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Political Party/527

Revolutionary Communist Party USA (RCP)

Website:

revcom.us/en
Location:

Chicago, IL
Type:

Political Party
Formation:

1975
Party Chairman:

Bob Avakian

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The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (REVCOM or RCP), formerly known as the Maoist Revolutionary Communist Party, is a radical-left, Marxist communist party based in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of the new communist movement, a movement inspired by the Cuban, Chinese, and Vietnamese communist revolutions. The party advocates for a similar revolution in the United States to install a socialist state. The goal of the party is to achieve world communism. 1 2

The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA supports several left-of-center positions, including those on abortion access, LGBT issues, and critical race theory initiatives. The party also supports anti-police movements. 3 4 5 6 7

Bob Avakian is the founder and leader of the RCP, and the party is often referred to as a cult of personality surrounding Avakian. Avakian is the author of several books on communist political theory. 8 9

History

After leading several union-based, revolutionary initiatives in the San Francisco Bay area, Bob Avakian founded the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP) in 1975. The party affirmed support for then-Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong. Upon Mao’s death in 1976, the RCP split over which position to take in relation to the new Chinese leadership. Avakian led most of the party into rejecting the new Chinese Communist government, which it claimed was a counterrevolutionary coup against Mao’s allies. 10

In January 1979, Avakian and 78 other RCP members and supporters were arrested and charged with various crimes in connection with a militant protest against Deng Xiaoping, Mao’s successor as Paramount Leader of the People’s Republic of China, and his visit to the White House. Seventeen demonstrators, including Avakian, were charged with multiple felonies. After the RCP and its organized  legal support for the defendants, the charges were dropped in 1982. Avakian applied for political asylum in France, but was denied. When the charges were dropped, Avakian and RCP continued their activism. 10 11 12 As a result, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later admitted to conducting several surveillance campaigns against the RCP. 13

Since the 1980s, the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA has organized rallies within major United States cities, published communist literature, and have stated its opposition to capitalist systems and the American government. 14 15

Initiatives

Members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP) refer to themselves as the RevCom Corps and credit much of the party’s work to this corps of activists. The stated goal of the corps is the “emancipation of humanity.” The Revcom Corps is the organizing group that works through leader Bob Avakian’s social media accounts to advocate and organize left-of-center and pro-communist activists. 1

The RCP maintains a publication called “American Crime” which chronicles what it claims to be “oppressive and imperialistic” crimes the United States has committed against its citizens and within foreign countries. Examples include the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, and Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the Americas. 16

The RCP also operates a publishing house called RCP Publications through which it produces communist literature, political theory, and social criticism, including the Revolution Newspaper. 17 18 The party also has several bookstores called Revolution Books in American cities, including New York City and Berkeley, California. 19 RCP leader Bob Avakian also appears regularly on the party’s podcast, Revolution, Nothing Less! 20

Activism

Palestinian Nationalism

The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA maintains a page on its website dedicated to the Israel-Hamas War which it considers to be a “[g]enocidal [a]ssault on Palestine.” The RCP blames the violence in Israel and the Middle East on “U.S.-Israeli War Aggression,” and considers Israel an “[e]nforcer of U.S. [i]mperialism.” 21

The RCP has also expressed its support for the pro-Palestinian college campus protesters who occupied several U.S-based universities in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. 14 However, the RCP criticized the college protest movement which it alleged was suppressing and censoring the RevCom Corps within protest circles for being too radical and fringe. 22

The  party has opposed President Joe Biden over his support for Israel for which the group referred to Biden as “Genocide Joe.” 23

Refuse Fascism and Opposition to Trump

The RCP has been critical of President Donald Trump. Following the November 2016 election results and his victory, RCP party members helped found Refuse Fascism, a coalition group that said it would to try and halt Trump’s inauguration and drive out the Trump administration through sustained street protests. 24 25

In January 2025, the RCP Instagram account notified its followers of an inauguration day protest to take place in Washington, D.C for president-elect Trump’s swearing in and the start of the Second Trump Administration. The graphic for the post is a photo of Donald Trump wearing a KKK hat and a Hitler mustache. 26

Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights

In January 2022, RCP members formed a coalition called Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights (RU4AR) to oppose what it claimed was a future attempt to ban abortion at the federal level following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The group argues for “abortion on demand without apology.” 27 RCP has supported and circulated RU4AR’s work, leading several in the pro-abortion movement to denounce RU4AR as a vehicle through which Bob Avakian and the RCP can gain followers. 28 9

