Aute 22 IAN Saturday, February 15, 190 The Fundamental Principle Errors of Syndicalism When arrived in France in Ocotober (To Serve in the Discussion with Monatte power, its historical role, that is why they 1914, found the French socialist and trade see only the dangers of state ism. The union movement in a state of the most and the Pure Syndicalists in General)
anti state anarchists are consequently the complete demorilization. In the search for most logical, and for that reason, the most revolutionists, with lantern in hand, hopeless representatives of the petty bourmade the acquaintance of Monatte and RogBy Trotsky geoisie in its historical blind alley.
mer. They had not succumbed to chauvinhim: Lenin was taken 111, the campaign there is an abyss. To Monatte it must Yes, the dangers of state sm exist ism. It was thus that our friendship began.
against Trotskyism and the Zinoviev seem that he is remaining entirely faithful under the regime of the dictatorship of the Monatte was an anarcho syndicalist; des1st Bolshevization began. Monatte to himself. Formally, this is true, up to proletariat as well, but the substance of pite that he was immeasurably closer to could not submit to the careerists who, a certain point. Monatte repeats a few old these dangers consists precisely in the fact me than the French Guesdists who were by leaning upon the general staff of epl formlae, but he ignores entirely the exper that power can actually return to the hands playing a pitiful and shameful role. At gones at Moscow, and disposing of unlim ience of the last fifteen years, richer in of the bourgeoisie. The best known and that time, the Cachins were knocking at ited resources, carried on by means of lessons than all the preceding history of most obvious state danger 18 bureaucratism.
the servants entrance to the ministries of intrigue and slander, Monatte was humanity. In the attempt to return to his But what is ite character? If the enlightthe Third Republic and the Allied embasexpelled from the party. This epi former positions, Monatte simply falls to ened workers bureaucracy could lead sociBles. In 1915, Monatte left the Central sode, important, but still only an episode, notice that they have disappeared a long ety to socialism, that is, to the liquidation Committee of the slamming the was of decisive moment in the political time ago. No matter what question is of the state, we would be reconciled with door behind him. His departure from the development of Monatte. He decided that raised, Monatte looks backward. This may such bureaucracy. But it has an entirely trade union centre was in essence nothing his brief experience in the party had fully be seen most clearly in the question of the opposite character: by separating Itseit but a split. At that time, however, Monatte confirmed his anarcho syndicalist preju party and the state.
from the proletariat, by raising itself above believed and rightly 80 that the fundadices against the party in general. Mon: The Dangers of State ism it, the bureaucracy falls under the influence mental historical tasks of the proletariat atte then began insistently to retrace his of the petty bourgeois classes and can by stood above unity with chauvinists and steps towards abandoned positions. Но Some time ago, Monattee accused me that very fact facilitate the return of power lackeys of imperialism. It was precisely began to seek again tho Amiens Charter.
in this that Monatte was loyal to the best of underestimating the dangers of stateinto the hands of the bourgeoisie. In other For all that he had to turn his face to the ism (Revolution Proletarienne, No. 79, words, the state dangers for the workers traditions of revolutionary syndicalism.
past. The experience of the war, of the May 1, 1929, page This reproach is not under the dictatorship of the proletariat Monatte. one of the first friends of the Russian Revolution, and of the world trade a new one; it has its origin in the struggle are in the final analysis nothing but the October Revolution, nevertheless, unlike union movement were lost upon him, leav of Bakunin against Marx and it shows a danger of restoring the power to the bourRoamer bad held aloof for a long time. That ing hardly a trace. Once again Monatte geoisie.
was well in keeping with the character of false, contradictory and essentially nonstood aside an waited. What for? The question of the source of this burproletarian conception of the state.
Monatte, 29 was later convinced, of standing aside, of waiting, of criticizing.
new Amiens Congress. During these last With the exception of one country, state eaucratic danger is no less important. It At times this 18 absolutely unavoidable.
few years was unfortunately unable to power throughout the world is in the hands would be radically wrong to think, to imfollow the retrogressive evolution of Mon of the bourgeoisie. It is in this, and only agine that bureaucratism rises exclusively But as a permenant line of conduct it becomes transformed into sectarianism atte: the Russian Opposition lived in a in this, that lies the state danger from from the fact of the conquest of power by blockaded circle.
which has a close affinity with Proudhonthe point of view of the proletariat. Its the proletariat. No, that is not the case.
