Introduction

The Communist Party USA (CPUSA) was once a formidable force in the American left, deeply rooted in working-class struggles, anti-imperialism, and the revolutionary principles of Marxism-Leninism. Throughout the 20th century, it played a critical role in the labor movement, the fight against Jim Crow, and opposition to U.S. imperialism. However, in recent decades, the CPUSA has abandoned its revolutionary mission, reducing itself to little more than a left-wing appendage of the Democratic Party.

The party now embraces electoral reformism, advocates for working within the framework of bourgeois democracy, and fails to challenge capitalism at its core. Instead of building an independent socialist movement, the CPUSA prioritizes supporting Democratic candidates and pushing for minor policy reforms. This betrayal of revolutionary socialism is compounded by its silence on imperialism, its abandonment of working-class militancy, and its increasing focus on liberal identity politics over class struggle.

The CPUSA of today is no longer a communist party in anything but name. It has become a reformist organization that pays lip service to socialism while rejecting the fundamental tenets of Marxism-Leninism. This article will explore the hypocrisy of the CPUSA, detailing its descent into opportunism, its subservience to bourgeois politics, and why it no longer represents a viable vehicle for revolutionary change.

The Historical Role of the CPUSA

A Legacy of Struggle and Repression

Founded in 1919 in the wake of the Russian Revolution, the CPUSA initially embraced the principles of Leninism, advocating for the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a workers’ state. Throughout the early 20th century, it played a significant role in labor struggles, helping to organize industrial unions and leading militant actions against corporate exploitation.

During the Great Depression, the CPUSA gained considerable support among workers and the unemployed, leading campaigns for better wages, social welfare programs, and racial equality. The party’s fight against segregation and its early support for Black liberation movements made it a target of state repression. During the McCarthy era, the U.S. government brutally cracked down on CPUSA members, jailing its leaders and blacklisting thousands of its supporters.

Shift Toward Reformism

Despite its history of militant struggle, the CPUSA gradually began to drift away from revolutionary politics. By the mid-20th century, the party had already begun shifting toward a more reformist strategy, increasingly aligning itself with the Democratic Party. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 dealt a devastating blow to the CPUSA, leading to ideological confusion and further rightward drift.

Rather than learning from past mistakes and recommitting to revolutionary socialism, the CPUSA embraced a path of compromise and electoral opportunism, abandoning the Leninist principle that socialism cannot be achieved through parliamentary means alone.

Subservience to the Democratic Party

The Myth of the “Lesser Evil”

One of the most blatant signs of the CPUSA’s degeneration is its unwavering support for the Democratic Party. Instead of working to build an independent socialist movement that challenges capitalist rule, the CPUSA functions as a left-wing faction within the Democratic Party, urging its members to vote for Democratic candidates under the guise of “fighting fascism” and “protecting democracy.”

The CPUSA argues that supporting Democrats is a necessary tactical move to prevent Republican reactionaries from gaining power. This “lesser evil” argument, however, ignores the fundamental reality that the Democratic Party is itself a party of capital, responsible for war, imperialism, and neoliberal economic policies that crush the working class.

Backing Capitalist Politicians

Under the leadership of Joe Sims and Rossana Cambron, the CPUSA has openly backed politicians like Joe Biden, whose record includes support for mass incarceration, imperialist wars, and corporate-friendly policies. Instead of challenging Biden’s neoliberal agenda, the CPUSA has sought to justify its support, claiming that electing Democrats will create a more favorable environment for progressive reforms.

This strategy is not only ineffective but outright counterrevolutionary. The CPUSA’s role in legitimizing the Democratic Party misleads workers into believing that real change can come from within the capitalist system rather than through revolutionary struggle.

Abandonment of Marxist-Leninist Principles

Rejection of Revolutionary Socialism

A genuine communist party must be committed to the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism. Lenin made it clear that the capitalist state cannot be reformed but must be dismantled and replaced with a proletarian dictatorship. Yet, the CPUSA has abandoned this fundamental principle, embracing a reformist strategy that seeks to achieve socialism through gradual legislative changes within the existing system.

The CPUSA’s official program even claims that socialism in the U.S. can be won through “peaceful means” and electoral engagement, a position that directly contradicts historical and theoretical lessons from past revolutions. The capitalist class will never willingly relinquish power through elections; only mass revolutionary struggle can bring about socialism.

Liberal Identity Politics Over Class Struggle

Another major issue within the modern CPUSA is its overemphasis on liberal identity politics at the expense of class struggle. While it is essential to address racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression, the CPUSA often aligns itself with liberal organizations that focus on symbolic representation rather than systemic change.

Rather than connecting identity-based struggles to the broader fight against capitalism, the CPUSA adopts a liberal framework that emphasizes diversity within capitalism rather than the abolition of capitalism itself. This shift has led to the party becoming indistinguishable from progressive Democratic organizations that champion inclusivity while ignoring economic exploitation.

Silence on Imperialism and Political Repression

Failure to Oppose U.S. Imperialism

One of the clearest betrayals of socialist principles by the CPUSA is its weak stance on imperialism. Historically, the CPUSA was a strong opponent of U.S. interventionism, defending socialist states and opposing wars waged by American capitalists. Today, however, the CPUSA has largely abandoned anti-imperialist struggle.

The CPUSA has failed to take a strong position against NATO expansion, the war in Ukraine, and U.S. sanctions on countries like Cuba and Venezuela. While it occasionally criticizes U.S. foreign policy, it does so in a way that does not fundamentally challenge American imperialism. This silence is a direct result of the party’s alignment with the Democratic Party, which is a driving force behind global imperialism.

Ignoring Political Prisoners

Another glaring failure of the CPUSA is its lack of action in defense of political prisoners. In the past, the party was deeply involved in campaigns to free figures like Angela Davis and members of the Black Panther Party. Today, the CPUSA has largely abandoned efforts to defend political prisoners and those persecuted for anti-capitalist activism.

The party’s inaction on this front further reveals its unwillingness to take principled stances that might put it in direct conflict with the state. A real communist party would prioritize the defense of political prisoners and actively work to combat state repression.

Conclusion: The Need for a New Revolutionary Movement

The CPUSA has become a hollow shell of its former self. It no longer represents the interests of the working class, nor does it pose a genuine threat to capitalist rule. Instead, it has become a party of reformism, electoral opportunism, and political cowardice.

For those seeking real socialist revolution in the United States, it is clear that the CPUSA is no longer a viable vehicle for change. The working class needs a new revolutionary movement—one that is committed to the principles of Marxism-Leninism, militant class struggle, and the complete dismantling of capitalism.

The path forward lies not in collaboration with the Democratic Party but in building independent, militant organizations that challenge capitalist power at every level. The CPUSA’s failures should serve as a lesson: reformism leads to irrelevance, and revolution is the only path to liberation. The time for compromise is over. The time for revolution is now.