Speech on March 17, 1978 at the rally with the people in Gjirokastra
Dear mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers,
Comrades and friends,
Pioneers of the city and the entire Gjirokastra region,
On behalf of the Party, the leading comrades, and personally, I greet you all with fiery enthusiasm from the bottom of my heart. I am very happy to be here among you today. I have wanted to come here, close to you, more often. “Well, you may ask, what took you so long, why didn’t you come earlier?” It is excessive to say that my desire to come more frequently among you depended not only on me but also on the work entrusted to me by the Party. When you inaugurated the obelisk and the important museums surrounding it, my heart called me to come, but work hindered me. Nevertheless, as I wrote to you then, my heart was with you.
I have read a book titled “Life Begins at 50” written by a renowned foreign doctor. The author of the book writes that when people reach their 50s and 60s, those who do not live in their Homeland should return there frequently and explains the reasons. When a baby is born, he says, all the constituent parts of its body, the flesh, bones, nerves, muscles, blood, etc., are influenced by the surrounding environment. Even the nutrients that the body receives, along with water and breast milk, carry the imprint of the Homeland. Even the sunlight and the air of the place where a person is born have their own characteristics for the body. The roads, alleys and squares where a child walks influence the development of their body. This is how the muscles, bones and lungs grow and strengthen, and so on. After 50-60 years, the birthplace radiates in the cells of the human body those elements that it radiated in his childhood and thus rejuvenates and refreshes him.
Comrade Rashide, the secretary of the district Party committee, told me: “You haven’t come for 9 years, Comrade Enver.” I know that it has been 9 years, but nevertheless, even the delayed arrival made me 10 years younger, so I say that now I am not 70 but 60 years old. If I had come even earlier, I would be 50 years old.
You know that I am young, but what can I do about the leading comrades of the district who tell me: “Lay down the podium and sit!” I obeyed them, but I can also speak standing.
I will speak without notes because notes seem to set certain limits, forcing you to express only what you have thought before, while I want to have a free conversation with you. Speaking freely like this in a conversation has two risks: either you may shorten it, or you may extend it more than necessary. Last time, when I was here,[1] I kept you waiting a bit, and perhaps the elderly scolded you when you returned home, but this time measures have been taken, they have also been invited here, so don’t worry because by being late myself, they have nothing to say to you either. (Laughter.)
Of course, dear comrades and friends, you wish to hear from me about the state of affairs within and outside our country. Although leading comrades often come here from Tirana and put you in the loop of situations, which greatly influences your political and ideological development and keeps you informed about domestic and international events, I also desire to inform you about the good achievements and successes being accomplished in our country under the leadership of the Party.
Our beloved Homeland is a land of treasures, and the greatest treasures are the people and the Party. Our people are an immortal people who have not vanished in the past centuries and will progress in the centuries to come. The great scholar Darwin, in his work “On the Origin of Species,” illustrates the evolution of plants and animals. He has proven that in the struggle for existence in the animal world, the strongest survives while the weak perishes. Thus, throughout evolution, numerous large animals have disappeared over millions of years. You, boys and girls of the schools, have heard about giant snakes and other creatures that once existed in our land but later vanished.
We are against the bourgeois theory that recognizes the struggle for existence and natural selection as the primary driving force of society, because we do not accept the extension of the law of the struggle for existence from the world of plants and animals to human society. The main driving force of class-divided society is not the struggle for existence but the class struggle. The class struggle, as the driving force of society, has brought about those developments that Marx and Engels scientifically studied.
Despite being a small people, centuries have not been able to defeat us or make us disappear. History also records powerful states and nations whose cultures flourished 30, 40 or 50 centuries ago, yet they vanished, while the Illyrian tribes, especially a part of them, the Albanians, stood tall before the storms of history.
Our people created that marvellous vitality, that courage, that bravery, that determination that enabled them to resist not only the transformations of nature but also countless invasions, to defend and develop their ancient culture, which also radiated into the cultures of other countries. Our people, united as a nation, remained united in these lands, these mountains, these fields, these valleys, preserving customs, preserving their language and culture, and further developing them. It was not assimilated by the culture of ancient Greeks, nor by that of the Romans, nor by the Ottoman culture, nor by the invasions of modern times.
From the numerous dangers that threatened us, our people emerged strong like Antaeus, mentioned in Greek mythology, because they kept their feet on the ground, on the soil they loved with all their hearts. That’s why I said that our people are one of the greatest treasures of this country. Here in Gjirokastra we say, “We became fathers to the like of you.” It is our people who brought forth from their midst the Party, the Communist Party of Albania, now the Party of Labour, nurtured and educated with the ideology of Marxism-Leninism and the noble virtues of the people who gave birth to it.
