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This article is about the Communist Party in the Philippines founded in 1930. For the Communist Party of the Phillippines founded in 1968, see Communist Party of the Philippines.
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Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930 (Abbreviated as PKP-1930) is a Marxist-Leninist Party in the Philippines. It was formed in August 26, 1930, being the first communist party to exist in the Philippines. The party still continues and operates to this day. However, similar to other Communist parties, the PKP-1930 has endured various periods of political repression, internal division as well as ideological shifts.
Origins and Early Years:
The PKP-1930 traced can trace their roots to the labor movement as well as anti-imperialist struggles in the Philippines during the early 20th century. The party was officially established on 11/7/1930 by Crisanto Evangelista, Pedro Abad Santos and other important leftist intellectuals and labor activists. They were influenced by Marxist-Leninist ideals as the part aimed for the unification of workers as well as the peasantry against the exploitative conditions that were imposed by colonial and capitalist forces.
During their early years, the party faced challenges faced challenges that included government crackdowns and ideological debates within their ranks. Their leaders advocated for class struggle, land reformation as well as national liberation or the emphasis of the importance of armed revolution as a way of achieving societal transformation.
WW2 and Guerrilla Resistance
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines presented both challenges and opportunities for the PKP-1930. Some party members joined guerrilla resistance movements, while other party members engaged in underground organizing against their Japanese occupiers as well as the USA supported Philippine government. Their participation in the resistance solidified their reputation and help expand their influence among the peasantry and the working class.
Post War Era and Internal Divisions
Following the end of WWII, the PKP-1930 continued their activism causing them to grow in numbers. The party even participated in global politics, securing seats in various local government positions causing them to gain even more representation in the Philippine Congress. Ideological divisions emerged within the party as some party members advocated for a more moderate and parliamentary style approach while others had a more militant and revolutionary stance.
These divisions caused the party to suffer a split during the 1960's resulting in the more hardline revolutionary members leaving the party and forming their own called the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-Marxista-Leninista otherwise known as the PKP-ML. The party still retained their original name, but the split caused their organizational strength to be weakened and that caused a decline in its influence over the following years.
Renewal and Modern challenges
In the late 1980's the PKP-1930 underwent a process of renewal, reflecting the global changes within the communist movement. These included the shifting of it's focus from armed struggle to mass mobilization and broad-based alliances. The party sought to engage with progressive movements including trade unions, student organizations and peasant groups to advance the ideals of social justice and national liberation.
However, the party still focuses challenges in the modern era. The party operates within a democratic system and they participate within electoral politics, often aligning themselves with other leftist organizations. They face competitions from other parties as well as the government as the government accuses the party of involving in armed insurgencies.