THE MILITANT Saturday, January 4, 1980.
Page The Defense of the Soviet Union and the Opposition Thermidor or Party Rehearsal Continued from Last Issue By Trotsky wille of February 13 says that with the expulsion of Trotsky the final balance is That the present day Martinovs conceal of its recession. Like the Centrists in the of the Centrists towards the Left under drawn under the revolution of 1917. It themselves in the shreds of Bolshevik quoR. the ultra Leftists in Germany the pressure of the internal forces, was en is not astonishing that Urbans, having tations of the year 1905, the quotations with Maslow, Fischer, Urbahns) concealed their tirely absent in his calculations. On the adopted Buch a position, ever more frewhich Stalin, Kamenev, Rykoy and others erroneous policy behind the struggle question of the Thermidor and two parties, quently obliged to declare that he is not covered themselves in 1917 against Lenin, against Trotskyism which they represent Radek and Smilga represented the extrem one hundred percent in agreement with is a masquerade that can deceive only 101ed as Ilquidationism. Just because they est Lett position in the Opposition. And the Russian Opposition because it does ots or illiterates. The Comintern, under considered the revolutionary situation not that is why events took them by surprise not go far enough. Alas! Urbahns himthe leadership of Martinov Bucharin Stalin, behind them but ahead of them. In this and why they capitulated so easily. self continues to go far. along the road carried on in China with a furious howling case, Trotskyism was called the ability These brlet particulars should make it of his original mistake.
against the permanent revolution. That is to estimate the situation correctly distinnow the fundamental question for the counclear to the reader that Urbahns question Out of a very important analogy with guishing the periods. Be it said in pas.
tries of the East, and consequently aiso one as to whether Trotsky goes far enough Thermidor in the class sense, Urbahns (like sing that it would be very useful if Urof the essential questions for the West.
Radet) has made a formal, and partially bahns had finally drawn the theoretical in the question of Thermidor or does Has comrade Urbahns an opinion in this not go far enough (Urbahns formula personal analogy. Radek said: The expulbalance of this whole struggle, for it is question? No, he has none. He hides betion. contains nothing new: we discussed sion of the Opposition from the Central bind separate words, or what is worse yet, precisely this struggle that deadened the this whole group of questions long ago and Committee is equivalent to the elimination behind Radek article, which he prints at minds of the German workers and prepared revised them at every new stage.
of the Robespierrist group from the govthe victory of the idealess officials, advenAll events.
ernment. The guillotine or exile to Almaturers and careerists.
On May 26, 1928, wrote from AlmaAta to the exiled comrade Michall OkoudAta is only a question of technique. UrThe false ultra Left course of 1924java, one of tae old Georgian Bolsheviks: bahns says: The smashing of the Oppost25 still further weakened the positions of In 30 far as the new course of Stalin sets tion and the expulsion of Trotsky is equivthe European proletariat and thereby acof Thermidor?
Itselt tasks, he undoubtedly endeavors to alent to the guillotining of the group of celerated the reactionary down sliding in aproach our position. In politics, however, Robespierre. The broad historical analogy the Soviet republic The expulsion of the what is decisive is not only the what but is replaced here by an arbitrary and cheap If things are in a bad way with comOpposition from the Party, the arrests, the comparison of a personal and episodic charaiso the low and the who. The fundamental rade Urbahns with regard to the Chinese deportations were only further stages in struggles that will decide the fate of the acter.
revolution, they are still worse, if that were this process. They marked an ever greatposable, with regard to the Russian revorevolution are still before us. We were The Russian revolution of the twener weakening of the party and consequentalways of the opinion and we have said tieth century is immeasurably broader and lution. mean primarily the question of ly also declining power of resistance of the the Thermidor and therefore also the ques.
more than once that the process of political deeper than the French revolution of the proletariat in Soviet republic. Neverodwagliding of the leading faction could eighteenth century.
tion of the clas character of the Soviet The revolutionary theless, it did not by far signify that the class on which the October revolution bases state.
not be envisaged ag constantly descendThe formula of Thermidor, like counter revolutionary coup Etat had aling curve.
every historical analogy, is naturally Even the down sliding does itself is infinitely larger, more homogenready ben accomplished, that is, that powconditional one. When employed this not take place in a vacuum but in a class eous, more compact and more resolute than er had passed from the hands of the proformula for the first time against Zinovleysociety with profound internal friction. The the pleblans of the French cities. The leadletariat Into the hands of another class.
Stalin, immediately emphasized that it masses of the party are not a unit, rather ership of the October revolution, in all its The fact that the Soviet proletariat as conditional, Nevertheless it is enthey form, for the most part, the raw ma currents, is more experienced and penewas unable to prevent the organizational terial of politics.
