Contribution by comrade Marina PILAEVA

Member of the Central Committee of the Hungarian Workers’ Party

(Brussels, 7 December 2015.)

Dear Comrades!

A spectre is haunting Europe — the spectre of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre.” – wrote Marx and Engels in 1848.

I would not say that the spectre of communism is haunting Europe again. It would be a groundless exaggeration. But we should see some positive processes and encourage ourselves.

The capitalist crisis led to social tensions and to the rise of mass protests in many countries of Europe.

In Greece the Communist Party of Greece proposed a clear path “to overthrow capitalism and to construct a new socialist society.” It was the strongest challenge to capitalism in Europe in recent 26 years. The capitalist forces were able to handle the Greek situation only by inventing the Syriza and manipulating the people in enormous measure. We think that the Greek crisis is not over yet and the fight for socialist perspective will go on.

In Portugal the crisis undermined the position of the ruling coalition. For the first time in recent history the new Portuguese government could be formed only with the support of the Portuguese Communist Party. We can have different  opinion about the decision of the Portuguese comrades to support a Bourgeois government. But it is fact that actually no government can survive without the Communists.

In Ukraine we see that the people in Donbass region put on their banners not only national slogans but clear anticapitalist demands. The Poroshenko-regime is scared by the possibility that constant crisis and unbearable difficulties of the people will lead to massive anticapitalist protest.  That’s why the capitalists introduced nationalist-fascist dictatorship and expelled the communists from parliamentary elections. And the fight is going on.

In Eastern and Central Europe, we cannot speak about radical changes like in Greece or Portugal. But we can say that the Conservative government of Hungary had to take over a large part of our social program. They do not want socialism.  They manipulate the people, because they want to prevent that Hungary turns into Greece or Portugal.

But the situation in Hungary also matures.  The capitalist crisis is changing the political behaviour of the people. Not with revolutionary speed, slowly, step-by-step.

We try to use these changes to our benefit, try to strengthen the party. I can report you that the Hungarian Workers’ Party has become stronger since our last meeting.

Those who rejected us for many years, now say: you are right, your cause is correct. Middle aged people began to come to the party. We are proud that 25% of our members joined the party in the last 10 years.

This year we opened the new central headquarter of the party in Budapest. For the first time for many years we were able to rise the number of our comrades, whose work is paid by the party. Practically they are professional revolutionaries.

From 2014 we  do  participate in all interim elections, municipal and parliamentary. We know that we cannot win. But we can show to the people that we are present, we are on their side.

We understand our responsibility. We see that in Hungary social democracy is in deep crisis. Until now there is no Syriza or Podemos in Hungary. But later or sooner capitalist forces will find out some new party. Our task and responsibility is to get as much working people on our side as  we can.

At the same time we should fight against the extreme-right forces, which are manipulating the people with anticapitalistic, anti-Semitic and anti-Roma slogans.

But with regard to the basic principles we say clearly:  We fight in order to solve everyday problems of the people: salary, job, healthcare, education. But we always underline that working people can expect a real change in their life only if we overthrow capitalism. We always show to the people a socialist perspective.

We use the possibilities of Bourgeois democracy and participate in the elections. But we are convinced that the road to socialism does not lead through Bourgeois parliamentary elections.

Comrades,

This year we had to face with serious problems in the European communist movement. We have serious differences in estimation of Bourgeois parlamentarism and the character of modern class-fight. There are very different understandings of modern communist party and future socialism, as well.  We had different positions on migrants’ crisis.

But nevertheless, comrades, we are here. The European communist and workers’ movement does exist. And it is the most important thing.

We came to Brussel to strengthen our movement. Our difficulties and discussions reflect the real condition of the working masses. But things are changing.  We think that the European processes contribute to the strengthening of our parties.

First, the negative consequences of the capitalist crisis are obvious.

Second, the migration crisis is a clear sign of the crisis of capitalism in general and of the crisis of the EU.  This will not blow up capitalism, but this deepens its crisis.

Third, the militarization of Eastern Europe, the conflict with Russia, the fight of capitalist countries for redivision of the word, brings Europe nearer to a European war.

We should try to give common answer to these questions. We should plan more common actions. We should involve in our activity the grassroots organisations of our parties. They are fighting on the front line.

We should bring closer to each other our youth. In a few years they will take our place, and we should prepare them.

Comrades,

Let’s do our best to revive the spectre of communism. We can do it and we should do it.