I will not tell you how the Party was born and formed. But it is important for us to know, and to always keep in mind, that this Party was born from the bosom of the people. We, your sons and daughters, carried on our common shoulders centuries of misery, poverty and suffering, which, just like our ancestors, we wanted to shake off. But how could we shake them off? Through struggle. This was precisely the true path for our people, not only for our people but for the entire world proletariat, for all the peoples rising in revolution.
From the experience of the proletariat’s and peoples’ struggles, Marx, Engels and Lenin derived the theory that the old capitalist world must be overthrown, and in its place, the new socialist world must be born. The proletariat, together with its ally, the poor peasantry, must overthrow the bourgeoisie and seize power. With what? With guns. Otherwise, the rulers do not relinquish power. Our small Party, although small, had in its veins the courage, bravery and maturity of the people and, above all, the working class. Our working class was small, but we had the great theory of Karl Marx and Lenin, which inspired the Party, and the Party inspired the people. It told the people that slavery cannot be removed by whimpering, but we must tear it apart with our own hands; freedom is never won without struggle and sacrifice. The people listened to the Party, and the Party led and leads the people. The people and Party are in complete unity. This is the greatest victory of our time.
The efforts and countless wars of our people, our ancestors and forefathers in the past against bloodthirsty enemies have not been few. But despite the relentless wars, that political maturity of the people that was achieved much later, during the National Liberation War, had not yet been attained; that leadership of the proletariat that would lead the people to complete victory did not yet exist.
In 1878, the Assembly of the Albanian League was held in Prizren, under the leadership of the distinguished patriot Abdyl Frashëri, the brother of Sami and Naim. It was formed to defend and unify Albanian lands, the Albanian nation, to save the Albanian people from the slavery of the Ottomans, from the slavery of imperialist intrigues, from Serbian and Montenegrin chauvinists, from the Treaty of San Stefano, and so on. Abdyl Frashëri was the one who openly put forward the demand for the formation of an autonomous Albanian state at the Gjirokastra Assembly, held on July 23, 1880. To commemorate this assembly, the folk song says:
“Kurvelesh and Gegëri
Gathered in Ergjëri!
This Abdyl bey Frashëri
Fought against poverty.”
At the Assembly of Gjirokastra, it was declared that Albania will live free, united and autonomous. The historic gathering in Prizren formulated the political program of the Albanian national movement, which would be realized primarily through arms, but also through knowledge and diplomacy. Throughout Albania, the guerrilla groups of the Albanian movement were formed. The Chairman of the League, Abdyl Frashëri, addressed the Great Powers gathered at the Congress of Berlin, saying, “Your work with the Treaty of Berlin ends; our work as Albanians begins from this day.” The Congress of Berlin, as history shows, was a gathering of the Great Powers of the time. In the arena of nations, especially our nation, these powers sought to satisfy their ambitions at the expense of one another. Later, the Great Powers partitioned Albania. The lands of the Albanian nation were given to Serbia, Montenegro, and others. The remains of Abdyl Frashëri, the ideologist, leader, organizer, activist, diplomat and fighter of the League of Prizren, have today entered his Homeland through Kapshtica of Korça. The people, who await him with deep respect and enthusiastic cheers, will accompany his body through Kolonja and Dangëlli to the museum-house of the Frashëri family, where it will rest until the designated date when the Prizren Assembly will be commemorated, followed by a solemn burial in Tirana.
The Central Committee of the Party and the government have made decisions for the graves of Naim, Abdyl and Sami to be located in the beautiful and large park of Tirana. We are grateful to the Turkish people for preserving the remains of Albanian patriots, as well as to the Turkish government for facilitating the repatriation of Abdyl’s remains. Similarly, we express our gratitude and thanks to the Greek people for carefully preserving the remains of Hasan Prishtina, which were given to us by the Greek government. Unfortunately, Sami’s remains are still in Turkey. We hope that the Turkish people and government will also give us the remains of our great philosopher and patriot, Sami Frashëri, who fought with spirit and heart until his death for this nation, for his land, for the mountains, for the hills, for the livestock that Naim sang about with so much love. Sami was one of the greatest philosophers and philologists in the Ottoman Empire, but that does not mean he is Turkish. It is precisely because of Sami’s greatness that some influential circles in Turkey say, “We cannot give you Sami because we have our own great figures.” Sami is indeed a great figure, who distinguished himself with his knowledge during the time of the Ottoman Empire, but he was born here, he is a son of this land, and he fought for the freedom and independence of Albania. Therefore, his remains, today or tomorrow, should be brought back to the land of his ancestors.