ism, but nothing in common with Marxism. Monatte Fetishisms historical task is to wrest this most powIn the capitalist states, the most monstrous erful instrument of oppression from the forms of bureaucratism are to be observed Lenin and the Syndicalists Out of the whole treasure of the theory hands of the bourgeoisie. The Communists precisely in the trade unions. It is enough do not deny the difficulties, the dangers that to cast a glance at America, England and and practice of the world struggle of the When the Socialist Party of France beare connected with the dictatorship the Germany. Amsterdam is tife most powerproletariat Monatte has extracted but two came the Communist Party, frequently proletariat. But can this lessen by one tota ful International organization of the traed ideas: trade union autonomy and trade had occasion to discuss with Lenin the union bureaucracy. It is thanks to it that union unity. He has placed these two the necessity to seize power? If the whole onerous heritage the International had reproletariat were carried by an irresistible the whole structure of capitalism now pure principles above sinful reality. It is ceived in the person of leaders like Cachin, force to the conquest of power or stands upright, above all in Europe and esFrossard, and other beroes of the League on trade union unity that he bas based it it had already conquered It, pecially in England. It there were not a his newspaper and the Syndicalist League, of the Rights of Man, of the Freemasons, one could, strictly speaking, underbureaucracy of the trade unions, then the Unfortunately, these two ideas are empty of parliamentarians, careerists and babstand this or that warning of the the army, the courts the lords, the and each one of them resembles the hole blers. Here is one of these conversationssyndicalists, Lenin, as is known, warned monarchy would appear before the proletin a ring. Whether the ring be made of which have already published in the press, in his testament against abuse of revolu arian masses as nothing but pitiful and fron, sllver or gold, Monatte does not care 11 m not mistaken: It would be good, tionary power. The struggle against the ridiculous playthings. The bureaucracy of in the least. The ring, you know, always Lenin said to me, to drive out all these distortions of the dictatorship of the pro the trade unions is the backbone of British weathercocks, and to draw into the party hampers the trade union activity. Monatle is interested only in the hole of autonletartat has been conducted by the Opposl imperialism. It is by means of this bureauthe revolutionary syndicalists, the militant tion since it existed, and without the need racy that the bourgeoisie exists, not only omy.
workers, people who are really devoted to of borrowing from the arsenals of the an in the metropolis, but in India, in Eygpt the cause of the working class. And MonNo legs empty is the other sacred prin archists.
and in the other colonies. One would have atte? Monatte would of course be ten ciple: unity. In its name Monatte even But in the bourgeois countries, the mig to be completely blind to say to the Engstood up against the rupture of the Anglotimes better than Cachin and those like fortune lles in the fact that the overwhelm118h workers: Be on guard against the him replied. But Monatte not only Russian committee, even though the Gening majority of the proletariat does not conquest of power and always remember continues to reject parlamentarism, but to eral Council of the British Trade Unions understand as It should the dangers of the that your trade unions are the antidote to this day he has not grasped the signifihad betrayed the general strike. The fact bourgeois state. By the manner in which bureaucratic dangers. The Marxist will say cance of the party. Lenin was astounded: that Stalin, Bucharin, Cachin, Monmousseau they treat the question, the syndicalists, to the English workers: The trade union Impossible! Has not grasped the signiand others supported the bloc with the naturally against their intention, contrib bureaucracy is the most powerful instrument ficance of the party atter the October strike breakers until the latter gave them ute to the passive conciliation of the workfor your oppreston by the bourgeois state.
Revolution? That a very dangerous sym kick does not lessen in the least Moners with the state of capital. When the Power must be wrested from the hands of ptom.
atte mistake. After my arrival abroad syndicalists chant to the workers oppressed the bourgeoisie and for that its principal carried on a correspondence with made an attempt to explain to the readers by the bourgeois power their admonitions agent, the trade union bureaucracy, must be Monatte in which insisted that he come of the Revolution Proletarienne the crimagainst the dangers of the state for the overthrown. Parenthically, it is especially to Moscow. He was evasive. True to his inal character of this bloc, the consequences proletariat, they play purely reactionary for this reason that the bloc of Stalin with bature, he preferred. In this case too, to of which are still being felt by the worker role. The bourgeois will readily repeat the strikebreakers was so criminal.
