Mao on the COMINTERN and the danger of hegemonism

ITAL The following article based on a speech by Mao Zedong 
illustrates further what we mean by "hegemonism," and why we 
believe efforts to revive a COMINTERN-style organization are 
incorrect at this point in time. END

Comrade Mao Tse-tung first pointed out that the dissolution of the 
Communist International was, exactly as the American press agency 
had reported, "a great event marking the dividing line between two 
epochs."

Comrade Mao Tse-tung asked: "Why should the Communist 
International be disbanded? Did it not devote all its efforts to 
the emancipation of the working class of the whole world and to 
the war against fascism?"

Comrade Mao Tse-tung said: "It is true that the Communist 
International was created by Lenin himself. During its entire 
existence it has rendered the greatest services in helping each 
country to organize a truly revolutionary workers' party, and it 
has also contributed enormously to the great cause of organizing 
the anti-fascist war." Comrade Mao Tse-tung pointed particularly 
to the great services of the Communist International in aiding the 
cause of the Chinese revolution...

Comrade Mao Tse-tung further pointed out: "Revolutionary movements 
can be neither exported nor imported. Despite the fact that aid 
was accorded by the Communist International, the birth and 
development of the Chinese Communist Party resulted from the fact 
that China herself had a conscious working class. The Chinese 
working class created its own party--the Chinese Communist Party. 
The Chinese Communist Party, although it has a history of only 
twenty-two years, has already undertaken three great revolut 
ionary movements...

Since the Communist International has rendered such great services 
to China and to various other countries, why should it be 
necessary to proclaim its dissolution? To this question Comrade 
Mao Tse-tung replied: "It is a principle of Marxism-Leninism that 
the forms of revolutionary organizations must be adapted to the 
necessities of the revolutionary struggle. If a form of 
organization is no longer adapted to the necessities of the 
struggle, then this form of organization must be abolished." 
Comrade Mao Tse-tung pointed out that at present the form of 
revolutionary organization known as the Communist International is 
no longer adapted to the necessities of the struggle. To continue 
this organizational form would, on the contrary, hinder the 
development of the revolutionary struggle in each country. What is 
needed now is the strengthening of the national Communist Party of 
each country, and we no longer need this international leading 
center. There are three main reasons for this:(1) The internal 
situation in each country and the relations between the different 
countries are more complicated than they have been in the past and 
are changing more rapidly. It is no longer possible for a unified 
international organization to adapt itself to these extremely 
complicated and rapidly changing circumstances. Correct leadership 
must grow out of a detailed analysis of these conditions, and this 
makes it even more necessary for the Communist Party of each 
country to undertake this itself. The Communist International, 
which is far removed from the concrete struggle in each country, 
was adapted to the relatively simple conditions of the past, when 
changes took place rather slowly, but now it is no longer a 
suitable instrument. . . . 

--Mao Zedong, "'The Comintern Has Long Ceased to Meddle in Our 
Internal Affairs,' excerpt from speech in Chief-fang Jih-pao, May 
28, 1943," in: Stuart S chram, ed. ITAL The Political Thought of 
Mao Tse-tung END NY: Frederick Praeger, 1963,pp. 288-89.