PMLI PMLI's Statute

PMLI's Statute
(Approved by the Party's Foundation Congress held on the 11^th of April,1977 - excerpts)

PREMISE
I
The Italian Marxist-Leninist Party is constituted on the basis of the Italian Marxist-Leninist Communist Bolshevik Organization which was founded on the 14th of December, 1969 by a small patrol of authentic Marxists-Leninists in the fire of the struggle against the revisionist clique of Togliatti and false Marxists-Leninists, on the basis of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, the historical experience of the Italian and international worker movement, under the mighty push of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, with the precise aim of struggling for the constitution of the Italian revolutionary Party of the proletariat, an unprecedented Party in the history of the Italian worker's movement as far as theoretical foundation, class composition, organizational structure and political line are concerned.
For over seven years of intense and dynamic life the OCBI m-l led a hard and untiring struggle to unite all authentic Italian Marxists-Leninists. The practice showed that the organizations which referred themselves to Marxism-Leninism were inexistent in the class struggle or were appendixes and covers up of Togliatti's revisionism and that they were unreliable for building the proletariat's Party together.
The Party's foundation was only able to come about thanks to the OCBI m-l's organic strengthening and at all levels, the combined and untiring efforts of its militants and leaders and counting on the support and the backing of the Italian and international proletariat.

II
In order to lead the socialist revolution to victory the Party must base itself on the correctness of its
political line and the soundness of its organization, that has to be safeguarded by the attacks of the
class enemies taking all necessary measures.(...)

CHAPTER I
THE PARTY
ARTICLE I - The Italian Marxist-Leninist Party is the conscious and organized vanguard of the Italian proletariat, the political Party of the working class, that leads the immediate and partial struggles and those general and at long term of the entire class and the Italian people's broad masses and leads the socialist revolution to the complete victory.

ARTICLE 2 - The Party has as theoretical basis Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought which presides its ideological, political, organizational and practical work.

ARTICLE 3 - The Party owns, develops and applies a strategic and tactical line which is authentically proletarian and revolutionary.
The Party political line is organically exposed in its Programme, which sets the character, the motive powers and the aims of the Italian socialist revolution, the main tasks of the working class in the perspective of the conquest of the political power and the objectives and purposes of the Party.
The Party's fundamental programme is to lead the proletariat to the conquest of the political power, overthrow the bourgeois dictatorship, establish the dictatorship of the proletariat and ensure the complete triumph of socialism over capitalism. The Party's final aim is to achieve communism.
As during the historical period of socialism the classes, class contradictions and class struggle, the struggle between socialist path and capitalist path, attempts to restore capitalism, the threat of overthrow and aggression of the imperialism still exist, the Party leads the proletariat and the broad masses of the people in building socialism by following the theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat.

ARTICLE 4 - The Party takes care of its class composition, in its ranks can be member only the most advanced, conscious and brave elements of the working class and who resolutely and generously fight out in the front line upholding the proletariat's positions, are able to educate, organize and mobilize the proletariat and the Italian people's broad masses against the bourgeoisie and revisionists.
The Party aims to an high quality of its members, gives the maximum importance to their political, social and moral qualities, dedicates every efforts to their ideological education, the development of their revolutionary temperament and the strengthening of their ability to defend and to put in practice the Party line resolutely.
The Party members must practice Marxism and not revisionism, support the unity and not the split, be sincere and honest and not resort to intrigues and plots, dare to go against the stream, practice criticism and self-criticism, be modest and prudent, lead a simple and revolutionary life, form one only thing with the Party, be in all circumstances with the Party and of the Party.

ARTICLE 5 - The Party's organizational structure is firmly based on the principle of democratic centralism.
The Party is compact and monolithic, it does not tolerates fractionism and splitism, is supplied in every way for the class struggle and the socialist revolution.
The Party, as Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought scientifically explains and as the international worker movement's experience proves, builds itself in the fight, in every step of its growth and development exists the struggle between the two lines, the proletariat's line and the bourgeoisie's line. Even though the Party has a correct line and a Marxist-Leninist leadership, there is always the risk that through infiltration the bourgeoisie can overturn this line and overthrow this leadership. The Party militants must exercise a constant vigilance, firmly baffle and drive back every bourgeois and revisionist attempt to seize the Party and make it to change its colour.

ARTICLE 6 - The Party, as supreme organization's form of the working class, exercises its direction in all fields (...)

