Category talk:Maoist organizations

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I think that this category ought to be limited to self-proclaimed Maoist groups, not all organization that at some point might have been inspired by Mao or subscribing to M-L-Mao Zeodong Thought. --61.17.133.52 13:02, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)

OK, but don't be overly schematic. We are talking about the movement history, so the definitions have to be somewhat elastic and historically based. You have recently removed the Maoist designation from several organizations which were Maoist at one point. Freedom Road was a self proclaimed Maoist organization, before realigning as a broader left group. It is not a party, has never claimed to be one, and comes from a tradition that rejects premature party projects (Sojournor Truth Org, PUL, etc.). The older regroupment documents (which are no longer on FR's website make this clear. October League/CP (M-L) and the RCP were self proclaimed Maoist vanguard parties, but if you asked them they would say the other had fundamentally misunderstood Mao Zeodong Thought. CP (M-L) was a party and so the CP category is OK, but should be historicized.  Many people first read Mao through the PLP, though by the 1970 they had evolved into something else.  For historical reasons, all these organizations belong in Maoist category as well.  Definitions of who is Maoist and who is not in the U.S. scene become quite complicated following the death of Mao, the "Gang of Four" and the rule of Deng.  Who are we, an IP address and a pseudonym, to cast any of these cadres into the chasm of anti-revisionism? I'm restoring the Maoist designation for FR, CP (M-L). DJ Silverfish 15:24, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)