Lrely legitimate, in spite of the difference trating than the leading groups of the Under the pressure of destruction of the Opposition was naturally class blows from the Right and from the French revolution were or could be. Finalbtween the epochs and the class struca very alarming symptom. On the other res. Thermidor signalizes the first vicLeft, processes of differentiation are inevit ly, the political, economic, social and culthand, however, Stalin was compelled, sipto Hlous stage of the counter revolution, able. The grave events of the recent per ural changes that the Bolshevik dictatorultaneous with the crushing of the Left Dat is, the drect presage of power from fod in party history, whose consequences ship has accomplished are incomparably Opposition, to commit plagiaries from its 0310 class to another, which 18 necessarily Platform in every field, to direct the fire we suffer, are only the overture to the fur profounder than the changes that the Jacoa companied by civil war; but It remains ther development of events. Just as the bins made, If it was impossible to tear to the Right and to transform the innerchacealed politically by the fact that the overture of an opera anticipates the mu power from the hands of the plebelaps party maneuver into a sharp and prolonged sical theme of the whole opera and gives without a civil war, although they were uggle is conducted between fractions of zig zag tn the Left. In spite of everything yesterday still united party. In France, weakened by the growth of class antagona condensed expression of it, so our pollthis shows what powers of pressure the tical overtures have anticipated the mel.
isms and the bureaucratization of the Jaermidor was preceded by a period of proletariat still possesses and how dependodles that must develop to their full ex cobins the Thermidor was a civil war in action which developed while thé Plebent upon it is the state apparatus. The 9, the lowest section of the city, still tent ir the future, to the accompaniment of which the sang culottes suffered defeatRussian Opposition must continue to base old the power in their hands. The Thertrumpets, double basses, drums and other how then can it be assumed or believed Its policy upon this fundamental fact, a instruments of serious class music. The idor completed this process of preparathat power can pass from the Russian propolicy which is one of reform and not of letariat to the bourgeoisie in a peaceful on of the reaction by a political catasdevelopment of events confirms with unrevolution.
ophe, in the course of which the plebmistakable certainty the fact that we were tranquil, imperceptible, bureaucratic manEven before the organizational crushcorrect not only as against the turncoats ner? Such a conception of Thermidor 19 ng lost the power. In this way, Thermling of the Opposition, we said and wrote or does not signify a period of reaction and weather vages of the type of Zinovlev, nothing but an inverted reformism.
repeatedly that after the Left is cut off, general, that is, of obb, of running off Kamenev, Piatakov; etc. but also against The means of production that formerthe Right wing would present its bill to o ralls, of the weakening of the revolúour dear friends of the Left. the ultra ly belonged to the capitalists are today Stalin. The elements that supported Stalin Left muddle heads, insofar as they arein still in the hands of the Soviet state. The Dary positions, but it has a much more in the struggle against us would exert a clse significance: it indicates the dir.
clined to take the overture for the opera land is nationalized, The exploiting ele pressure with redoubled force as soon as transfer of power from one class to Itsell, that is to assume that the fundamental ments are still excluded from the Soviets the Left barriers were let down. That 18 other, after which the revolutionary class processes in the Party and the state are al and the army. The monopoly of foreign Just what we predicted. We formulated it a reconquer power in no other way than ready at an end, and the Thermidor, which trade still exists for protection against the as follows: The Thermidorian tail will they heard about for the first time from us, economic intervention of capitalism. These an armed uprising. For the latter, again strike a blow at the Centrist head. This 18 an accomplished fact.
new revolutionary situation is necessary, are not small matters.
Still more: By has already happened and will still be re? appearance of which depends upon the power of its attack, the Opposition has Comrade Urbabns, does this not hit the peated, do not mean Bucharin Tomsky plicated Internal and international compelled the Centrists to deliver blows here, but the deep going Thermidorian forpall on the head?
3es.
against the Thermidorian class forces and ces of which the Rights in the party are In 1923, the Marxist Opposition already only the pale shadows.
Urbahns Mistake in the the expression of their tendencies in the Party even if they were not mortal blows established the beginning of a new chap In spite of the organizational demolland naturally not decisive ones. One must ter in the revolution, a chapter of Ideo tion on the Opposition and the weakening Question of Thermidor not close his eyes to this. In general, the logical and political recession which, in of the proletariat, the pressure of its class policy of the ostrich is a bad policy.
rspective, could signity the Thermidor.
