What Happened in Czechoslovakia?

Under Novotny as in the Soviet Union, economic reforms intensified the trend to capitalist restoration; control of enterprises within the enterprises themselves, the profit criterion, coordination of the economy by the market, widening income differentials and control of the means of production by the privileged bourgeois stratum. For example, "Rude Pravo" reported on July 19, 1967 that since 1966 salaries of administrative employees had risen by 6.2 per cent while worker's wagex, had risen by 1.4 percent.

The Action Programme, adopted on April 5, 1968 by the Czech Communist Party, mirrored the economic and political changes which had occurred. Its anti-Marxist core is most apparent in this statement: "Antagonistic classes no longer exist and the main feature of internal development is becoming the process of bringing all socialist groupings in the society together." (Information Bulletin, Prague, 1968, p. 8). In all socialist and revisionist countries without exception, there are classes, class contradictions and class struggle. The struggle between the socialist road and the capitalist rood m all spheres — economic, political and ideological — will continue and at times become acute.

Czechoslovakia in 1968 is a valid illustration It was a year in which the new bourgeoisie (created from political degenerates in the party and government organs, of whom Dubcek was the foremost representative) and the old bourgeoisie (members of the former exploiting class) moved to establish capitalism in all spheres of Czechoslovak life. Departing from Marxism-Leninism, Dubcek ostensibly lilted state censorship of publications, radio and TV. In reality those who were advocating capitalist restoration, overtly or covertly, were given a free hand, while those who advocated the socialist toad were suppressed.

In particular, the works of Mao Tsetung were forbidden Party and government cadres who had fought fascism and who delended the socialist road were removed and replaced, often by counter-revolutionaries recently released from prison. The Ministry of Defence was directed by just such a person. Openly counter-revoluionary organisation flourished. For example, Club-231 was an organisation led by Nazi generals. SS officers and formers Ministers in the Hitler regime in Slovakia. The Club of Nonparty Activists revived and built the cult of Masaryk. May Day demonstrations were enlivened by US flags, and the slogan. "Long Live the United Slates". In April Vietnamese students who had demonstrated outside the US Embassy in Prague tore down a US flag, They were attacked by Czech students. Later the Czech students replaced the flag and apologised to the United States!

Dubcek had his credit scouts scouring Europe for hard currency loans. The United Stales is thought to have promised him $(US)400 million. He moved to make Czechoslovakia's currency internationally conventible. These were all steps towards the integration of the Czech economy into the capitalist world economy.

The Communist Party of Australia's Moscow correspondent, Eric Thornton, reported "The National Assembly and the National Front ... are working already in a new way giving hope that they will become more like the form of parliamentary institutions idealised in the west." (Tribune, July 3, 1968) Dubcek was moving to legalise capitalist parties. Thornton further reports; "The new trade unionism is beginning to took like the traditional progressive trade unionism of advanced capitalist countries, in as much as it is concentrating more on defence of workers' conditions than as an arm of the state or a political party. One indication — in May there were 20 strikes against mismanagement, compared with 29 for the whole of last year."

Thornton reported that the Communist youth organisation had been dissolved and replaced by a new, diversified youth movement "with several centres according to separate interests." He thought the revival of the Boy Scouts an "interesting development"'

With Czechoslovakia being rapidly turned into a capitalist country like those of West Europe, no wonder Dubcek was more famous than Mickey Mouse. The US loved him.

What Czechoslovakia needs is not a return to Dubcek's capitalism with a "socialist" face, but a thoroughgoing cultural revolution which will reestablish the dictatorship of the proletariat under which the working class and its allies enjoy broad democratic rights and the bourgeoisie is suppressed.