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Political Party/527

Revolutionary Communist Party USA (RCP)

Location:

Chicago, IL
Type:

Political Party
Founded:

1975
Chairman:

Bob Avakian

The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP) is radical-left political party in the United States that seeks to overthrow the government and implement a socialist system of government. With a basis in the 1960s liberal activist movements, the RCP continues to spread its message of communist ideas and replacing the government system in the United States.

History

RCP has its origins in the 1960s with the formation of the Bay Area Action Committee (BAAC) and Bay Area Revolutionary Union. 1 Both were unofficially led by future RCP chairman Bob Avakian. 2 In 1967, a pamphlet was distributed at a meeting of the Bay Area Action Committee containing a resolution by Avakian calling for the group to purchase guns for black militants in the San Francisco area. 3 In July 1968, Avakian was arrested at a Black Panther Party demonstration at the Alameda County, California courthouse for burning the American flag, disturbing the peace, and malicious mischief. 4 He was convicted and sentenced to 30 days in jail. 5

Another earlier forerunner of RCP is a Students for a Democratic Society’s faction that formed as the Revolutionary Youth Movement. 6 By 1969, the Revolutionary Youth Movement split into two groups after Mark Rudd defeated Bob Avakian as secretary general. 7 Avakian and followers formed a group “Revolutionary Youth Movement II” to focus more on Maoist communism while Mark Rudd’s faction later became the Weather Underground. 8

By 1972, Avakian continued to be active with the Bay Area Revolutionary Union when he and members of the group toured China. While on the tour, Avakian met with Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong. 9 In 1975, Avakian founded and became chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. 10

In 1979, Avakian and 500 Maoist protestors demonstrated Deng Xiaoping’s meeting near the White House with President Jimmy Carter and President Richard Nixon by attacking police with fishing hooks. 11 Avakian and 78 protesters were arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer while Avakian fled the country for France after his arrest. 12 All charges against Avakian from his arrest were dropped in 1982 after other members of the protest pled guilty. 13 Since his arrest and move to France, Avakian has continued to live in a self-imposed exile. 14

Issues

The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA continues to spread its message through books, writings, and a website. 15 RCP continues to be guided by Avakian’s writings and messages and follows Avakian’s The Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America that was adopted by RCP in 2010. 16

Government and the Economy

RCP has stated it wants an actual overthrow of the U.S. government. 17 It believes the American system cannot be changed without replacing the entire government with a communist-socialist system. 18 All means of production and ownership must be in the control of the government (public) and private enterprise should not exist. 19 RCP has stated that Democratic-Socialists and worker’s democratic control cannot work because it is not truly socialist but has a basis in capitalism. 20

While maintaining the need to get rid of capitalism and private enterprise, the RCP continues to own and operate two private bookshops in New York City and Berkeley, California. 21

The RCP has stated that war on terrorism is just an excuse for the United States to construct an empire around the world. 22 The RCP’s website has a section devoted to what it calls the 100 worst crimes by the U.S. 23

Abortion

The RCP continues to insist that abortion is a right and has called for “extremely violent means” to protect this right. 24 RCP insists that restrictions on abortion laws are considered forcing women to have children against their will and forced enslavement. 25

Environment

The RCP has extreme views on the environment. RCP has stated that the Green New Deal championed by liberals is too weak and does not go far enough. 26 RCP claims the major problem with the Green New Deal is that the policy allows for the current level of consumption in a capitalist system, allows the U.S. to maintain dominance in the world, and does not follow the communist dogma that production should be community property. 27

Criticism

Communist Mike Ely has criticized the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA for failures to move the communist movement forward and has too much reliance on following Bob Avakian. 28 The RCP has been called “a tiny Maoist organization whose most visible activity is running several branches of a store called Revolution Books.” 29 A communist commentator said “Avakian has succeeded in widely discrediting Marxism-Leninism and associating communism with his own cult following.” 30

Leadership

Bob Avakian is chairman and founder of RCP and continues to be its most influential member. 31 The author of over a dozen books, Avakian continues to write and post on the RCP’s website although he rarely makes public appearances. 32 While typically not apt to endorse Democrats, Avakian did express support for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race. 33

Carl Dix is the national spokesperson for the RCP. Dix, along with liberal professor Cornel West, has been a long-time opponent to police being allowed to stop and frisk. 34 Dix is also co-founder of the Stop Mass Incarceration Network. 35

