100 Years of CPI: The Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India (CPI) marks December 26, 1925, as its foundation date, stemming from a meeting in Cawnpore (now Kanpur). This event is considered the first comprehensive effort to form an all-India Communist party. The movement's roots are traced back to the global influence of the French Revolution and the works of Karl Marx and Lenin, significantly impacting non-European countries like India suffering under imperialism.
Global Antecedents
- French Revolution: Led to a political divide between monarchists and republicans, laying the groundwork for the Right-Left political binary.
- Karl Marx: Anticipated a shift from capitalism to socialism, expecting it to start in Western Europe. However, the first successful socialist revolution occurred in Russia in 1917.
- Russian Revolution: Inspired global Communist movements, including in India, as it fought medieval monarchism and modern capitalism.
Three Political Strands in India
- M.N. Roy's Influence: A Marxist revolutionary who sought resources for India's liberation and participated in the Comintern meeting in 1920.
- Independent Left Groups: Emergent in cities like Lahore, Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras, aiming for coordinated political work.
- Workers and Peasants Organizations: Formation of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1920 under Lala Lajpat Rai.
Tashkent & Kanpur: Tale of Two Meetings
In 1920, a Communist party was established in Tashkent, approved by the Comintern, yet lacking connections with Indian revolutionary groups. Conversely, in 1925, Indian Communist groups met in Kanpur and resolved to form the CPI, emphasizing India's liberation from British rule and socialization of production and distribution.
Debate on CPI's Origin
- CPI (Marxist) Perspective: Considers the Tashkent meeting in 1920 as the party's true inception due to its international significance.
- CPI Perspective: Regards the Kanpur meeting in 1925 as the foundation of the CPI, highlighting its indigenous nature and alignment with the anti-imperialist struggle.
Communist Involvement in Anti-Imperialist Struggle
- Active involvement except during 1942-45, prioritizing the global struggle against Fascism over the national struggle against British rule.
- Faced challenges in deciding whether to transform the Congress internally or create an alternative front.
- Experienced setbacks like the Meerut Conspiracy Case in 1929, resulting in imprisonment and banning of the party.
Post-Independence Direction
- Peasant Struggles: Led significant movements like the Tebhaga movement in Bengal and the Telangana struggle in Hyderabad.
- Electoral Route: Formed governments in states like Kerala, West Bengal, and Tripura, participating in democratic processes.
Despite criticisms of authoritarianism and obsolescence, Communism remains significant as a philosophic intervention favoring the dis-privileged, maintaining relevance in a world divided by social inequalities.
