VI

Cause of Scientific Socialism

and Perspective for 21st Century

The final point is about the perspective for the party's cause.

What Sort of Party Is the JCP?

First, I want to touch on the question of what sort of political party the JCP is. Having to face the JCP's advance, the LDP and other forces are alleging that "the JCP has been able to make advances just because it is far from government and does not have to change its progressive policies" and "If the JCP grows bigger, it will surely become like the Socialist Party." Some sections of the mass media also argue that "it is inevitable that the JCP will turn into social democrats." But I want to say that it is no use expecting that the JCP will have such a future.

What is the trend of social democracy? Historically, the social democratic trend was formed at the time of the First World War by the parties which yielded to imperialism and degenerated into supporting the war of aggression. Reflecting to some extent the demands of workers and other people, this trend sometimes proposes progressive measures. But on the whole, it has the deep-rooted weaknesses of (1) only proposing "reforms within the framework of capitalism," based on the argument of immutable capitalism, and (2) even betraying and abandoning halfway such efforts for reform.

Especially in Japan, social democratic parties have a prewar history of cooperating with Japan's war of aggression and militarism, and, in the political history from the war's end to today, the Socialist Party (present Social Democratic Party--ed.) degenerated into joining the ruling forces led by the LDP, and the Democratic Socialist Party disbanded and merged with the New Frontier Party (Shinshinto), thus becoming part of the forces supporting the status quo and promoting reactionary politics which has nothing to do even with reform within capitalism.

I want to say that such an approach and the character of social democracy are totally alien to the JCP and the work it promotes together with the people for bringing about democratic change in Japan.

I would like now to reiterate what sort of party the JCP is, from the angle of the way the JCP is working to change society.

First, the JCP is a party based on the position that society develops stage by stage.

We see future social progress with a grand perspective, but we also believe that society develops stage by stage by resolving problems one by one, problems which can be addressed when the situation for doing so has matured among the people. What is now necessary for Japanese society is to defend the people's interests and to defeat the policy which serves big business, and to take steps toward a truly independent, peaceful and neutral Japan by abolishing the military alliance between Japan and the United States. The JCP is fully aware that the characteristic of both tasks is "democratic change within the framework of capitalism." We did not begin only recently to advocate this position. The JCP has had this objective for the last 30 years and it is specified in the JCP's Program as its basic policy for Japan's course; the JCP has called for its realization and worked hard to achieve it.

Second, the JCP is a party based on the position that revolution can be achieved based on a consensus of a majority of the people.

All necessary reforms and changes in Japanese society can be achieved by the support and consensus of a majority of the people. The spirit of this is reflected in the phrase "the people are sovereign," and represents the principled position of the JCP's politics. This is not a transient empty promise, as JCP history from prewar days shows: The JCP has struggled against all forms of oppression and for democratic politics in which "the people are sovereign."

That is why the JCP specified this in its "Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy."

The "Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy" gives a broad outline of the JCP's perspective for social progress in Japan: Democratic coalition government, democratic revolution and socialist revolution. It also clearly specifies the connection between each of these stages of social progression and the people's will, as follows:

"All these are to constitute specific advanced stages of social development by which the livelihood and well-being of the Japanese people will be improved and their rights and freedoms extended. However, the route taken for social progress, as well as when and how far along this route we should move, are questions to be determined by the will of the people, the sovereign, and by the choice the people express in elections."

Third, the JCP has a scientific perspective for developing human society to overcome capitalism.

Basically, in capitalist society, the key economic driving force is big business and its pursuit of its own interests. Therefore, if we take the position for economic democracy to defend the interests of the majority of people, we need to impose "democratic control on big business" to regulate their outrageous behavior by the power of democratic rules. The JCP advocates this policy and is working hard to realize it as a central party task for democratic reform.

But, neither human society nor the Japanese people will remain forever at the current level of social development, that is, "within the framework of capitalism." The system of capitalism has a history of only about 200 years in the world and just over 100 years in Japan. We are convinced that this current stage of social development will be overcome in time, and the time will surely come when the people will seek a more advanced society in which the principle that "the people are sovereign" will be achieved in more complete form. The JCP has such a grand perspective for human historical development.