References

  1. Report by the U.S. House of Representatives Internal Security Committee. “America’s Maoists: The Revolutionary Union; The Venceremos Organization.” House Report 92-1166. 92nd Congress. 1972.
  2. Report by the U.S. House of Representatives Internal Security Committee. “America’s Maoists: The Revolutionary Union; The Venceremos Organization.” House Report 92-1166. 92nd Congress. 1972.
  3. Report by the U.S. House of Representatives Internal Security Committee. “America’s Maoists: The Revolutionary Union; The Venceremos Organization.” House Report 92-1166. 92nd Congress. 1972.
  4. [1] Report by the U.S. House of Representatives Internal Security Committee. “America’s Maoists: The Revolutionary Union; The Venceremos Organization.” House Report 92-1166. 92nd Congress. 1972.
  5. [1] Report by the U.S. House of Representatives Internal Security Committee. “America’s Maoists: The Revolutionary Union; The Venceremos Organization.” House Report 92-1166. 92nd Congress. 1972.
  6. Baker, Ross K. “A History of the Weathermen.” San Antonio Express/News (from the Washington Post News Service), November 22, 1970. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/29755938/?terms=history%20of%20the%20weatherman&pqsid=Sa4d7fXh5MFUiqIsR4FC-w%3A256000%3A726628720&match=1.
  7. Illinois Crime Investigating Commission. “Report on the SDS Riots to the Illinois General Assembly. April 1970. Accessed October 17, 2021. http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/isl/id/2789.
  8. Saba, Paul editor. “New Left Maoism: Long March to Peaceful Coexistence.” Workers Vanguard. No. 31. October 26, 1973. Accessed October 17, 2021. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-1/sparts-ru.htm; Illinois Crime Investigating Commission. “Report on the SDS Riots to the Illinois General Assembly. April 1970. Accessed October 17, 2021. http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/isl/id/2789.
  9. Cott, Lawrence V., editor. “’Revolutionary Union’ Surfaces Its China-Trippers.” COMBAT, Vol. 4, No. 2. January 15, 1972. Accessed October 17, 2021.
  10. Avakian, Bob. Official Biography. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://revcom.us/avakian/bob_avakian_official_biography/Bob_Avakian_(BA)_Official_Biography-Introduction-en.html.
  11. “Double White House Protest.” Associated Press. January 30, 1979. Accessed October 17, 2021. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/62652674/?terms=bob%20avakian&match=1.
  12. Oppenheimer, Mark. “Free Bob Avakian! Oh, He’s Already Free? Never mind.” The Boston Globe. January 27, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2021. http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/27/free_bob_avakian/?page=3.
  13. Kamen, Al. “Plea Bargain Ends 3 ½ Year Case of Violent Protest by Maoist Group.” The Washington Post. June 4, 1982. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1982/06/04/plea-bargain-ends-3-12-year-old-case-of-violent-protest-by-maoist-group/4c7e3011-fd6b-44b6-9a1f-bfe026872872/; Oppenheimer, Mark. “Free Bob Avakian! Oh, He’s Already Free? Never mind.” The Boston Globe. January 27, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2021. http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/27/free_bob_avakian/?page=3.
  14. Oppenheimer, Mark. “Free Bob Avakian! Oh, He’s Already Free? Never mind.” The Boston Globe. January 27, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2021. http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/27/free_bob_avakian/?page=3.
  15. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en.
  16. Avakian, Bob. Official Biography. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://revcom.us/avakian/bob_avakian_official_biography/Bob_Avakian_(BA)_Official_Biography-Introduction-en.html.
  17. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/revolution-club#poalist.
  18. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/bob_avakian/workers-democratic-control-damaging-delusion-impossible-under-capitalism-destructive.
  19. [1] Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/bob_avakian/workers-democratic-control-damaging-delusion-impossible-under-capitalism-destructive.
  20. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/bob_avakian/workers-democratic-control-damaging-delusion-impossible-under-capitalism-destructive.
  21. [1] Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/revbooks.
  22. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/a/144/BNQ-en.html.
  23. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/american-crime.
  24. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/all-those-who-marched-abortion-rights-saturday-october-2-welcome-revolution#answers.
  25. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/tens-thousands-march-abortion-rights.
  26. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/a/592/5-reasons-green-new-deal-is-dangerous-en.html.
  27. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://revcom.us/en/a/592/5-reasons-green-new-deal-is-dangerous-en.html.
  28. Ely, Mike. “Nine Letters to our Comrades: Getting Beyond Avakian’s New Synthesis.” December 2007. Accessed October 25, 2021. https://revcom.us/a/polemics/NineLetters.pdf.
  29. Oppenheimer, Mark. “Free Bob Avakian! Oh, He’s Already Free? Never mind.” The Boston Globe. January 27, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2021. http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/27/free_bob_avakian/.
  30. Saba, Paul editor. “Bob Avakian: ‘The Jerk’ Is Loose!” Bolshevik Revolution. No. 1, December 1979. Accessed October 16, 2021. https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-5/bob.htm.
  31. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 18, 2021.
  32. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA website. www.revcom.us. Accessed October 18, 2021.
  33. Dinan, Stephen. “Revolutionary Communist Party Leader Backs Biden.” The Washington Times. August 3, 2020. Accessed October 25, 2021. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/aug/3/revolutionary-communist-party-leader-backs-biden/?fbclid=IwAR1dtw4y_tZL-oavAgw0XrRX1o0i5SsR0WdRFlbmRjDWLArs1_rm283r-50.
  34. WOL News Radio website. “Carl Dix, Cornel West, To Protest NYPD’s ‘Stop and Frisk’ Policy.” www.woldcnews.com. Accessed October 25, 2021. https://woldcnews.com/947542/carl-dix-cornel-west-to-protest-nypds-stop-and-frisk-policy/.
  35. Rivas, Rebecca. “Protest Movement Goes Global.” The St. Louis American. December 11, 2014. Accessed October 25, 2021. http://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/protest-movement-goes-global/article_45515444-80ce-11e4-b17d-2bf9c80a5b38.html.
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Map image for Revolutionary Communist Party USA (RCP)

Revolutionary Communist Party USA (RCP)

Box 3486, Merchandise Mart
Chicago, IL 60654