Thermidorianism and Bonapartism break cal e Dression of the vie development over the pu petty bourgeoisie and the revolutionar spurts of the plebeians.
It is needless to say that Stalin has no Historical analogies must be dealt with By LEON TROTSKY these elements and tendencies are being basis for claims to Robespierre services; ably, otherwise they are easily converted formed in the womb of the official party, the purging of Russia from feudal rubbish into metaphysical abstractions and do not Even with a complete and open disruption which, under all conditions, remains the and the crushing of the restorationist athelp the orientation but, on the contrary, of party bonds, the party will not disappear. Laboratory of the future; that is, under the tempts were quite completed the Leninlead one astray.
Not because there is an apparatus: it will condition of an uninterrupted socialist devel ist period. Stalinism grew out of Some comrades in the ranks of the Op be the Arst victim of its own crimes but opment as well as under the condition of a with Leninism. But this break was never position abroad see a contradiction in the because there is a Left Opposition. Who counter revolutionary break, complete, nor is it now. Stalin carries on fact that we sometimes speak of the Ther ever does not understand this, understands Does what was said above mean that not an episodie, but a permanent, systemamidorian tendencies and forces in the Soviet nothing.
we identity the Stalinist régime with the tic, organic struggle on two fronts. This is Union and sometimes of the Bonapartist But what we are considering now is régime of Robespierre? No, we are as far an innate feature of a petty bourgeois polfeatures of the régime in the and not how and by what paths the Opposition from vulgar analogies in relation to the icy. At the Right of Stalin the unconscithey even draw the conclusion that we have can fulfill its basic task: to help the pro present we are in relation to the possi ous and conscious capitalist restorationists revised our evaluation of the Soviet state. letarian vanguard bar the counter revolution ble or probable future. From the standpoint in different stages. To the Left the prole This is a mistake. It flows from the fact from the socialist development. Hypothe of the question that interests us, the es. tarian Opposition. This diagnosis has been that these comrades conceive the historical tically, we will make our point of departure sence of Robespierre policy consisted of tested in the fire of world events. Stranterms (Thermidorianism, Bonapartism) as the assumption that we did not succeed in an ever greater accentuation of the struggle gulation of the party by the apparatus abstract categories and not as living, that this, so as to picture to ourselves more con on two fronts: against the sans culottes, that called forth not by the necessity of a strugis, contradictory processes.
cretely the historical consequences of such is, the propertyless, as well as against the gle against the bourgeois restoration on the successful socialist construction 18 failure.
rotten degenerates. that is, the Jacobin contrary, this struggle demands the greatest developing in the But this pro The smashing of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. Robespierre conducted a policy activity and alertness on the part of the cess advances in an extremely contradictory proletariat, as we have already said, could of a petty bourgeois, attempting to elevate party but by a struggle against the Left; manner: and because of capitalist encircle mean nothing but the restoration of capital himself to the absolute ruler. Hence the to put it more precisely, by the necessity ment, the counter action of the internal ism. But the politieal forms in which this struggle against the Left and against the for the apparatus to liberate itself for conanti proletarian forces and the incorrect resto would take place, these Right. proletarian revolutionist may also stant maneuvering between the Rights and policy of the leadership, it fails under the forms would alternate and how they would be compelled to conduct a struggle on two the Lefts. Here we have a similarity with influence of hostile forces.
combine that is an independent and com fronts, but only episodically. His basic Robespierre. Here are the roots upon which Can the contradictions of socialist con plicated question.
struggle is the one against the bourgeoisie: were nourished the Bonapartist features of struction, generally speaking, reach a degree It is clear that only sightless persons class against class. But petty bourgeois re his ruin. But Robespierre had no choice.
of tension under which they would blow up could think that the rebirth of compradore volutionists, even in the epoch of their his His zig zags denoted the convulsions of the the basis of socialist construction laid by capitalism is compatible with democracy.
torical apogee, have always and unalterably Jacobin régime.
