Commitment to practical and theoretical study

The following continues my translation of the PSUV's 'Libro Rojo':

Article 10: Militants’ commitment to practical and theoretical study

Translated by Owen Richards

The party declares socialist education and self-education to be of fundamental importance and as such will establish a political and ideological System of Education, which is to be one of the national bodies within the functional structure and organisational method, according to the party’s principle of territorial and sectoral organisation. As such, it will encourage the education of all party militants in its Doctrine, Statutes, Principles, Program and Official Documents.  Prioritising the deep study of Bolivarianism, our own history, universal critical thought and Marxism as the basis for the dialectical analysis of human experience, all of which, combined with volunteer work, shall guarantee the theoretical and practical education of each and every militant.

Apologies

I'd like to apologise to all readers and subscribers of Translating the revolution for the long delays between recent posts. My three-week-old child is the culprit ;-). I'll try to return to a more regular and frequent schedule ASAP. Thanks for your support.

Owen Richards.

Responsibilities of militants

The following post is a continuation of my translation of the PSUV's 'Statutes' from the Red Book:

Article 9: Responsibilities of militants

Translated by Owen Richards

Every militatnt is obliged to comply with the following duties:

1. To defend the Homeland, the Revolution and its leader, and the PSUV.

2. To comply with ethical-moral values, education, self-education, discipline, solidarity and revolutionary love.

3. To contribute to the party's financing, in accord with progressive and proportional rules.

4. To comply with and abide by the [political] lines and instructions put out by the various leadership bodies of the party.

5. To be available to the Party Leadership in order to participate in any activity required.

6. To undertake permanent efforts in voluntary work under the Party's direction.

7. To tirelessly struggle against the scourge of corruption.

8. To confront bureaucratism in any of its manifestations.

9. To educate oneself within the Party's System of Education.

Socialist militants and party membership

The following is a continuation of my translation of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's 'Statutes'. See previous posts for the rest of the PSUV's Red Book to date.

Chapter 2.  On militants

Translated by Owen Richards

Article 6: Characteristics of militants

Every militant of the United Socialist Party Of Venezuela (PSUV) is a socialist, Bolivarian, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, internationalist, humanist, environmentalist and feminist; and should accept and practice the principles, programme and statutes of the party, and is therefore a militant of the hopes and dreams of the great majority, and guides his or her conduct by the following values:

• Socialist ethics and morality.

• Socialist education and self-education.

• Conscious discipline based on criticism and self-criticism.

• The practice of solidarity and love.

• The consciousness of social duty.

• The struggle against corruption and bureaucratism.

Article 7: A militant of the United Socialist Party Of Venezuela:

Is any person above 15 years of age who voluntarily joins the PSUV and is admitted by the appropriate body, and who accepts and defends the statutes, declaration of principles, and the program of the party.

Article 8: The rights of militants

Every militant has the right to:

1.  Participate in the Socialist Patrols and any other party-defined base unit of organisation with full speaking and voting rights.

2.  Nominate and be nominated to the various leadership bodies of the party and to positions of popular election.

3.  Raise ideas, projects and programmes with the various leadership bodies of the party.

4.  Make reasonable criticisms only within party bodies.

5.  Activate and participate with communities in the strengthening of popular power and in social movements or fronts.

6.  To take—alongside the people—social control of the various organs of popular power and the revolutionary government.

How much socialism?

A good rebuttal of those who argue Venezuela's socialist revolution hasn't moved fast enough in nationalising all sectors of big capital.

How much socialism?

Translated by Owen Richards

The question orbits every revolution. Processes are defined in the amount and speed of changes.

The reformists, the social democrats, often appear to be close to Socialism. At least, they don't combat it openly. They have their Socialist International and don't hesitate to call themselves socialists - take the MAS for example. They accept that capitalism is malignant, they admit the need to change it, but, when the time comes for action, they start slinking off.

They say: "Changes must be made bit by bit so as not to disrupt the economy", "the changes should not be extended too far, certain areas are sufficient", "private enterprises have a right to subsist, society needs them". With such parsimony, the Consciousness of Social Duty is not formed, and the changes get absorbed by the capitalist system. They thus derail the possibility of building socialism.

The revolutionary position is clear: as much and as rapid a socialism as the Consciousness of Social Duty requires, and at the speed necessary to prevent capitalist restoration. This is the formula for building and defending Socialism. There is no other.

The changes can be material ones: those related to Social Ownership administered by the National State, the only form of ownership that is entwined with the Consciousness of Social Duty.

Regarding social organisation: those who make up the national fabric, from the capillary units up to the national level, from the base to the national leadership bodies. This scheme applies to all forms of social and political organisation.

Changes of consciousness: here the message of our means of communication is fundamental - the example of leaders, and the signals they send to the population.  These messages should translate the steps of the Revolution, in ideology, in consciousness, in ethical and moral values. It's important to emphasise that these changes in consciousness and culture are the main aims of socialist construction and the Revolution's measure of success.

