Page THE MILITANT Saturday, June 14, 1930 The Slogan of the National Assembly in China Pertinent Questions to the Prometeo Group (China has been and will continue By TROTSKY ities through the medium of the universal to be one of the touchstones of Marxuffrage. The handful of Communisty know ist theory and Leninist strategy in the yesterday of the Revolution. But let us one day but possibly several months but even today that universal suffrage is an inCommunist International. The Stalin suppose that the bourgeois provisional that would have enriched the political ex strument of bourgeois rule and that they regime has brought an incredible amount government had been sufficiently decisive periences of the laboring masses and not can liquidate this rule only through the of confusion into the ranks of the Com to convene. the Constituent Assembly in only would not have retarded the proletmedium of the proletarian dictatorship. In munists regarding the character, the March or April (1917. Was it possible? arian revolution but would rather have ac this spirit you can educate beforehand the perspectives and the slogans of the Naturally it was. The Cadets were busy celerated it. This in itself would have proletarian vanguard. But the millions of Chinese revolution. This important with legal trickery to drag out the con been of greatest significance. If the se the toiling masses can come to the dictatcontribution by Trotsky on the slogan vening of the Constituent Assembly in the cond resolution would have occurred not orsbip of the proletariat only on the basis of the Constituent Assembly was writhope that the revolutionary wave would in October but let us say in July or Aug of their own political experience and the ten in reply to some questions of the subside. The Mensheviks and the Social ust the army at the front would have been National Assembly would be a progressive Chinese comrades but it is of universal Revolutionaries took their cue from the less exhausted and weakened and the peace step on this road. This is why we come concern to all proletarian revolutionar Cadets. If the Mensheviks and the Social with the Hohenzollerns might have been out for this slogan in conjunction with leg. Editors. Revolutionaries would have had a little more favorable to us. Even if we should four other slogans of the democratic rev.
more revolutionary drive in them they could assume that the proletarian revolution olution the transfer of the land to the It seems to me that our Chinese friends have convened the Constituent Assembly would not come a single day sconer because peasant poor; the eight hour work day; the lynport too much of metaphysics and even in a few weeks. Would we Bolsheviks have of the Constituent Assembly, the school of independence of China; the right of selfsome scholasticism into the question of participated in the elections and in the As revolutionary parliamentarism would not determination of the nationalities included political slogans of democracy.
sembly Itsell? Undoubtedly, for it wag we have passed without leaving fts trace on in the territory of China.
The delicacies begin with the name: who demanded all the time the speedlest the political level of the masses and this It is understood that we cannot deny Constituent Assembly or National Assem convening of the Constituent Assembly. would have made our tasks the day after algo such a perspective it is theoretically bly. In Russia until the revolution we used Would the course of the revolution have the October Revolution much easier.
admissable that the Chinese proletariat the slogan of Constituent Assembly, be changed to the disadvantage of the prolet Slogan to Mobilize the Masses leading the peasant masses and supporting cause it most clearly emphasized our break ariat by an early convening of the Assem Is this sort of a variant possible in itselt on the Soviets will come to power with the past. But you write that in Chin bly? Not at all. Perhaps you remember China. It is not excluded. To imagine before the achievement of the National ese it is difficult to formulate this slogan. that the representatives of the Russian pos and expect that the Communist Assembly in one or another form. But If so, it remains to adopt the slogan of sessing classes and following them also the Party of China can make the jump from for the immediate period this is at any rate the National Assembly. For the conscious conciliators were postponing all the im the present conditions of the rule of the improbable, because it presupposes the exness of the masses the contents of this portant questions of the revolution until unbridled bourgeois military cliques, the Istence of a powerful and centralized revslogan will depend, firstly, in the implica the Constituent Assembly. at the same oppression and dismemberment of the olutionary party of the proletariat. But in tion the revolutionary agitation will give time also dragging out the convening of working class, and the extraordinary low its absence what other forces will unite It, and secondly, on the events. You ask: it. This gave the landowners and cap ebb of the peasant movement to the sel the revolutionary masses of your gigantic Is it possible to carry on agitation for a italists a possibility to mask to a certain zure of power this would be to believe in country? In the meantime it 19 our misConstituent Assembly while denying that extent their properti interests in the ag miracles. In practise this leads to guerilla fortune that there is no strong centralizzed It can be accomplished. But why should rarian question, industrial, etc. If the Con. adventurism, to which the Comintern now Communist Party in China as yet. It first we decide beforehand that it cannot be ac stituent Assembly would have convened lends its covert support. We must con has to be formed. The struggle for dem complished? Of course the masses will let us say in April 1917 then all the social demn this policy and guard the revolu ocracy is the precisely necessary condition follow the slogan only if they consider questions would have been raised before tionary workers from it.
