.gif)
Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist–Leninist) (RCPB-ML) is a British
communist
political party
. It was originally named the Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist), until it was reorganised after rejecting Maoism
. The party's thinking is based on the politics of Hardial Bains
, who died in 1997. Born in India, Bains travelled the world founding anti-revisionist
communist parties.
, thus being endorsed by Albania
, then allied with Maoist China, and opposing both the capitalist West and the Soviet bloc. As a result, it supported the Three Worlds Theory
promoted by Beijing and, as a consequence of this anti-Soviet line, supported British membership of NATO. However, during the deterioration in Sino-Albanian
relations, it increasingly sided with the Party of Labour of Albania. It developed party to party relations with the Party of Labour of Albania and renounced Maoism.
The party has had notable links with the progressive music milieu with avant-garde composers such as the late Cornelius Cardew
and Michael Chant
being leading members.
The party has a system of collective leadership. Its current National Spokesperson is Chris Coleman.
It is a small party and is closely related to the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
and now has good relations with the New Communist Party of Britain
. It produces a daily internet newspaper called Workers' Daily Internet Edition (WDIE), and has a bookshop in south London named John Buckle Books (named after the RCPB(ML) founding general secretary) and is active in promoting solidarity with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In 2004, the party declared electoral support for the Respect Coalition
, but RCPB(ML) calls for an end to the system that brings parties to power and calls on workers' and peoples' collectives to intervene directly in the political process. The party therefore supports candidates of the alternative to the political system of the bourgeoisie
.
The party's logo is a black hammer and sickle within a yellow star on a red background.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
communist
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...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. It was originally named the Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist), until it was reorganised after rejecting 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...
. The party's thinking is based on the politics of Hardial Bains
Hardial Bains
Hardial Bains was the founder of the Communist Party of Canada and its leader until his death...
, who died in 1997. Born in India, Bains travelled the world founding anti-revisionist
Anti-Revisionist
In the Marxist–Leninist movement, anti-revisionism refers to a doctrine which upholds the line of theory and practice associated with Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, and usually either Mao Zedong or Enver Hoxha as well...
communist parties.
History
Like other Bains-inspired parties, the then CPE(ML) took the Chinese side in the Sino-Soviet splitSino-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...
, thus being endorsed by Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, then allied with Maoist China, and opposing both the capitalist West and the Soviet bloc. As a result, it supported the Three Worlds Theory
Three Worlds Theory
The Three Worlds Theory , developed by Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong , posited that international relations comprise three politico–economic worlds: the First World, the superpowers, the Second World, the superpowers' allies, and the Third World, the nations of the Non-Aligned...
promoted by Beijing and, as a consequence of this anti-Soviet line, supported British membership of NATO. However, during the deterioration in Sino-Albanian
Sino-Albanian split
The Sino-Albanian split in 1978 saw the parting of the People's Republic of China and People's Socialist Republic of Albania, which was the only Eastern European nation to side with the PRC in the Sino–Soviet split of the early 1960s.-History:...
relations, it increasingly sided with the Party of Labour of Albania. It developed party to party relations with the Party of Labour of Albania and renounced Maoism.
The party has had notable links with the progressive music milieu with avant-garde composers such as the late Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
and Michael Chant
Michael Chant
Michael Chant is an English composer and political activist. Born in 1945, he became politically active in the 1960s while associated with another composer, Cornelius Cardew....
being leading members.
The party has a system of collective leadership. Its current National Spokesperson is Chris Coleman.
It is a small party and is closely related to the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
The Communist Party of Canada is a Canadian federal Marxist–Leninist political party.The party is registered with Elections Canada as the Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada...
and now has good relations with the New Communist Party of Britain
New Communist Party of Britain
The New Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Britain. The origins of the NCP lie in the Communist Party of Great Britain from which it split in 1977.-Formation:...
. It produces a daily internet newspaper called Workers' Daily Internet Edition (WDIE), and has a bookshop in south London named John Buckle Books (named after the RCPB(ML) founding general secretary) and is active in promoting solidarity with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In 2004, the party declared electoral support for the Respect Coalition
RESPECT The Unity Coalition
Respect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:...
, but RCPB(ML) calls for an end to the system that brings parties to power and calls on workers' and peoples' collectives to intervene directly in the political process. The party therefore supports candidates of the alternative to the political system of the bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
.
The party's logo is a black hammer and sickle within a yellow star on a red background.
See also
- List of Communist Parties
- List of political parties in the United Kingdom
- Sino-Soviet splitSino-Soviet splitIn 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...