I mentioned this, dear mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, to show the heroic struggle that our ancestors have made, their path and blood that we do not forget. We keep their legacies in mind, but everything will happen when the conditions are ripe, when the time comes. As Lenin said, for a revolution to happen, the time must come and the conditions must be created. The same applies to all other events and phenomena in nature and society. An old saying goes, “He who speaks last speaks best,” so let us move forward as we should and when we should.
In this wonderful situation of our country, we must work to make the people happier and more joyful every day; we must continue to build our new society, raise our new human beings politically and ideologically, who understand things and are aware of strengthening and protecting their socialist Homeland forever. And the Homeland can only be protected by having a strong and resilient Marxist-Leninist party like ours in the lead.
We must understand well that there should be no division between the people and the Party. Our strength lies in the unity of the Party and the people. A proverb shows that to prove that unity brings strength, a wise old man gave his sons a bundle of sticks tied together and said, “Try, my sons, to break these!” Each of the sons tried individually, but none could break them. Then the old man divided the sticks and gave each son one. The sons easily broke the individual sticks. “This is what it means to be united,” said the old man to his sons. The Party teaches us to have a strong unity with the people. Only in this way can we move forward and continue to progress. Deep understanding of political, ideological, economic and social issues, just class warfare against what we consider residues in consciousness, as well as the education of people with patience, conviction and reasoning, contribute to the further strengthening of this unity.
Our people love each other. But there are cases when someone, for this or that reason, rightfully or wrongfully, becomes angry with another person. It cannot be claimed that such things will not happen, because people are not all the same and cannot think the same way. But even when these types of incidents occur, we should think about unity within the ranks of the people, unity between the people and the Party. All our work should aim at strengthening unity.
Enemies are ready to exploit those “small things” that we call leftovers for their own interests. Leftovers are the premises for creating disagreements, which, if not resolved properly, with wisdom, goodwill, conviction, tact and patience, but if we act with haughtiness, arrogance and prepotence, and by calling out, “You will do as I say!”, then the enemy will find divisions among us and the contradictions will become dangerous. Is there an honest person who wants the destruction of our unity, which would be a general misfortune? In no way. Only the enemies, to whom we have shown and will always show our country, attack our unity.
Our Party inherits the highest moral virtues of the people. For the reasonable treatment of people who make mistakes or commit faults, it has assimilated and applied the theories of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin. First and foremost, it tirelessly works to prevent people from making mistakes. But even for those who make mistakes, we should try to correct them patiently, patiently and to the end, patiently, and save them from the repetition of mistakes. There are some “pitfalls” that trip up a person who does not walk straight. So, what should we do so that person doesn’t stumble? We should “pick up the pebbles,” “remove the pitfalls” and clear the way. The Party and the people have taken correct positions in these matters, and that is why we have achieved great results, both in educating people and in economic achievements.
Our economy, whether industry or agriculture, has been greatly strengthened and modernized on the socialist path. Currently, we are no longer in those times when we descended from the mountains and some class enemies, whether kulaks or merchants, sneered: “Here comes the ‘government of the ‘rigonis’!” This meant the government of the mountain, which has no value. But times have changed; the “government of the ‘rigonis’” has become a government of steel, but “steel” does not forget the “rigoni.” Our Party has made it its duty to primarily develop heavy industry, factories, combines, hydroelectric power plants, mechanical industry, etc. It built and put these into operation for the benefit of the people. The times of suffering and difficulties for our people have passed, when even a needle had to be imported. Now, imports have been reduced and are continuously decreasing because our new industry has been built, which has become a strong foundation that enables the government and the people to realize our plans and prepare for future plans.
This industry, as you know, has been set in motion by the sons and daughters of the people. Many of you gathered at this meeting are young, but there are also older people who remember the past. Here in Gjirokastra, there used to be an old cigarette factory, which at that time seemed like something big. Now Gjirokastra is filled with much larger and more modern factories. Here, around and throughout the Labëria region, several minerals have been discovered. It is not surprising that more minerals will be discovered. It is known that mining creates the factory, the factory creates the working class, and the class strengthens Albania. The Party has the duty to provide the children of the people with education, culture and knowledge, both general and technical so that they are capable of taking the fate of industry, agriculture, education and the entire Homeland into their own hands.