the October revolution and strengthened by To anyone who can see, it is clear that a been compelled to conduct a struggle on two Is a consistent revolutionary policy in the subsequent economic successes, partic democratic counter revolution is excluded. fronts This is what brought about the the Soviet Union conceivable or inconceivularly by the successes of the Five Year But the concrete question of the possible gradual strangulation of the Jacobin party, able at present on a proletarian basis Plan? They can.
political forms of the counter revolution ad the mortification of the Jacobin clubs, which Robespierre did not have? And if it Possible Successors to Soviet Rule mits only of a conditional answer.
the bureaucratization of the revolutionary is conceivable, can it be calculated that this Under such a condition, what would Thermidor: in France and Russia terror, that is, to the self isolation of Robes policy will be supported early enough by a come as a substitute for the present Soviet When the Opposition spoke of the Ther. pierre which made it possible for the bloc revolution in other countries? Upon the society taken in its entirety (economy, class midorian danger, it had in mind primarily of his Right and Left enemies to remove reply to these two questions depends the es, state, party. the very important and considerable process him so easily.
evaluation of the perspective of the strugThe present regime, a transition from within the party. the growth of the stratum Differences and Similarities gle of the antagonistic tendencies in the capitalism to socialism, could give way only of Bolsheviks who have separated them The features of similarity with the economy as well as in the politics of the to capitalism under the condition mentioned selves from the mass, who feel secure, who Stalinist regime are very conspicuous here. Soviet Union. To both of these questions, above. It would be a capitalism saturated have connected themselves with non prole But the differences are profounder than the we Bolshevik Leninists reply in the affirmwith contradictions which exclude the possitarian circles and are satisfied with their similarities. Robespierre historic service ative and will continue to reply in the afbility of its progressive development. Be social condition, analogous to the stratum consisted of his merciless purging of society firmative so long as history does not show cause all these contradictions which, accord of bloated Jacobins who became, in part, of the feudal rubbish; but in the face of the contrary by facts and events, that is, ing to our hypothesis, might bring about the supports, and primarily the executive the future society, Robespierre was power by a merciless life and death struggle.
the blowing up of the Soviet régime, would apparatus of the Thermidorian overturn in less. The proletariat as a class was non In this and only this way can the proImmediately reconstitute themselves into in 1794, paving the road in this way for Bona existent, socialism could have had only a uto blem arise for revolutionists who feel themternal contradictions of the capitalist ré partism. Analyzing the processes of the pian character. The only real perspective selves to be the live forces in the procene, gime, they would very soon acquire even Thermidorian degeneration in the party, the could be the perspective of bourgeois devel in distinction from doctrinaries observe greater acuteness. This means that inside Opposition was far from saying that the opment. The fall of the Jacobin régime was the processes from the sidelines and disof the capitalist counter revolution there counter revolutionary overturn, were it to unavoidable.
member it into lifeless categories.
would be the elements of the new October occur. would necessarily have to assume The Lefts of those days, basing them We expect to return to this question revolution.
the form of a Thermidor, that is, a selves on the sans culottes, the property. in another connection in the coming numThe state is a superstructure. To con more or less lasting domination of the bour less plebeians a very insecure prop. could ber. Here we only wished to sweep away sider it independent of the character of the geoisified Bolsheviks, with the formal re not have their independent road. By this, the grossest and most dangerous misunderproductive relations and the forms of owner tention of the Soviet system similar to the the bloc with the Rights was predetermined, standings. The Left Opposition, at any rate, ship (as Urbahns, for instance, does in re retention of the Convention by the Thermi. Just as in the end the supporters of Robes has no reason for revising its basis so long lation to the Soviet state) means to re dorians. History never repeats itself, par pierre, in the vast majority, supported the as this revision is not placed on the order nounce the foundation of Marxism. But the ticularly when there is such a profound dif Rights in the future. This was the politi of the day by great historical events.
state no more than the party is a passive ference in class basis.
superstructure. Under the influence of the The French Thermidor had its foundaconvulsions emanating from the class tion in the contradictions of the Jacobin basis of society, new processes occur in the régime. But these very contradictions were state and party superstructure which with also the foundation of Bonapartism, that is, As our readers know, Albert Weisbord, the National Committee decided to bring in certain limits have an independent char the régime of the military bureaucratic dicwho was expelled from the party about a the whole question into the open through a tatorship, which the bourgroisie tolerated year ago, made certain approaches in reacter, and when combined with the processprincipled discussion.