The level of consciousness is measured by mobilisation: a defenseless, sedentary mass is an unconscious mass. A combative mass - organised and mobilised, defending the revolution and the Commander [Hugo Chavez] on any terrain - is a conscious mass.

Isolated advances get diluted; they should be achieved in unity, and at the different speeds imposed by circumstance, but always with the same tendency, the same spirit.

Socialism is not built by proposals for advance in one area, while simultaneously taking  actions of retreat in another; or, as Che [Guevara] would say, by using socialist tools in one area and blunt tools in another. The masses will end up confused, the lines that separate us from the oligarchs blurred, and the life will be sucked out of the socialist idea.

Capitalism will never be good: be it small, medium or big, it will always exploit and damage the planet. There is no possible third way - the third way ends up sooner or later in capitalism. The dilemma is Socialism or capitalism.

Spanish original: 'Un Grano de Maiz'

Organisational principles and internal democracy

The following continues my translation of the PSUV Red Book’s ‘Statutes’ (i.e. constitution). Here are articles 3, 4 and 5 from chapter 1:

Fundamental positions (continued)

Translated by Owen Richards

Article 3: values and principles

The party builds itself as a socialist party and affirms the socialist society as the only alternative to supersede the capitalist system. It takes the thoery and practice of Simon Bolivar, Simon Rodriguez and Ezequiel Zamora as its creative source.  Likewise, it adopts the principles of scientific socialism, of Christianity, of liberation theology, of all critical, universal and humanist thought, gender equity and equality and the ethical obligation to build a model that respects life and mother Earth and guarantees the survival of humanity.

Simon Bolivar

As a diverse and multi-ethnic party, it nourishes its roots in the Afro-Indian legacy of Guaicaipuro and Jose Leonardo Chirino, everthing inspired in the fundamental leadership and revolutionary ideas of Commander Hugo Chavez, directed towards creating a new man and woman in the crucible of hopes and dreams that makes our new socialism a racially-mixed socialism, loaded with African identity, with the identity of our indigenous peoples, and with the international vision whose chief exponent has been Francisco de Miranda.

We assume civic-military unity as the principle to guarantee national and popular defence and sovereignty.

Article 4: On organisational principles

The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), as a revolutionary party representing the interests of the urban and rural proletariat, of the campesinos and the other exploited social sectors, must be organized and work according to the principles of socialist democracy. That is to say:

• Political-ideological cohesion.

• Democratic centralism—understood as the subordination of the whole organisation to the leadership; the subordination of all militants to their organisations; the subordination of all lesser bodies to superior bodies; the subordination of the minority to the majority; top down and bottom up control of the implementation of party decisions; that all leadership bodies be elected, and the principle of collective leadership (collective and individual responsibilities) —all of which is based on the conscious discipline arising from the political line, programme and statutes governing the life of the party.

• Collective leadership of all bodies.

• Accountability before leadership bodies and before the people.

• Recallability, based upon a democratic evaluation of management.

• Constant exercise of criticism and self-criticism regarding one's own errors and those of others, in the correct way with the aim of overcoming areas.

• The exercise of socialist emulation—understood as the recognition of the political practice and revolutionary integrity of party militants.

Article 5: Methods of internal democracy

The party may use various methods when making decisions and conducting internal elections, which will be decided by the various leadership bodies according to the political conditions: direct,universal and secret election; cooptation; first, second or third grade elections; discussion and consensus.

PSUV Red Book—Statutes

The following is the second section from the PSUV's Libro Rojo, or Red Book, the statutes or constitution of the party. My translation of Section One was serialised in previous posts.

PSUV Red Book—Statutes

Translated by Owen Richards

We, delegates to the First Extraordinary Congress Of The United Socialist Party Of Venezuela (PSUV), militants all, under the leadership of President Commander Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, having studied and considered the events and political dynamics of recent years, in which new and varied forms of organization, political foundations and elements of action arose, agree with the definitive approval of the statutes of the United Socialist Party Of Venezuela in the following terms:

Chapter 1  Fundamental dispositions

Article 1: Name

The name of the United Socialist Party Of Venezuela is adopted and allows the use of the initials PSUV as well as the flag, anthem and slogans that are set out in the respective regulations.  The party arises as an expression of the struggles and the revolutionary will of the people; it will be the political tool to unite revolutionary and socialist action and to carry out strategic tasks in order to achieve social happiness.

The party advocates unity and ethics in its policy and in the permanent activity that characterises revolutionary anti-imperialist and socialist action.

Article 2: Aims or objectives

The fundamental aims of the United Socialist Party Of Venezuela (PSUV) are the construction of Bolivarian socialism, the anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist struggle, and the consolidation of Bolivarian, participatory and activist democracy, through the recognition and strengthening of Popular Power.  In its anti-imperialist essence, it has an internationalist vocation and therefore the unity and alliance of the exploited peoples of the world and their popular and progressive movements, with the aim of putting an end to capitalism.  The party takes up the task of strengthening south-south relations with the peoples of Our America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.

As a party of the masses and of cadres, it has the responsibility to educate itself in history and in human experiences in order to take up the task of permanently creating and inventing socialism, using its own criteria.