A communist number one goal is and should always be the victory of the broad working masses. Socialism over capitalism, self-determination and independence over imperialism. An ultra leftist would compromise this goal by refusing to work with other progressive elements on basis of "principle" or sometimes just plain arrogance.
We in the USA, the largest imperialist nation on earth, a first world nation, have the luxury of ultra leftism. Ultra leftism is (in the USA) a luxury for communist in first world and imperialist nations. We can afford to keep to our small ineffectual, intellectual circles that only allow in a certain ideology and refuses to work with other groups who don't believe the exact same thing that we do. Why should we prepare for revolution when we can stay busy arguing with other people that we could be uniting with to create a revolutionary situation?
I don't believe I need to continue to rant on this overall situation because any communist reading this is already aware that ultra leftism, or; the inability to work well with others. Is holding us back and makes it impossible to create the correct situation for revolution. I'm not calling for communist to unite with everyone. That is ultra right-wing communism to go about uniting with others for opportunistic or utopian reasons.
In a nation where there are sooooo many different groups and a lot of different ideologies are represented it is important to know who you can unite with for revolution and those that you can not. Our goal is proletarian revolution! The democratic dictatorship of the broad working classes over the bourgeoisie and imperialist forces. We can not and will never achieve our goals under the current situation of ultra leftism on one side of the communist movement and ultra rightism on the other.
ULTRA LEFTISM IN THE MAOIST MOVEMENT
We Maoist are ourselves guilty of ultra leftism to the highest degree. We split ourselves over everything from the GLF to the 100 flower movement to the GPCR. We split from those who see the USSR as social imperialist and those who don't. We split from those who support the shinning path and those who don't. We split over which line we support in the Nepal revolution. We would split over anything it seems. We have no functional party to work in as a unit. We are fractured, sectarian and ineffectual. Of course I do not mean all Maoist living in the US, some Maoist here are shinning examples of how to be a good communist. But for the most part we are ultra leftist talking revolution but not willing to step outside our circles and comfort zone to actually achieve a revolutionary situation.
I myself am guilty of ultra leftism earlier in my political life. I used to never want to work with anyone who wasn't a marxist leninist. But we must see and draw on past lessons. (as maoist) It is important to work with all who can be united with. What is better? One large, unified, comprehensive communist/progressive movement based in and on the broad working masses? Or a small, fractured, schizophrenic movement based on intellectual circles and protest activist? The answer is easy and was handed to us long ago by Mao himself. The real question is what are we going to do about it?
