Women: CU sharpens the contradictions - Sibusiso Mchunu

28, 2010, April

Off the cuff, Issue No: 3

Let’s talk about these things…’No Woman, No Revolution’

The free students of the Communist University as alluded on the last issue about the series on ‘No woman, No Revolution’. The free education provided by the Communist university has so far deepened and sharpened the contradiction on this series on women and the struggle confronting women in this epoch.

As students of a free society and University are grappling with equality of women as we understand that ‘a free development of each is a condition for a free development of all’, and here we are not, of course, speaking of making women the equal of men as far as productivity of labour, the quantity of labour, the length of the working day, labour conditions, etc.., are concerned; we mean that the woman should not, unlike the man, be oppressed because of her position in the family. You all know that even when women have full rights, they still remain factually downtrodden because all housework is left to them. In most cases housework is the most unproductive, the most barbarous and the most arduous work a woman can do. It is exceptionally petty and does not include anything that would in any way promote the development of the woman[1]. Now as a free society, is it our task to revive the women’s body to fight their struggle as they see fit with all contradictions or get another body all together of the working women to advance the struggle?

In a free society and that of the mind can we impose on women as to how should they organise themselves, as free willing if they are not ready or conscious of the looming challenges before them of equality first? As the task of communists is to educate, organize and mobilize. Are we doing enough?

As the 3^rd Congress of the Communist international seems to think, can we prescribe what women organization should do or should not do? The III Congress of the Communist International therefore recognizes that a special apparatus for conduction work among women is necessary. This apparatus must consist of departments or commissions for among women, attached to every party committee at all levels, from the CC of the Party right down to the urban, district or local party committee. This decision is binding to on all Parties in the Communist International.[2] The contradiction within the students of a free Communist University is intensifying  and we hope as we continue with the series on women, on the 29 April 2010 of the Women’s Charter, FEDSAW Founding conference, 1954 that a Single Society: we women do not form a society separate from the men. There is only one society, and it is made up of both women and men. As women we share the problems and anxiety of our men, and join hands with them to remove social evils and obstacles to progress[3]. And we hope as we continue to agree to disagree how our relationship with women should be revolutionary and that is getting Socialism in our life time and ultimately Communism as the last stage on this transitionary milieu. Next week we will be dealing with ANCWL, short History & points from 2003 Constitution.

“An Appeal: We women appeal to all progressive organizations, to members of the great National Liberatory movements to the trade unions and working class organizations, to the churches, educational and welfare organizations, to all progressive men and women who have interests of the people at heart, to join with us in this great and noble endeavour.” [Women’s Charter, adopted at the Founding Conference of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) JHB, 17 April 1954]

The Communist University (student of the free society and education) meet every Thursdays at 17H00 till 18H30 at the University of JHB Library, Doornfontein Campus (former Wits Technikon).

The proletariat cannot achieve complete freedom, unless it achieves complete freedom for women [To the working women, VI Lenin, 1920]

Socialism is the best

_______________________________

Co-Chair Communist University, JHB

Deputy Chair, SACP, JHB Central Branch

Cde Sibusiso Mchunu

(Writing in his own capacity)

Arise ye prisoner of starvation

Arise ye toilers of the earth

For reason thunders new creation

Tis a better world in birth

Never more tradition chain shall bind us

Arise ye toilers no more in thrall

The earth shall rise on new foundations

We are but naught we shall be all

Then comrades, come rally

Tis the last fight we face

The internationale

Unite the human race

---

[1] The Tasks of the working women’s movement in the Soviet Republic [V. I Lenin, 1919 (Lenin on women 1919-1920)]

[2] Method and forms of work among Communist party women: These [Third Congress of the Communist International, 1921]

[3] Women’s Charter[Adopted at the Founding Conference of the Federation of  South African Women, Johannesburg, 17 April 1954 ]