stand aside and wait. And besides the movement. Monatte did not want to pubto the workers: Do not touch the state From the example of England, one sees Communist Party did not suit him. In 11sh my article. And how could it have because it is a snare full of dangers for very clearly how absurd it is to oppose as that he was right. But instead of helping been otherwise, since had made an as you. The Communist will gay to the worktwo different principles trade union organto transform it, he waited. During the sault upon the sacred trade union unity, ers: The difficulties and dangers with ization and state organization. In England Fourth Congress we succeeded in taking which solves all questions and reconciles which the proletariat is confronted the day more than anywhere else, the state rests the first steps towards cleansing the all contradictions. after the conquest of power we will learn upon the back of the working class which of Freemasons, pacifists and office seekers, When strikers run up against a group to overcome them on the basis of experconstitutes the overwhelming majority of Monatte entered the party. But it is not of strikebreakers in their path, they tbrow ience. But at the present time, the most the population of the country. The mechannecessary to underline the fact that this them from their midst without sparing menacing dangers lle in the fact that our ism is such that the bureaucracy is based lid not mean to us that he had adopted a blows. It the strike breakers are union class enemy holds the rein of power in directly on the workers, and the state inMarxian viewpoint; not at all. On March men they throw them out immediately, its hands and directs it against us.
directly by the intermediary of the trade 13, 1923, wrote in Pravda: The entrance without worrying over the sacred principles In contemporary society there are union bureaucracy.
of our old friend, Monatte into the party of trade union unity. Monatte surely has only two classes capable of holding power Up to now, we have not mentioned the was a great day for us; men of his stamp no objections to this. But the matter 18 in their hands: the capitalist bourgeoisie Labour Party which, in England, in this are necessary to the revolution. But It cer entirely different when it is a question of and the revolutionary proletariat. For the classi: country of trade union, is the tainly would be wrong to pay the price of the trade union bureaucracy and its lead petty bourgeoisie has long ago lost the simple transposition of the same trade confusion and lack of slarity of ideas for. ers. The General Council is not composed economic possibility of directing the des union bureaucracy. The same leaders guide this rapproachment. In this article of starving and backward strikebreakers, tiples of modern society. Now and then, in the trade unions, betray the general strike, criticized the scholasticism of Louzon on no, these are quite experienced and well fits of desperation It rises for the con lead the electoral campaign and later on the relations between the class, trade known traitors, who found it necessary at a quest of power, even with arms in hand, sit in the ministries. The Labour Party, anions and the party. In particular, ex certain moment to stand at the head of as has happened in Italy, in Poland and the trade unions these are not two prinplained that pre war syndicalism had been the general strike in order to decapitate it other countries. But the Fascist insurrec ciples, they are only a technical division of an embryo of the Communist Party, that all the more quickly and surely. They tions only and in this result: the new power labor. Together they are the fundamental this embryo had since become a child, and worked hand in hand with the government, becomes the instrument of finance capital support of the domination of the English that if this child was suffering from meas the bosses and the princes of the church, under an even more naked and brutal form, bourgeoisie. This latter cannot be overles and rickets it was necessary to nurse It would seem that the leaders of the Rus That is why the most representative ideolo thrown without overthrowing the Labourite It, but that it would be absurd to imagine sian trade unions, who were in a political glats of the petty bourgeoisie are afraid of bureaucracy. And that cannot be attained that it could be made to return to its moth bloc with the General Council, should have state power as such. The petty bourgeoisie by opposing the trade union as such to the or womb. may perhaps be permitted immediately, openly and relentlessly broken tears power when it is in the hands of the state as such, but by the active opposition to say in this regard, that the arguments with it at that very moment, before the big bourgeoisie, because the latter expresses of the Communist Party to the Labourite pt my 1928 article, in caricature, serve to masses it deceived and betrayed. But and ruins it. It also fears it when it is in bureaucracy in all fields of social life: in this day as the main weapons against Monatte rises up fiercely: It is forbidden the hands of the proletariat, for the latter the trade unions, in strikes, in the electorMonatte in the hands of Monmousseau and to disturb trade union unity. In an aston undermines all the conditions of its habit al campaign, in parliament and in power.
the other anti Trotskylet warriors. ishing manner, he forgets that he himself ual existence. Finally, fears power The principal task of a real party of the Monatte joined the party; but he hardly upset this unity in 1915 by leaving the when it falls into its own hands because. It proletariat consists in putting itself at the had time to turn about and accustom him chauvinist General Council of the must inevitably pass out of its powerless head of the working masses, organized in helt to a house far vaster than his little (General Confederation of Labor. hands into those of finance capital or the trade unions and unorganized, to wrest top on the qual de Jemmapes, when the It must be said squarely: Between the proletariat. That is why the Anarchiste do not power from the bourgeoisie and striking nr. Etat in the International burst upon Monatte of 1916 and the Monatte of 1929, see the revolutionary problems of state death blow to the dange nf onteien