Document 52 - International Secretariat of the International Communist League [B-L),Minutes of meeting, 23 April 1935 (Extract)

From: South Africa's Radical Tradition, a documentary history, Volume One 1907 - 1950, by Allison Drew

Document 52 - International Secretariat of the International Communist League [B-L),Minutes of meeting, 23 April 1935 (Extract)

South Africa. The comrades of the Cape Town Lenin Club have asked us to intervene immediately in the discussions now taking place. The majority of the Bolshevik Leninists of South Africa (there are groups in three cities) are in the process of founding a party upon theses which the minority of' the Lenin Club condemns (particularly the one on the constitution of the new party), the latter do not think they can participate in the unified organisation.

The IS reaffirms its first communication. While rejoicing about the unification, the IS is not of the opinion, in view of the very weak membership of South Africa and in view of the insufficiently mature conditions of the elaboration of the fundamental principles, that the present moment is propitious for constituting itself as a party.

But whatever the differences may be. the IS advises the comrades of the minority to preserve the unity of our ranks in South Africa, not to split over differences on the proposals of a party which is yet to be created, and to seek a solution of the conflicts in the ranks of the organization itself'. The theses on the constitution of the party, as well as the criticism on the part of the minority will be seriously studied by the IS.

As regards the fundamental questions of S .A., the IS holds it necessary to pose before our comrades a number of problems of great importance, not broached by them. In this connection there are two clashing viewpoints in the ranks of the IS relating to the question of races and nationalities. One, summed up in the slogan: "Africa for the Negroes," "Independent Negro Republics," is the opinion that in view of the fact that the proletarial and the small peasants are all Negroes and that all whites in SA are direct or indirect exploiters (the enormous differences between the pay of the whites and colored workers) the movement of social and national liberation will inevitably be the struggle of the colored against the whites and that the task of revolutionists must be to support this movement, even if it takes on nationalist forms, which would be a hundred times less dangerous than while nationalism (Imperialism). The implacable struggle against English imperialism and for separation from England must be our slogan. The other viewpoint proceeds from the fact that the white population of SA in contradistinction of colonial countries like India and China, comprises an integral part of the population, a minority it is true;and that there exists a white proletariat,a workers aristocracy, the important part of which is privileged and degenerate, but nevertheless threatened by capital. Hence salvation for SA is in the proletarian resolution of united revolutionary proletariat both black and white, on the basis of the agrarian revolution.

We must stick to the undiluted Marxist idea of the class struggle (the exploited and the oppressed against the exploiters and the oppressors). And oppose ourselves to all nationalist tendencies, black or white. As for the races, we must agitate for equality.