Of course, this approach to future society cannot commence by the arbitrary decision of any party. In Japanese society and among the Japanese people, the situation is now maturing for tackling the tasks for democratic reform. In the process of achieving these tasks and through a consensus of a majority of people calling for new advances maturing, it will get onto history's agenda. This is the point I want to emphasize.

The fourth point is the question of war and peace. The JCP is a party which works hard against imperialism and wars of aggression, for world peace and the right of national self-determination and is a party which is dedicated to the elimination of nuclear weapons, which is an earnest desire of the Japanese people.

I am sure I do not have to say much on this. Every step of reform, innovation and progressive change should be a steady step toward Japan completely recovering its sovereignty and independence. At the same time this should be a steady step toward making Japan change its current position of posing military threats to other countries, to one of contributing to peace in Asia and the rest of the world, by freeing itself from the dangerous position of reorganizing and strengthening the Japan-U.S. military alliance. We are convinced that this position and the movement of the progressive, democratic and peace forces for democratic reform in Japan can establish broad ties of solidarity with the people in their efforts for peace in Asia and the world.

Based on this position, the JCP has proposed various tasks for democratic change. When these tasks are achieved based on the consensus and support of the majority of the people, this will surely be a great step forward toward historical advance and social progress in Japanese society, in which "the people are sovereign." The JCP will do its utmost to this end.

Perspective for the 21st Century Based on 20th Century Achievements

The next point is what has been the significance of JCP work in world history.

We are now living in the last years of the 20th century. But what kind of a century was the 20th century? On the ruling circles side, the 20th century was a century of imperialism and fascism, and of two world wars; but on the side of the world's people and their forces, it was a century of great progress toward democracy and national self-determination.

As regards any advance toward socialism, there were no examples of the successful achievement of socialism. A serious underlying factor is that although there were turbulent changes in many parts of the world as a consequence of the First and the Second World Wars, change toward socialism did not occur in any of the major developed capitalist countries.

Transition to socialism from a backward position as in Czarist Russia is not impossible but is a task which involves special difficulties. In addition to such difficulties, Stalin's criminal mistakes decisively changed the nature of this undertaking, in which the gear was changed from a course for socialism to one of hegemonism and despotism. By this the former Soviet Union and the countries subordinate to it degenerated into oppressive societies which had no connection with socialism. This question was elucidated in detail in the last Congress.

One of the new characteristics of the 21st century will be, as the draft Resolution points out, that the entire group of developed capitalist countries will face deepening contradictions and increasing difficulties.

In world politics, U.S. imperialism and hegemonism is the biggest factor endangering peace and stability in the world. It is now obvious that the biggest obstacle for realizing the elimination of nuclear weapons is the policy of the U.S. government and U.S. military of adhering to nuclear weapons.

Considering all these points, it is without doubt that the 21st century will be a century in which the conditions for social progress will at least potentially mature on a global scale for outstripping capitalism.

It is also important, from Japan's position, that Asia and the Pacific region will in future have a more important political and economic position in the world. This region is the one which U.S. hegemonic strategy gives special importance to and where the non-aligned movement against imperialism, old and new colonialism and the military alliance policy has great strength. It is for this reason that the draft Resolution says it is necessary to see the importance of future developments in our foreign relations in Asia.

For Advancing the Cause of Scientific Socialism in Japan

At this historic time in Japan, a highly developed capitalist country and a subordinate ally of U.S. imperialism in Asia and the Pacific region, the JCP is promoting the cause of scientific socialism. I have to say this has real significance in world history.

This is no accident. The JCP's consistent struggle for democracy from prewar days, the settlement of the 1950 problem, the establishment of the Party Program and the party's position of independence, and the struggle against hegemonism, all these struggles in the JCP's 75-year history, constitute the JCP's essential basis for today.

Based on such party achievements, what we are aiming for in Japan has international significance, as a course which accords with the laws of social development. This is shown by the fact that the party's policy for democratic change is attracting wider attention from many quarters.

Comrades, let us tackle the new challenges ahead of us, with the grand perspective of opening a new chapter in Japanese history and being in the forefront of progress in world history.

With this I end the Central Committee Report to the 21st Congress. Thank you.

HOME:www.jcp.or.jp/english The Central Committee of the Japanese Communist Party 4-26-7 Sendagaya,Shibuya-ku,Tokyo 151-8586 E-mail:info@jcp.or.jp © .JCP