Major Protests

In 1984, Gregory Johnson, then a member of the RCP’s youth wing, the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, lit an American flag on fire during a protest. This led to the Supreme Court case, Texas v. Johnson which determined that flag-burning was a protected form of speech under the First Amendment. 29

In July 2018, Refuse Fascism and the RCP organized 100 people dressed as “handmaids” from the dystopian fictional novel The Handmaid’s Tale to protest then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in New York City, calling him “a Christian fascist theocrat” who used the book as a guide to oppress women. 30

The RCP also engaged in several protests against what it considers to be unjustified police shootings, particularly of Black youth. 31 The party also expressed its support for Black Lives Matter and one of the movement’s leaders, Shaun King after his ethnicity was challenged in 2015. 32

Controversies

Abortion Movement Controversy

In 2022, more than 20 pro-abortion groups signed an open letter denouncing the Revolutionary Communist Party USA’s (RCP) Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights (RU4AR) as a front for the RCP’s leader, Bob Avakian. The letter accused RU4AR of being a pyramid scheme to raise funds for Avakian and the RCP. The letter also accused RU4AR and the RCP of not promoting racial diversity and of having an anti-gay past, as the RCP did not support LGBT rights until 2002. 33 4

Party Splits

The RCP split following the death of Chinese dictator Mao Zedong in 1976. Bob Avakian’s majority faction argued for loyalty to Mao’s communism while the splinter faction followed Mao’s successors. 10

In 1978, the RCP’s youth arm, the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, split from its parent group over ideological differences. The Youth Brigade supported Chinese Paramount Leader Hua Kuofeng even though Avakian asked the group to remain silent on internal Chinese communist matters. Eventually, Avakian cut ties with the youth group during a violent altercation that sent one woman to the hospital. In the end, Avakian lost most of the youth membership of the RCP to the newly formed Revolutionary Student Brigade. 34

Leadership

Bob Avakian is the founder and chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP). 8 He was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in Berkeley, California. He led several union-based and communist activities in the San Francisco area before founding the RCP in 1975. Following the death of Chinese dictator Mao Zedong in 1976, Avakian opposed portions of the RCP that supported Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping. In opposing Viaoping, he and 78 others orchestrated a raid on the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. during Xiaoping’s visit. Avakian and his conspirators were initially charged with felonies, but were dropped following legal challenges and nationwide protests. 10

Avakian has published over one hundred books, articles, films, and interviews. He is most well-known for his book, The New Communism, which he claims is a scientific continuation and improvement of Mao’s communism. 35

Avakian has received criticism for allegedly organizing the RCP as a a cult of personality around him. Some have claimed that the party only exists to serve his financial interests. Several pro-abortion advocates have accused Avakian and his offshoot organization, Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights, of exploiting political issues to gain followers and donors to his party. 9 3 36 Avakian operates the Bob Avakian Institute, an educational nonprofit organization that produces and publishes Avakian’s work. 37

