Communist Party of Sweden (1967)
Encyclopedia
Kommunistiska Förbundet Marxist-Leninisterna (Communist League Marxists-Leninists) was formed at the 1967 party congress of VPK, when a pro-Chinese group left the party.
and Marxism-Leninism
as interpreted by Mao Zedong
, commonly known as Maoism
. KFML was the first of the many New Left
-groups that surged in Sweden
during the 1960s and 1970s. The party was more anti blacks during this time. KFML had a very important and leading role in the mass solidarity work with the Vietnamese people
.
In 1970 a left wing faction based in Göteborg broke away and formed KFML(r).
In 1973 KFML took the name Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (Communist Party of Sweden), the old party name of VPK. SKP held its first party congress January 4-January 7, 1973. The second party congress was held in Gustavsberg
April 15-April 19, 1976.
In 1980 SKP suffered another split, when a group of critics were expelled on the issue of China. The expelled formed a new party, Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (Marxist-Leninisterna).
. Vietnam
, which had meant so much in the solidarity work of KFML/SKP, and Cambodia
, "their" ally, had become involved in the Cambodian-Vietnamese War
, fighting against each other. And SKP, who had succeeded in getting famous in Swedish politics, had not been able to expand and get more than fractions of a percent in votes. From 1982 and onwards, they supported the Swedish Social Democratic Party
in the national elections. Many members, both leaders and base militants left the movement. The party became seriously ideologically disoriented.
The 4th congress of the party was held June 16–17, 1984. Roland Pettersson was elected chairman.
In the Swedish general election, 1985
, the party won representation in the municipal councils in Gällivare
(1 seat), Mariestad
(2 seats), Vallentuna
(1 seat), Laxå
, Vadstena
and Sigtuna
(2 seats).
At the 5th congress of the party (October 31-November 2, 1986) SKP changed its name to Solidaritetspartiet (The Solidarity Party), and adopted a non-communist programme. The new name was registered on November 28. It is probable that the name was inspired by the Polish
Solidarity movement under Lech Wałęsa
, as the party supported their struggle. There was a small section who wanted to keep the old name. There were also other, alternative proposals, such as Demokratiska Socialister (the runner-up proposal), Sveriges Socialistiska Vänsterparti and Sveriges Revolutionära Socialister. The name of the party publication was changed to Solidaritets-Gnistan and became a triweekly. The Mariestad
branch of the party, which had municipal representation, broke with the and formed Municipal Left
. The Mariestad branch had objected to the decision by the congress to remove the ban on local organizations to receive government financing.
The 5th congress elected the following central committee:
In the Swedish general election, 1988
, the party contested the municipal elections in Sigtuna
and Vallentuna
. In Laxå
party took part in the elections as Municipal Left
(Kommunal Vänster), on the list "VPK/Kommunal Vänster" a cooperation between the party and VPK. In Katrineholm
, the party contested on the list of "VPK-Kommunal Vänster", together with VPK, SP
and independents. In Hammarö
it contested on the list of "Vänsterpartiet Kommunisterna/Kommunal Vänster". In Gällivare
the party contested on the lists of United Socialists
.
In Vallentuna the vore-share increased from 414 to 596 (4.7%). The party got two seats, and Norell and Wicksell became municipal councillors. In Sigtuna the seat of the party was retained, and the vote-share increased from 300 to 350. The party lost its municipal representation in Gällivare. 'VPK/Kommunal Vänster' won five seats in Laxå. In Hammarö 'VPK/Kommunal Vänster' won three seats. 'VPK-Kommunal Vänster' failed to win any seat in Katrineholm.
In the new central committee 4 out of 11 members came from Vallentuna. The congress also decided that another congress would convene in the summer of 1990 to decide the future of the party.
The last issue of Solidaritets-Gnistan was published on December 13, 1989.
