Communists Adopt Democratic Reform as Goal in Mongolia
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ULAN BATOR, Mongolia — One of the world’s oldest ruling Communist parties dropped the word communism from its constitution Thursday and set a new goal of building “democratic humane socialism.”
An extraordinary congress of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party adopted a new party constitution and platform to reflect its recent acceptance of democratic reforms and opposition parties.
A proposal to change the party’s name, dropping the word revolutionary, was defeated.
The party, which is trying to change its image to keep power in free elections tentatively planned for July, appeared to be undergoing an identity crisis.
“Our party remains Marxist-Leninist,” party ideology chief Tsahilgaan said. But he said that “Marxism-Leninism or any other theories are not dogmas,” and that the party no longer uses the word communism.
“We now have realized that communism is a thing far away from us,” he said. “We are for building a humane, democratic socialism.”
Asked if the party should be called communist or socialist, he said: “Let’s leave it to you.”
The congress’ 926 delegates continued meeting late into the night.
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