Corrections to Draft Programme 'British Road to Socialism'

Stalin's Corrections to the Draft Programme 'British Road to Socialism', 28 September 1950

To Comrade Harry Pollitt

Received your letter with the draft of the programme ‘For Peoples’ Parliament and Peoples’ England’ annexed to it. Having acquainted myself with this document, I fulfill your request and give my comments on the draft of the programme sent by you.

1. A half-hearted criticism of the politics of
the leadership of the Labour Party is a serious shortcoming of the document. Criticism of the Labourites in the draft programme is timid and insufficiently concrete. The English Communists in the programme of their party should openly say that the Labourites are not at all socialists but in fact are the left-wing of the Conservative Party. It is necessary to say more clearly that under a Labour government the capitalists feel very good and their profits go on increasing and that this one fact itself tells that the Labourites are in no way about to build socialism.

2. The draft programme does not answer the
charge that the English Communists, as if, are trying to destroy the British Empire. This question, from which it is not possible to shy away and which should be given a direct answer has exclusive significance. It is necessary to directly announce that Britain is being destroyed not by the English Communists but by the Conservatives and the Labourites who by their repressions and colonial loot are weakening Britain and are leading to its dissolution; that the Communists, on the contrary put forward before them the objective to strengthen Britain on a new democratic foundation, putting an end to the earlier abnormal relations between peoples constituting the British Empire, establishing friendship of the English people with them on the basis of equality.

3. The draft of the programme correctly puts
forward the task of utilising the traditional English institutions (Parliament) in the struggle for socialism. It is well known that the English Communists are being accused that they will establish Soviet Power in England. Hence it is imperative that in the draft of the programme it should be very clearly and definitely stated that the English Communists are not going to delegitimise Parliament, that England shall come to socialism through its own path and not through Soviet Power, but through Peoples’ Democracy that would be guided by peoples’ power and not by capitalists; peoples’ power representing a coalition of working class as the leading force of the coalition, working intelligentsia, small and middle strata of the cities as well as farmers. The Communists must declare that this power shall act through the Parliament. The programme must underline that only this given coalition can provide to the English people peace, higher wages, and raw material for English industry and markets for English products. The Programme must talk about Peoples’ Democracy as the path for the movement of England toward the path to Socialism, the path on which the countries of Peoples’ Democracy are moving towards socialism.

4. The draft of the Programme insufficiently
underlines the task of the struggle of the Communist Party for national independence of England from American Imperialism. It is necessary to show in the Programme that the English Communists are real defenders of the national interests of the English people, as they forcefully and persistently participate in exposing the exploitative politics of the Labourite leadership, directed towards subordination of the country to American capital. It is especially important to underline in the Programme that even the Conservatives did not have such a strong alliance with the capitalists of America as the Labourites. Labourites are directly subordinated to the imperialist groups of America and openly betray the national interests of England.

5. It is essential to explain in detail in the
draft Programme the questions regarding a stable and prolonged peace, explaining that the politics of the arms race, the conversion of England into an American front for a new world war goes against the national interests of England and is laden with very serious consequences for the English people. It is necessary to show that the achievement of the ultimate goals of the struggle mentioned in the draft of the Programme is inseparably linked with the over all-struggle of the peoples for peace and against the threat of a new war.

6. The Draft of the Programme correctly
explains the essence of Labour’s nationalisation policy which is based on the policy of bestowing huge compensations paid to earlier owners of the ‘nationalised’ branches of industries.

In this part of the Programme it should be stated that the English workers want socialist nationalisation; they want to be involved in the management of the nationalised industries and the system is ended in which the capitalists continue to manage the so called ‘nationalised’ industries while getting grandiose profits.

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It should be noted that the draft Programme in its structure and characteristics of presentation more significantly reminds one of an election platform with which the English Communist Party often enters the Parliament elections and not a Programme of the English Communist Party that is calculated for a long period of time and provides direction and ideal to the masses of the English people.

In order to overcome these shortcomings in the Programme it would be appropriate to introduce in part the following sections after a general introduction.

1. Tasks of the Party in the struggle for lasting peace and against the threat of a new war.

2. English Communists are the only rightful
champion for the national independence of England and for the strengthening of the British Empire on a democratic foundation.

3. England shall come to socialism through its
own path – not through Soviet Power, but through Peoples’ Democracy.

4. We do not want capitalist but socialist nationalisation headed by the working class of England.

5. The immediate task of the Party is achieving a wage raise for the workers.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the character of the above mentioned presentation be clear and understandable for the wide masses of the English people.

The Programme of the English Communist Party worked out by you would undoubtedly help in the growth and development of the Party, for the strengthening of its position in the masses of the workers of England and in an increase in the number of supporters of the English communists among them. Such a Programme shall provide to the English working class masses sharp and clear direction and shall point to the path of the struggle for the vital interests of the English people.

With respects

Your co-discussant

28th September 1950.

RGASPI, Fond 558, Opis 11,