The First Program of The Third International or Communist International

This program was adopted in The Cecond Congress of the Third International which was held in Petrograd and Moscow from July 19 to August 7, 1920

1. The new International Association of Workers is established for the purpose of organizing conimon activity of the workers of various countries who are striving towards a single aim: the overthrow of capitalism; the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat and of the International Soviet Republic; the complete abolition of classes, and the realization of socialism–the first step of Communist Society.

 2. The new International Association of Workers has been given the name of The Communist International.

 3. All the parties and organizations comprising the Communist International bear the name of the Communist party of the given country (section of the Communist International).

 4. The World Congress of all parties and organizations which form part of the Communist International, is the supreme organ of this International. The World Congress confirms the programmes of the various parties comprising the Communist International. The World Congress discusses and decides the more important questions of programme and tactics, which are connected with the activity of the Conmunist International. The number of decisive votes at the World Congress for every party and organization is determined by a special, regulation of the Congress; it is found necessary to strive for a speedy establishment of a standard of representation on the basis of the actual number of the members of the organization and the real influence of the party in question.

5. The World Congress elects an Executive Committee of the Communist International which serves as the leading organ of the Communist International in the interval between the convention of the World Congresses, and Executive Committee is responsible only to the World Congress.

6. The residence of the Executive  Committee of the Communist International is every time decided at the World Congress of the Communist International.

7. A Special World Congress of the Communist International timely be convened. either by regulation of the Executive Committee, or at the demand  of one of or a number of the parties which were part of the Communist International at the last Congress.

8. The chief bulk of the work and the greatest responsibility in the Executive Committee of the Communist International lie with the party of that country where, keeping with the regulation of the World Congress, the Executive Corninittee finds its residence at the time. The party the country in question sends to the Executive Committee not less than five members with a decisive vote. In addition to this, one representative with a decisive vote is sent to the Communist International from ten or twelve of the largest communist parties.. The list of these representatives is to be confirmed by the Universal Congress of the Communist International. The remaining parties and organizations forming part of the Communist International enjoy the right of sending to the Executive Committee one representative each with a consultative vote. 

9.. The Executive Committee is the leading organ of the Communist International between the conventions; the Executive Committee publishes in no less than four languages the central organ of the Communist International (The periodical “The Communist International”). The Executive Committee makes the necessary appeals on behalf of the Communist International, and issues instructions obligatory on all the parties and organizations which form part of the Communist International. The Executive Committee of the Communist International enjoys the rIght to demand from the affiliated parties the exclusion of groups of members who are guilty of the infringement of international proletarian discipline, as well as the exclusion from the Communist International of parties guilty of the infringement of the regulations of the World Congress. In the event of necessity the Executive Committee organizes in various countries its technical and auxiliary bureaus, which are entirely under the control of the Executive Committee.

10. The Executive Committee of the Communist International enjoys the right to include in its ranks representatives of organizations and parties not accepted in the Communist International, but which are sympathetic towards communism; these are to have a consultative vote only.

11. The organs of all the parties and organizations forming part of the Communist International as well as of those which are recognized sympathizers of the Communist International, are obliged to publish all official regulations of the Communist International and of its Executive Committee.

12. The general state of things in the whole of Europe and of America makes necessary for the communists of the whole world an obligatory formation of illegal communist organizations along with those existing legally. The Executive Committee should take charge of the universal application of this rule.

13. All the most important political relations between the individual parties forming part of the Communist International will generally be carried on through the medium of the Executive Committee of the Communist International. In cases of urgency direct relations will be established, with the provision, however, that the Executive Committee of the Communist International shall be informed of them at the same time.

14. The Trade Unions that have accepted the Communist platform (TR. Program) and are united on an international scale under the control of the Executive Committee of the Communist International, they form Trade Union Sections of the Communist International. The Communist Trade Unions send their representatives to the World Congresses of the Communist International through the medium of the Communist parties of their respective countries. Trade Union sections of the Communist International delegate a representative with decisive vote to the Executive Committee of the Communist International. The Executive Committee of the Communist International enjoys the right of sending a representative with decisive vote, to the Trade Union section of the Communist International.

15. The International League of Communst Youth is subordinate to the Communist International and its Executive Committee. One representative of the Executive Committee of the International League of Communist Youth with a decisive vote is delegated to the Executive Committee of the Communist International. The Executive Committee of the Communist International, on the other hand, enjoys the right of sending a representative with a decisive vote to the Executive organ of the International League of Youth. Organizational relations between the League of Youth and the Communist party are basically defined in every country according to the same system.

16. The Executive Committee of the Communist International confirms the International Secretary of the Communist Women’s Movement, and organizes a women’s section of the Communist International.

17. In case a member of the Communist International goes to another country, he is to have the fraternal support of the local members of the Third International.