Workers' Communist Party (Norway)
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Workers' Communist Party Arbeidernes Kommunistparti | |
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| Founded | 1973 |
| Dissolved | 2007 |
| Merged into | Red Party |
| Headquarters | Oslo |
| Newspaper | Klassekampen (1973-1991) |
| Youth wing | Red Youth |
| Electoral front | Red Electoral Alliance |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Far-left |
| International affiliation | ICMLPO |
| Website | |
| akp | |
The Workers' Communist Party (
AKP was founded in 1973, as Arbeidernes Kommunistparti (marxist-leninistene). It did not participate directly in elections, but members had "activity duty", meaning that they were to work for the party's goals – passive members were not accepted. The precise number of its members is unknown.[1] On 22 February 2006, the party opened some of its archives to the public, in a move the party argued was to hit out at all the rumours surrounding the party.
It was a predecessor of the current party the Red Party, founded on 10 March 2007.
History
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Two trends led to the formation of AKP(m–l):
- The radical movements of academic environments in the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly within the context of the Vietnam War.[1][2]
- The China, which caused an ideological crisis among an older generation of communists.
The founders of AKP(m–l) came from what was then known as SUF, or
As a result of the activity duty, many party members practiced "self-proletarisation" on the party's orders, working as manual labourers, especially in the period from 1974 to 1976. Later, the party encouraged its well-educated members to take work as teachers, particularly in higher education.
As a part of their policy, AKP members have joined and tried to influence several voluntary organisations in socialist direction, particularly those related to "feminism", labor unions and anti-racism.
AKP did not put its name on election ballots, choosing instead to work through Red Electoral Alliance (RV), originally AKPs electoral face, but from 1990 a party of its own without any formal link to AKP, though most of AKPs members were also members of RV.
In March 2007, AKP and
Controversy
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AKP and the Norwegian ML-movement were at times criticised for support of Marxist and communist regimes in other parts of the world, including the regimes of Joseph Stalin, and Pol Pot.[4] AKP openly endorsed the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia, and when that party's forces invaded Phnom Penh, Klassekampen had "Long live the free Cambodia" as their front page headline. Support from AKP continued in spite of the killings which were reported during Pol Pot's rule. At that time, AKP considered these reports to be a part of a smear campaign against the new regime, and AKP had delegations visiting the country.[5]
Much of the party's inner workings have been clandestine in nature, for instance the precise number of members is kept secret. The party program has been considered violent and extreme since it called for armed revolution before 1990, and kept the possibility of having to "defend the revolution with arms" open since.[4]
In 2003, two former members of the party's leadership, Finn Sjue and Egil Fossum, apologized for the totalitarian culture in the party.[4]
Party leaders
- Sigurd Allern 1973–1975
- Pål Steigan 1975–1984
- Kjersti Ericsson 1984–1988
- Siri Jensen 1988–1992
- Solveig Aamdal 1992–1997
- Jorun Gulbrandsen 1997–2006
- Ingrid Baltzersen 2006–2007
See also
References
- ^ "They worshipped Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot", article in Aftenposten.
- ^ Freedom of speech as bread and butter, article in Dagbladet
- ^ Mao, min Mao, by Hans Petter Sjøli. Book about AKP(m–l), published in 2005.
- ^ "Vietnam War: Causes, Facts & Impact". HISTORY. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ISSN 0254-1106.
- ^ TNP (2013-12-24). "A Mysterious and Radical Party in Norwegian Political History: AKP". The Nordic Page. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ^ a b c De dyrket Mao, Stalin og Pol Pot (They worshiped Mao, Stalin and Pol Pot), Aftenposten, August 28, 2005 (in Norwegian)
- ^ Blodbadet i Kambodsja Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine (the bloodbath in Cambodia) forskning.no, Harald Aastorp, January 4, 2005(in Norwegian)
External links
- (in Norwegian) Arbeidernes kommunistparti – official website
- (in English) Workers' Communist Party – website in English
- (in Norwegian) ml-historie.no – party archives