League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist)
The League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist) was a Marxist-Leninist[1] movement in the United States formed in 1978 by merging communist organizations. It was dissolved by the organization's leadership in 1990.
The LRS(M-L) was formed from a merger of the Asian American communist organization I Wor Kuen and the Chicano-Latino communist organization August 29th Movement (M-L) in September 1978. By 1979, they absorbed a number of other ethnic based radical groups including the East Wind Collective of Japanese Americans in the Los Angeles and the Seize the Time Collective of Chicanos and African Americans in San Francisco and The New York Collective of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Early in 1980 it also merged with the Revolutionary Communist League (Marxist-Leninist-Mao Tse-tung Thought) led by Amiri Baraka. This organization, formerly known as the Congress of Afrikan People, was composed mostly of African-Americans and had stressed Black cultural nationalism. When this merger occurred they issued a joint statement declaring ""Our unity signals a big advance in this struggle for Marxist-Leninist unity and for a single, unified, vanguard communist party."[2]
History of Communism in the US
The Communist Party USA (CPUSA) was formally established in 1919 following the 1917 Russian Revolution. The Tsarist autocracy was overthrown and the Soviet Union was formed. The members of CPUSA were mostly former members of the socialist part of America. However, since the socialist party opposed the Russian Revolution and banned members who supported it, many of these exiled members joined the Communist Party, a group more left-wing than the Socialists.
Asian American New Left
From the late 60s to the early 70s, Asian Americans became increasingly active in the New Left movement. This is evidenced by their participation in New Left activities such as the Free Speech Movement, Students for a Democratic Society, the Weatherman, and the Progressive Labor Party.[3]
The Asian American Left, however, separated itself from the dominant New Left movement after highlighting racism and national oppression as pressing issues that were not being addressed by the mainstream movement. As a result, Asian American marxists added self-determination to their agenda.
Founding
The League of Revolutionary Struggle was created from a union between I Wor Kuen and the August 29th Movement in 1978. During the 1970s, the Marxist-Leninst movement gained traction in the United States as young revolutionary groups found themselves drawn to the anti-revisionist communist movement.
ATM and IWK were two prominent Marxist-Leninist organizations that were formed during the 1960s. ATM stemmed from the Chicano movement while IWK was a product of Asian movements. Realizing the understanding of communist unity, ATM and IWK moved towards resolving their differences. Both being opposed to Trotskyite revisionists and dedicated to the working class and oppressed nationality movements, ATM and IWK shared many similarities. As a result, after a year and a half of discussions over ideological and political ideologies, the two organizations merged.
Notable Figures
Activity
The LRS(M-L) published a newspaper called Unity and a journal called Forward: Journal of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought.The LRS(M-L) was active in electoral work, including playing important roles in the Rainbow Coalition and the campaigns to elect Jesse Jackson for U.S. president in 1984 and 1988.When the LRS dissolved, part of the organization regrouped as the Socialist Organizing Network, which merged into Freedom Road Socialist Organization in 1994.
Publications
- Statements on the Founding of the League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist), San Francisco: Getting Together Publications, 1978
- A Study Guide for Mao Zedong's Theory of the Three Worlds Oakland: Unity Publications, 1978.
- Normalization of U.S.-China relations and Deng Xiaoping's U.S. visit: a victory for socialism : an analysis, San Francisco: Getting Together Publications, 1979
- Repression, Reaganomics, war and revolution: the present situation and the tasks of U.S. Marxist-Leninists. [Oakland? Calif.] : U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L), 1981
- Speech given by Amriri Baraka, June 27, 1980: League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L)., by Amiri Baraka, 1980.
- RWH on the Black Liberation Movement: Wrong Again!, by Amiri Baraka, 1981.
- Peace, justice, equality and socialism: from the Second Congress of the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L). , Oakland: Getting Together Publications, 1984
- 'A future to win: the student movement and the 1980s. [Oakland, CA] : U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist), 1984
- Education is a right, not a privilege: a program for the Chicano student struggle, and other articles. Oakland: Unity Publications, 1985
- Chicano students and community fighting for educational rights Oakland: Unity Publications, 1986
- Black students in struggle. Oakland: Unity Publications, 1987
References
- ↑ EROL. "League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) Founded!". www.marxists.org. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
- ↑ Alexander, Robert J. Maoism in the developed worldWestport, Conn. Prager 2001 pp.33-34
- ↑ Espiritu, Yen (1992). Asian American Panethnicity: Bridging Institutions and Identities. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 45. ISBN 0-87722-955-4.