we have not yet solved a number of urgent economic problems; there are lagging enterprises and even whole branches of industry; some collective farms and whole agricultural districts are in a neglected state. It is the duty of the Party, Soviet, trade union and Young Communist League organizations to mobilize and organize the creative forces of the Soviet people for the further upswing of the national economy, for the utilization of the reserves and possibilities latent in industry and in agriculture successfully to carry out the tasks set by the Nineteenth Party Congress.
20. The Communist Party takes constant care to satisfy the growing material and cultural requirements of the working people. Concern for the welfare of the Soviet citizen, for the prosperity of the entire Soviet people, is a law for our Party.
The successes achieved in the development of socialist economy have resulted in a considerable rise in the material and cultural standards of the Soviet people. This finds expression in the continuous growth of the national income, in the systematic reduction of prices of consumer goods, and in the rise in the real wages of workers and office employees and in the incomes of the peasants. Year after year the Soviet state increases assignments for housing, for public health, and for public education. All this does not mean, however, that we can rest content with the results achieved. Therefore, the Party is exerting further and further efforts to expand the building of dwellings, schools and hospitals, and to improve the organization of all this work
The Party's constant concern for the development of science, literature and art has ensured the efflorescence of Soviet culture which is national in form and socialist in content. The Communist Party considers it its primary duty to continue steadily to improve the material wel fare and to raise the cultural level of the working people of our country.
21. In the sphere of foreign policy the Party's main concern is to safeguard the peaceful labour of the Soviet people, to maintain peace and to prevent a new war. The Communist Party holds that a policy of peace is the only correct policy conforming to the vital interests of the Soviet people and of all the other peace-loving nations.In its foreign policy our Party bas es itself on Lenin's thesis on the possibility of the prolonged co-existence and peaceful competition between the two systems-socialist and capitalist. After the defeat of the main forces of the interventionists Lenin said: "... We have won for our selves conditions under which we can exist side by side with the capitalist powers which are now compelled to enter into commercial relations with us.... We have not only a respite-we have a new period when we have succeeded in laying the foundations of our international existence within the network of capitalist states."
Already at that time Lenin said that a number of bourgeois countries were economically interested in trade with Soviet Russia: "The bourgeois countries have to trade with Russia: they know that without some form of economic interrelations disintegration in them will go on as it has done up to now; in spite of all their magnificent victories, in spite of all the endless boasting with which they fill the newspapers and telegrams all over the world, their economy is falling to pieces "
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union has been unswervingly guided by these theses of Lenin's.
We stand for the prolonged co-existence and peaceful competition between the two systems because we are firmly convinced of the superiority of the socialist form of economy, of the socialist system, because we have firm faith in our internal strength and in the constantly growing strength of the entire camp of peace, democracy and socialism.
Nevertheless, we cannot but reckon with the fact that in the camp of imperialism, which is corroded by contra dictions, economic instability is growing as is also the instability in the politics of the ruling circles, reaching the degree of fear of peace, fear of peaceful competition between the two systems, the degree of loss of confidence in the further stability of the capitalist system. Evidence of this is provided by some of the statements made by prominent European and American economists who admit the rapid and steady growth of the economy in the socialist and democratic camp and the simultaneous intensification of contradictions and economic difficulties in the capitalist camp. This has caused a sharp activization of the reactionary imperialist forces, an increase in ads of provocation of various kinds, in adventures and acts of sabotage by the imperialists against the socialist and democratic camp. All this makes it more necessary than ever to display the utmost concern for the proper defence of our Soviet Motherland.
At the same time, the Party considers it its sacred duty further to strengthen the mighty camp of peace, democracy and socialism, further to strengthen the friend ship and solidarity of the Soviet people with the great Chinese people and with the working masses of all the People's Democracies.
22. Our Party is the only party in the country. To it alone belongs the undivided leading role in Soviet society. Leadership by the Communist Party is the decisive condition for the firmness and unshakeability of the Soviet system and for all the successes of our people. At the same time it must be borne in mind that the monopoly position held by our Party, particularly under the conditions of the capitalist encirclement, calls for keen revolutionary vigilance in relation to the designs of the class enemy As Lenin repeatedly warned us, various careerists attach themselves to the ruling party. Nor must it be for gotten that the enemies of the people, the bourgeois de generates, agents of international imperialism, skilfully disguising themselves as Communists, have tried and will in future try to penetrate into the ranks of the Party for the purpose of conducting subversive hostile activity. The further sharpening of the revolutionary vigilance of the Communists and of all the working people is therefore an important task of the political education work of the Party organizations.
