Communist Party of Australia (Marxist–Leninist)

The Communist Party of Australia (Marxist–Leninist) (CPA (M-L)) is an Australian communist organisation which describes its ideology as being influenced by the works of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Ted Hill.[2] The party formed in 1964 as a pro-China split from the Communist Party of Australia.

Communist Party of Australia (Marxist–Leninist)
Abbreviation	CPA (M-L)
Founder	Ted Hill
Founded	15 March 1964
Split from	Communist Party of Australia
Newspaper	Vanguard
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism Maoism Anti-revisionism
International affiliation	ICOR[1]
Slogan	"For an independent and socialist Australia"
Website
www.cpaml.org
Politics of Australia Political parties Elections

The theory of the party is unique among Australian Marxist–Leninists due to its belief that a revolution to achieve national independence from primarily United States imperialism is an essential step in the struggle to achieve socialism in Australia.[3]

Foundation

The CPA (M-L) was formed in 1964 as the manifestation of a schism within the Communist Party of Australia which occurred largely as a result of the Sino-Soviet split.[4] The name originated due to the belief that "the Marxist-Leninist line [is] ... upheld above all by the Communist Party of China, and the non-Marxist line is upheld by the leaders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union".[5] The Communist Party of Australia formally endorsed the Soviet Communist Party, leading to those within the pro-China faction believing that the party had abandoned "universal principles of Marxism-Leninism".[5]

The leading figure in the breakaway group was Ted Hill, a Melbourne barrister who had been Victorian State Secretary of the CPA. Other noted figures were Paddy Malone and Norm Gallagher of the Builders Labourers Federation, Clarrie O'Shea of the Tramways Union and Ted Bull of the Waterside Workers Federation.[6]

1970s to 1990s

The party exerted sizeable influence on the militant student movement in Australia during the late 1960s and early 1970s on campuses such as Monash University and LaTrobe University in Melbourne as well as Flinders University in Adelaide through their front group, the 'Worker-Student Alliance'.[7] A notable leader of the Worker-Student Alliance at this time was veteran political activist Albert Langer.

The party also held considerable sway within the Australian trade union movement from inception through to the 1980s. Clarrie O'Shea was party Vice-President at the time of his gaoling in 1969, which led to an unprecedented general strike across Australia until his release was secured.[8] Norm Gallagher led the Builders Labourers Federation for over a decade, a time during which he was a nationally known and controversial figure. Other party members, such as John Cummins and Jim Bacon were also prominent BLF figures throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In the years following the de-registration of the BLF in 1986, CPA (M-L) influence within the union movement began to decline.

During the 1980s and 1990s the majority of the founding members of the CPA (M-L) died or retired. Ted Hill's retirement in 1986 and death in 1988 left the party without its most recognised public figure.

Current activity

The party ceased publishing a hard copy version of its newspaper Vanguard on a regular basis at the end of 2014. However, it continues to publish a special May Day edition of the paper each year, as well as releases various publications periodically.[9] It is unknown how many members the party has as it maintains strict adherence to its founding policy of the vast majority of members keeping their party membership secret.[10] They have had a new website since 25 October 2014.[11]

In June 2019 the party affiliated formally with the International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties and Organizations (ICOR).[12]

References

1. "CPA (M-L) affiliates to ICOR". www.cpaml.org. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. "Declaration of Australian Marxist-Leninists". www.marxists.org.
5. Knight, Nick (January 1998). "The theory and tactics of the Communist Party of Australia (M-L)". Journal of Contemporary Asia. 28 (2): 233–251. doi:10.1080/00472339880000141.
6. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/australia/oshea-letter.htm
7. "Anti-Revisionism in Australia – Index Page". www.marxists.org.
8. "Marxist Left Review Issue No.19".
9. "Publications". www.cpaml.org. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
10. "About the CPA (ML)". www.cpaml.org. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
12. "CPA (M-L) affiliates to ICOR — ICOR". www.icor.info. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

External links

• Official website