Ideology
PCdoB responded to the collapse of real communism and of the Soviet Union better than most of the Western Communist parties. PCdoB had established itself as an organization historically linked to the Marxist-Leninist tradition of the Communist International. Its political and ideological identity was consolidated as opposing the so-called 1960s "revisionism", identified with the directions taken by the USSR after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. PCdoB then aligned itself with Maoism. After the People's Republic of China began making economic reforms in 1979, PCdoB decided to aligned itself with the Socialist People's Republic of Albania, an example of consistency and fidelity to Marxism-Leninism in the opinion of its leaders.
In the 1980s, the Soviet crisis was assessed by PCdoB as the result of the growing integration of the USSR to capitalism and the "social-imperialistic" policies applied by it; the Soviet regime was characterized as a kind of state capitalism. In 1991, as the crisis has expanded over to Albania, PCdoB decided to reassess its theoretical formulations about revisionism, and became nonaligned. In its 8th Congress in 1992, PCdoB innovated itself by criticizing the Bolshevik experience. The party reaffirmed its adherence to Marxism-Leninism and socialism, taking a different path from several other Communist organizations throughout the world.
During this process, PCdoB ranged from an approach that pointed to the class struggle as responsible for the fundamental changes that occurred in the Soviet regime, while on the other hand, it showed an economistic tendency, placing the problems of socialism around the development of productive forces. To some extent, it has shifted from debating these fundamental issues, and when it did, it treated them marginally. The party has been ever since marked by a growing institutionalization inside the political system.
This can be perceived in a letter sent to the Communist Party USA on the occasion of its 29th National Convention in 2010. In it, PCdoB demonstrates its concern over the Greek economic collapse and blames neoliberal policies for it. The party lists its electoral goals for the 2010 general elections as being the "consolidation of Communist presence in the institutions", the "enlargement of influence on lower classes" and "maintaining the democratic and progressive forces at the head of the national government".
PCdoB has been criticized by smaller left-wing parties for its alliance with the Workers' Party (PT). However, the party has continued on the left-wing field, even if it has embraced democratic socialism and shifted to center-left in the political spectrum to some extent. The Socialist People's Party (PPS), a dissidence of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), on the other hand, has embraced the right-wing opposition to the Lula administration, allying with them in the Brazil can do more coalition.
Read more about this topic: Communist Party Of Brazil
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