Revolutionary Communist Party of Canada
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Communist Party of Canada, or RCP Canada, is a revolutionary communist party
oriented around Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. The creation of the organizational stage of the Party was adopted at what was called the Revolutionary Communist Conference, which was held in Montreal
, Quebec
in November 2000 by activists and former members of the labour union movements and youth organizations of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, who felt that the revolutionary situation in Canada warranted the creation of a Party dedicated to a communist revolution
. The party was initially called the Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing Committees)
(RCP(OC)). At this conference, participants adopted the Party's first Draft Programme. Because of the location of the conference, the majority of the founding members were French-speaking Quebecers, and the Party began an extensive effort to reach out to the rest of Canada, starting with the Canadian Revolutionary Congress held in November 2006 in Toronto. It is not recognized as a political party by Elections Canada
, because the party rejects what it calls the "bourgeois electoral system" and doesn't seek recognition by the State.
, Vladimir Lenin
, and Mao Zedong
. According to the Party's programme, Canada must be liberated from oppression through various violent and non-violent means, including civil insurrection and protracted people's war, though they stress the need for the creation of a strong vanguard Party and the gathering of support of the masses before this can occur. This differs from the tactics developed by other groups in the past as well as by similar movements, such as the Cuba
n 26th of July Movement
and the Front de libération du Québec
, in that those movements believed in propaganda of the deed
, which stipulates that a movement need only a small nucleus of radical supporters willing to partake in dangerous and illegal activities in hopes of sparking the population into supporting their cause. The RCP disagrees with this tactic, regarding it as premature, preferring instead to operate only after sufficient time and effort has been placed in strengthening the Party.
Despite the similarities of the Canadian RCP and the RCP USA, there are also some notable differences. Most obvious is the lack of any high-profile leader in the Canadian RCP. Whether this is due to a more carefully orchestrated public image, or due to the lack of such a leader, is not known.
Although their ideological affiliation remains with Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, the RCP urges that one must take a critical and non-biased view of past revolutionary movements and socialist governments. Although they believe strongly that Mao was the most ideologically advanced of all Communist writers, they do not hesitate to criticize some of his actions and motives. In addition, like most Maoist organizations, the RCP is highly critical of modern Communist China
, claiming that that country abandoned socialism with the death of Mao and has since adopted a policy of state capitalism.
Though the majority of the RCP's current supporters and members are French Quebecers, the RCP does not support the Quebec separatist movement like most other Communist organizations in Quebec. They view the separatist movement as a ploy by the Québécois ruling class
, who wish to strengthen their position internationally by removing Canadian ruling class influence from Quebec. As such, they have been highly critical of other Communist parties, such as the Communist Party of Canada
(and its offshoot, the Communist Party of Quebec
) and the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
, alleging that their support of the Quebec separatist movement is paramount to supporting pseudo-nationalism, and that the creation of yet another capitalist state goes against the principles of Marxism.
An in-depth explanation of the RCP's political ideology can be found in the Party's official Programme.
, or Le Drapeau Rouge, which is the Party's official newspaper. The Red Flag is printed monthly.
The Party is also linked with the Committee for a Canadian Red Aid Organization.
Internationally, the Party has close ties with the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
and its member organizations, although to date the Party is not a member. The Party also has contact with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).
(CoRIM), the Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan, the Communist Workers Union of Colombia, Marxist-Leninist Revolutionaries of Iraq, the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
, and the Communist Party of the Philippines
. All were messages of support, urging the RCP to develop the revolutionary situation in Canada while maintaining a proper critical outlook on the historical conditions of past and present communist movements.
In addition to the various messages received from external organizations, the RCP(OC) introduced several resolutions for popular vote on the assembly floor. The four resolutions were:
All resolutions were passed unanimously.
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...
oriented around Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. The creation of the organizational stage of the Party was adopted at what was called the Revolutionary Communist Conference, which was held in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in November 2000 by activists and former members of the labour union movements and youth organizations of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, who felt that the revolutionary situation in Canada warranted the creation of a Party dedicated to a communist revolution
Communist revolution
A communist revolution is a proletarian revolution inspired by the ideas of Marxism that aims to replace capitalism with communism, typically with socialism as an intermediate stage...
. The party was initially called the Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing Committees)
Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing Committees)
The Revolutionary Communist Party is a Canada-based communist organization advocating the overthrow of the capitalist system. It is in the organizing stage. The ideology of the organization, founded in 2000, can be regarded as anti-revisionist in character. They describe their ideology as...
(RCP(OC)). At this conference, participants adopted the Party's first Draft Programme. Because of the location of the conference, the majority of the founding members were French-speaking Quebecers, and the Party began an extensive effort to reach out to the rest of Canada, starting with the Canadian Revolutionary Congress held in November 2006 in Toronto. It is not recognized as a political party by Elections Canada
Elections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
, because the party rejects what it calls the "bourgeois electoral system" and doesn't seek recognition by the State.
Political ideology
The Revolutionary Communist Party of Canada, like the Revolutionary Communist Party USA, denounces the traditional electoral system of Canada, claiming that it serves no other purpose than to further the agenda of what it calls bourgeois democracy. This has led the Party to be highly critical of what it calls reformist and revisionist electoral communist parties such as the Communist Party of Canada and the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist). They maintain that these electoral parties help prop up the system of ruling-class domination of Canadian politics. Instead, the RCP has claimed the need for a revolutionary movement in Canada to forcibly remove the ruling class from power and replace it with a socialist transitional system, and eventually a communist system, which will dissolve the apparatus of the state. The Party believes this can be done by following the ideology and examples of communist figures such as Karl MarxKarl 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...