ARTICLE 7 - The Party firmly conforms itself to the principles of the proletarian internationalism and considers the overthrowing of the Italian capitalism as the greatest contribution that it can give to the advance and the victory of the world revolution.
The Party stands by the side of all the authentically Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations, the proletariat, the peoples and oppressed nations of the whole world and it unites closely to them in their resolute struggle against imperialism, modern revisionism and all the reaction, aiming at their complete defeat, the integral elimination of the man's exploitation by man and the emancipation of the entire humanity.
The Party is animated by the deepest internationalist spirit which links the proletariat and all the authentic Marxist-Leninists of the world, struggles consequently and permanently for their unity which can only be realized on the basis of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, proletarian internationalism and the coherent struggle against imperialism.

CHAPTER II
THE CADRES
ARTICLE 8 - The Party cadres must be authentic Marxist-Leninists, as when the political line is defined they constitute a decisive factor.
The quality of the leaders at various level guarantees that the Party is strong, firmly anchored to the positions of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, able to carry out all its revolutionary tasks, faithful to the proletariat's and the socialist revolution's cause, and that it will never degenerate.
The Party leaders must particularly be alert so that the revisionists, careerists, conspirators and all kinds of bad elements never usurp Party leadership.

ARTICLE 9 - The cadres must have the following requirements:
deeply know and be able to put in practice Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought and the Party political line, be the standard bearers of the struggle against modern revisionism;
be able to educate, organize and lead the militants and the masses, unite and work together with them, listen to their opinions, proposals and criticisms and deserve and win their complete trust;
have given repeated and concrete proofs to be disinterested and inflexible servants of the Italian and international proletariat and the broad people's masses;
be able to take own bearings and to deal with the problems alone, remaining unshakable in front of all the difficulties;
want to constantly develop own political conscience and transform own world conception in a proletarian way;
practice a Marxist-Leninist work style, be modest and shrewd, be on guard against individualism, arrogance and precipitation, shun all indolence and passiveness;
be an example in the class struggle and in the applying democratic centralism, use respect and spirit of collaboration towards other cadres, old and new, put into practice the work style of learning one by the other;
always be ready, not boasting merits and privileges, to change role and fight post if the Party requires it.

ARTICLE 10 - The revolutionaries by profession are leaders or militants who are permanently at the Party's service.
According to a plan arranged by the Political Bureau, the revolutionaries by profession must annually perform a work period at base level, that is as simple Cell militant, for preventing revisionism, dogmatism and bureaucracy, and so they always have that world conception which is peculiar of the proletariat.

ARTICLE 11 - The Party cadres and revolutionaries by profession must be its best militants fully, the concrete examples of true Marxist-Leninists, comrades who without asking anything dedicate themselves to the Party and the proletarian revolution's cause.

CHAPTER III
THE MEMBERS OF THE PARTY
ARTICLE 12 - Can be Party member any advanced element of the industrial and agricultural proletariat, any advanced element of the poor peasants and any sincere revolutionary on the working class' positions, who accepts the Party Program and Statute, militates and works actively in one of its organization's departments, carries out the Party's directives and regularly pays the dues.
Who exploits other people's work, who has and professes a religion or a non-Marxist philosophy cannot be a Party member.
Is the Party that forms the Marxist-Leninists, no one is born Marxist-Leninist but one becomes so militating in the Party.

ARTICLE 13 - Every Party member must:
study and put into practice Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, spread it among the proletariat and the broad masses of the people;
be intransigent about the principles and firmly fight against the bourgeois ideology, modern revisionism, dogmatism and all wrong ideas;
defend the Party political line and its organizational structure, grasp and apply the Programme and respect the Party's Statute;
conform oneself to democratic centralism and respect a firm proletarian discipline, carry out any task assigned him by the Party with enthusiasm, commitment and diligence and keep in mind that for a militant what counts is to do the revolution, independently from the combat post assigned him by the Party;
work in the mass organizations, especially in trade unions, resolutely defend the masses' interests, share with them joys and sufferings, closely link oneself to them knowing how to be both their disciple and master, win them over the socialist revolution's cause and of the Communism;
apply the work style which consists in integrating theory with practice, use a meticulous revolutionary vigilance, fight against liberalism and firmly grasp the weapon of criticism and self-criticism;
think, act and live as a revolutionary, transform own world conception, raise own political conscience, be resolute and courageous in the class struggle, without fearing any sacrifice, put the revolution's interests before those personal, not hesitate to give also the life for the proletariat's cause;
give generously and without reserves own economic aid to the Party, put all own material means at its disposal if necessary to face up to the revolution's needs.

