Burma Workers Party
Encyclopedia
The Burma Workers Party, until 1958 the Burma Workers and Peasants Party, was a communist party
in Burma, formed on December 8, 1950, by leftist elements of the Socialist Party. In December 1962 it merged with the People's Comrade Party to form the United Workers Party. In March of 1964, it was among the many parties banned by decree of the Revolutionary Council.
, Thakin Hla Kywe, Thakin Lwin
and U Ba Nyein. Within the Socialist Party discussions had emerged on issues like the affiliation of the Trade Union Congress (Burma)
to the World Federation of Trade Unions
. Under the leadership of Thakin Lwin, the TUC(B) had steered towards an openly communist line. In the May Day
rally of 1950, TUC(B) demonstrators had carried large portraits of Karl Marx
, Friedrich Engels
, Vladimir Lenin
, Joseph Stalin
and Mao Zedong
. Thakin Lwin had publicly declared that TUC(B) followed the 'communist party line', but denounced the White Flag Communist Party
, Red Flag Communist Party and Josip Broz Tito
as 'deviationists'. Except for Thakin Lwin, a major leader amongst the founders of BWPP was Thakin Chit Maung who was a leader of the All Burma Peasants Organisation.
BWPP was a Marxist-Leninist
party. It considered the AFPFL government as servants of imperialism
. However, unlike the White Flag and Red Flag communist parties the BWPP worked as a legal political parties. The party was sometimes nicknamed as 'Red Socialists'.
At the time of its foundation, the party had ten MPs amongst its members. In the 1951 election, the strength of the BWPP parliamentary faction increased to twelve. Ahead of the 1956 legislative election
, BWPP launched the National United Front
in 1955. In the elections the NUF won 48 seats.
In June 1957 Prime Minister U Nu
made a deal with BWPP to be able to defeat a no confidence vote in the parliament.
The first party congress of BWPP has held in Rangoon December 27, 1957-January 2, 1958, during which the name 'Burma Workers Party' was adopted. At the congress 259 delegates, representing 22 districts and around 3000 party members, were present. The congress adopted five main slogans: "(1) One party our strength, one party our aim!; (2) Let us separate ourselves from Capitalists and their like; Let us form alliance with those who are true to us and our Cause!; (3) Let us define our political aim clearly and keep Democracy in view!; (4) Internal Peace through Democracy!; (5) Afro-Asian Alliance for world peace!"
The congress elected various leadership committees:
After the declaration of 'Burmese Way to Socialism
' by the Ne Win
regime, BWP was marginalized. In the end of 1962, BWP and the People's Comrade Party merged into the United Workers Party.
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in Burma, formed on December 8, 1950, by leftist elements of the Socialist Party. In December 1962 it merged with the People's Comrade Party to form the United Workers Party. In March of 1964, it was among the many parties banned by decree of the Revolutionary Council.
History
The founders of BWPP were 42 leading cadres of the Socialist Party, who denounced the leadership of Ba Swe and Kyaw Nyein. These included Thakin Chit MaungThakin Chit Maung
Thakhin Chit Maung also known as Widuya Thakhin Chit Maung, was a veteran Burmese politician.-Political career:His political career in Burma began as a teenager in the early 1930s when he joined the nationalist organisation "Dobama Asiayone"...
, Thakin Hla Kywe, Thakin Lwin
Thakin Lwin
Thakin Lwin was a Burmese politician and trade unionist, writer and journalist. He was a leading member of the anti-colonial Dobama Asiayone movement, a parliamentarian, the president of the Trade Union Congress and a prominent leader of the Burma Workers and Peasants Party.-Early life:Lwin was...
and U Ba Nyein. Within the Socialist Party discussions had emerged on issues like the affiliation of the Trade Union Congress (Burma)
Trade Union Congress (Burma)
The Trade Union Congress was a central trade union organization in Burma. The TUC was founded by the Socialist Party in November 1945, in an attempt to counter the influence of the communist-led All Burma Trade Union Congress. Ba Cho was the President of TUC...
to the World Federation of Trade Unions
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
. Under the leadership of Thakin Lwin, the TUC(B) had steered towards an openly communist line. In the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
rally of 1950, TUC(B) demonstrators had carried large portraits of Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
, Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
, Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
and Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
. Thakin Lwin had publicly declared that TUC(B) followed the 'communist party line', but denounced the White Flag Communist Party
Communist Party of Burma
The Communist Party of Burma is the oldest existing political party in Burma. The party is unrecognised by the Burmese authorities, rendering it illegal; so it operates in a clandestine manner, often associating with insurgent armies along the border of People's Republic of China...
, Red Flag Communist Party and Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
as 'deviationists'. Except for Thakin Lwin, a major leader amongst the founders of BWPP was Thakin Chit Maung who was a leader of the All Burma Peasants Organisation.
BWPP was a Marxist-Leninist
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
party. It considered the AFPFL government as servants of imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
. However, unlike the White Flag and Red Flag communist parties the BWPP worked as a legal political parties. The party was sometimes nicknamed as 'Red Socialists'.
At the time of its foundation, the party had ten MPs amongst its members. In the 1951 election, the strength of the BWPP parliamentary faction increased to twelve. Ahead of the 1956 legislative election
Burmese general election, 1956
Burma held its second general election on 27 April 1956 to vote for 202 out of 250 seats to the Burmese Chamber of Deputies; the remaining 48 were decided automatically as no opposition candidates were entered against candidates of the ruling Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League .The Anti-Fascist...
, BWPP launched the National United Front
National United Front
The National United Front was a political coalition in Burma, formed ahead of the April 1956 general election. NUF consisted of the Burma Workers and Peasants Party, the Justice Party led by Dr. E Maung, the People's Unity Party led by Thein Pe Myint, the People's Peace Front and other sectors. NUF...
in 1955. In the elections the NUF won 48 seats.
In June 1957 Prime Minister U Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...
made a deal with BWPP to be able to defeat a no confidence vote in the parliament.
The first party congress of BWPP has held in Rangoon December 27, 1957-January 2, 1958, during which the name 'Burma Workers Party' was adopted. At the congress 259 delegates, representing 22 districts and around 3000 party members, were present. The congress adopted five main slogans: "(1) One party our strength, one party our aim!; (2) Let us separate ourselves from Capitalists and their like; Let us form alliance with those who are true to us and our Cause!; (3) Let us define our political aim clearly and keep Democracy in view!; (4) Internal Peace through Democracy!; (5) Afro-Asian Alliance for world peace!"
The congress elected various leadership committees:
- PolitburoPolitburoPolitburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
: Thakin Chit Maung, Thakin Lwin, U Ba Nyein, Boh Mya Thway, Thakin Ba Han, Aung Ban. - Party Unification Commission: Thakin Hla Kyway, Sein Mya, Than (Prome), Than Myint, Tin Tun.
- Propaganda Commission: Thakin Lu Aye, Thu, Thakin Aye-Che, Than Lay, Aung Than.
- Treasury Commission: Thakin Ba Han, Thakin Lay Maung, Thakin Than.
After the declaration of 'Burmese Way to Socialism
Burmese Way to Socialism
The Burmese Way to Socialism refers to the ideology of the Socialist regime in Burma, from 1962 to 1988, when the 1962 coup d'état was led by Ne Win and the military to remove U Nu from power...
' by the Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
regime, BWP was marginalized. In the end of 1962, BWP and the People's Comrade Party merged into the United Workers Party.