Laurie Aarons
Encyclopedia
Laurence "Laurie" Aarons (19 August 1917 – 7 February 2005), Australian Communist
leader, was National Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia
(CPA) from 1965 to 1976. He was born in Sydney
, son of Sam Aarons, a leading member of the Communist Party and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War
. The Aarons family was of German
-Jewish origin. His brother Eric Aarons
was also a senior party member. He followed his father into the CPA as a teenager and became an active trade unionist.
During World War II
Aarons was rejected for military service on security grounds, instead serving in the CPA's bureau for party members in the armed forces. In 1944 he married Carole Arkistall, with whom he had three sons: Brian Aarons, who was also later prominent in the Communist Party, Mark Aarons
, a well-known broadcaster, journalist and author, and John Aarons.
The period during and after World War II saw the CPA at the peak of its strength and influence, with about 10,000 members, under the veteran party leader Lance Sharkey
, who had been installed by the Comintern
in 1930. But during the 1950s the party declined and Sharkey's leadership came under some criticism as he aged. Aarons became a leader of a group of younger party officials who favoured a new leadership and a change in the party line. Admirers of the Italian Communist Party
leader Palmiro Togliatti
, they became known as "the Italians."
During the Sino-Soviet Split
of the early 1960s the CPA suffered a split which resulted in the formation of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
, and Aarons led the majority pro-Soviet and anti-Chinese faction. In 1965 Sharkey finally retired and Aarons succeeded him as National Secretary of the party. He was a strong supporter of Nikita Khrushchev
's liberalisation in the Soviet Union
, and after Khrushchev's fall he became increasingly critical of the Soviet leadership's policies. In 1968 he welcomed Alexander Dubček
's "Prague Spring
" in Czechoslovakia
, and bitterly criticised the Soviet-led occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. In 1969, at meeting of world Communist parties in Moscow
, he made a speech strongly critical of the invasion and of Soviet policy under Leonid Brezhnev
generally. In 1971 Aarons remained with the CPA following a split which produced the pro-Soviet Socialist Party of Australia (SPA).
During the 1970s the CPA became a strong supporter of "Eurocommunism
", abandoned Leninism
and democratic centralism
, and tried to form a "united front" of the various left-wing forces thrown up by the movement of opposition to the Vietnam War
. But the party failed to recruit many new members from the New Left
of the 1960s and '70s, and continued to decline in numbers and influence. Aarons retired as National Secretary in 1976, but remained influential in CPA affairs until the party was wound up in 1991. The SPA subsequently resumed the name "Communist Party of Australia".
Commenting on his brother's career, Eric Aarons nominated what he considered Laurie Aarons's achievements. One was to see that the Vietnam War would be the major political issue in Australia during the 1960s, and to place the CPA in the leadership of a broad antiwar movement. Another was to abandon democratic centralism and introduce genuine internal party democracy. Another was challenging the Soviet line over Czechoslovakia and other issues. In the long run, however, Aarons was unable to prevent the decline of the CPA and of Communist politics generally in Australia.
During his declining years in the town of Maianbar, New South Wales
, despite several painful medical conditions, Aarons continued to involve himself in community activities and to write books and articles.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
leader, was National Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
(CPA) from 1965 to 1976. He was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, son of Sam Aarons, a leading member of the Communist Party and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. The Aarons family was of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-Jewish origin. His brother Eric Aarons
Eric Aarons
Eric Aarons is a member of the third of four generations of the Aarons family who played leading roles in the Communist Party of Australia...
was also a senior party member. He followed his father into the CPA as a teenager and became an active trade unionist.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Aarons was rejected for military service on security grounds, instead serving in the CPA's bureau for party members in the armed forces. In 1944 he married Carole Arkistall, with whom he had three sons: Brian Aarons, who was also later prominent in the Communist Party, Mark Aarons
Mark Aarons
Mark Aarons is an Australian journalist and author. He was a political adviser to NSW Premier Bob Carr.Aarons was born in Newcastle, New South Wales but was brought up in Sydney. He was educated at Fairfield Boys High School and North Sydney Boys High School.He is the son of the late Laurie...