ARTICLE 14 - Every Party member have right to:
take part to the meetings, discussions, decisions and activities of own organization's department;
give own contribution to the elaboration and development of the Party line, actively collaborating with its Press also;
be listened by higher organization's departments and leaders of the Party at the different levels, and put forward proposals and suggestions to them;
address secretly, for revolutionary vigilance reasons, the Party's higher organization's departments and, if suitable, the General Secretary himself;
be called to take leader's charges upon oneself at all levels;
criticize any militant, leader or Party's organization's department in the appropriate forms and in the observance of democratic centralism;
be helped by the Party, with every possible mean, in case of repression.

CHAPTER IV
PARTY ADMISSION
ARTICLE 15 - Party admission takes place on individual basis.
The request for admission must be counter-signed by two Party effective members who, as presenters, are responsible for the seriousness, reliability and revolutionary temperament of the candidate.
The acceptance of the request is subordinated to the examination and approval of the Cell to which it is directed and the ratification of the higher organization's departments.
The request approval implies the admission of the candidate to the Cell, his active participation at the life of own organization's department, the carrying out of the duties and the acquisition of the Party member's rights; however during the candidacy period, his vote is consultative and he cannot take leader's charges upon himself.

ARTICLE 16 - The candidature period lasts one year for the workers and the poor peasants and two years for all the other elements whose class collocation is not proletarian.
When it expires, the Cell, before accepting the candidate as Party effective member, examines his political life and evaluates his qualities shown and his commitment expressed in the class struggle at ideological and theoretical, political and practical level. The candidature period can be renewed if the candidate isn't considered in possession of all necessary requirements, but when it expires a final decision must be taken.
The nomination as Party effective member and the decisions concerning his candidature must be ratified by the higher organization's departments.

ARTICLE 17 - For the admission at the Party of those who have covered leader's charges in other parties and organizations must be expressed favourable opinion by the Provincial Committee if they are local leaders, and by the Central Committee if they are national leaders.
The candidature period in these cases lasts three years.

CHAPTER V
DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
ARTICLE 18 - The Party requires that all its militants observe the most firm and conscious proletarian discipline based on the aware and responsible obedience and the voluntary choice to comply with its political and organizational line.
The denounce of the errors and the criticism of the defects must have the aim "to learn from the past errors to avoid the future ones and cure the illness to save the patient", it is necessary to know how to distinguish between the two different types of contradiction, those among the people and those between the enemy and us. One must not hit out violently and thoughtlessly at comrades who do not hide their illness, wish to follow treatment and correct themselves and do not persist in their errors. Criticism must be open and loyal and aim to unite and not to divide, all the disciplinary measures must be adopted only after a deep examination and with precise motivations.
Regarding careerists and swindlers, the double-face people, fractionists, incorrigible people, renegades, traitors and agents of bourgeoisie and revisionism, must be firmly and without any hesitation expelled from Party.

ARTICLE 19 - When a member violates the Party discipline, according to the concrete case the department to which he belongs takes against him the following disciplinary measures:
warning;
severe warning;
suspension from his organization's department for a period not superior to six months, remaining at the disposal of the Party;
removal from leader's charges;
suspension of the rights of effective member for a period not over one year;
striking-off the ranks;
expulsion.
The disciplinary measures are immediately executive, but in order to become definitive they must be submitted to the ratification of the higher organization's departments.

ARTICLE 20 - The disciplinary measures which involve removal from leader's charges, suspension of the rights of effective member, striking-off and expulsion from the Party must be adopted with the majority of two thirds.

ARTICLE 21 - The Central Committee can, in every moment, remove the leaders of the Provincial Committees and of the Cells who have failed in their duties.
The Provincial Committee can equally and for the same motives remove the Cell leaders, but such decision is subject to the Central Committee's ratification.

ARTICLE 22 - Every Party member subject to disciplinary measures can appeal to the higher organization's departments up to the Central Committee.

CHAPTER VI
THE PARTY'S ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLE

ARTICLE 23 - The Party organizational principle is democratic centralism.
All the Central Committee directives are compelling and binding for all the members and departments, which must observe the following discipline's rules:
the individual is subordinated to own organization's department;
the minority is subordinated to the majority;
the lower organization's department is subordinated to the higher organization's department;
all the Party is subordinated to the Central Committee.

ARTICLE 24 - The Party's leading organization's departments to various levels must have direct and periodic contacts with the lower organization's departments, inform them about the activities of general interest, pay attention to their political work, listen their opinions, proposals and criticisms.

