In the current phase of our struggle and in order to strengthen our organisation in the face of the great responsibilities it has, it is not enough to put into operation all the leadership bodies of the party, it is not enough to do good political work and to operate effectively and victoriously on the military level. In order that the party should be constantly better and rise to the level of its responsibilities, it is essential to apply at all echelons of our life and our struggle the principles of organisation and work which the party adopted as basic norms for its action. A case in point is the of criticism and self-
1. Develop the spirit of criticism between militants and responsible workers. Give everyone at every level the opportunity to criticise, to give his opinions about the work and the behaviour or the action of others. Accept criticism, wherever it comes from, as a contribution to improving the wortk of the party, as a demonstration of active interest in the internal life of our organisation.
Always remember that criticism is not to speak ill nor engage in intrigues. Criticism is and should be the act of expression an open, candid opinion in front of those concerned, on the basis of facts and in the spirit of fairness, to assess the thought and action of others, with the aim of improving that thought and action. Criticism is to be constructive, to show proof of sincere interest in the work of others, for the improvement of that work.
Combat severely the evil tongue, the obsession with intrigues, the ‘so-and-so says’, unfair and unfounded criticism. To assess the thought and action of a comrade is not necessarily to speak ill of it. To speak highly, to praise, to encourage, to stimulate – this is also criticism. While we must always be watchful against conceit and personal pride, we must not stint praise to someone who deserves it. Praise with cheerfulness, with frankness, in front of others, all those whose thought and action properly serve the progress of the party. We must likewise apply fair criticism, denounce frankly, censure, condemn and demand the condemnation of all those who practise acts against the progress and interests of the party, fight face to face errors and faults, help others to improve their work. Derive a lesson from every mistake we make or which others make, in order to avoid making new mistakes, so that we do not fall into the follies into which others have already fallen. Criticising a comrade does not mean putting oneself against the comrade, making a sacrifice in which the comrade is the victim: it is to show him that we are all interested in his work, that we are all one and the same body, that his errors harm us all, and that we are watchful, as friends and comrades, to help him overcome his weaknesses and contribute increasingly in order that the party should be increasingly better.
Develop the principle of criticism at all party meetings, in all committees and within the armed forces. In the guerrilla force or in the army, after every operation against the enemy, we must assess the results of that action and the behaviour of every combatant. Derive all the lessons from the action in order to make new and better actions. In education, in production, in commercial activity, in care – in all branches of our life and struggle – we must be capable of criticising and accepting criticism.
But criticism (proof of the willingness of others to help us or of our willingness to help others) must be complemented by self-criticism (proof of our own willingness to help ourselves to improve our thoughts and our action).
Develop in all the militants, responsible workers and combatants the spirit of self-criticism: The ability of each person to make a specific analysis of his own work, to distinguish in it what is bad, to acknowledge his own errors and to discover the causes and the effects of these errors. To make self-criticism is not merely to say ‘Yes, I recognise my fault, my error and I ask forgiveness’, while remaining ready to commit new faults, new errors. It is not pretending to be repentant of the evil one has done, while remaining convinced deep down that it is the other who do not understand. Still less is making self-criticism to make a ceremony so as to go on later with a clear conscience and carry on committing errors. To criticise oneself is not to pay aresponse or an indulgence not to offer penance. Self-criticism is an act of frankness, courage, comradeship and awareness of our responsibilities, a proof of our will to accomplish properly, a demonstration of our determination to improve constantly and to make a better contribution to the progress of our party. Honest self-criticism does not necessarily demand absolution: it is a pledge that we make with our conscience not to commit further errors; it is to accept our responsibilities before others and to mobilise all our capabilities to do more and better. To criticise oneself is to recognise oneself within oneself in order to serve better.
Curled from: Amilcar Cabral, from Unity and Struggle, 2nd Edition, pages 296-300
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