Our agriculture has entered the path of socialism. It is known that agriculture is the foundation of the economy, while industry is its leader. Without agriculture developing as it should and as much as it should, industry cannot progress properly, so we should attach great importance to both. In these moments, we should particularly emphasize agriculture because, as they say, it is the “roofless factory.” Its results are also influenced by weather conditions. Over time, with the measures we have taken and continue to take, we are making weather conditions less damaging. We should strengthen agriculture in such a way that even if situations arise where we no longer need to import certain food items such as oil, sugar or any other products, we will be able to meet our needs with our own production. We must move forward and will move forward precisely on this path. Thus, no matter what happens, not only will we never lack bread, not only will we not touch the reserves, but we will also expand them. We will increase wheat production every year, and we will also increase its reserves so that we can export corn. This is a great task that the Party assigns to agriculture. The cooperativists are now more convinced than ever that collectivization was the salvation of the countryside, the strengthening of socialism and the reinforcement of their unbreakable alliance with the working class.
The working class thinks about cooperative agriculture, but cooperative agriculture also thinks about the working class. Based on this mutual community of interests, the Party fights for the village to approach the city. We are moving in the right direction, which we have not yet fully laid out, but gradually it is being laid out. I say this to the young men and women of the city who should wholeheartedly love the countryside because the work in today’s countryside, for all the reasons I mentioned earlier, is very important. If we say we will defend the Homeland, strengthen the construction of socialism and pass down the Party, these demands cannot be fulfilled without strengthening the countryside.
The countryside has completely changed in all four regions of Albania; it has become beautiful and advanced. Foreigners are amazed when they come to our villages and see, for example, that only in Lapardha and Vrion, which were once humble, there are now about 100 highly educated professionals such as agronomists, zootechnicians, veterinarians, beekeepers and others, and about 250 professionals with secondary education who have graduated from agricultural schools. The countryside has progressed a lot. There are doctors, schools with many teachers, professionals from various specialties, and cultural houses where young men and women sing and dance. It is the same everywhere with us. But will we stay put? No. The path of the Party is such that even the simplest cooperativist can complete a secondary agricultural school. Look at the changes our Albania has made under the leadership of the Party! Is there a greater satisfaction than when the whole country sees its women emerge on the stage, participate in Party and state leadership, fill the university, and be equal to men in life, work and society, being as intelligent, courageous and hardworking as men?!
The majority of Albania’s population lives in rural areas, where the land produces great treasures. The more you love the land, the more you serve it, the more abundantly it rewards you. I remember the blacksmith Miho from Haskova, when he brought a donkey loaded with corn, and the sack on its back was as big as a beehive! That’s how things were produced before Liberation, but now the services and demands towards the land have changed. They are no longer satisfied with 60 quintals of corn per hectare from small-scale farming. No, no. Oh, no! They want more production. Who brings about increased production? It is brought about by understanding and implementing the correct line of the Party, by the political elevation of the workers. That is made possible by the numerous measures taken by the Party and the power of the dictatorship of the proletariat to irrigate and arrange the land, to increase mechanization, to add chemical fertilizers, and so on. The Party has worked with the people and taught them how to work the land, how to care for plants and how to control their growth and more. Just as a mother serves her infant on her breast, so must the villager serve the land.
Every one of our productions, whether agricultural or industrial, must be of good quality. You, working women, who work at the looms or make acrylic sweaters; you who sew ready-made clothes or produce other beautiful things, have a great desire for your products to be attractive and excellent. In this direction, you have the full support of the Party and the government, so you must embrace the strong, clear, wise and Marxist-Leninist ideology of our Party. Apply this ideology and policy consistently in life. The Party’s policy has given us great and all-encompassing results. But, as the saying goes, “good is never-ending.” We must continuously move towards communist society.
Everyone, wherever they are, must work with all their heart, with passion, wisdom and contribute to the development of the technical-scientific revolution. We see the revolution in everything, at all times and in every direction: revolution in the village, revolution in the factory, revolution in the family. Let us not forget the fight against waste in the family because the healthier the family is, the more love exists among its members, the further society will progress. To be in revolution everywhere, at all times, and in all directions means to increase economic income tenfold today and a hundredfold tomorrow. The power of the mind and the arm of the free person in socialist society can accomplish anything. Our people can produce everything, and they have proven this through their actions. They haven’t invented the airplane, but driven by the need to extract as much as possible from their work and to live better, they have created truly valuable things. Our people have always been characterized by a creative spirit, but now all the possibilities exist for them to advance much further and develop the revolution in all aspects of our lives. We will achieve everything through work, sweat, our mental and physical strength, with the means that the Party has placed in our hands. We must increase and perfect these means every day so that we can produce the best, most beautiful, most necessary and most affordable products that the people do not lack anything.
We have made great progress, but as I mentioned before, “good” has no end, so we must critically evaluate our achievements. For example, it sometimes happens that dried potatoes and onions are not easily found in the market. But why are there no potatoes? There are none because only Korça specializes in their cultivation. However, Korça cannot feed the whole of Albania. “Hey, produce as many potatoes as possible,” we always tell our comrades at the base. “Yes, yes, we will produce,” they respond, but they forget the order and fail to take the necessary measures. Therefore, the inadequate assessment of this problem leads to shortages in the market.
