Where Do We Go From Here? (On the Maoist Situation in the US)

   I have observed over the last year and a half to two years that the Maoist movement is growing in the united states and in other first world/imperialist nations (Canada,UK,Italy etc). The ideas of Maoism and the universal correctness of it revolutionary theory are spreading and becoming more popular among the left and the people in general. Even non-Maoist are starting to mimic the mass line and line struggle with-in their organizations. All these things are good news for the Maoist movement in the US. (I will be discussing the situation here in the US as I am not well read enough in the other nations to comment on their situation.)


But where can we go from here? What task do we now face?


   Obviously we can either go up or down from here, forward or backwards. We want to go up/forward obviously. But the question will be "how?" Well as of right now at least I think the answer is easy (even if in practice it will be hard.) Our movement is made up of smaller local groups that are sometimes based on only one or two political or economic issues. And that is fine, I am not here to critique that at this time. I believe that is what is with-in our means as of right now.


   However; the time will come (hopefully soon) when the Maoist movement will have to start organizing on a national level. We cannot spark national revolution or even start national dissent from our local groups. We need some sort of national organization if we are to become relevant. I mean an actual national organization where all Maoist are included regardless of their sub-ideology/beliefs. One where criticism/self-criticism and line struggle are the leading ideas as opposed to ultra-leftism and self sectarianism with-in the Maoist movement.


   The task we face? The task we now face is building that national organization. Getting over our petty historical/minor political differences to unite all the Maoist forces into one cohesive organization who's goal is socialist revolution in the US. Once again this is easily stated but will be hard to achieve in practice. I believe if we Maoist living in the US can unite and create said national organization, I think we can honestly be the largest and most relevant communist group in the nation. Many independent Maoist (regardless of their specific sub-ideology) are forced into joining non-Maoist organizations/parties such as PSL, FRSO etc. Specifically because they have no real Maoist group to participate in on a national level.


   If you are reading this and asking yourself "what about the Progressive Labor Party or the Revolutionary Communist Party?" While these are both national organizations (respectively) we must consider the following; In regards to the Progressive Labor Party (PLP); They have referred to themselves as Maoist before but they can not be the national group I am speaking of because they look down on and regard the cultural revolution as a bad thing. This is too large of a dividing issue for the PLP to be able to unite the Maoist living in the US into a national movement. In regards to the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP); Anyone who is familiar with the RCP could probably think of ten or more reasons why the RCP would be unable to unite the Maoist movement. The main reason would be (obviously) the semi-worship of Avakianism over Maoism which is alienating to traditional and most new age Maoist. This is not to say I oppose both of these groups because that would be untrue. Both groups have good and bad things about them. I am just pointing out that while both of these groups call themselves Maoist, neither are capable of uniting the Maoist movement in this country. In reality these two parties are not open enough (ideologically nor politically) to allow the independent/unaffiliated Maoist to flock into their respective parties. This is why we must create a new organization as opposed to joining an existing one.                   


   I hope that soon all of the independent Maoist and the smaller Maoist groups can start a dialog to start the process of a national organization building for a true Maoist party based on people's democracy and revolutionary socialism. I for one would be willing to promote, help organize, donate to, discuss, critique etc. Anything that would be needed of me I would be willing to do to achieve this great dream. We as a group either want socialism or we do not. Their is no middle path here. You either want socialism and are willing to struggle for it or else you are a running dog of capitalist imperialism. It is time to cast aside all petty differences to unite into one national organization with the aim of building a party and eventually taking power from the capitalist classes and placing the power into the hands of the proletarian masses.