It is a question for the people of Nepal to decide, but I come down on the side of the Communists (UML)--big surprise-- who, as part of the 7 parties, have called for a peaceful transition, as much as possible, in a national unity effort against the royalist dictatorship. They have also had talks with the maoist party about joining the 7 parties in a non-violent struggle. Last I heard, the maoists had agreed to that, but in the past couple of days as the king edges closer to collapse they have broken that agreement. Maybe someone has an update. Joel <<<<<>>>>>
coming to power of revolutionary guerrillas generally means replication of military-style organization and decisionmaking process that successfully prosecuted insurrection, military structure/symbols are hard to give up because they represent victory, fortitude, resolve, hence, leadership procilivity for fatiques and appropriation of titles such as 'commandante'...
there's *vanguard* that articulates and unites struggle of broad-based front and assumes heightened importance in post-revolutionary period, then there's *vanguardism* involving assertion to be sole repository of 'people's will', re. latter, peripheral conditions tempt 'party' to view itself as only legitimate agent of activity...
re. nepali maoists, i posted following the other day: are nepali maoists maoists because they follow mao's theory of guerrilla war, have adopted mao's adaptation of marxism-leninism to needs of over- whelmingly agricultural and still traditional society, agree with mao's emphasis on importance of politics in form of radical zeal of masses, acknowledge mao's contribution re. necesssity of opposition and conflict, agree with mao's focus on community rather than hierarchic state organization, i'm sure there's some other stuff to consider... mh
i'll ask question more directly this time: why is communist party of nepal (maoist) *maoist*, is it because of factors such as those i mentioned in previous post...
or is because: party's *home page* proclaims: 'long live marxism-leninism-maoism and prachanda path' (i like that last part), there's also a mao quote, website refers to 'people's war' (i think mao had some such theory/practice) quite a bit, and party is apparently member of revolutionary internationalist movement (rim) which means it has fraternal relationship with revolutionary communist party (long live chairman bob!)... mh
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