Torez Maurice (28/04/1900 – 07/11/1964), figure of the French and international workers' and communist movement. He was born in a miner. Before 1920 worked as a farmhand, a miner. In March 1919 joined the Socialist Party, was actively involved in the struggle for its adherence to the Comintern. Since the founding of the French Communist Party (PCF, in December. 1920) Torez became one of its prominent figures. Since 1924 Thorez – tsp. Central Committee of the PCF. Tsp. Politburo and Central Committee secretary in 1925, 1930 – June 1964 Secretary-General of the PCF in June 1964 before. PCF. Since 1932 Thorez – deputy French Parliament. In 1928 – 1943 was tsp. Executive Committee of the Communist International (Comintern) in 1935 – 1943 tsp. Presidium of the ECCI. For revolutionary activity Torez repeatedly subjected to harassment and repression. Torez played an important role in creating the French military Marxist-Leninist party of new type, based on the principles of democratic centralism, led a bitter struggle in the labor movement of France and in the ranks of the PCF, and in the international workers' and communist movement against right-wing opportunism, revisionism, and and against sectarianism and dogmatism. Great credit is Thorez strategy and tactics of the united front of anti-monopoly of all the workers and democratic forces in the struggle for peace, democracy and socialism. In 30-ies. On the basis of Marxist-Leninist concept of the allies of the proletariat, Torez theoretically substantiated slogan creation of the Popular Front as a union of the working class and peasantry and urban middle classes; Thorez a prominent role in the formation of the Popular Front in France and its activities ( 1935 – 1938) in the interests of the toiling masses. On the eve of 2-nd World War 1939 – 1945 Torez appealed to the struggle against fascism and stressed that security interests require the establishment of strong ties of friendship and alliance of France with the USSR.During the war, the PCF led Thorez sponsored a nationwide struggle against the Nazi occupiers. The Manifesto of July 10, 1940, signed Thorez and J. Duclos, CC FKP urged the French people to organize and unite the forces of the Resistance Movement in the struggle against the invaders. In 1945 – 1946 Torez minister without portfolio in 1946 – 1947 Deputy. prev. Council of Ministers, together with other communist ministers Torez achieved a series of laws in the interests of workers. Torez strongly defended Nat. the sovereignty of France, denounced the unpopular policy of the bourgeois ruling circles, while engaged in 1949 the country into NATO. In the midst of so-called. Cold War Torez, true internationalist duty, the slogan: "The people of France will not, will never fight against the Soviet Union!". Torez extensively developed the thesis that in the modern era war could be averted. In his speeches in 1949 and 1950 Torez stated that the current war ceased to be a foregone conclusion and that peace can be preserved and sustained by the joint efforts of all peace-loving peoples. Since the 2-Second World War Torez did a lot for the further development of Marxist-Leninist theory and practice of revolutionary working class and communist movement. Given the rich experience of the French and the international communist and workers' movement, creatively applying the Leninist theory of proletarian revolution to the national and state characteristics and traditions of France, Torez indicated the possibility for France, new, inclusive and peaceful, ways to socialism. On the basis of Marxist-Leninist thesis that the struggle for democracy is an integral part of the struggle for socialism, Torez at the 15 th Congress of the PCF (1959) stressed that in modern times between the stages of democratic and socialist transformation there is a long historical intervals, so because working-class leadership in the political struggle brings these two phases.Torez noted that, although the forms of transition to a socialist revolution may be different, it can not happen without the sharp class struggle. After the establishment of the French regime of the Fifth Republic (1958) and increasing the power from State-monopoly capital FCP, led Thorez, put his Sec. task of achieving unity of action of the working class and all democratic forces to fight for the profound economic, political and social changes, for genuine democracy as a step towards socialism. Torez stressed the need for participation of intellectuals in a single anti-monopoly front. Of particular importance attached Torez unity of action of communists and socialists, he believed that the Communist Party should be in the interests of the working class, put first things that unite the democratic forces, not the differences that divided them. Torez advanced the proposition that the cooperation of the Communist Party and the socialist and other democratic organizations need not only to achieve genuine democracy, but also for the construction of socialism. Torez waged an uncompromising struggle against bourgeois ideology, anti-communism and anti as serious obstacles to the promotion of peace, democracy and socialism. On the 17 th Congress of the PCF (1964) Torez said that the international communist and workers, as well as national liberation, the movement would never have reached such a recovery without the Great October Socialist Revolution, no great creative work of the Soviet people. Torez considers the struggle for detente, peace an integral part of workers' struggle for their political and social liberation.Original internationalist, Torez consistently called for the support of the revolutionary and democratic movements of peoples in the capitalist countries and national liberation movements of the colonial and dependent countries, was the strongest opponent of colonialism and neocolonialism, and opposed the wars that led French imperialism in the French colonies.

Cit.: CEuvres, t. 1 – 23, P., 1950 – 1965; CEuvres choisies, v. 1 – 3, P., 1965 – 1967, in Russian. per .- fav. Random., v. 1 – 2, Moscow, 1959; fav. articles and speeches. 1930-1964, Moscow, 1966, son of the people, Moscow, 1960.

Lit.: Varfolomeeva RS, Problems of Democracy and Socialism in the works of Maurice Thorez in Sat: French annual. 1967, Moscow, 1968; Sedykh W., Heirs of the Commune, Moscow, 1968; Fréville J., M. Torez, per. with France., Moscow, 1961, Kono and J. Zhoanes V., Thorez – a man, a fighter, per. with France., Moscow, 1975; Kasatkin GP, Thorez, Biobibliografich. Index, Moscow, 1975; Histoire du Parti communiste francaise, P., 1964.

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