for that. The slogan of the National AsIt feasible. Who will accomplish it, and them. The possessing classes would have The political mobilization of the proseñbly would unite the scattered provinhow will it be accomplished? Here only been compelled to show their cards, the letariat and following it the peasant masses cial movements and uprisings, give them suppositions are possible. In case of the treacherous role of the conciliators would is the first task that must be solved in con political unity and create the basis for further weakening of the military Kuo have been apparent, the Bolshevik faction junction with the present circumstances. welding together the Communist Party as mintang regime and the growth of dis of the Constituent Assembly would have And these are the circumstances of the an all national leader of the proletariat content among the masses, particularly in acquired the greatest popularity and have military bourgeois counter revolution, the and the entire toiling mass.
the cities, it is possible that an attempt assisted the Soviets to elect a Bolshevik power of the suppressed masses is in their That is why the slogan of the National will be made by a part of the Kuomingtang majority. Under these circumstances the Con number. When they awaken they strive to Assembly (on the basis of the universal, together with a third party to convene stituent Assembly would have existe not express the stre umbers in pol direct equal and secret ballot) must be something on the style of a National Asraised as forcefully as possible and a sembly. Of course, they will as much as In the International Opposition courageous decisive struggle developed possible cut into the rights of the more around it. month sooner or later the oppressed classes and layers. Will we sterility of the purely negative position of Communists, go into such a curtailed and the Comintern and the official leadership of manipulated National Assembly? It we will the Chinese Communist Party will mereinot be strong enough to replace it, that is lessly expose itself! This will happen the Dear Comrades: Particular tactical disagreements are to take over power, we will, of course, go sooner, the more decisively the Left ComA few months ago you addressed to absolutely unavoidable and can be no obin. Such a stage would in no way weaken munist Opposition will unfold and develop me an open letter to which thou replied. stacie for close common work in the frameնց, On the contrary, it would help us.
its campaign for the slogans of democracy.
Now it seems to me the time has come work of gather and develop the forces of the proan international organization. In this case the inevitable crash of the pol.
letarian vanguard. Inside the pseudo agto address an open letter to your group. Wherein do your disagreements with the dey of the Comintern will greatly strengthBembly, and partacularly on the outside In Paris a preliminary conference of Left Opposition consist? Are they of a en the Left Opposition and will help it of it, we would carry on our agitation for the International Left Opposition was re principled or of an episodic character? You become the decisive force in the Chinese held.
cently This conference is new and more democratic assembly. In must reply to this clearly and precisely.
proletariat gase of a revolutionary mass movement we serious step forward because it was made Your absence from the preliminApril 2, 1930 ary international conference can be interwould simultaneously build Soviets. It is possible only in consequence of lengthy very possible that in such an event the preparatory work of an ideological charac preted that there are disagreements of petty bourgeois parties would convene a ter. Your group, before the eyes of which principle that divide you frot the Left Opcomparatively more democratic National Asthis work was being developed, did not position. If this be so a third question The Economic Crisis consider it possible to participate in this sembly, as a dam agadnst the Soviets.
crops up: why don you proceed with the conference. This extremely important fact organization of an international faction of Would we participate in such a sort of American capitalism has been unable representation. Of course we would parto overcome the serious depressions in agof absenteeism prompts me to ask you your own current? After all you cannot Hicipate Again, it we would not be strong riculture and in the coal, oil, textile, shipthe following questions: conceive that revolutionary principles ad1. Do you assume that Communism aptable for the whole world are not applicenough to replace the assembly with a ping and other industries, nor will it be can have a national character? This for able to Italy or vice versa. The passivehigher form of government, that is the able to prevent the coming decline in iron and steel and autombile industries.
