Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday confirmed that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had voted to erase Marxism-Leninism and Socialism from its Constitution during the recent 32nd Congress.
Speaking at the post-congress press briefing, Jagdeo emphasized that while those ideologies were removed, the party remained committed to its founding principles, political philosophy, core values, history, struggles, and achievements.
“The party’s strategic objective is to create a fair and equitable society. This objective will find expression in the establishment of a national democratic state, which is already in our Constitution, that will embrace political and ideological pluralism,” Jagdeo said. “So, what this means is that you can be anybody; you can be a person who believes in socialism… you can believe in capitalism, but you [can] have a place in the party.
“… You can be a worker, a farmer, a fisherman, a bauxite worker, you can be an intellectual, you will find a place and a home in the PPP. We believe in political democracy, political and ideological pluralism … and our track record bears us out on this, and internally.”
According to Jagdeo, while the party’s history and working-class ideology are important, it was necessary to update the constitution to reflect the current global climate.
“The People’s Progressive Party … will ensure that the primary objective of its policies and programmes is to improve the lives of working people, the poor, and the dispossessed. They shall be achieved through a pro-poor approach to economic growth and development,” he added. He explained that the removal of socialism and Marxism-Leninism allows the party to focus on more relevant principles and values, such as cultural diversity, racial equality, and religious harmony. He also highlighted the importance of retaining democratic centralism as a method of organization, noting that it promotes robust debate while ensuring compliance with majority decisions.
“So, we’ve defined what we mean by democratic centralism. It’s not something to hold people in bondage… we have defined it as majority rule. Of course, there are several other recommendations. Where, in our Constitution, it said that we had to teach every one of our members the principles of Marxism-Leninism, we’ve replaced that with our party’s founding principles, political philosophy, core values, history, struggles, and achievement. We want our members to know about that. So, we replace teaching our members Marxism-Leninism, which is an alien concept,” he stated.
When questioned on the extent to which the removal of Marxism-Leninism and socialism from the Constitution gives the party greater standing internationally, Jagdeo stated that it aligned with prevailing global ideologies, focusing on policies that support the working class without hindering private sector wealth creation.
He further highlighted that the party aims to prioritize the realities of Guyana today, where many members are unfamiliar with those ideologies, emphasizing the need to teach them about the party’s history and achievements instead. This move, Jagdeo said, allows the party to remain relevant and grounded in current beliefs and practices, both nationally and internationally.
When asked about the reason behind the PPP’s decision to retain democratic centralism as a method of organization, Jagdeo explained that it was because it allows for robust debates before decisions are made, similar to how a board of directors functions in a company. He also clarified that democratic centralism does not restrict democracy but ensures that decisions made by the majority are followed by all members.
Furthermore, Jagdeo stated that this approach, aligned with majority rule, promotes shared decision-making and unity within the party. He also emphasized that democratic centralism is a democratic principle that encourages participation and adherence to collective decisions for effective governance.
He emphasized that the PPP remains committed to creating a society that caters to the needs of all its members, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
