Who are the friends of the world scientific socialist movement?

UWI author, historian and political scientist Associate Professor Mehmet Perinçek took part in an 11-day “Workshop for Cadres of Theoretical Research of World Communist Parties, 2025” held across several cities in China.

He attended as a representative of Türkiye’s Vatan Party upon the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The event brought together a wide range of communist parties both from government and main opposition positions in Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. Alongside meetings with senior CPC officials, numerous discussions were held with executives from public and private enterprises, as well as directors of party schools in different regions.

Throughout these sessions, participants examined a broad set of topics on a theoretical level, from the responsibilities of the global communist movement to the “socialism with Chinese characteristics” and the political developments within various countries.

Representing the Vatan Party, Associate Professor Mehmet Perinçek spoke during the first discussion session on 19 November.

He explored the globalization of Scientific Socialism from the 19th century to the present, grounding his analysis in the practice of socialist and national-democratic revolutions. Perinçek emphasized that Scientific Socialism is not a “dogma”, but its theory evolves through revolutionary practice and can respond to the needs of our time.

He underlined that the “Atlantic era is coming to an end” and a new, public-good-oriented civilization.

Perinçek also said that Türkiye, now on the front line of the struggle against US imperialism, is stepping into a “period of historic opportunity”. He highlighted that the “National Government of Producers”, which the Vatan Party endorses, is “ultimately inevitable”.

On 26 November, at the final evaluation session held in the city of Xiamen, just 16 kilometers from Taiwan, Associate Professor Mehmet Perinçek delivered the following speech.

Dear comrades,

During our visit to China, we held several discussions on socialist theory and practice, and on the tasks of the international scientific socialist movement. I will focus on just one of these.

The question is: Who are the friends of socialist and communist parties? The answer to this question is important because the socialist movement’s ‘policy of alliances’ is crucial in terms of the struggle for power. It is also crucial in terms of the struggle to change the world and advance towards a classless society.

So, returning to our question… Who will we unite with, against whom?

It’s not the label that matters

In the age of imperialism, especially today, we can easily say that the labels political movements attach to themselves, or the labels attached to them, are not very important. Comrade Vulin, the representative from Serbia, gave a remarkable example in this regard. In different countries around the world, so-called left-wing movements can be part of imperialist-backed color revolutions. They are labelled as left-wing but serve imperialist plans.

Rising nationalism in Europe

Or, as we discussed in our previous sessions, the new nationalist movement in Europe. Comrade Jin Hin, Assistant Minister of IDCPC, defined it as the ‘new right’. In the West, they are called ‘far right’ and ‘ultra-nationalist, racist’. But we see that while Europe’s social democrats, the system’s left-wing governments or parties, are warmongering, Europe’s nationalists are opposing war and advocating cooperation with leading Eurasian countries such as Russia, China, India and Türkiye.

The criterion of progressivism and left

What about Palestine? Hamas and Hezbollah are at the forefront of the struggle against Israeli Zionism. Israeli and Ukrainian flags are flying in front of Berlin City Hall (Rote Rathaus), which is run by German social democrats.

Yes, comrades, who are our friends? The so-called leftists who serve imperialism’s plans, or the right-wing movements that disrupt imperialism’s plans? Or we could ask this way: which of these is more leftist? Today, wherever you are in the world, there is only one criterion for being leftist. The more you oppose imperialism, the more leftist you are!

Examples from Mao, Stalin and Dimitrov

Comrade Jin Hin gave a good example of this: the CPC-Guomintang alliance against the Japanese occupation. He said that the broadest front must be brought together against the main enemy, at the national and international levels. The photos of Chairman Mao and Chiang Kai-shek together in the Memorial Hall of Mao were not placed there for no reason.

During the Civil War, what did Stalin say when defining the Bolsheviks’ friends internationally in order to preserve the October Revolution? ‘The Afghan king who opposes British imperialism is our ally, but the Georgian Mensheviks and Armenian Dashnaks, who wear a socialist mask, are our enemies.’

We have all read Dimitrov’s policy of a “united front against fascism”.

Today, the task before us is to build the broadest possible front against Western imperialism and Israeli Zionism. We cannot afford to leave anyone out. If we act based on labels, we will remain outside the struggle. Ultimately, victory and power depend on the strength we build. Otherwise, we will be no different from children playing in the sand.

The key to changing the world

Besides, don’t we want to change the world? Every movement can have its positive and negative sides. But what matters is the stance against imperialism. If a movement disrupts imperialism’s plans, it means there is a gem there, and we can work with that gem. Changing them and taking them further also involves engaging with them and acting together on an anti-imperialist basis. In this case, not only will they change, but we will also change, deepening scientific socialist theory and adapting it to the conditions of today.

Of course, as world communist parties, we will gather to discuss the problems and future of socialism. But we must also hold meetings that bring together the world socialist movement with forces that do not come from a leftist background but take an anti-imperialist and anti-Zionist stance.

The duty of being inclusive

This is necessary to build this multipolar world, to develop scientific socialist theory, and to advance towards a classless society. We can explain Marx, Lenin, and Mao not only to each other but also to these forces I have mentioned. We must discuss the future of the world with them too. As we build a multipolar world, we will also be building the socialist world of the future.

This task lies with us. Because scientific socialists can take the most consistent stance in the anti-imperialist struggle. Only scientific socialists can lead this. It is our duty to be inclusive.

The People’s Republic of China, led by the CPC, demonstrates examples of this in international relations. HAMAS was a guest in Beijing. We know the level of relations with the Taliban. If this is being done at the state level, why not at the party level?

The Vatan Party is ready to take part in preparing such a meeting. I submit this proposal to the attention of all comrades.