23. The whole course of the half-century history of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union has shown the immense importance of the principles of Party leadership and norms of Party life worked out by Lenin. The Party teaches that it is imperatively necessary to carry out these laws of Party organization, strictly to adhere to the supreme principle of Party leadership, namely, collective leadership, and to the requirements of the Party Rules. We must eradicate from the Party's propaganda work the wrong, non-Marxist treatment of the question of the role of the individual in history, which found expression in the propaganda of the idealistic cult of the individual , which is alien to the spirit of Marxism-Leninism. The cult of the individual contradicts the principle of collective leadership, leads to minimizing the role of the Party, of its leading centre, and to the diminution of the creative activity of the Party membership an d the Soviet people; it has nothing in common with the Marxist-Leninist conception of the high significance of the directing activities of leading organs and leading cadres. The Party bases itself on the premise that only collective experience, the collective wisdom of the Central Commit tee, relying on the scientific basis of Marxist-Leninist theory and on the wide initiative of the leading cadres, ensures correct leadership of the Party and the country, the unshakeable unity and solidarity of the Party's ranks, and the successful building of communism in our country.
A powerful means of expanding inner-Party democracy and of_ improving collective leadership in the struggle against defects and morbid phenomena is self-criticism, and particularly, criticism from below. By boldly developing criticism and self-criticism, the Party stimulates the creative activity of the Communists and of all the working people, directs their efforts towards the over coming of existing defects and difficulties, and achieves general progress in all sectors of communist construction.
24. The Marxist-Leninist education of Communists is an object of the Party's special care. A continuous rise of the ideological level of the members and candidate members of the Party is a decisive condition for enhancing their vanguard role in all spheres of life, for the development of the activity of the Party membership.
In the propaganda work of our Party now more than ever before it is necessary to do away with the text-quoting, dogmatic approach to the study of Marxist-Leninist theory. Basing itself on the premise that Marxist-Leninist theory is not a dogma but a guide to action, the Party demands that Communists should understand the creative character of Marxism-Leninism, should master not formulas and quotations, but the real essence of the all conquering, world-changing revolutionary teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin. That is precisely what the entire history of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union teaches us.
Forgetfulness of these precepts, neglect of Marxist Leninist theory inevitably lead to narrow-minded plod ding, to loss of perspective in work. Inability to link current practical affairs with the Party's fundamental political tasks, with its struggle for the victory of communism , inevitably causes such narrow-minded plodder s to fail also in their practical work.
25. Under the conditions of the gradual transition from socialism to communism, the communist education of the working people acquires enormous importance . It must not be forgotten that in our society the survivals of capitalism in the minds of men have not yet been eliminated by a long way. Nor are we insured against th e penetration into our midst of alien views, ideas and sentiments emanating from the capitalist encirclement and from persons infected with bourgeois survivals, including nationalist survivals. The Communist Party sets itself the task of considerably improving the entire work of political education among the masses, of educating the Communists and the entire people in the spirit of confidence in the invincibility of the great cause of communism, of selfless devotion to the Party and to our socialist Motherland.
The Party deems it its sacred duty to educate the working people in the spirit of Soviet patriotism and indestructible friendship of the peoples of the U.S.S.R., in the spirit of proletarian internationalism and the establishment of fraternal ties with the working people of all countries. It is necessary resolutely to combat manifestations of bourgeois nationalism and corrupt bourgeois ideology 26. In the sphere of internal policy the Party considers it one of its most important tasks to continue to display unrelaxing concern for the maximum satisfaction of the constantly growing requirements of the Soviet people. With the growth of the national economy there will be a steady rise in the standard of living of the working people in socialist society, and their material and cultural requirements will be satisfied more and more fully and diversely.
In the sphere of foreign policy the Party will continue consistently to pursue the policy of safeguarding and strengthening peace, the policy of co-operation with all countries and developing business connections with them on the principle of mutual respect for one another's interests. Only firm and lasting peace between the nations can create the necessary conditions for the further continuous development of socialist economy, for ensuring a life of happiness and prosperity for the working people of our country.
27. A mighty weapon in the struggle to build communist society is our Soviet state, the granite foundations of which were laid by the great Lenin. The Communist Party sets itself the task of further strengthening the multi-national Soviet state, the alliance between the working class and the peasantry, and the friendship of the peoples, and of enhancing to the utmost the active de fence of our country against the aggressive actions of her enemies. To strengthen the Soviet state is the patriotic duty and also the sacred international obligation of the working people of our country.
In close unity with the people, our Party is confidently marching towards new victories . The recent July Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union demonstrated with enhanced force the indestructible unity of our Communist Party, its fighting readiness to carry out the tasks confronting it in the sphere s of internal and foreign policy.
Under the banner of Leninism, under the leadership of the Communist Party - forward to the triumph of communism!
PROPAGANDA AND AGITATION DEPARTMENT OF THE C.C., CPSU.
MARX-ENGELS-LENIN-STALIN INSTITUTE OF THE C.C., CPSU .