Of course the Marxist-Leninist sects still exist, although their following varies greatly in size depending on geographic region. They’re very tenacious. To a large extent, they are still defining what it means to be radical or “left”. That is one possible reason for why the Left makes little progress in terms of mass support. Many leftists do not dare to live in the political present and look forward to the future. They feel much more comfortable with an esoteric “Tory Marxism” that conjures up a glorious revolutionary tradition which contains a cast of characters and a series of narratives that provide all the answers to all of the questions. I think in truth there is a deeply felt need among many people out there for fixed ideas and certain beliefs, in a world that is increasingly uncertain, formless and chaotic. So there is still a market for the sects. It is merely that, typically, once they reach a few thousands of members, they cannot hold on to them, and then the inevitable splitting process takes over again, thereby reproducing the sectarian political set. I’ve seen it happen for about 35 years now.
J.
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