By 1990 the party ceased to function as a nationwide party. The party transformed into an entirely municipal party in Vallentuna. Solidaritetspartiet ran in the municipal elections in Vallentuna until 1994, when they got 6% and 3 seats. They did not run in the 1998 elections. It's unclear whether the party still exists, but it's at least registered with the Swedish authorities.
functioned as the youth and students wing of the party. Later Röd Ungdom (Red Youth, RU) was founded as the youth league of SKP. It published a magazine called Rödluvan (Little Red Ridinghood).
RU held its fourth congress on April 24–25, 1982. Notably the congress opposed the party line of voting in favour of the Social Democrats in the upcoming elections. Instead the youth wing appealed for blank voting. A resolution adopted by the congress read "...none of the parliamentary parties will fix the future of the Swedish youth. The future is decided by the organisation and struggle of the youth". A three-member delegation of the SKP party leadership was present at the congress, but were unable to convince RU to support the party line.
RU held a fifth, extraordinary, congress in 1983. By that time the youth wing was in bad shape. Representatives from 15 local units took part in the congress. The congress approved the merger of MLK into RU.
At the time of the 1988 elections youth group was formed in Vallentuna, Solidarity Party Youth League
(SPUF).
1967–1980
KFML was oriented towards the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Marxism-Leninism
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...
as interpreted by 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...
, commonly known as Maoism
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
. KFML was the first of the many New Left
New Left
The New Left was a term used mainly in the United Kingdom and United States in reference to activists, educators, agitators and others in the 1960s and 1970s who sought to implement a broad range of reforms, in contrast to earlier leftist or Marxist movements that had taken a more vanguardist...
-groups that surged in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the 1960s and 1970s. The party was more anti blacks during this time. KFML had a very important and leading role in the mass solidarity work with the Vietnamese people
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
.
In 1970 a left wing faction based in Göteborg broke away and formed KFML(r).
In 1973 KFML took the name Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (Communist Party of Sweden), the old party name of VPK. SKP held its first party congress January 4-January 7, 1973. The second party congress was held in Gustavsberg
Gustavsberg
Gustavsberg is a locality and the seat of Värmdö Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden with 9,682 inhabitants in 2005. It is most known for its porcelain factory, Gustavsberg porcelain, and toilet bowls distributed nationwide and internationally....
April 15-April 19, 1976.
In 1980 SKP suffered another split, when a group of critics were expelled on the issue of China. The expelled formed a new party, Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (Marxist-Leninisterna).
1980s
The 1980s meant crisis for SKP. They were divided on the issue of the new leadership in China, effectively under Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
. Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, which had meant so much in the solidarity work of KFML/SKP, and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, "their" ally, had become involved in the Cambodian-Vietnamese War
Cambodian-Vietnamese War
The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Democratic Kampuchea. The war began with isolated clashes along the land and maritime boundaries of Vietnam and Kampuchea between 1975 and 1977, occasionally involving division-sized military formations...
, fighting against each other. And SKP, who had succeeded in getting famous in Swedish politics, had not been able to expand and get more than fractions of a percent in votes. From 1982 and onwards, they supported the Swedish Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
in the national elections. Many members, both leaders and base militants left the movement. The party became seriously ideologically disoriented.
The 4th congress of the party was held June 16–17, 1984. Roland Pettersson was elected chairman.
In the Swedish general election, 1985
Swedish general election, 1985
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 15 September 1985.-Election campaign:At a campaign meeting in Sundsvall on 22 August, Minister of social welfare Sten Andersson promised to increase the state pensions as a compensation for the price increases following the devaluation of the krona in 1982...
, the party won representation in the municipal councils in Gällivare
Gällivare
Gällivare is a locality and the seat of Gällivare Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 8,480 inhabitants in 2005. The town was founded in the 17th century...
(1 seat), Mariestad
Mariestad
Mariestad is a locality and the seat of Mariestad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 15,448 inhabitants in 2005. It was until 1997 the capital of the former Skaraborg County and an episcopal see in the Church of Sweden between 1583 and 1646....
