Hoxhaism

Hoxhaism (UK: /ˈhɒdʒə.ɪzəm/ HOJ-ə-iz-əm, US: /ˈhɔːdʒ-/ HAWJ-) is a variant of Marxism–Leninism developed in the late 1970s as a result of a schism in the anti-revisionist movement, namely between the Chinese Communist Party and the Party of Labour of Albania. The ideological dispute between the two parties brought about the Sino-Albanian split.^[1] The ideology is named after Enver Hoxha, the first secretary of the Party of Labour from 1941 to 1985 and leader of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania from 1944 to 1985.

Translated works of Enver Hoxha, for whom the ideology is named.

The term Hoxhaism is rarely used by the organizations associated with it, as they view Hoxha's theoretical contributions to Marxism–Leninism as an augmentation of anti-revisionism rather than a distinct ideology. Hoxhaists typically identify themselves with Marxism–Leninism or Stalinism.^[2][3]

Overview

Hoxhaism demarcates itself by a strict defense of the legacy of Joseph Stalin, the organization of the Soviet Union under Stalin, and fierce criticism of virtually all other communist groupings as revisionist.^[4][5] Currents such as Eurocommunism are regarded as anti-communist movements.^[5]

Hoxha was critical of the United States and Yugoslavia, condemning the latter as social imperialist. After the death of Stalin and the Sino-Albanian split, he extended his social imperialist critique to the Soviet Union and China. Hoxha condemned the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, before withdrawing Albania from the Warsaw Pact in response.^[6] Hoxhaism asserts the right of nations to pursue socialism by different paths dictated by the conditions in those countries, although Hoxha personally held the view that Titoism was "anti-Marxist" in overall practice.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Following the fall of communism in Albania in 1991, Hoxhaist parties formed the International Conference of Marxist–Leninist Parties and Organizations (Unity & Struggle) in 1994, and its publication Unity and Struggle.^[11]