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Workers' Communist Party (Norway)
Encyclopedia
The Workers' Communist Party was a Norwegian communist party
(1973–2007). AKP was a maoist party and one of two communist parties in Norway; the other was the older Communist Party of Norway
which has remained pro-Soviet. The relationship between the two parties was characterized by strong hostility.
AKP was founded in 1973, as Arbeidernes Kommunistparti (marxist-leninistene). It did not participate directly in elections, but members had "activity duty", meaning that they were to work for the party's goals - passive members were not accepted. The precise number of its members is unknown.
On February 22, 2006, the party opened some of its archives to the public, in a move the party argued was to hit out at all the rumours surrounding the party.
It was a predecessor of the current party Red
founded on 10 March 2007.
The founders of AKP(m-l) came from what was then known as SUF, or Sosialistisk Ungdomsforbund (Socialist Youth League). SUF had been started as the youth wing of the Sosialistisk Folkeparti, but broke away in 1969 as it developed into a marxist-leninist direction. Following the split SUF was renamed SUF(m-l).
As a result of the activity duty, many party members practiced "self-proletarisation" on the party's orders, working as manual labourers, especially in the period from 1974 to 1976. Later, the party encouraged its well-educated members to take work as teachers, particularly in higher education.
As a part of their policy, AKP members have joined and tried to influence several voluntary organisations in socialist direction, particularly those related to "feminism", labor unions and anti-racism.
AKP did not put its name on election ballots, choosing instead to work through Red Electoral Alliance
(RV), originally AKPs electoral face, but from 1990 a party of its own without any formal link to AKP, though most of AKPs members were also members of RV
In march 2007 AKP and Red Electoral Alliance
(RV) merged, and formed the party Red
, a revolutionary party with a programme supporting communism. Some former members of AKP have argued that since the party Red does not have activity duty or democratic centralism, it is not a communist party, while others have argued that a communist program and the fact that like traditional communist parties, Red is organized in cells, it is a communist party. Some former members of AKP, especially members of AKP's student organization, NKS
, formed a marxist-leninist front, KP(m-l)
together with the Marxist-Leninist Group Revolusjon
. This front was meant to be an organisation with the purpose of building a traditional marxist-leninist party.
Klassekampen
(Class Struggle) used to be the party's daily newspaper in the 1970s, but is from the 1990s associated to a slightly wider political spectrum. Red
now owns 20% of the stocks in Klassekampen
, the amount AKP owned before the merge with RV. AKP was also associated to Oktober Forlag, a publisher. From early 2000s the party published the monthly newspaper akp.no, named after the party's website, and throughout its existence it published a quarterly magazine for Marxist debate, first named Røde Fane (Red Standard), then from 2004 Rødt!
(Red! - this name might have inspired the name of the new party). The newspaper akp.no continues as Red's party newspaper, under the name Rødt Nytt (Red News). The magazine Rødt!
is continued under the ownership of the party Red.
, and Pol Pot
. AKP openly endorsed the Khmer Rouge
of Cambodia
, and when that party's forces invaded Phnom Penh, Klassekampen
had "Long live the free Cambodia" as their front page headline. Support from AKP endured in spite of the killings which were reported during Pol Pot
's rule. At that time, AKP considered these reports to be a part of a smear campaign against the new regime, and AKP had delegations visiting the country.
Much of the party's inner workings have been clandestine in nature, for instance the precise number of members is kept secret. The party program has been considered militant since it called for armed revolution before 1990, and kept the possibility of having to "defend the revolution with arms" open since.
In 2003 two former members of the party's leadership, Finn Sjue and Egil Fossum, apologized for the totalitarian culture in the 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...
(1973–2007). AKP was a maoist party and one of two communist parties in Norway; the other was the older Communist Party of Norway
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
which has remained pro-Soviet. The relationship between the two parties was characterized by strong hostility.
AKP was founded in 1973, as Arbeidernes Kommunistparti (marxist-leninistene). It did not participate directly in elections, but members had "activity duty", meaning that they were to work for the party's goals - passive members were not accepted. The precise number of its members is unknown.
On February 22, 2006, the party opened some of its archives to the public, in a move the party argued was to hit out at all the rumours surrounding the party.
It was a predecessor of the current party Red
Red (Norway)
The Red Party is a Norwegian far-left political party and the leading party to the left of the Socialist Left and the Labour Party in Norway. Since 2007 the party has sought a seat in Parliament; the only counties in which they have a realistic chance of earning a seat are Oslo and Hordaland...
founded on 10 March 2007.
History
Two trends led to the formation of AKP(m-l):- The radical movements of WesternWestern worldThe Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
academic environments in the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly within the context of the Vietnam warVietnam WarThe 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... - The split between the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , 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...
, which caused an ideological crisis among an older generation of communists
The founders of AKP(m-l) came from what was then known as SUF, or Sosialistisk Ungdomsforbund (Socialist Youth League). SUF had been started as the youth wing of the Sosialistisk Folkeparti, but broke away in 1969 as it developed into a marxist-leninist direction. Following the split SUF was renamed SUF(m-l).
As a result of the activity duty, many party members practiced "self-proletarisation" on the party's orders, working as manual labourers, especially in the period from 1974 to 1976. Later, the party encouraged its well-educated members to take work as teachers, particularly in higher education.
As a part of their policy, AKP members have joined and tried to influence several voluntary organisations in socialist direction, particularly those related to "feminism", labor unions and anti-racism.
AKP did not put its name on election ballots, choosing instead to work through Red Electoral Alliance
Red Electoral Alliance
Red Electoral Alliance was an alliance of left-wing groups formed into a Norwegian political party to promote revolutionary far-left ideals into the Norwegian parliament...
