In 1991 the possibility of the publication of a Communist theoretical and Political journal was mooted. On the part of those who initiated this journal it was considered that no stable journal could be established in the absence of agreement on the current stage of the Indian Revolution. It was known that the Editor of Proletarian Path and the members of the Centre of Marxism-Leninism
adhered to the understanding that socialism is the appropriate stage, while others for many years have upheld the need of the revolutionary-democratic dictatorship. At the conference held in Patna in 1992 the Centre of Marxism-Leninism presented a paper which elaborated the view that India had been transformed into a predominantly capitalist country after 1947 so that now the socialist revolution needed to be accomplished. This was after substantial modification eventually published under the title ‘On the Stage of the Indian Revolution’.

The Editor of Proletarian Path did not submit a paper as had been previously agreed but he expressed his concurrence with that of the Centre of  Marxism-Leninism. Those who later established this journal read a paper 'Notes For The Discussion On The Stage Of The Indian Revolution’ - which held the view that after 1947 the Indian economy had failed to develop in the
direction of productive capitalist development which might have ended the domination of imperialism and the survivals of feudalism. In consequence the programmatic perspectives of democratic revolution retained their validity. While a valuable exchange of views took place no tendency changed its basic position by the close of the discussions. The Editor of Proletarian Path considers that the logic and facts presented in favour of democratic revolution were refuted and demolished. Had this indeed been the case there would have been a unanimous view in favour of socialist revolution. Despite the divergence of views the supporters of revolutionary democracy were invited tojoin the Editorial Board of Proletarian Path. This offer was declined on the ground that it would not be possible to sustain a journal on the basis of sharply antagonistic viewpoints on such a fundamental question. The advocates of socialist revolution offered to publish the views of the opposing viewpoint in the pages of Proletarian Path which proposal was welcomed. With the decision to initiate the journal Revolutionary Democracy it was considered more appropriate to present the theses in an independent form rather than as a criticism of the views of the Centre of Marxism-Leninism. In these circumstances the fact that no critique of the views of Proletarian Path was prepared for publication is no more a breach of word or trust than the failure of the Editor of Proletarian Path to prepare a paper on his views on the stage of the Indian revolution.

Productive Forces, Productive Relations and the Determination of the Stage of Revolution

    'Proletarian Path postulates' that in the determination of the stage of revolution it is un-Marxist to consider the question of the development of the productive forces, that is of 'machines making machines or heavy industry.' For Marxists, it is averred, it suffices to take the relations of production in industry and agriculture as the point of departure.

    Marx,established that the level of development of the productive forces deternines the economic system of society. The mode of production of material values is the main force in the system of the material conditons.of society. It is this force which determines.the physiognomy of the whole of society, the character of the social system, the development of society from one system to
another. The mode of productio is the embodiment of the unity of the productive forces of society and men's relations of production which develop in production. The relations of production, which Proletarian Path sees as its starting point, correspond to a definite stage in the development, of the
productive forces of society; the production relations are determined by the
productive forces.

    In The German Ideology Marx and Engels stated: 'In the development of productive forces there comes a stage when productive forces and, means of intercourse are, brought into being which, under the existing relations, only cause mischief, and are no longer productive forces (machinery and money); and connected with this a class is called forth which has to bear all the burdens of society and forced into the sharpest contradiction to all other classes".

    The founding fathers of Marxism here clearly explain the relation between the productive forces, the productive relations and the conflict between the two which generates the collisions of classes.
In opposition to the approach of Proletarian Path, Lenin took the level of economic development of Russia as his point of departure in determining the stage of revolution. In 1905 in, his classic work Two Tactics of Social Democracy in the Democratic Revolution he argued:
    'The degree of Russia's economic development (an objective condition), and the degree of class-consciousness and organisation of the broad masses of the proletariat (a subjective condition inseparably bound up with the objective condition) make the immediate and complete emancipation of the working class impossible.' .  .. . . . . . ..    ..................

THIS ARTICLE IS CONTINUED IN  ENTIRETY AT:
http://revolutionarydemocracy.org/Rdv3n2/india.htm

FOR THE INITIAL LETTER FROM PROLETARIAN PATH SEE: PP 1
FOR THE RESPONSE OF ALLIANCE: SEE ALLIANCE 28
FOR THE REJOINDER FROM PROLETARIAN PATH (2001) TO BOTH:
This note from Revolutionary Democracy; and to Alliance Number 28: see: