Movement Maoist in Belgium

The beginning of the Belgian Maoists: 1963

The Belgian movement Maoist - asserting Marxism-Leninism (ml) - was very active as of 1963 and was the first to be structured in Europe. After the opening of the conflict sino-Soviet (April 1960), it is indeed in Belgium that the first European party pro-Maoist appears, in 1964, under the control of Jacques Grippa (one of the leaders of Brussels of the PCB and heroes of communist resistance). Resulting from a scission of official the Belgian Communist party, this first party favorable to the political line of Beijing, at the federal level, took the same name as the PC pro-Moscow, but as Wallonia, it acted under the name of Walloon Communist party (PCW). It had financial means important (receipts of China) and launched a weekly magazine, the Voice of the People . The PCB of Seized up was going to be charged by the Chinese Communist party (PCC) to organize and help movements ml European recognized by Beijing. Belgium will become the " plate tournante" movement European Maoist.

Following the internal conflicts tearing the Chinese communist capacity and the interlocking of the " Great Cultural revolution prolétarienne" (launched to the call of Mao Zedong to prevent the usurpation of the capacity by the partisans of the restoration of capitalism in China), the PCB of Jacques Grippa tore in his turn, in 1967, between anti-Maoists (carried out by Grippa itself and supporting from now on the Albanian authorities in rupture with the Maoism) and pro-Maoists. In two successive waves, the militants faithful to Mao left PCB grippist and founded:

in June 1967, with Charleroi: the Walloon Communist party (Marxist Leninist) (PCW (ml)) and the weekly magazine Exploited the . Principal leader: Arnold Hauwaert. In February 1972, PCW (ml) will change name to become the Communist party of Belgium (ml).
in November 1967, with Louvière: the Communist party Marxist-Leninist of Belgium (PCMLB) and the newspaper Clearness . It will be primarily established in Brussels and Mons. Principal leader: Fernand Lefebvre. One month after the creation of this PCMLB, in France, appeared the Communist party Marxist-Leninist of France (PCMLF). The PCMLB and the PCMLF will be ideologically and structurally related one to the other.

Opposed to their beginnings, PCW (ml), become PCB (ml), and the PCMLB (like their newspapers, Clearness and Exploited the ) went to finish amalgamating, in 1973. However in 1976, the former militants of PCB (ml) made dissidence and launched a new party: the revolutionary Communist party (PCR). Groupusculaire and only credit in Charleroi, this last will publish again Exploited the (this communist newspaper will still exist until 2000). For its part, the PCMLB had disappeared, in the middle of the Eighties, under the name of Communist party for the unit progressist (PCUP).

" Mao-spontex" in Belgium - the years post-68

After May-68, other organizations Maoists will be born. They were often d'" orientation" Mao-spontex and rested by young ex-grippists allured by the Cultural revolution Maoist. The majority of these organizations will follow one another the ones the others, after internal conflicts generally:

red Guard: established at the University of Liege, it published the newspaper Oser to fight . After first contacts with communist Fight and the Union of the Communists Marxist-Leninists of Belgium (see not according to), for a unification, the red Guard will join the rows of the PCMLB.
University-Factory-Union (UUU): appeared in November 1968 in Universit3e libre de Bruxelles (ULB), this organization Maoist coed will be in contact with the proletarian Gauche, Mao-spontex organization active in France. In 1970, UUU was going to be divided into two opposite groups which founded:

Word with the People (PAP): publishing a newspaper of the same name, the PAP will keep contacts in France with the proletarian Gauche. It was at the origin of the News agency release (APL) in Belgium and of Association Belgium-Portugal, organization of support for the Portuguese revolution. The PAP car-will dissolve in 1977.
All the capacity with workers (TPT): will start a critic of the " spontanéisme" , will leave Mao-spontex mobility and will preach the creation of a party revolutionary Marxist-Leninist.

Union and disunion of the Communists Marxist-Leninists of Belgium - years 70-80

It is with an aim of founding a party, like instrument for the revolution, that TPT was going to make the place in 1972, with the contribution of the " Committee Joseph Stalin for the Unit rouge" , with:

the Union of the Communists Marxist-Leninists of Belgium (UCMLB). Body: the red unit . With the PCMLB, the UCMLB was the most important organization Marxist-Leninist. After " lawsuit politiques" interns, the UCMLB implosa in May 1976.

In Flanders, main organization ml, of " type; ouvriériste" and spontaneist, was Alle macht aan of arbeiders (Amada, All capacity with the workers). Amada was founded, in 1970, by catholic students allured by the Revolution Maoist and engaged in the wild strikes of the minors in Flemish Belgian Limburg. It is only in 1975, qu ' a " branche" French-speaking person of Amada will appear, under the name of All the capacity with workmen (TPO). Organization ml will be reinforced in 1976 by the arrival of several dissidents of the UCMLB. Amada-TPO, in 1979, is transformed into Partij van of Arbeid van België - Party of the Work of Belgium (PVDA-PTB). Neither Amada-TPO nor the PVDA-PTB will be recognized by the Chinese communist authorities.

The other organizations French-speaking Belgian Marxist-Leninists of the Seventies were:

communist Fight (LC): exit directly of the organization working Capacity (founded in 1969 by ex-grippists coming from the Committee Che Guevara), LLC will approach since 1974 the Communist party Marxist-Leninist Belgium. In 1979, LLC will end up amalgamating with the PCMLB.
communist Action (AC): in relation in France with the " group; Révolution".
release Group of the working class: Set up by the old ones of the newspaper the Workman in anger .
communist Circle Marxist-Leninist.
Left worker.
Communist party of Belgium (Marxist-Leninist): survival inhabitant of Li2ege of the UCMLB, PCB (ml) published the body the Truth . In 1986, this bunch Maoist will change name to become " Revival ouvrier" , an political organization remaining active on the ground of the social struggles and faithful to the theses Marxist-Leninist-Maoists.

For its part, the Belgian unified Movement of the French-speaking students (MUBEF, trade union representative of the university students) will position on a line Marxist-Leninist. It should be known that the Maoists of communist Fight were very active there.

The influence of the Cultural revolution Maoist was still noticed:

in the theoretical review Contradictions (°1972, always published in 2006).
in the weekly magazine For (1973-1981).

This last will give birth, in 1977, with:

For socialism (PLS), a anti-Stalinist organization Maoist. PLS will approach to the Communist party Marxist-Leninist of Belgium and the revolutionary Communist party (see not: " The " courant" regionalistic Maoist wallon"). In 1984, the organization car-will dissolve.

The revolutionary current army, incarnated by the fighting communist Cells (CCC), will assert to him also radical Marxism-Leninism. Mao and Stalin appeared among the major references of the CCC, as well as the groups of his mobility: Red line (1983-1986), collective revolutionary Correspondences (1986-1997), Lutte for Communism (1987-1988), collective Classifies against Class (1988-1989, first of the name) and the Committee of agitation and communist propaganda (1992-1994). The political combat of these groups will continue into 2003 within a new collective, Classe against Class (second of the name). This last is one of the principal pillars of the Block Marxist-Leninist (see below). The CCC considered in block the trade unions, the socialist party, the Communist party and the pacifist movement like adversaries. It was about conscientiser the working class by spectacular attacks. The attacks of the CCC aimed at very diverse targets: companies, political organizations, militants of the movement for peace like Pierre Galand in October 1985. Their action served as a pretext for a considerable reinforcement of the repressive arsenal. The relationship between the CCC and " Directe" action; (AD) in France were rather complex. Initially, the two organizations cooperated regularly. In 1985, the CCC broke with AD, shown to have created of all parts its own subsidiary company in Belgium, the revolutionary Front of proletarian action (FRAP). AD belonged to the anti-impérialiste current, for their part the CCC asserted current Marxist-Leninist.

The " courant" Walloon regionalistic Maoist

Since its appearance, in 1963, a tendency " wallonne" coexisted in the movement Maoist of Belgium. Jacques Grippa itself had proposed the " conception" of the three people constituting Belgium: people Flemish, of Brussels and Walloon. In Wallonia, PCB-Seized up it acted directly under the name of Walloon Communist party (PCW). In November 1965, the PCW was at the base of transitory a " Popular front wallon". Thereafter, the Communist parties which continued the combat pro-Maoist in Belgium, the Walloon Communist party (Marxist-Leninist) (PCW (ml)) of Arnold Hauwaert and the Communist party Marxist-Leninist of Belgium (PCMLB) of Fernand Lefebvre will continue the Walloon combat.

In September 1982, the PCMLB, the revolutionary Communist party (PCR, resulting from the scission of 1976 of the PCMLB led by the old ones of PCW (ml)) and the organization For Socialism (PLS) launched a " Proclamation for independent Wallonia, progressist and démocratique".

In the municipal elections of October 1982, the PCMLB took part in the town of Mons (its stronghold) in the list of the democratic Union and progressist Walloon (UDPW), a trust of the Communist party with " various wallingants" , of which militants of the Walloon Gathering (RW). Fernand Lefebvre was the official candidate of the PCMLB on the list of the UDPW. Several candidates of the revolutionary Communist party were reproduced for their part on lists of the Walloon Popular assembly (RPW, dissidence of the RW appeared in October 1981) deposited in various communes of the area of Charleroi. The PCMLB also invited to vote for the lists of the RPW.

In the organization " crypto-maoïste" For Socialism, a " running wallon" the day had also seen. In 1984, this current will try to launch a new structure: the Walloon revolutionary socialist Movement (MSRW), and a new newspaper, TO ACT . In spite of the energy spent by its initiators, the MSRW will disappear the following year.

In the years 1990, the Walloon combat will remain always constant by the revolutionary Communist party and its newspaper Exploited the . This one will bring its support, in 1993, with transitory “a Movement of the Communists of Wallonia” (MCW), localized in the commune of Gilly. The same year, in the prolongation of the MCW, a call to found a “communist Regrouping of Wallonia” (RCW) is launched (the daily newspaper the Evening will devote to him an echo, on January 10th 1994). The militants of Exploited the will take part in the RCW which will have only one very short existence.

Thereafter, the historical leader of the PCR, Arnold Hauwaert, will continue his engagement in the Walloon movement while becoming the organizer of the circles walligants the " Cock of Aousse" and " To live in Wallonie". After the dissolution of the PCR and the end of the publication of Exploited the , Arnold Hauwaert will join, in 2002, the Walloon republican Club - for independence, the dignity and the freedom of Wallonia. With its manner, Arnold Hauwaert will always support the Maoism. In 2003, at the time of the legislative elections, it will be one of the " personnalités" to sign the public call to vote for the list deposited in Charleroi by the Party of the work of Belgiaue. In 2006, the emblematic ex-figure of the Maoists of Charleroi was always the editor association of the Dispatch of Wallonia , the electronic publication of Vivre association in Wallonia.

The various initiatives evoked above made conspicuous the emergence and the activity of a small Walloon regionalistic mobility of radical left direct heiress of the current Maoist. A mobility integrated in the Walloon Popular movement.

Marxist-Leninists (ML) of the years 1990-2000

Today (2006), two formations still maintain a way or the another heritage of the Maoism in Belgium:

the Left the Work of Belgium (PTB): resulting from the movement Maoist spontaneist of the Seventies, the PTB, like its heir, Amada-TPO, recognized forever officially by the Chinese authorities, contrary to the first Belgian parties pro-Chinese: the PCB of Jacques Seized up, the Belgian Communist party - Leninist Marxist (PCB-ML) and the Communist party Marxist-Leninist of Belgium (PCMLB). However, the PTB regards Mao as one of his principal ideological references. Moreover, this party always accurately followed all the turnings of the policy of Beijing, including its turning of capitalist economic development. The PTB at present remains one of the most important formations of extreme left in Belgium. Nevertheless, the PTB is not asserted like extreme left, but like pertaining to the " labor movement communiste". He regards himself as being the direct heir to the Belgian Communist party (period 1921-1963).

