22nd Congress of the CPSU
Encyclopedia
The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
was held from October 17 to October 31, 1961. In fourteen days of sessions (October 22 was a day off), 4,413 delegates, in addition to delegates from 83 foreign Communist parties, listened to Nikita Khrushchev
and others review policy issues. It was the congress which officially cemented the Sino-Soviet split
, and so the last to be attended by the Chinese Communist Party.
for its unreformed Stalinist orthodoxy. A number of other Soviet and foreign Communist speakers joined the attack. However, Zhou Enlai
, head of the Chinese Communist delegation, refused to agree and criticized Khrushchev for airing ideological differences in front of the world. "To lay bare a dispute between fraternal parties or fraternal countries openly in the face of the enemy," he said, "cannot be regarded as a serious Marxist-Leninist attitude."
Speakers for five other Asian Communist parties (Korea, Vietnam
, Japan
, Indonesia
, and India
) sided with China
in refusing to criticize Albania.
On October 21, Zhou Enlai placed two wreaths at the base of the Lenin-Stalin Mausoleum, one of them "Dedicated to the great Marxist, Comrade Stalin" and at the end of the next day, he walked out of the Congress. Moscow
said his departure for Peking on the 23rd was connected with an approaching session of the All-China Assembly, but when Mao Zedong
and others met Zhou in Peking, no such meeting was mentioned. Although Khrushchev accompanied Zhou to the airport on the evening of his departure it was evident that there was a genuine ideological rift that could not be smoothed over.
Among other issues discussed were accepting the CPSU's Third Program
and statute, opening of the Volgograd Hydroelectric Plant, the largest in Europe as of 2007, test of the most powerful thermonuclear bomb ("Tsar Bomba
") in Novaya Zemlya
, removing Stalin's remains from the Lenin Mausoleum, renaming of several cities named after Stalin and other stalinist-era politicians, and Khrushchev's declaration and plans to build communism in 20 years
.
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
was held from October 17 to October 31, 1961. In fourteen days of sessions (October 22 was a day off), 4,413 delegates, in addition to delegates from 83 foreign Communist parties, listened to Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
and others review policy issues. It was the congress which officially cemented the Sino-Soviet split
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
, and so the last to be attended by the Chinese Communist Party.
Speeches, splits and plans
In his opening speech at the 22nd Congress, Khrushchev attacked the Communist regime of AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
for its unreformed Stalinist orthodoxy. A number of other Soviet and foreign Communist speakers joined the attack. However, Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
, head of the Chinese Communist delegation, refused to agree and criticized Khrushchev for airing ideological differences in front of the world. "To lay bare a dispute between fraternal parties or fraternal countries openly in the face of the enemy," he said, "cannot be regarded as a serious Marxist-Leninist attitude."
Speakers for five other Asian Communist parties (Korea, Vietnam
Communist Party of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam , formally established in 1930, is the governing party of the nation of Vietnam. It is today the only legal political party in that country. Describing itself as Marxist-Leninist, the CPV is the directing component of a broader group of organizations known as the...
, Japan
Japanese Communist Party
The Japanese Communist Party is a left-wing political party in Japan.The JCP advocates the establishment of a society based on socialism, democracy and peace, and opposition to militarism...
, Indonesia
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
, and India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
) sided with China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in refusing to criticize Albania.
On October 21, Zhou Enlai placed two wreaths at the base of the Lenin-Stalin Mausoleum, one of them "Dedicated to the great Marxist, Comrade Stalin" and at the end of the next day, he walked out of the Congress. Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
said his departure for Peking on the 23rd was connected with an approaching session of the All-China Assembly, but when Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
and others met Zhou in Peking, no such meeting was mentioned. Although Khrushchev accompanied Zhou to the airport on the evening of his departure it was evident that there was a genuine ideological rift that could not be smoothed over.
Among other issues discussed were accepting the CPSU's Third Program
Program of the CPSU
The Program of the CPSU was the main document of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union which put forth the strategic plans for internal and external politics of the Party and the Soviet Union as a whole...
and statute, opening of the Volgograd Hydroelectric Plant, the largest in Europe as of 2007, test of the most powerful thermonuclear bomb ("Tsar Bomba
Tsar Bomba
Tsar Bomba is the nickname for the AN602 hydrogen bomb, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated. It was also referred to as Kuz'kina Mat , in this usage meaning "something that has not been seen before"....
") in Novaya Zemlya
Novaya Zemlya
Novaya Zemlya , also known in Dutch as Nova Zembla and in Norwegian as , is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean in the north of Russia and the extreme northeast of Europe, the easternmost point of Europe lying at Cape Flissingsky on the northern island...
, removing Stalin's remains from the Lenin Mausoleum, renaming of several cities named after Stalin and other stalinist-era politicians, and Khrushchev's declaration and plans to build communism in 20 years
Communism in 20 years
Communism in 20 years was a slogan put forth by Nikita Khrushchev at the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1961.In his speech, Khrushchev promised that communism will be built "in the main" by 1980. His phrase "The current generation of Soviet people will live under...
.
External links
- Open Source Archives - "In Connection with the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union"
- Documents of the 22nd Congress of the CPSU; Vol I
- Documents of the 22nd Congress of the CPSU; Vol II
- Program of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. With a special pref. to the American ed. by N. S. Khrushchev.