(2 seats), Vallentuna
Vallentuna
Vallentuna is a bimunicipal locality and the seat of Vallentuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 26,500 inhabitants in 2005. It stretches over two municipalities in Stockholm County, in the Roslagen region. Vallentuna is also a suburb of Stockholm...
(1 seat), Laxå
Laxå
Laxå is a locality and the seat of Laxå Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 3,307 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The town was founded in the mid-19th century when the main line railway between Gothenburg and Stockholm was built in 1883. Laxå is situated exactly 226 km from both those...
, Vadstena
Vadstena
Vadstena is a locality and the seat of Vadstena Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden, with 5,612 inhabitants in 2005. From 1974 to 1979 Vadstena was administered as part of Motala Municipality....
and Sigtuna
Sigtuna
Sigtuna is a locality situated in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 18 inhabitants in 2005. It is the namesake of the municipality even though the seat is in Märsta....
(2 seats).
At the 5th congress of the party (October 31-November 2, 1986) SKP changed its name to Solidaritetspartiet (The Solidarity Party), and adopted a non-communist programme. The new name was registered on November 28. It is probable that the name was inspired by the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Solidarity movement under Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
, as the party supported their struggle. There was a small section who wanted to keep the old name. There were also other, alternative proposals, such as Demokratiska Socialister (the runner-up proposal), Sveriges Socialistiska Vänsterparti and Sveriges Revolutionära Socialister. The name of the party publication was changed to Solidaritets-Gnistan and became a triweekly. The Mariestad
Mariestad
Mariestad is a locality and the seat of Mariestad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 15,448 inhabitants in 2005. It was until 1997 the capital of the former Skaraborg County and an episcopal see in the Church of Sweden between 1583 and 1646....
branch of the party, which had municipal representation, broke with the and formed Municipal Left
Municipal Left (Mariestad)
Municipal Left was a political formation in Mariestad, Sweden. KV was formed in 1986, when the Mariestad branch of the Communist Party of Sweden broke away following the 5th congress of the party...
. The Mariestad branch had objected to the decision by the congress to remove the ban on local organizations to receive government financing.
The 5th congress elected the following central committee:
- Jan-Olof Norell (chairman)
- Inga Allard
- Björn Fredriksson
- Tomas Jonsson
- Tomas Junkka
- Göran Lundin
- Lars-Åke Lönn
- Lisa Norman
- Lars Ströman
- Pia Ryberg
- Sanna Vestin
- Göran Wicksell
In the Swedish general election, 1988
Swedish general election, 1988
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 18 September 1988. The elections saw the Green Party elected to parliament for the first time....
, the party contested the municipal elections in Sigtuna
Sigtuna
Sigtuna is a locality situated in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 18 inhabitants in 2005. It is the namesake of the municipality even though the seat is in Märsta....
and Vallentuna
Vallentuna
Vallentuna is a bimunicipal locality and the seat of Vallentuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 26,500 inhabitants in 2005. It stretches over two municipalities in Stockholm County, in the Roslagen region. Vallentuna is also a suburb of Stockholm...
. In Laxå
Laxå
Laxå is a locality and the seat of Laxå Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 3,307 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The town was founded in the mid-19th century when the main line railway between Gothenburg and Stockholm was built in 1883. Laxå is situated exactly 226 km from both those...
party took part in the elections as Municipal Left
Municipal Left (Laxå)
Municipal Left was a local political formation in Laxå, Sweden. KV was founded in 1986, as a cooperation between the Left Party - Communists and Solidarity Party. It contested the 1988 municipal elections as "VPK/Kommunal Vänster". Later it took part in elections just as Kommunal Vänster...
(Kommunal Vänster), on the list "VPK/Kommunal Vänster" a cooperation between the party and VPK. In Katrineholm
Katrineholm
Katrineholm is a locality and the seat of Katrineholm Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 21,386 inhabitants in 2005.-Early history:The name Katrineholm comes from a ducal residence with this name, after Catherina Gyllenhorn who lived there...