the Block Marxist-Leninist (BML), founded in 2003 by several militant collectives resulting from the majority of the currents Marxist-Leninists (Stalinist, pro-Chinese, pro-Albanian, Communist combatant…). The BML asserts Revolution Maoist of 1948, but does not support, contrary to the PTB, the Chinese authorities current. He publishes the newspaper: Clearness (taken again title of the body of the PCMLB). Militants of the Block Marxist-Leninist are in addition the principal organizers of the Red Secours in Belgium, an organization of support for the revolutionary, communist and anarchistic political prisoners. In the Seventies, in full rise of the " gauchisme" in Belgium, with an aim of coming to assistance of the militants stopped during the demonstrations and the strikes, red first aid had already appeared (in February - March 1971). This one was framed by trotskists of the Young socialist guard (youth organization of the revolutionary League of the workers, LRT, current socialist working Parti) and Maoists of the Université organization Machines Union, of All the capacity to the workers and the Communist party Marxist-Leninist of Belgium.

Ex-Maoists still quite active

The movement Maoist, like the movement trotskist, certainly minority on the political chessboard, was however very important in the middle of the Belgian left wing and the social struggles. It attracted towards him hundreds of students. The majority of those were exemplary and known militants ml for their radicality. Some of those which to rompir then with the " gauchisme" will be integrated in the Belgian society, while remaining active on the political plan, social or cultural. Thus today, among the ex-Maoists, it is, for examples: a European deputy Ecologist (it came from communist Fight and the review Contradictions ), the owner of the one of the most important publishers (old of the newspaper For and the organization For Socialism), several professors of university and lawyers of reputation (coming from youths grippists, communist Fight, the UCMLB, Amada-TPO…), of the leaders of the socialist party and the socialist confederation trade unionist FGTB (ex-militants of the UCMLB, communist Fight…), etc

Internal bonds on Wikipedia

In a general way on the Maoism, to also see on Wikipedia the notes:

On the Marxist-Leninists of Belgium, to see the following notes:

Radical left in Belgium
Jacques Seized up: first and main leader pro-Maoist in Europe in the Sixties.

On Dutch Wikipedia, there exists another short biographical note (it stops at the year 1963) on Jacques Grippa: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Grippa

Block Marxist-Leninist (Block-ml)
fighting communist Cells (CCC)
Left the work of Belgium (PTB)

External bonds

Center of the communist files in Belgium (CARCOB): * Party of the Work of Belgium: * Block Marxist-Leninist: attention the site of the BML is not currently accessible any more (4/14/06): www.blocml.org

Its proclamation of foundation is accessible here * Red help in Belgium:

Sources (partly)

the PCB and the scission " grippiste" from 1963 , working paper to limited diffusion, of Milou (Emile) Rikir, archivist of the Center of the communist files in Belgium (CARCOB), Brussels, 2002 (estimate), 33 pages. This exceptional document comprises a new text of Jacques Grippa going back to 1977, the Rapport at the political Audit Board (carried out in January 1968 by an internal authority of the Belgian Communist party on the state of the " PCB-Grippa") and 126 notes of explanation of Milou Rikir. These last approach the situation of dissidences and under-dissidences Maoists Belgian at various periods (of 1963 to 1989).
" Short history of the radical left in Belgique" (in chapter 2: Characteristics of the radical left), " Running Marxist-léniniste" (in chapter 3: Various currents of the radical left) and " Presentation of the organizations of the various currents: Running Marxist-léniniste" (in chapter 4: Radioscopy of the current radical left), in Manual Abramowicz: radical left in French-speaking Belgium - electoral, social and political Impact (1965-2004) , memory FOPES - catholic University of Leuwen-the-New (UCL), 2004,422 p.

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