We must give importance to bread, but we must also give importance to sheep and cows because without milk and butter, the lambs cannot grow, and neither can we. You can sell as many pumpkins and and as much spinach as you want in the market; these indeed have their nutritional values, but we also need oil. Therefore, those who have olive trees should take good care of them and provide all the necessary services to get a yearly yield, rather than being satisfied with what it produces once every two or three years. Those who cultivate sunflowers should dedicate themselves to this plant because sunflowers provide oil. You should know that we import oil. But why should we import oil when Donofrosa, even in the mountains and arid lands, has managed to obtain up to 25 quintals per hectare from this plant, while there are cases where in fertile fields, barely 10 or 11 quintals are harvested?!
We have achieved all our successes by relying on our own forces. Some may think that we have received help from outside. Yes, we have, but in relation to our own forces, if expressed in figures, external assistance has not exceeded 15 per cent; the rest has been our sweat. Even if a few foreign engineers have come, there have been many more from our own ranks.
Every year, young cadres graduate from the university. These are the sons and daughters of the people, equipped with knowledge and skills, who build the Fier hydroelectric power plant, one of the largest in Europe, designed by our specialists led by Petrit Radovicka. Its chief engineer is the son of Raship Hoxha;[2] you might know him.
We also have Chinese specialists in Fier who provide their assistance, but they are not the ones who “pull the donkey out of the mud,” as we say, but rather the homeowner himself does it. The Chinese have helped us and continue to work on the construction of the metallurgical complex, but there are 10-12 thousand workers and hundreds of engineers and economists from our own people working there. Foreign assistance is secondary. We received foreign aid, believing that the states that provided it were on the right path of Marxist-Leninist ideology. Furthermore, the assistance has been reciprocal. If China has helped us, and for that, we are grateful, it should also be grateful for the assistance we have provided. Mao Zedong said, “Albanian comrades, China is in great danger; the enemies have seized power and the party. We do not know who will win, so we want you to help us!” And we Albanians were the only ones who supported China when everyone else abandoned it. We heard with our own ears when Mao Zedong said that the aid Albania gave to China was like the Himalayas. Those words of Mao Zedong expressed the truth. He truly was a poet, but his appreciation of our assistance to China was not just hyperbole.
We Albanians are simple people, and we are not accustomed to boasting. We do not eat the bread of others, but we do not want others to eat our bread either. We do not let others trample on us. History has taught us to love and defend our friend if they always stand by us and desire to walk the same path as us. When the friend changes the road, it is unfortunate for them because we cannot pull them out of the ditch. The Party of Labour of Albania always moves forward. Its principle has been and will continue to be unwavering adherence to the Marxist-Leninist path. The leopards say, “If the lamb leaves the flock, the wolf eats it.” We also say, “If the Party deviates from its Marxist-Leninist path and falters, it will be swept away by the river.” Therefore, the Party of Labour of Albania and the Albanian people, who are guided by it, will follow the path defined by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin.
Our path has never been for Tito’s sake; it was us who spoiled his plans! (Laughter.) We have exposed his positions as those of a renegade and an agent of imperialism, and we will continue to expose them. True Marxist-Leninist critics have peeled Tito’s skin like the “peel of Nika.” Tito, this servant of Washington, sold the whole of Yugoslavia, in the true sense of the word. It is not the place to go into details here, but it is enough to say that from various newspapers, we learn that prices in Yugoslavia are increasing day by day. Tito’s betrayal has led his country to capitalism, to a society where foreign capitalists rule. The Yugoslav leaders have become wage exploiters who receive high salaries. Tito has created a new Yugoslav bourgeoisie that lives in abundance.
The Titoists have given this fabricated system a certain perfume and have attached some “Marxist” labels to disguise it, calling it “Yugoslav self-administration.” They try to convince others that this system is supposedly based on Marxist theory! These “Marxist” revisionists have copied this theory from Trotsky and Bukharin; it is the theory of the anarcho-syndicalists, Bakunin and Proudhon. Tito did nothing else but take their theory and apply it in Yugoslavia to return the country to capitalism.
Foreign capital has been pouring into Yugoslavia for a long time. These capital investments have engulfed Yugoslavia and are suffocating it. The pursued and current policies in Yugoslavia have created poverty among the people. Feudal lords, exploiters and kulaks dominate its villages. There are no agricultural cooperatives there. The nationalities are in constant conflict with each other; the national question there is as tangled as “the hair of an Arab.” Serbia seeks to regain dominance over others; Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro say that they, too, are in power and do not want to be ruled by Serbia.
