First Published: Unity, Vol. 2, No. 13, June 29-July 12, 1979.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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The New York Collective, a small Marxist-Leninist collective, has decided to dissolve itself and merge with the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L). The Collective and the League (and before as the August 29th Movement (M-L) and I Wor Kuen) have held discussions and carried on joint practice since 1976.
Our historical roots are from the Puerto Rican national movement and independence movement. Up until 1976, we were influenced by the “Revolutionary Wing” circle and its metaphysics, idealism, dogmatism and sectarianism. The August 29th Movement (M-L) was particularly important in helping guide our motion forward. We held principled discussions and struggle with the comrades from ATM and united with ATM’s criticisms of the “Wing.”
Some of our recent practice has included active participation in the struggle against cutbacks and attacks on special programs at the City College of New York, and supporting the defense of Vicente “Panama” Alba, a Puerto Rican revolutionary nationalist fighter who has been the target of state repression. We have been active in the New York Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Nationalist Prisoners and in community work in Williamsburg, a community of primarily Puerto Ricans and Dominicans in Brooklyn, New York.
Our experience acquired through practice and discussions with the League showed us the principled way in which they wage struggle within the communist movement as well as their correct stands in the working class, national and other mass movements. The League has always been honest and consistent with us and treated our collective as equals. They have been helpful in summing up and struggling against the “Revolutionary Wing” and Workers Viewpoint Organization, both of which have played a serious wrecking role in the New York area.
The decision to dissolve the New York Collective and join the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) is based on the need for Marxist-Leninists to unite and advance the task of party building. We realized that our level of political unity was more advanced than our state of actual relations, that is, being separate organizations. We also realized that based on our level of political unity and our limitations as a small collective, there was no basis for us to exist as a separate organization.
We recognize the line of the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) as the leading line in the communist movement today, and its principled stand of putting the interests of the revolutionary movement above its own organizational interests.
We feel that our merger is a step forward in building unity with Marxist-Leninists and party building, and in other tasks facing Marxist-Leninists in this country.