(RV), originally AKPs electoral face, but from 1990 a party of its own without any formal link to AKP, though most of AKPs members were also members of RV
In march 2007 AKP and Red Electoral Alliance
Red Electoral Alliance
Red Electoral Alliance was an alliance of left-wing groups formed into a Norwegian political party to promote revolutionary far-left ideals into the Norwegian parliament...
(RV) merged, and formed the party Red
Red (Norway)
The Red Party is a Norwegian far-left political party and the leading party to the left of the Socialist Left and the Labour Party in Norway. Since 2007 the party has sought a seat in Parliament; the only counties in which they have a realistic chance of earning a seat are Oslo and Hordaland...
, a revolutionary party with a programme supporting communism. Some former members of AKP have argued that since the party Red does not have activity duty or democratic centralism, it is not a communist party, while others have argued that a communist program and the fact that like traditional communist parties, Red is organized in cells, it is a communist party. Some former members of AKP, especially members of AKP's student organization, NKS
NKS
NKS may refer to:* NKS is the ICAO code for American air carrier Spirit Airlines.* NKS Nysa, a Polish volleyball team.* A New Kind of Science, a 2002 book by Stephen Wolfram.* Norton Knatchbull School, a grammar school in Kent, England....
, formed a marxist-leninist front, KP(m-l)
Kommunistisk plattform
The Communist Platform is a political platform and organization in Norway formed after the dissolution of the old Workers' Communist Party on March 10, 2007 and its decision to merge into the new "broader" party Red....
together with the Marxist-Leninist Group Revolusjon
Marxist-Leninist Group Revolusjon
Marxist-Leninist Group Revolution , is a small communist group in Norway. It was formed in 1987 by former members of Marxist-Leninist League. Marxist-Leninist Group Revolution' has an anti-revisionist stance and has oriented towards Albania...
. This front was meant to be an organisation with the purpose of building a traditional marxist-leninist party.
Klassekampen
Klassekampen
Klassekampen is a Norwegian daily newspaper, which styles itself as "the daily left-wing newspaper".Klassekampen was founded in 1969 with a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist platform. Until recently, it was owned by The Workers' Communist Party...
(Class Struggle) used to be the party's daily newspaper in the 1970s, but is from the 1990s associated to a slightly wider political spectrum. Red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
now owns 20% of the stocks in Klassekampen
Klassekampen
Klassekampen is a Norwegian daily newspaper, which styles itself as "the daily left-wing newspaper".Klassekampen was founded in 1969 with a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist platform. Until recently, it was owned by The Workers' Communist Party...
, the amount AKP owned before the merge with RV. AKP was also associated to Oktober Forlag, a publisher. From early 2000s the party published the monthly newspaper akp.no, named after the party's website, and throughout its existence it published a quarterly magazine for Marxist debate, first named Røde Fane (Red Standard), then from 2004 Rødt!
Rødt!
Rødt! is a Norwegian quartely periodical published by the left-wing party Red. Its political positions are Marxist, and Erik Ness is executive editor.Controversy arose in 2009, when it claimed that the Srebrenica massacre was not a genocide....
(Red! - this name might have inspired the name of the new party). The newspaper akp.no continues as Red's party newspaper, under the name Rødt Nytt (Red News). The magazine Rødt!
Rødt!
Rødt! is a Norwegian quartely periodical published by the left-wing party Red. Its political positions are Marxist, and Erik Ness is executive editor.Controversy arose in 2009, when it claimed that the Srebrenica massacre was not a genocide....
is continued under the ownership of the party Red.
Controversy
AKP and the Norwegian ML-movement were at times criticised for support of Marxist and communist regimes in other parts of the world, including the brutal regimes of Joseph StalinJoseph 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 Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
. AKP openly endorsed the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
of 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...
, and when that party's forces invaded Phnom Penh, Klassekampen
Klassekampen
Klassekampen is a Norwegian daily newspaper, which styles itself as "the daily left-wing newspaper".Klassekampen was founded in 1969 with a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist platform. Until recently, it was owned by The Workers' Communist Party...
had "Long live the free Cambodia" as their front page headline. Support from AKP endured in spite of the killings which were reported during Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
's rule. At that time, AKP considered these reports to be a part of a smear campaign against the new regime, and AKP had delegations visiting the country.
Much of the party's inner workings have been clandestine in nature, for instance the precise number of members is kept secret. The party program has been considered militant since it called for armed revolution before 1990, and kept the possibility of having to "defend the revolution with arms" open since.
In 2003 two former members of the party's leadership, Finn Sjue and Egil Fossum, apologized for the totalitarian culture in the party.
Party leaders
- Sigurd AllernSigurd AllernSigurd Allern is a Norwegian media theorist and the first professor of journalism at the University of Oslo. He was also one of the central people in starting the Workers' Communist Party of Norway in the early 1970s, and was the first chairman of the party between 1973 and 1975 and at the same...
1973-1975 - Pål SteiganPål SteiganPål Steigan is a former leader of the Workers' Communist Party from 1975 to 1984 and a writer, later an editor. He also runs his own firm, working with culture and ICT...
1975-1984 - Kjersti EricssonKjersti EricssonKjersti Ericsson is a Norwegian psychologist, criminologist, writer, poet and former politician. She is Professor of Criminology at the Faculty of Law of the University of Oslo....
1984-1988 - Siri Jensen 1988-1992
- Solveig Aamdal 1992-1997
- Jorun Gulbrandsen 1997-2006
- Ingrid Baltzersen 2006-2007