, 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...
, 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...
. According to the Party's programme, Canada must be liberated from oppression through various violent and non-violent means, including civil insurrection and protracted people's war, though they stress the need for the creation of a strong vanguard Party and the gathering of support of the masses before this can occur. This differs from the tactics developed by other groups in the past as well as by similar movements, such as the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n 26th of July Movement
26th of July Movement
The 26th of July Movement was the revolutionary organization planned and led by Fidel Castro that in 1959 overthrew the Fulgencio Batista government in Cuba...
and the Front de libération du Québec
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
, in that those movements believed in propaganda of the deed
Propaganda of the deed
Propaganda of the deed is a concept that refers to specific political actions meant to be exemplary to others...
, which stipulates that a movement need only a small nucleus of radical supporters willing to partake in dangerous and illegal activities in hopes of sparking the population into supporting their cause. The RCP disagrees with this tactic, regarding it as premature, preferring instead to operate only after sufficient time and effort has been placed in strengthening the Party.
Despite the similarities of the Canadian RCP and the RCP USA, there are also some notable differences. Most obvious is the lack of any high-profile leader in the Canadian RCP. Whether this is due to a more carefully orchestrated public image, or due to the lack of such a leader, is not known.
Although their ideological affiliation remains with Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, the RCP urges that one must take a critical and non-biased view of past revolutionary movements and socialist governments. Although they believe strongly that Mao was the most ideologically advanced of all Communist writers, they do not hesitate to criticize some of his actions and motives. In addition, like most Maoist organizations, the RCP is highly critical of modern Communist China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, claiming that that country abandoned socialism with the death of Mao and has since adopted a policy of state capitalism.
Though the majority of the RCP's current supporters and members are French Quebecers, the RCP does not support the Quebec separatist movement like most other Communist organizations in Quebec. They view the separatist movement as a ploy by the Québécois ruling class
Ruling class
The term ruling class refers to the social class of a given society that decides upon and sets that society's political policy - assuming there is one such particular class in the given society....
, who wish to strengthen their position internationally by removing Canadian ruling class influence from Quebec. As such, they have been highly critical of other Communist parties, such as the Communist Party of Canada
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
(and its offshoot, the Communist Party of Quebec
Communist Party of Quebec
The Parti communiste du Québec or PCQ is a communist political party in Quebec. The PCQ was the Quebec branch of the Communist Party of Canada until 2005 when the PCQ split at convention with a majority opposing the CPC's stance on Quebec independence...
) and 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...
, alleging that their support of the Quebec separatist movement is paramount to supporting pseudo-nationalism, and that the creation of yet another capitalist state goes against the principles of Marxism.
An in-depth explanation of the RCP's political ideology can be found in the Party's official Programme.
Affiliated organizations
The Revolutionary Communist Party of Canada is affiliated with several other organizations and publications. They maintain a publication called The Red FlagThe Red Flag
The Red Flag is a protest song associated with left-wing politics, in particular with socialism. It is the semi-official anthem of the British Labour Party, sung at the end of conference. It is the official anthem of the Irish Labour Party and sung at the close of national conference.-History:The...
, or Le Drapeau Rouge, which is the Party's official newspaper. The Red Flag is printed monthly.
The Party is also linked with the Committee for a Canadian Red Aid Organization.
Internationally, the Party has close ties with the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
The defunct Revolutionary Internationalist Movement was an international Communist organization which upheld a version of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism founded in 1984 sought to "struggle for the formation of a Communist International of a new type, based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism"...
and its member organizations, although to date the Party is not a member. The Party also has contact with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).
Canadian Revolutionary Congress
In late November 2006 the Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing Committees) held a national congress which saw nearly 100 members and supporters from across Canada participate. This congress is seen as a critically important milestone for the Party. Several supporting committees and organizations made speeches at the congress, including activists from as far west as Manitoba. In addition, a variety of international organizations and parties sent messages of solidarity, including the Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist MovementRevolutionary Internationalist Movement
The defunct Revolutionary Internationalist Movement was an international Communist organization which upheld a version of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism founded in 1984 sought to "struggle for the formation of a Communist International of a new type, based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism"...
(CoRIM), the Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan, the Communist Workers Union of Colombia, Marxist-Leninist Revolutionaries of Iraq, the Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Communist Party of Iran (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
The Communist Party of Iran , , is an Iranian communist party working in opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The party is the Iranian section of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement....
, and the Communist Party of the Philippines
Communist Party of the Philippines
The Communist Party of the Philippines is a leading communist party in the Philippines. It remains an underground political organization since its founding on December 26, 1968 and has been operating in clandestine manner since its founding...
. All were messages of support, urging the RCP to develop the revolutionary situation in Canada while maintaining a proper critical outlook on the historical conditions of past and present communist movements.
In addition to the various messages received from external organizations, the RCP(OC) introduced several resolutions for popular vote on the assembly floor. The four resolutions were:
- Resolution to support the founding of the Revolutionary Communist Party
- Resolution to support the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
- Resolution to support the revolutionary struggle in Nepal
- Resolution to hold a second Canadian Revolutionary Congress in Toronto
All resolutions were passed unanimously.