Communism - A Dying Cult.

"Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all countries unite!"

These words of Marx still warm up the wokers all over the world and inspire them to march to take on the causes of their oppression, only to find the diminutive stature of the ideology which was to protect them from the oppression of bourgeois and Capitalism. Communism, which was once spreading like a fire in entire Europe, is now not even considered a threat to Capitalism. Communism has become so weak that Europe and America have stopped treating Communists as a threat and in fact USA is aiding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Iraq. In Syria also, USA has allied itself with local Communists to fight against ISIL.

So, what have caused the fall of a mighty ideology which once boasted of the leadership of thinkers and leaders no less than Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao who once used to decide the course of action for politics of the world. Communism, which once ruled East Europe, large part of Asia and Africa has been reduced to China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam. Except China, the state of affairs in these countries is not inspiring. However, attributing the progress of China to Communism would be naive as China started on the path of becoming a superpower in 1978 by adopting economic reforms and going against the ideology of Communism. Presently, China is morally and politically Communist but economically more Capitalist than many of the Capitalist countries of the world.  The reputation of Communist administration in other Communist nations, e.g. North Korea, is such that Communists refuse to acknowledge them as Communist States.

The only silver lining for Communism has been Cuba, which has adhered to the values of Communism in all times. Whatever the situation, Cuba never dissociated from Communism, so much so that when in 2009, the Organizations of American States ended the 47 year ban on Cuba to join the group, Fidel Castro refused to join the group calling it a US Trojan Horse. Apart from keeping its sovereignty intact, Cuba, however facing allegations of human right violation, has also maintained a stable economy without compromising civic amenities.

But the positive story of Communism ends with Cuba. All the other countries following Communism are debt-ridden and on the verge of collapse while the Communist parties in other countries are struggling to maintain their voter base.

In India, ever since the formation of Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1920s, the party has been a victim of its error of judgement and the policies of other Communist nations. In 1942, British legalized CPI since Soviet Union was their ally in the World War-I and to reciprocate this graciousness, the CPI opposed the Quit India Movement, when the whole nation was supporting it. This decision cost the Communists dearly and they were politically cornered. However, they soon gained the momentum and with their struggle for the oppressed and armed rebellion at several places, they won over the marginalized groups. In 1957, CPI became the first Political Party other than Congress to win a State Assembly poll by winning Kerala Assembly elections. However, in 1962 during the Sino-India War, the communists again found themselves on the crossroads whether to support their country or their ideology. Ultimately the ideology won and the CPI kept itself aloof and advocated talks with the aggressors, as if China was ready for talks. However, some leaders, e.g. VS Achuthanandan, tried to blunt these accusations by advocating blood donation for soldiers, but they were punished by the party for indiscipline.

This stand of the party and deep down differences of socialism and communism made the party split in 1964. The wing which supported the Congress government during the war kept the title and the radicals who had a pro-China stand formed a separate party under Communist Party of India (Marxist). Ironically, the more radical CPI (M) has left its parent party far behind in terms of popularity. The CPI (M), riding on the Naxal movement and promise of land reforms, formed its government in West Bengal in 1977 and continued to rule for 35 years.

However, the fate of Communism in India is similar to that of worldwide and they have lost ground in West Bengal to Mamta Banerjee and with the expansion of BJP in Eastern States of India, the prospects of CPI (M) regaining its grounds are not looking bright.

The CPI (M) is confused in its strategy and have always been waffling between the country and the ideology. This is evident from its constitution, which mentions that the aim of the party is to establish dictatorship of proletariat with keeping high the banner of proletarian internationalism. However, in the same document, the party pledge to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India and to uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country. These contradictory statements in the same document has embarrassed the party many times.

However, the CPI is more Indian in its characteristics, as it claims to be motivated by noble traditions, historical experience, rich cultural heritage and valuable teachings of great social reformers and thinkers of our country. However, the CPI lacks the connect with the masses.

It's high time that both the parties condition themselves to the Indian society and let go of the internationalism, as the Communist Party of China has, otherwise they won't be able to withstand the onslaught of nationalism that has been spreading in countries one after the other.

Further, they also need to limit the manifestation of their love and respect for the international leaders, ignoring the indigenous ones. They may project the good works done by EMS Namboodiripad, Jyoti Basu or Manik Sarkar, to start with. No matter how great thinkers or leaders Marx, Hegel or Lenin had been, the ideology failed miserably in their countries, and people can't be enticed by showcasing failed examples of Communism worldwide.

The people who have Gandhi or Ambedkar to look upon, can't be inspired by the fate of Communism in the countries of the great Communist thinkers and leaders. The Communists give more importance to ideals than actions or implementation, which can be seen in their appropriation of Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar, in spite of the differences with the latter. The ideals have always attracted people towards left, but to convert the attraction into support or votes, left has to modify itself as per the Indian conditions and showcase the work done by its leaders when given an opportunity.

Therefore, Communists in general and Indian Communists in particular, need to forgo the rigidity, devise their strategy specific to the country and pay heed to the following words of Marx:

"Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living."