Soviets. But such a possibility reveals example, is the position of Urbehns, who, conciliatory attitude towards the Left OpItselt only at the highest point of revolwhile repeating the ritualistic formulas or position combined with reluctance to join The rapid increase in brokerage loans, lutionary ascent. But as it is presently, in face of an average trading volume of internationalism, created a purely Ger it and the refusal to participate in the life more than five million shares a day, preof the Communist vanguard of other we have not as yet approached the beginman sect having no connections in the whole world and consequently deprived of countries is characteristic of national soping.
sages the beginning of the end of the HIM revolutionary perspective.
Therefore do cialism or national Communism and has market far more profoundly than the price Even if the Soviets were a fact which you regard yourselves as a national cur. nothing in common with Marxist Communfall of June 1928. The fact that rates for Is not the case in China at present this stock market to rent or part of an International current?
had be ism.
doubled and In itselt would not be cause enough for the it in your answer to this question Your reply to these questions is of quadrupled. bas caused the more realistic Abandonment of the slogan of the National you state that you are fully satisfied with serious consequence not only from the in of the bourgeois economists to be very Assembly. The majority in the Soviete may your isolated national existence then there ternational but first of all from the Italcautious in their predictions for the coming be (and at the beginning will certainly be)
year.
would be no room for any further ques ian point of view in so far as these two in the hands of conciliatory and Centrist tions.
The fate of American imperialisn, we But have no doubt that you con viewpoints can be in any way set off parties and organizations. We will be sider yourselves internationalists. In this against one another. The illegal characrepeat, is now bound up with its dependinterested to have these parties exposed in case the second question looms up: to ter of the Italian Communist Party makes ence on world economy. Conversely the the open forum of the National Assembly.
what particular international current do it difficult to follow up developments. Nesituation in Europe is directly linked with By this method the majority of the Soviets you belongi There are now three basic vertheless there can be no doubt that withthe development of American national ecwill be won over to our side sooner, and onomy.
in the framework of the Italian Communist currents in international Communism: the Tbe United States will seek to much more certainly. When our conquest Centrist, the Right and the Left (Lenin Party there are besides the official fac use Europe as a shield to take the blows of of the majority will become a reality, we ist. Besides these there are different kinds its own difficulties. This will in turn create tion, your group and the group of Rights will counter pose the program of the Soof ultra Left offshoots who grope about be. Tasca. numerous revolutionary elements such situation in Europe, above all in viets against the program of the National tween Marxism and anarchism. Until now who have not yet openly formulated their Carmany, where with proper revolutionAssembly, we will gather the majority of the we thought that you stood nearest to the positions. Under these circumstances ary leadership, a new wave of proletarian country around the banner of the Soviets, revolt will be initiated, or the reations beLeft Opposition. Your hesitancy we as you are among the indefinite elemente.
which will give us the possibility, in deed cribed to your possible desire to orientate Meanwhile precisely the illegal existence tween England and America will come to And not on paper, to replace the National of the Party demands with double force the breaking point. This rapidly materyourselves in the development of the Left Assembly, this parlamentary democratic Opposition. lut besttancy cannot be main. the full principled clarity of the leading tailzing process will change the correlation Institution, by Soviets, as the organ of the tained forever. Life is not stagnant el groups Your reply will help speed up the of forces in the United States in favor of revolutionary class dictatorship.
ther in Italy or in the rest of the world. ideological crystallization within the Italthe revolutionary proletariat, by undermin.
The Constituent Assembly in Russia In order to join the International Left lan proletarian vanguard.
ing the base of the American labor AristocTacy.
In Russia, the Constituent Assembly there is no need whatever for false mono It is needless to say that the Russian sted only for one day. Why? Because thism in the spirit of the Staliniat bur Opposition would be happy to learn of your. FROM THE PLATFORM OF made its appearance too late, when the THE COMMUNIST OPPOSITION eaucracy. What is needed 18 actual sol deoision to join the International Left.
ADOPTED With Communist Greetings, Bovlet power was already in existence, and darity on the basic questions of revolu( CHICAGO) MAY zame into conflict with it. In this conflict, tionary strategy that has stood the test TROTSKY 20, 1929.
Mhe Constituent Assembly represented the of the past few years.
Prinkipo, April 22, 1930