The members of the Israeli Communist Forum propose that the new party base itself on the resolutions adopted by the CPI Twenty-First and Twenty-Second Congresses on the issues of Socialism and the evaluation of the history of the former Socialist countries. These resolutions provide a balanced and multi-sided summation of that subject, and call for further analysis of developments in the former Socialist countries, so as to draw lessons for developing Socialism in the future.

Formally, also the resolutions of the "Twenty-Third Congress" are based on these earlier resolutions. But in practice, the line taken by the party leaders amounts to total nihilism. The whole history of the Soviet Union and of the Socialist countries in Europe is described by them as a historical chapter almost completely black from beginning to end, a chapter which involved no achievement of any kind in any field, and which was wholly composed of crimes and distortions.

We do not ignore the mistakes and distortions that did occur. There does exist a real need to draw conclusions for the future from the Socialist experience in the socio-economic and democratic fields, as well as in many other spheres - considering what happened in these countries. (Such conclusions are indeed set out concretely in the resolutions of the aforementioned congresses.) But we are opposed to the leadership's effort to ignore or obscure the big achievements which did occur in these countries: in the socio-economic field, the education and health care which were provided free to the entire population, as well as the cultural developments; the contributions to the peace of the world and to the crushing of Nazism, as well as the support offered to developing countries and national liberation movements; and - last but not least - the effect of these regimes, by their very existence and example, in forcing the developed capitalist countries to undertake a welfare policy.

We in particular oppose the assertion that "there had never been Socialist states in Europe" which is in total contradiction to the resolutions of all CPI congresses. This assertion was, for example, made in some of the discussions and the speeches of certain leaders during the events, in Israel and abroad, marking the 150^th Anniversary of the Communist Manifesto. The marking of 150 years since the publication of the Manifesto is very important and praiseworthy - but the Manifesto should be presented in its true and full word and spirit.

It is unacceptable to distort the Manifest and ignore its revolutionary ideas, which include not only a description of the Capitalist regime's horrors but also a clear statement on the need to overthrow that regime and replace it with Socialism.

The main difference between Capitalism and Socialism is that in Socialism the main means of production are under public ownership, in various forms, that the most vital are under state control, and that they are operated to the welfare of the entire population as the main aim. In Capitalism, on the other hand, the main aim was and remains achieving maximum profit for a few at the expense of the big majority of the population. A true democracy must be not only political, but also - aprimarily - socio-economic.

Therefore, the dividing line between Capitalism and Socialism cannot be crossed by a mere "extension" of "Bourgeois Democracy" beyond which we reach "Socialism". Socialism is a new and completely different social regime.

Democracy is vital to Socialism, but a transition from Capitalism to Socialism involves primarily abolition of the class basis of the regime, abolition of private ownership over the main means of production and its replacement by social ownership.

That having been said, we do regard as highly important both the struggles to defend democratic rights and those to defend the rights of workers and improve their standard of living within the Capitalist countries. The same is true - where they are needed - with regard to the struggles for peace and national liberation, against racism and discrimination. Considerable achievements can be obtained in such struggles - but a basic solution for the socio-economic and other problems can only be achieved with the change of the Capitalist social regime into a Socialist one.

Socialism is a new historical stage in the development of humanity. It means the rule of the working class, the employees in general - in the city and countryside - and their allies; social ownership of the main means of production; abolition of class exploitation, of the exploitation of one person by another; a higher quality of life and an increased material and cultural standard of living; abolition of all national and communal discrimination; women's equality in the society, in the workplace and in the family; human liberty, the chance of free and multi-sided personal development to all.

Socialism is a society in which the human being is at the center, in which deep democracy is the practice in all spheres of life. Socialism is a social regime which is dynamically evolving and constantly self-renewing, in the light of experience and ongoing developments - on the global level, as well as in each particular region and country.