The Albanians living in Yugoslavia are heavily oppressed, but they have not lost their sense of patriotism. They strive to exploit some of the rights enshrined in the constitution of Yugoslavia. We do not interfere in the internal affairs of this country, but we have demanded and continue to demand that our Albanian brothers in Yugoslavia enjoy all their constitutional rights, that they are not discriminated against or oppressed, that Albanian schools are not closed, and that their customs are not destroyed, etc. We will defend these rights immediately, as we are not afraid to stand up for our brothers.
We loved Stalin because he was a great Marxist; we loved the Bolshevik Party because it was Lenin’s Party; we loved the Red Army because it liberated the world from nazism. After Stalin’s death, characters like Khrushchev and his comrades emerged on the scene, starting a war against Marxism-Leninism to turn the Soviet Union capitalist. Our Party, regardless of who would join us, stripped off their mask. Whatever happened, we took it upon ourselves to continue our righteous path, and we were convinced that the people would approve of our stance. When you have the support of the people, you are stronger than anyone else. What happened to us, what did we suffer from those revisionists who cursed us? Nothing. On the contrary, we became stronger, and with our sweat, we brought better days. If we had accepted their choice, this country would have been filled with Russians and Russian influence.
We Albanians have not endured and cannot endure slavery. We adhere to the principle of not interfering in the affairs of others, and everyone should stay in their own house. Even when foreigners have tried to invade us, their skin has been left in those mountains, there at the border. Now that we are stronger, we won’t let the enemies step on our land even more.
At the 7th Congress of the Party, as you have heard and studied, our views were expressed regarding the theory and practice of revolution, the class character of political forces, the fundamental contradictions of our era, etc. Based on the principles of dialectical and historical materialism, taking into account the socio-economic order of different countries and judging according to the proletarian class criterion, our Party expressed its opinion that when talking about the world today, only two divisions should be considered: the capitalist world and the socialist world. These two worlds have been and will be in continuous and irreconcilable conflict with each other until the old capitalist world is destroyed.
Our Party also stated that both superpowers, American imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism, represent the main enemy of socialism and the freedom and independence of nations to an equal extent. This is the most correct strategic standpoint for the world revolution based on Marxism-Leninism, on facts, on life. To distort the truth and deceive the peoples by claiming that American imperialism is supposedly declining and has become a “trembling mouse” that walks the streets while everyone shouts, “Kill the mouse! Kill the mouse!” means to be blinded and to cover the sun with a sieve. How can American imperialism have weakened so much when its military presence in many countries of the world threatens humanity?! It has been said that American imperialism is a “paper tiger”! What kind of paper tiger is it when it shows its atomic fangs every day, when it has attacked and killed the peoples of Korea, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, when it has unleashed its venom in Central Asia and everywhere?! The Party of Labour of Albania cannot accept such harmful theories, regardless of who invents and defends them.
Our Party has the right to express its opinion that there are two worlds, not three. To accept that there are two or three worlds is a major ideological issue, so every party has not only the right but also the duty to determine its own opinion and stance. The Party of Labour of Albania was not consulted when the so-called theory of three worlds was announced, therefore it has the right to speak out on this major problem. When there are written and signed agreements that consultations between parties should be held to determine correct positions on major international, political and ideological issues, and when one party violates this agreement in a biased manner, then the other party has the right to determine its own stance. That is how our Party acted at its 7th Congress when it expressed its own opinion against the “theory of three worlds.”
If one studies the documents of our Party, it becomes clear that even during the meetings in Moscow in 1957 and 1960, our Party has introduced criticisms of revisionist views on the fundamental contradiction of the era, namely the ignoring of the contradiction between socialism and capitalism on which the “theory of three worlds” is based. At that time, the current defenders of this theory did not rise and tell us, “Step aside, Albanian comrades, because your standpoint is not correct.” We have never refused to discuss with our friends; on the contrary, we have always asked them to discuss various issues. We believe that Marxist-Leninists should discuss with each other to determine which stance or viewpoint is correct and which is not. If a party does not want to consult with us, that is not our fault. Likewise, if a party claims that only its word should be heard because it is larger, we cannot submit to them because we have our own personality, dignity and strength. No matter how small we are in number, we are giants because our idea is great, and there is no force in the world that can defeat it. We follow our Marxist-Leninist path. The great idea, when it does not degenerate and is strongly defended, sooner or later, shakes the crowns from people’s heads. We stay on the right track to move forward. “Work, sweat, be vigilant!” the Party teaches us, so that the enemies cannot harm us.
