H. N. Goshal

Who is H. N. Goshal?

H. N. Goshal was a communist politician and trade union leader in Burma, of Bengali origin. Goshal was one of the foremost leaders of the Communist Party of Burma and the most prominent theoretician of the party for several years. During the height of the Cultural Revolution Goshal was marginalized and killed in an inner-party purge.

Goshal graduated from Rangoon University. In August 1939, Goshal took part in the founding of the Communist Party of Burma. He was a member of the Bengali cell of the party. During the Japanese occupation, Goshal fled to India. During the early days of the Communist Party of Burma, Goshal played an important role as a liaison between the Burmese party and the Communist Party of India.

After the death of Thakin Ba Hein, Goshal became the head of the All Burma Trade Union Congress. Goshal's activities were mainly concentrated to Rangoon, organizing the largely Indian working class there.

Goshal is said to have visited India just before the Communist Party of India held its second congress of 1948. In India, and other countries in Asia, the communist parties reoriented themselves towards a more confrontational line. Goshal edited a political and strategic document, calling for the Communist Party of Burma to prepare for armed struggle. The document would be nicknamed the 'Goshal Thesis'. The Goshal Thesis stood in sharp contrast to the 'Browderist' positions the Communist Party of Burma had until then. The Goshal Thesis was adopted by the Communist Party of Burma at a mass meeting in Pyinmana on March 14, 1948. At this point, Goshal emerged as the main theorist of the party.