, a well-known broadcaster, journalist and author, and John Aarons.
The period during and after World War II saw the CPA at the peak of its strength and influence, with about 10,000 members, under the veteran party leader Lance Sharkey
Lance Sharkey
Lawrence Louis "Lance" Sharkey was a trade union activist, a radical journalist, and a Communist politician. From 1948 to 1965 Sharkey served as the Secretary-General of Communist Party of Australia...
, who had been installed by the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
in 1930. But during the 1950s the party declined and Sharkey's leadership came under some criticism as he aged. Aarons became a leader of a group of younger party officials who favoured a new leadership and a change in the party line. Admirers of the Italian Communist Party
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
leader Palmiro Togliatti
Palmiro Togliatti
Palmiro Togliatti was an Italian politician and leader of the Italian Communist Party from 1927 until his death.-Early life:...
, they became known as "the Italians."
During the Sino-Soviet Split
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
of the early 1960s the CPA suffered a split which resulted in the formation of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
The Communist Party of Australia is an Australian political party based on the writings of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong...
, and Aarons led the majority pro-Soviet and anti-Chinese faction. In 1965 Sharkey finally retired and Aarons succeeded him as National Secretary of the party. He was a strong supporter of Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
's liberalisation in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and after Khrushchev's fall he became increasingly critical of the Soviet leadership's policies. In 1968 he welcomed Alexander Dubček
Alexander Dubcek
Alexander Dubček , also known as Dikita, was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia , famous for his attempt to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring...
's "Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
" in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, and bitterly criticised the Soviet-led occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. In 1969, at meeting of world Communist parties in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, he made a speech strongly critical of the invasion and of Soviet policy under Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
generally. In 1971 Aarons remained with the CPA following a split which produced the pro-Soviet Socialist Party of Australia (SPA).
During the 1970s the CPA became a strong supporter of "Eurocommunism
Eurocommunism
Eurocommunism was a trend in the 1970s and 1980s within various Western European communist parties to develop a theory and practice of social transformation that was more relevant in a Western European democracy and less aligned to the influence or control of the Communist Party of the Soviet...
", abandoned Leninism
Leninism
In Marxist philosophy, Leninism is the body of political theory for the democratic organisation of a revolutionary vanguard party, and the achievement of a direct-democracy dictatorship of the proletariat, as political prelude to the establishment of socialism...
and democratic centralism
Democratic centralism
Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party...
, and tried to form a "united front" of the various left-wing forces thrown up by the movement of opposition to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. But the party failed to recruit many new members from the 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...
of the 1960s and '70s, and continued to decline in numbers and influence. Aarons retired as National Secretary in 1976, but remained influential in CPA affairs until the party was wound up in 1991. The SPA subsequently resumed the name "Communist Party of Australia".
Commenting on his brother's career, Eric Aarons nominated what he considered Laurie Aarons's achievements. One was to see that the Vietnam War would be the major political issue in Australia during the 1960s, and to place the CPA in the leadership of a broad antiwar movement. Another was to abandon democratic centralism and introduce genuine internal party democracy. Another was challenging the Soviet line over Czechoslovakia and other issues. In the long run, however, Aarons was unable to prevent the decline of the CPA and of Communist politics generally in Australia.
During his declining years in the town of Maianbar, New South Wales
Maianbar, New South Wales
Maianbar is a village on the outskirts of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Maianbar is located 29 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Sutherland Shire....
, despite several painful medical conditions, Aarons continued to involve himself in community activities and to write books and articles.
External links
- Eric Aarons' eulogy for Laurie Aarons
- The legacy of Laurie Aarons (critical)
- The Aarons family file from the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
radio program Hindsight