The enemy is cunning like a jackal, but our country has taken defensive measures against it. America had all the weapons it wanted, even the most modern ones, but it couldn’t win in Vietnam. It dropped all kinds of bombs, tried everything; not to mention the hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of aircraft it used, not to mention other means, and in the end, it lost the war, leaving with its tail between its legs. American imperialism was defeated because the people were against it. Our enemies can’t harm us primarily because the Party has made the people strong, because we have a strong Party, because all necessary defensive measures have been taken continuously. Our readiness is prepared in such a way that when the alarm is sounded, every citizen immediately takes their position for defence, and within the specified time, all fighters are in their designated places. Let the enemy be dropped by parachutes, our flintlocks will shoot them down like roses.
The international situation is turbulent. The enemies, primarily American imperialism and Soviet social-imperialism, are very savage; they are fighting for world hegemony, to invade other countries, to recapture markets. The struggle for control of markets requires a certain calmness, but this relative calm does not mean that the contradictions between the United States of America and the Soviet Union have eased; on the contrary, they have intensified. But in this situation, other opportunists emerge who want to become partners in the plunder of the imperialists and social-imperialists. This goal unites them, as the people say, “two thieves in one door,” and thus competition and conflict arise among them. The struggle for plunder weighs heavily on the peoples.
The Middle East has become prey to the Soviets, the Americans, and other plunderers. In this dirty enterprise of the international bourgeoisie, the local bourgeoisie also serves. For example, the internal bourgeoisie in Africa acts and conspires, where the rulers of these countries “eat plums” and “show their teeth” to the common people. Who has been left without a homeland? The Palestinians. Who earns billions of dollars by implementing a policy of division? The United States of America, the Soviet Union, and other capitalist states. In addition, the “second world” also occupies foreign markets and sells weapons to kill people and make profits.
Indeed, the international situation appears turbulent, but the peoples of the world, led by the Marxists-Leninists and the proletariat, are in motion. This movement makes the situation revolutionary. Marx explained the theory of revolution, and so did Lenin and Stalin. A great economic, political, social and military crisis has erupted in all corners of the capitalist and revisionist world. Who causes this crisis for the bourgeois-revisionist world? It is caused by the broad mass movements of the peoples and the proletariat, who are in revolution. When we put a pot on the fire to boil something, the water begins to boil, the molecules move more and more, and from this movement, a slight noise is heard accompanying the transformation of water into steam. The movement and the steam increase. If the pot is not slightly opened, the pressure of the steam throws the lid into the air. The same happens with the revolutionary movement of the peoples: there, too, “the pot boils,” strikes and demonstrations against capitalism and its puppet governments occur.
Let’s take Italy as an example. After World War II, 40 governments were formed in this country. It took three months to form the current government, which is in power today. There have been cases where it took even 6 months of bargaining between political parties to reach an agreement and form a government. The same happens in France, in England, and even in America. The strikes of coal miners in America, which Carter[3] sternly threatened, have been heard.
In today’s world, exactly what Lenin foresaw is happening when he wrote that in imperialism, in certain moments, revolutionary situations arise; when the lower classes can no longer tolerate the old, and the upper classes can no longer rule as before. The revolutionary situation constitutes the most necessary objective condition for revolution. But for the revolution to erupt, not only objective conditions are sufficient, but subjective conditions, as Lenin calls them, are also necessary. The political leadership of the revolutionary forces, the Communist Party, is included in the subjective conditions.
In all bourgeois-revisionist countries, the former communist parties have betrayed Marxism-Leninism and turned into servants of the bourgeoisie. The so-called Communist Party of Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, etc., only have the name communist because, in reality, they are thoroughly revisionist. There are other countries where the former communist parties have betrayed as well. All these parties have become worthless, as they openly deny the dictatorship of the proletariat and the proletarian class struggle. “We cannot reach socialism through warfare,” they say, “but through peace and class collaboration, so let’s unite with the bourgeoisie, with capitalists, with fascists, with the police, and let’s all together move towards socialism!”
But where will reactionary bourgeoisie let you peacefully and smoothly go towards socialism? That order, which does not scare the bourgeoisie, is not socialism. The bourgeoisie accepts collaboration when the revolutionaries are no longer revolutionaries; when they accept to become its servants and when they say to the workers, “Rest, don’t bother to fight!” as the Secretary-General of the revisionist party in Italy recently said when he entered into an agreement with the Christian Democrats. “Now, workers, we must make some sacrifices,” he said. A worker who was listening asked, “More sacrifices? We’ve been sacrificing our whole lives.” “Wait,” answered the renegade, “because this way, the time will come for us to seize power.” Regardless of how these parties have betrayed it, the Marxist-Leninist theory of proletarian revolution never loses its value. Marxism-Leninism, this almighty doctrine, as Stalin calls it, is immortal. This is proven by the creation of new Marxist-Leninist parties that are fighting on the right path.
