A View Point :
Two Centenaries on both sides of the Himalayas
Together the two , on both sides of the Himalayas , is a vast mass of land with almost half of the world population , huge resources , wide varieties of ecologies , agro-ecological and climate zones , and rich with bygone civilizations fossilized in history . Mountain ranges stand high between them . But the uniformity that once put them on the same plane is exploitative systems – feudal , semi-feudal , imperialist – chaining all the commoners and all possibilities for advancement . Peoples in both the lands were struggling for generations to overthrow the exploitative systems .
With this background they – India , considered as a subcontinent , now , trifurcated , and China , bigger than the subcontinent in geographical term – embarked on a heroic journey towards a humane society through toilers ’ revolution based on a scientific theory – Marxism-Leninism – a century ago . Both of them threw away respective colonial / neo-colonial masters : India got rid of the British colonial masters in 1947 as the masters , bled white in a world war , saw a gathering storm crossing past horizon while China declared its victory over imperialism and its lackeys two years later .
The Communist Party of China ( CPC ) led the wars for liberation beginning in 1921 that went through the periods of First , Second and Third Revolutionary Civil War , and the War of Resistance against Japan . The Communist Party of India ( CPI ) began its journey in the same year . Anyway , today , 2021 , it can be claimed there ’ re reasons to celebrate and reflect the two centenaries . With phases of heroic struggles and sacrifices , debacles and deviations , both of the communist parties struggled along the exploited and people , for the exploited and people . How their century-long 20 struggles went on ? A stock taking will not be a futile exercise ; rather will have utility in forward march of people . Communist Party of China China , through its peasant movements in Hunan and in other areas , through its historic journey – the epical Long March , through its days in many guerrilla zones , liberated areas behind enemy lines , in Yenan , through its political preparations before battles , mobile wars and war of annihilation by the People ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) including the New Fourth Army , the Eighth Route Army , and the Second and Third Field Armies made a victorious march to Beijing in 1949 ; and Mao , the communist who stands as a symbol of the communist-led people ’ s struggle in China , made the historic proclamation of liberation while “ bidding farewell ” to Leighton Stuart . Before reaching Beijing , the CPC-led armed political struggle established people ’ s political power in regions the exploited people liberated : “ In every […] Liberated Areas , […] popularly elected governments , that is , local coalition governments , [ were ] set up , in which Communists and representative personalities of other anti-Japanese parties or without any party affiliation [ were ] cooperating .”
This long march – a task like an old man removing mountains 7 began with about a dozen communist revolutionaries . “ It was through the Russians that the Chinese found Marxism . Before the October Revolution , the Chinese were not only ignorant of Lenin and Stalin , they did not even know of Marx and Engels . The salvos of the October Revolution brought us Marxism-Leninism .” Mao reminded : “ To ensure that we will definitely achieve success in our revolution and will not lead the masses astray , we must pay attention to uniting with our real friends in order
- Farooque Chowdhury ,
Dhaka
to attack our real enemies .” The leader of the CPC called to serve the people , investigate the rural areas . In 1928 , seven years since organizing of the CPC , “ China [ emerged as ] the only country in the world […] where […] areas under Red political power […] emerged in the midst of a White regime which encircles them . […] [ O ] ne reason for this phenomenon lies in the incessant splits and wars within China ’ s comprador classes . So long as these splits and wars continue , it is possible for an armed independent regime of workers and peasants to survive and grow . In addition , its survival and growth require the following conditions : ( 1 ) a sound mass base , ( 2 ) a sound party organization , ( 3 ) a fairly strong Red Army , ( 4 ) terrain favorable to military operations , and ( 5 ) economic resources sufficient for sustenance .” Within 17 years , by early-1945 , the CPC ’ s class enemy Kuomintang ’ s “ armed forces have shrunk to less than half their original size and most of them have virtually lost their combat effectiveness ;” there emerged “ a profound rift between [ the ruling Kuomintang ] clique and the broad masses and a grave crisis of mass impoverishment , seething discontent and widespread revolt […]” and Kuomintang ’ s “ role in the war [ to resist Japan was ] sharply reduced .” The communist leader identified contradictions , and proper handling of the contradictions , practicing revolutionary work , creating literature for people , and a correct military line for establishing people ’ s political power . Mao dealt with practical problems of study , nourishing cadres , party committee system , discipline , intellectuals , and problems of protracted people ’ s war – from foiling of
Class Struggle