The Marxist-Leninist Education Committee was formed in March 1974 as the successor to the Committee for the Formation of A New Marxist-Leninist Newspaper. The M-L Newspaper Committee first met in October 1973, Its purpose was to draw together Marxist-Leninist organizations, collectives and study groups from the Bay Area to form a political newspaper which would promote the development of a new non-revisionist Communist Party.
The M-L Newspaper Committee was initiated by groups and individuals formerly associated with Venceremos Organization (this organization was disbanded in late summer 1973). The initial discussions included representatives from the League for Proletarian Revolution, the San Francisco Marxist-Leninist Organization, study groups from the East Bay, Redwood City, Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, San Jose and S.F.
After several meetings it became clear that the discussions were taking the form of a two line struggle on the general question of party building. This document, “Burning Questions” of Party Building is both a report and polemic from that two line struggle. In the course of the struggle the majority viewpoint consolidated around the general line contained in this pamphlet. Moreover, as a result of this struggle it was decided that the task of preparing for the formation of a new Communist didn’t really call for a new “movement” newspaper, particularly one of the “underground” type, or with the Right opportunist political outlook of the Guardian, or the “Left” opportunist line of Venceremos.
What is needed for a new party is the greatest ideological preparation possible – in other words, a great deal of serious study of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung Thought, Forming such a party will require struggle against all sorts of opportunist elements. Once a new party is formed it will have to do battle with the bourgeois agents of the so-called “Communist Party” USA; and of course, our new party will have to base itself in the proletariat, and lead the working class to socialist revolution. None of this can be accomplished without a proletarian science to replace bourgeois ideology. Recognizing the absolute necessity for this ideological preparation the majority of groups and individuals involved in the M-L Newspaper Committee decided to reconstitute themselves as the M-L Education Committee.
The purpose of the M-L Education Committee is to assist Marxist-Leninist study groups and organizations to develop their knowledge of the proletarian revolutionary science. Toward this end the M-L Education Committee has prepared the study program which accompanies this polemic, and in addition, plans to hold a series of workshops on teaching Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tsetung Thought, focusing on such topics as “Marxism as a Science”, “The Party”, “The Struggle Against Revisionism and Opportunism”, “The National Question”, “The United Front Against Fascism”, etc. Also, a number of forums are being planned which will attempt to present a Marxist-Leninist outlook on the above questions. In this way the Committee plans to assist other comrades to prepare for the formation of a new party, and especially to prepare for the upcoming Congress of North American Marxist-Leninists to be held later this year.
If your organization or study group agrees with our purpose and the line on party building presented in this polemic we urge you to join us. Or, if you are just developing your study and need assistance, we also urge you to contact us. Our representatives can be reached at the following numbers: San Francisco & East Bay 285-8766; Mid-Peninsula 366-8615 or 366-0456; South Bay (408) 259-8948./p>
WORKERS AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF THE WORLD UNITE!
March 31, 1974