ARTICLE 25 - Democratic centralism is a dialectic unity of centralism and democracy, discipline and freedom, which must be followed by correctly combining the collective leadership with the individual responsibility and making all Party members aware of the importance of their tasks.

CHAPTER VII
THE PARTY'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
LEADING CENTRAL ORGANS

ARTICLE 26 - The Party's leading supreme organ is the National Congress and, between a Congress and other, the Central Committee.
The Party's National Congress is usually convoked every three years by the Central Committee which determines its carrying out rules and the agenda. The convocation can be anticipated or put off for particular reasons.
The delegates elected by the Provincial Congresses, held according to rules determined by the Central Committee, participate at the National Congress.
The Party's National Congress establish the Party political line; modifies if that be the case the Programme and the Statute; it discusses the report on the Central Committee's activity and all the arguments on agenda; elects the Central Committee and the Party's General Secretary.

ARTICLE 27 - The Party's Central Committee is convoked by the Political Bureau.
The Central Committee is jointly responsible for applying the political line set by the National Congress; it elects the Political Bureau and the Political Director of the Press's central organ; according to its needs it sets up permanent or temporary Work's Commissions, which are executive organs of its decisions and of those of the Political Bureau, and nominates their leaders.
The Political Bureau, between a session and other of the Central Committee, exercises its functions and powers.
The Central Committee, the Political Bureau and the Provincial Committees are composed of effective or candidate members, the candidate members' vote is only consultative.
The Party's General Secretary prepares, presides over and coordinates the sessions and the works of the Central Committee, the Political Bureau and the Central Committee's Military Commission; he is the Party's official representative within the country, abroad and for the relationships with the brother Parties. Besides he has the exclusiveness of the legal and judicial representation of the Party, with the power to bring legal actions for account and in name of the Party on the basis of his unobjectionable decision and such power is not subject to further delegation or authorization from other Party's leading organs.

LEADING LOCAL ORGANS

ARTICLE 28 - The Party's leading local organs are the Provincial Committees which have the responsibility for applying of the political line, for the strengthening and development of the Party at local level.
The Provincial Committee is nominated by the Central Committee after having heard the opinion expressed by the Cells' Secretaries.
The Provincial Committee's Secretary is nominated by the Central Committee after having heard the opinion of the Provincial Committee's members.

BASIS ORGANIZATIONS

ARTICLE 29 - The Party basis organizations are the Cells.
The Cell is set up in the factories, workshops, farms and in all other workplaces. When that isn't possible, the Cell is set up on a territorial basis.
When in the same factory, workplace or territory more Cells are working, the Provincial Committee in order to coordinate their activities can set up a Coordination Committee composed of the Secretaries of the Cells concerned.
The Cell is formed by not less than three and no more than seven members.
The Cell is led by a Secretary nominated by the Provincial Committee, which takes into account the Cell's members opinion. The nomination of the Cell's Secretary must be ratified by the Central Committee.
When the Cell's members are at least six they elect a Cell's Committee composed of three members, which assures Cell's good running, best activity and political timely intervention.
Each member of the Cell must have a precise task within the frame of the organization's department general activity.

ARTICLE 30 - The Cell has the task to:
study Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, holding high its red banner among the proletariat and the masses, fight against modern revisionism;
propagandize, defend and put into practice the Party general political line, applying its directives and its Programme, promote the Party's press in a militant way;
respect the Statute, democratic centralism and the revolutionary vigilance, provide the higher organization's departments with regular information about its activity and on the questions which may interest the Party;
take active part in the class struggle, link itself strongly to the masses, know their problems, opinions and hopes, organize them, mobilize them and exercise a correct, reliable and acknowledged political direction;
apply the Marxist-Leninist work style, integrate theory with practice, hold surveys and researches, courageously use criticism and self-criticism;
have an intense and dynamic life, develop the active ideological struggle, centralizing the correct ideas and rejecting the wrong ones;
admit new members in the Party, impede class enemies' infiltration and guarantee the purity of its ranks, expelling what is altered and absorbing what is new;
educate and form the candidate members with particular care, led all its militants in the struggle against the bourgeoisie and its revisionist agents.
(...)

CHAPTER VIII
PARTY'S PRESS, FLAG AND ANTHEMS
ARTICLE 32 - The Party's central press organ is Il Bolscevico.

ARTICLE 33 - The Party's flag is red, with black hammer and sickle in the centre and the black effigy of Mao Zedong placed at the top alongside the flag pole.

ARTICLE 34 - The Party's anthems are "The International", "Red Flag" and the Party's anthem "The Red Sun".