Interests together with the pressure of the The source of a whole series of false The Stalinist zig zag to the Left is just is then that we employed the word for ideas of the Opposition proved themselves conclusions of comrade Urbahns lies in the as little a final balance under the Ther2 first time Had the revolution trisufficiently powerful to compel the Cenfact that he considers Thermidor an ac midorlan danger as the expulsion of the mphed in Germany at the end of 1923trist apparatus to make a prolonged zigcomplished fact, It is true that he does Oppositionists was the final balance which was entirely possible the dictatorzag that created the political pre conditions not draw all the conclusions from this, but drawn under the October revolution. The ship of the proletariat in Russia would for the latest capitulations. The composl the few that he has already drawn, in the struggle goes on, the classes have not yet have been purified and consolidated withtion of the capitulatorg is naturally very event that they were definitely affirmed, spoken their final word. Centrism reout internal convulsions. But the Gervaried, but the leading role is played by are enough to ruin the cause of the Lenin mains. Bolsheviks must remain Bolsheviks.
man revolution ended with one of the most those who formerly imagined the process bund.
Capitulators merit only contempt. And the frightful capitulations in the history of of down sliding as proceeding in a straight In an article devoted to my expulsion ultra Left muddleheads must be called to the working class. The defeat of the Gerline and were prepared, at every new stage, from the Die Fahne des Kom order.
man revolution Cave powerful impetus to proclaim: Thermidor 18 completed. The munismus wrote that the Stalinist domi On May 1, 1928, Arbeiterstimme, organ to all the processes of reaction in the SovZinovlevist, Sefarov, on the eve of our nation can no longer be considered the of the Austrian Communist Opposition fet republic. Thence the struggle in the expulsion from the party, cried out, first representative of the working class and (comrade Frey group. developed the folParty against the permanent revolution in Berlin and then in Moscow: It is five must therfore be fought by all means. lowing thoughts in an article entitled In and against Trotskyism. the creation of minutes to twelve! that is, five minutes (February 1, 1929. The expulsion of Trot Spite of Stalin Soviet Rugsla is a Proletarthe theory of socialism in a single country, before Thermidor, Five minutes ticked off sky from thecountry was made equivalent lan State. etc. The ultra Leftists in Germany did and Sefarov capitulated. Radek, before 8a in this article, to the guillotining of Ro There are political questions that act not understand this turn of events. With farov, intended, on the occasion of Zino bespierre and his companions. In other as infallible touchstones. For the Left one hand they supported the reaction, in viev and my expulsion from the Central words, Thermidor was declared to be an Communist Oppositions, which appear tothe Russian Communist Party, with the Committee, to proclaim that Thermidor was accomplished fact. Were this declaration day in all possible groupings and shadings, other they carried on a formally esgressive here. tried to show him that this was dictated only by the heat of the moment, there is also such a touchstone: the quespolicy in Germany, ignoring the defeat of only the Party rehearsal of Thermidor, per it would not be worth while dwelling upon tion of the proletarian character of Soviet the German revolution and the beginning haps not even the general rehearsal, at it. The political struggle is inconceivable Russia. There are Left Communist Opany rate it was not the Thermidor, that is, without exaggerations, isolated mistakes in position elements who, indignant at the pol Martinov was for twenty years long not the counter revolutionary overthrow ac perspective, etc. What must be considered Icy of Stalin in all its forms, throw out (1903 28) the principal theoretician of Men complished by the classes. Since 1926, is not the details, but the basic lne. Un the baby with the bath. In certain minds, pievism. He joined the Bolshevik Party, Smilga was of the opinioa: that the then fortunately, the leadership of the Lenin for example, the idea is beginning to take when Lenin was already ill and the cam policy of Stalin Bucharin. enrich your bund persistently attempts to transform the form that should the policy of Stalin perDalgn against Trotskylam had begun. In selves. the Anglo Russian Committee) the mistake into a basic line. Volkswille of sist, then Soviet Russian will be trans1:23, Martinov accused the October revolu Kuo Min Tang led only in one direction, February 11 prints resolution on the formed in purely evolutionary manner t! on prior to the of Trotskyigm. to the Right, that the October revolution situation in Russia in connection with my Into a bourgeois state. All the degeneraNow he is the principal theoreticlan of the had exhausted ite internal resources and expulsion. The resolution says plainly: tion in Soviet Russia is the result of the Comintern. He remains what he was. But that aid could come only from the out That is the Thermidor (Das ist der Ther undermining work with which the bourho covers his old, fundamental line with Bide, something upon which he based nomidor) and the Stalinist regime for all ab. geolele is occupied with in which it is secquotations from Lenin. the selection hopes at all. He wrote theses on this erties, so that it may find itself at the top onded, objectively speaking, by the Stalinind forging of such quotations there exist theme. The possibility of a break between in the approaching conflicts with the open 1st course. In this manner, the bourgeotveral factories.
the Centrists and the Right, and of a swing counter revolution. The editorial of Volks.
sle seeks to prepare the overthrow of the