Political Report to the Fifth Congress of the African People’s Socialist Party

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Table of Contents

1. Imperialists cannot stem tide of national liberation
2. The Party is the anti-colonial force in this time
3. African People’s Socialist Party is heir to Marcus Garvey
4. Pan-Africanism was the petty bourgeoisie; Garvey led the African working class
5. African Internationalism advances Garvey Movement, defines imperialism in crisis
6. African Internationalism shows the way forward
7. African Internationalism led on the issue of reparations
8. African workers must lead the struggle against parasitic capitalism
9. ASI is the basis for a genuine Communist International
10. White nation-state built on pedestal of slavery, colonialism
11. White communists must be committed to overthrowing white power
12. The African Socialist International is growing in Africa
13. ASI resolution adopted at Party’s First Congress
14. InPDUM leads mass resistance
15. Revolutionary National Democratic Program: the political basis for black power
16. Black is Back Coalition helps to advance RNDP
17. African People’s Solidarity Committee another vehicle against U.S. imperialism
18. White people must side with African workers not parasitic capitalism
19. AAPDEP a tool against parasitic capitalist development
20. AISO wins students to African Revolution
21. African Redemption Church: the Party’s response to religious idealism
22. Influencing and organizing African labor
23. Party must address issue of African mass incarceration
24. Formalizing the leadership of African women
25. Solve the problem of recruitment
26. Accountability and democratic centralism
27. Party’s Department of Agit Prop has made great leaps
28. Cadre development and leadership is key
29. Office of Economic Development builds culture of self-reliance

Accountability and democratic centralism

On almost every front, on at least four continents, the Party is in serious, strategic motion for the emancipation of African people and the suffering masses of the world from capitalist-imperialist exploitation and oppression. We are building in West and East Africa and contemplating organization in southern Africa.

We have initiated incipient organization in South America and are daily drawing more people into struggle and organization against imperialism throughout North America. This is testimony to the extent and intensity of the work of our Party to destroy imperialist domination of our people and to advance the interests of all the toiling masses in achieving genuine socialist democracy.

Now we are fighting for better accountability, for dedicated adherence to the principle of democratic centralism, the primary organizational principle of the Party. We are struggling for better, more efficient ways to hold the entire organization accountable to the Party and the Revolution. This is one function of this Congress and the lateness of our Fifth Congress gives greater urgency to this issue, especially in the face of the deepening crisis of imperialism and the growth of the Party’s activities in this period.

Our Fifth Congress must serve to bring the whole Party and movement into a greater understanding of where we are as a Party and a movement. This is a basic requirement for the democratic participation within our Party and movement. This is a requirement for holding the entire organization, including its leadership, accountable to the organization and responsible for the whole program of the Party and the activity and behavior of its members.

Consistent with the need for greater accountability, I have directed members of the Party’s Central Committee, including the Political Bureau to write Plans of Action to define their work and offices and to establish measurable guidelines and timelines for judging accomplishment. These are important developments, especially necessary for these times of crisis of imperialism and growth in responsibility and membership of our Party and movement.

Over the last year the Office of the Chair has been working at breakneck speed to implement changes that are consistent with the drive for greater accountability and structural adherence to democratic centralist principles. Central to this has been the creation of a Plan of Action for the development of the Office of the Chair itself. This is absolutely necessary for the administrative work required for leading an organization as significant and complex and growing as quickly as our Party.

Although there are still posts to be filled in the Office of the Chair, there has been much progress toward implementation of our Plan of Action. There is now an Administrative Assistant to the Chair and a Chief of Staff that have contributed to a greater efficiency and productivity than the office has ever enjoyed. Together with the Chair these comrades are actively engaged in helping to locate and vet staff for the unfilled positions.

Our Party has never paid proper attention to this aspect of our work and it may seem mundane and ordinary, but it is necessary if we are serious about seizing and wielding the power to govern. Our preparation today is what may differentiate us from the many organizations of the past that were unable to make the transition from militants and revolutionaries to heads and officers of state.

Our success in constructing a capacity to govern within our organization today will guarantee our success in governing our liberated, united, socialist State tomorrow. With the Plans of Action for the various offices and departments of the Party we are employing methods of the bourgeoisie to enable our Party and the Revolution to function better than the bourgeoisie using its own methods.

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