Today, it’s getting a bit steamy, so please allow me to take off my hat. The sun, just like the people of Gjirokastra, is hot here.
Sometimes I digress in conversations, especially when I haven’t communicated with those who are listening for a long time, so please don’t mind my long speeches, especially you language teachers. When I once spoke impromptu here in Gjirokastra, our dear teacher, Thoma Papapano, was listening up there. After I spoke, I went to meet old Thoma and asked him, “How did the speech seem to you, Uncle Thoma?” “I liked the essence,” he replied, “but some phrases seemed out of place.”
I embraced our beloved teacher and laughed heartily with him.
Here we can sit together for a long time and talk a lot because I’m not satiated with nostalgia. Rashideja said that last time you hadn’t been to Gjirokastra for two years, but this time it’s been nine. Since last time I spoke for two hours, now I must speak for nine hours. (Laughter.)
The situation, dear comrades, is generally optimistic, but we should not live in euphoria, in joy without foundations. Let us be happy and enthusiastic, but always keep in mind living with the internal and external situations; strengthen work in every sector of the country and be vigilant about events happening abroad. It is our duty to increase friendship with other peoples because this friendship is of great importance.
Socialist Albania is loved not only by Marxists-Leninists but by all peoples of the world. There is great interest in studying the materials of our Party abroad; people rush to acquire them and get acquainted with them. In Asia, Africa, North America, and everywhere, the materials of our Party are read with enthusiasm. Abroad, there is a significant ideological debate and defence of the thesis that the Party of Labour of Albania is right, that its line is unshakable, etc. All true revolutionaries are convinced of what our Party stands for, that it is Marxist-Leninist, and that Albania is building socialism.
We are admired by all. For our determination, there are thousands who say to us, “How do you do it? Where do you find all this courage? How did you achieve such complete unity with the people? How have you achieved these successes in education and culture? How have you prepared these cadres so well?” We explain this to foreigners, but some of them don’t understand everything because since they have known Albania, a lot has changed. In conversations with our comrades abroad, they say that the future they dream of is to follow the path of socialist Albania, but they complain that enemies intrigue and divide them. Our comrades recommend studying our experiences reflected in the materials of the Party of Labour of Albania.
Optimism in life is always necessary because it gives us vitality and strength to work better. To achieve the objectives we have set for ourselves, we need sweat and sacrifice. Let’s not think that we are swimming in abundance now, no, we are not in that state. The threats against us exist, so we must work hard to overcome them.
I wanted to say a few words about you, the people of Gjirokastra, otherwise you would say to me, “You came here, Comrade Enver, but why didn’t you say a word about Gjirokastra and our work?” In this meeting, there are also comrades from other regions of Albania, but I can’t imagine they will accuse me of speaking like a Gjirokastra resident now. (Laughter.) You work well. The Party organization and the working masses of the Gjirokastra region have achieved good results in fulfilling their duties in the economy and in all other fields. Your region has achieved good results not only in industry and agriculture but also in knowledge. Everywhere, there is great determination and strong discipline at work, in factories and cooperatives. Our patriot brothers of the minority in Dropull have also made great progress, being united with their Albanian brothers like flesh to the bone; our people in Labëria and in all the other areas of the region have made progress. But alongside the successes achieved, here in Gjirokastra, there are flaws, weaknesses and gaps. There are regions that are better than you. I won’t mention them all, but I can only mention Shkodra, which, as you know, is one of the regions that previously faced many difficulties. Now Shkodra has stabilized their situation. It has a good economy, agriculture and industry; it stands at the forefront, and we can take it as an example in general.
You have all the possibilities to move forward. First and foremost, you have the people. I will have a meeting with the cadres of this region. I will talk to them a bit,[4] as I have already said most of what I wanted to say in this meeting. I can say a few words to the cadres, and even a few “hellos,” but I didn’t say many “hellos” to you today. However, I believe that you understand yourselves because you are people with a high political consciousness and patriotic spirit. Therefore, the existing flaws must be eliminated for the good of the Homeland, for the good of socialism.
With great confidence in your forces, dear comrades, I urge you to work based on the decisions of the 7th Congress of the Party and the plenums of the Central Committee held after the congress, especially the 4th Plenum, which specifically addressed the implementation of the plan’s tasks.
Long live the Party!
Long live the people of Gjirokastra and its surrounding areas!
Glory to Marxism-Leninism!
[1] May 1969.
[2] Fahrudin Hoxha.
[3] Jimmy Carter, at that time the President of the United States of America.
[4] See Enver Hoxha, Works, vol. 65, Alb. ed., p. 137.