, the party contested on the list of "VPK-Kommunal Vänster", together with VPK, SP
Socialist Party (Sweden)
The Socialistiska Partiet is a Swedish political party, the Swedish section of the Fourth International. The party was formed at a congress in 1971, through the merger of the Revolutionary Marxists and the Bolshevik Group . Initially it was called League of Revolutionary Marxists...
and independents. In Hammarö
Hammarö
Hammarö can mean:*Hammarö Municipality - a municipality of Värmland County in Sweden, located on Hammarön*Hammarön - an island in Lake Vänern where the municipality is situated...
it contested on the list of "Vänsterpartiet Kommunisterna/Kommunal Vänster". In Gällivare
Gällivare
Gällivare is a locality and the seat of Gällivare Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 8,480 inhabitants in 2005. The town was founded in the 17th century...
the party contested on the lists of United Socialists
United Socialists
United Socialists was a coalition in Gällivare, Sweden, formed on January 10, 1988 by the Workers Association of Malmberget , the Solidarity Party and the International Group. In practice it functioned as a front of the latter.FS contested the 1988 municipal elections...
.
In Vallentuna the vore-share increased from 414 to 596 (4.7%). The party got two seats, and Norell and Wicksell became municipal councillors. In Sigtuna the seat of the party was retained, and the vote-share increased from 300 to 350. The party lost its municipal representation in Gällivare. 'VPK/Kommunal Vänster' won five seats in Laxå. In Hammarö 'VPK/Kommunal Vänster' won three seats. 'VPK-Kommunal Vänster' failed to win any seat in Katrineholm.
Decline to obscurity
Ahead of the party congress on November 4–5, 1989 the central committee had proposed that the party be disbanded. By this time the party had only a handful of functioning local units, and there was a strong trend towards dissolving the national organization and let the local units continue to function on the municipal left in cooperation with other forces. The congress did however not approve that suggestion. The congress also decided that Solidaritets-Gnistan would cease to function as an external publication. The congress elected the following central committee:- Jan-Olof Norell (chairman)
- Inga Allard
- Christin Almgren
- Leif Franzén
- Björn Fredriksson
- Tomas Jonsson
- Pia Ryberg
- Lars Ströman
- Anna-Maria Valladolid
- Göran Wicksell
- Sanna Vestin
In the new central committee 4 out of 11 members came from Vallentuna. The congress also decided that another congress would convene in the summer of 1990 to decide the future of the party.
The last issue of Solidaritets-Gnistan was published on December 13, 1989.
By 1990 the party ceased to function as a nationwide party. The party transformed into an entirely municipal party in Vallentuna. Solidaritetspartiet ran in the municipal elections in Vallentuna until 1994, when they got 6% and 3 seats. They did not run in the 1998 elections. It's unclear whether the party still exists, but it's at least registered with the Swedish authorities.
Youth wing
Initially ClartéClarté
Clarté is a non-partisan socialist students' organisation in Sweden. It publishes a periodical with the same name. Clarté was established in 1921, and was in its first years notable for its resolute opposition to Fascism...
functioned as the youth and students wing of the party. Later Röd Ungdom (Red Youth, RU) was founded as the youth league of SKP. It published a magazine called Rödluvan (Little Red Ridinghood).
RU held its fourth congress on April 24–25, 1982. Notably the congress opposed the party line of voting in favour of the Social Democrats in the upcoming elections. Instead the youth wing appealed for blank voting. A resolution adopted by the congress read "...none of the parliamentary parties will fix the future of the Swedish youth. The future is decided by the organisation and struggle of the youth". A three-member delegation of the SKP party leadership was present at the congress, but were unable to convince RU to support the party line.
RU held a fifth, extraordinary, congress in 1983. By that time the youth wing was in bad shape. Representatives from 15 local units took part in the congress. The congress approved the merger of MLK into RU.
At the time of the 1988 elections youth group was formed in Vallentuna, Solidarity Party Youth League
Solidarity Party Youth League
Solidarity Party Youth League was a youth group connected to the Solidarity Party in Vallentuna, Sweden. SPUF existed in 1988....
(SPUF).