References

  1. “THE REVCOM CORPS..” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/the-revcom-corps
  2. “Constitution: For the New Socialist Republic in North America.” Google Books. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://books.google.com/books?id=zlG5cQAACAAJ
  3. Mackey, Robert. “Abortion Rights Activists Call New Group Leading Protests a Front for a Far-Left Cult.” The Intercept. July 14, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://theintercept.com/2022/07/14/rise-up-4-abortion-rights-protests-revcom/
  4. “On the Position on Homosexuality in the New Draft Programme.”  RevCom. 2001. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/on-position-on-homosexuality-in-new-draft-programme#N_1_
  5. “The Fight Against the White Supremacist Whitewash and Fascist Suppression of Historical Truth.” RevCom. September 20, 2021. Accessed January 12, 2025. Kadaris, Rafael. https://revcom.us/en/fight-against-white-supremacist-whitewash-and-fascist-suppression-historical-truth
  6. Briscoe, Tony. “Chicago-based RevCom downplays Milwaukee role, calls protest ‘righteous’.” Chicago Tribune. August 16, 2016. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/08/16/chicago-based-revcom-downplays-milwaukee-role-calls-protest-righteous/
  7. “Milwaukee police chief blames Chicago-based activists for violence toward police.” Chicago Tribune. August 15, 2016. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/08/15/milwaukee-police-chief-blames-chicago-based-activists-for-violence-toward-police/
  8. “Bob Avakian.” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://revcom.us/en/bob_avakian
  9. Leupp, Gary. “On Choice, Revolution, and a “Rare, Special, Unique” Cult.” Counterpunch. August 12, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/08/12/on-choice-revolution-and-a-rare-special-unique-cult/
  10. “Bob Avakian (BA) – Official Biography – Part 1:” Bob Avakian Institute. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://thebobavakianinstitute.org/bob-avakian-official-biography-part-1/
  11. Walsh, Edward. “Two Maoists Disrupt Teng Ceremonies.” Washington Post. January 29, 1979. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1979/01/30/two-maoists-disrupt-teng-ceremonies/99127834-4ce5-476f-88c1-1e59c60235f7/
  12. “Bob Avakian: ’The Jerk’ Is Loose!” Marxists.org. December 1979. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-5/bob.htm
  13.  “FBI Surveillance – Past and Present.” U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. 1984. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/fbi-surveillance-past-and-present
  14. MacDougald, Park. “The People Setting America on Fire.” Tablet Magazine. May 6, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/people-setting-america-on-fire-soros-tides-wespac
  15. “People Burn The Flag Outside Trump Hotel To Protest His Latest Tweet.” Huff Post. November 30, 2016. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/burn-flag-outside-trump-hotel_n_583edecce4b04fcaa4d5d8c3
  16. “AMERICAN CRIME.” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/american-crime
  17. “Home – RCP Publications.” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/rcppubs/
  18. “Special Issues of Revolution Newspaper.”  RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/special-issues-revolution-newspaper
  19. “Coming Events at Revolution Books.” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/revbooks
  20. “The Bob Avakian Interviews: On The RNL—Revolution, Nothing Less!—Show.” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/ba-rnl-interview
  21. “Genocidal Assault on Palestine — And Israel as an Enforcer of U.S. Imperialism.” RevCom. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/resource/palestine
  22. “An Open Letter—and a Challenge—to the Students Who Have Stood Up Against Genocidal Imperialist War.” RevCom. April 29, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/open-letter-and-challenge-students-who-have-stood-against-genocidal-imperialist-war
  23. “Genocide Joe Biden Drops Out of the Presidential Race.” RevCom. July 22, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/genocide-joe-biden-drops-out-presidential-race
  24. “In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE To Accept a Fascist America.” RevCom. November 9, 2016. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/a/464/in-the-name-of-humanity-we-refuse-to-accept-a-fascist-america-en.html
  25. “About – Contact.” Refuse Fascism. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://refusefascism.org/about-contact/
  26. “Post by @therevcoms.” Instagram. January 11, 2025. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://www.instagram.com/p/DEqAiPlvwP5/?img_index=1
  27. “About Us.” Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://riseup4abortionrights.org/about-us/
  28. “Sunsara Taylor at May 26 Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights Protest: “Now is the time to lift our sights and dare”.” RevCom. May 30, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/sunsara-taylor-may-26-rise-4-abortion-rights-protest-now-time-lift-our-sights-and-dare
  29. Abcarian, Robin. “Column: Meet the man who made it legal to burn the American flag.” LA Times. July 1, 2020. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-07-01/column-meet-the-man-who-made-it-legal-to-burn-the-american-flag
  30. Ford, Kaelyn. “’Handmaids’ protest Mike Pence, Kirstjen Nielsen in Manhattan.” ABC News. July 31, 2018. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://abcnews.go.com/US/handmaids-protest-mike-pence-kirstjen-nielsen-manhattan/story?id=56936641
  31.  Shabazz, Saeed. “October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality still going after 23 years.” Amsterdam News. October 25, 2018. Accessed January 12, 2025.   http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2018/oct/25/october-22-coalition-stop-police-brutality-still-g/
  32. “On the Media Smear Campaign Against Shaun King.” RevCom. October 1, 2015. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://revcom.us/en/a/407/on-the-media-smear-campaign-against-shaun-king-en.html
  33. “Statement Against RiseUp4AbortionRights.” Google Docs. 2022. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTK9_SCexYezxIplFRbQPTn-hNXp7o2kUBJamwXC4-yzeVcfSmDglx9iL3zOfeo66SHX3T9ktjmUAt_/pub
  34.  “RCP Split Leaves Maoist Youth in Dark.” Marxists.org. April 1978. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-5/ys-rcp-split.htm
  35. “BA’s Works.” Bob Avakian Institute. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://thebobavakianinstitute.org/bas-works/
  36. Keizer, Garret. “Left of Bernie.” Harper’s Magazine. February 2016. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://harpers.org/archive/2016/02/left-of-bernie/
  37. “Mission.” Bob Avakian Institute. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://thebobavakianinstitute.org/mission/
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Revolutionary Communist Party USA (RCP)


Chicago, IL