by Xinhua writers Zhu Dongyang, Jin Yuelei
BOSTON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Wadi'h Halabi has not lived a life of ease. Born a "child of war" in conflict-hit Palestine in 1946, he was pushed out two years later with his family before the state of Israel was established there. He saw numerous conflicts in the Middle East, among regional countries and some world major powers, before moving to the United States.
Halabi worked as a bicycle mechanic and a factory worker before joining the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) in 1993. Currently he works part-time to support the Center for Marxist Education in Boston.
LESSON FROM SOVIET UNION
Halabi explains his commitment to Marxism in the United States, where chances for its success seem the slimmest, with the example of the Arab nations' defeat by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. It demonstrated, he said, that "even militant bourgeois nationalism could not successfully challenge imperialism".
"After that, many Palestinians, myself included, turned from nationalism to Marxism and working-class internationalism," he said, adding that they were especially impressed by the achievements in China, Vietnam and Cuba, which were guided by Marxism.
But in 1991, the abrupt breakdown of the Soviet Union almost destroyed the CPUSA. To figure out the reason behind it was key to rebuilding the momentum, Halabi said. It helped him develop a better understanding of the challenges in establishing working-class rule after a socialist revolution.
AMERICAN WOES
Halabi is concerned about the substantial deterioration in ordinary Americans' livelihood. "Here for workers, hourly wages are lower than they were in 1973 when the (oil) crisis began," he said.
The number of homeless people is on the rise. Many of them are single mothers with children, who cannot afford housing, he said.
The Center for Marxist Education in Boston is Halabi's battleground. Founded in 1975 by CPUSA members, its monthly rent is 1,000 U.S. dollars. Halabi has to work hard to make ends meet. If he misses one event at the center, he donates half of his daily income to the party.
"I wish I did much more. My wife and I have contributed whatever is necessary to keep the center going in months when there have not been enough funds," he said. "These years since joining the CPUSA have been the best of my life."
Capitalism, he said, keeps the communists in the U.S. going. "How? With its immense threats to humanity -- socially, environmentally, and wars!" he explained. Over 1,000 people applied to join the CPUSA last year alone.
THE CHINESE EXPERIENCE
Halabi thinks China's "extraordinary" growth and lifting millions out of poverty shows the significance of Marxism even today.
"Only China could do what it's doing now. Extraordinary achievements because it had (a) great socialist revolution. The state takes control (of) the surplus and is able to allocate and reallocate the surplus to address crisis, to meet human needs," he said.
"In that case, Marxism ... is still significant and remains relevant to today's world," he said. "But Marxism doesn't mean much without the Communist Party of the working class to give the direction."
Four years ago, he visited Nanchang University in east China, where he talked with migrant workers who studied Marxism together.
"We talked about the need to strengthen, not oppose, the state formed after a socialist revolution." Halabi recalled.
"I could tell their commitment to Marxism was genuine, not just in theory. This left ...a great impression (on me), and (gave me) more reasons for optimism about the future for China, and all of humanity."