es of the economic foundation Itself, may over itself so that, under cover of it, it cent months to the Left Opposition, and at times even represented himself as a supportAccordingly, a meeting of the New York acquire a decisive significance for the class could all the more securely take over the er of our principled standpoint. Those who branch was devoted to a thorough consinature of the whole régime, turning develop domination of society. In the Jacobin dichave read his statements and our replies deration of the principle basis of the three ments in one or the other direction for a tatorship, there were already included all considerable period.
factions in the Comintern and the fundathe elements of Bonapartism even though which we published in the Militant for the information of our readers, already know mental line of the International Left OpposiIt would be the worst form of doctrin they are found there in an undeveloped form, that on a number of the most important tion, which excludes the possibility of any arism, Urbahnsism turned inside out, to particularly the struggle with the sans eu.
questions he was separated from us by bloe with the Right wing. In this connecconsider that the fact of the nationalization lotte elements of the régime. The Thermi wide gulf. We pointed this out in our comtion, the question of our perspectives and of industry, supplemented by the high tempo dor became a necessary preparatory stage tasks as the Marxist wing of the movement ef development, in themselves assure an un toward Bonapartism and that is all.
ments on his declaration of last fall and It is again on his proposals for an unemployment were fully set forth. In order to give the interrupted development to socialism. re. not accidental that Bonaparte created the program.
members of the New York branch the full gardless of the processes in the party and bureaucracy of the Empire out of the JacAs his various statements showed, his opportunity of contrasting the opportunist the state. To think this means not to unobin bureaucracy.
and the revolutionary points of view, the deretand the functions of the party. Its Revealing in the present Stalinist régime political line in general represented an atnational committee took the responsibility double and treble function in the only coun. the elements of Thermidor and the elements tempt to substitute for the principle line of try of the proletarian dictatorship, at that for inviting Weisbord to attend the meeting Bonapartism, we are far from falling the Left Opposition, on nearly all the main an economically backward country. If we and expound his standpoint. As a result into contradiction, as is thought by those questions, a melange of opportunism and of this discussion, the unprincipled faction assume for a moment that those in charge to whom Thermidorianism and Bonapartism confusion borrowed in part from the Right maneuvers of Weisbord collapsed like a of industry, on the one hand, and the lead represent abstractions and not living ten wing and in pant from the Centrists. It was this conflict in principle between his house of cards. few of the younger coming strata of the workers, on the other, dencies, one growing over into the other.
rades who had been temporarily influenced break Joose from party discipline, which is What state form would be assumed by line and ours which obliged the National fused with that of the state, then the road by Weisbord prescription for a simple a counter revolutionary overthrow in Russia Committee of the League to reject his apand quick road to a mass movement, were to socialism will be blocked: nationalized were it to succeed (and that is far from be plication for membership. Upon his failure thereby enabled to arrive at a clearer judgIndustry would begin to be differentiated be ing so simple) depends upon the combina to gain admission into the Communist Leament. In the end, Weisbord opportunistic tion of a number of concrete factors, the gue, Weisbord then made an alternative protween the struggling groups, the conflicts between the trust administration and the first place on the degree of acuteness reachposal to collaborate with us in certain platform as well as his behind the scenes workers would begin to assume an open maneuvers to disrupt the Opposition, were ed by the economic contradictions at the phases of our activity until such time as.
political accord would make his membership repudiated.
character, the trusts would acquire an ever moment, on the correlation of the capitalist possible.
The branch showed its complete solidarity greater independence, the beginnings made and socialist elements in economy: further, with the line of the National Committee and in planning would naturally be reduced to on He represented himself as sympathetic declared itself in favor of a severance of all correlation of the proletarian Bolshezero, dragging along with them the mono viks and the bourgeois Bolsheviks. on the to our movement and anxious to work in relations with Weisbord. This decision was poly of foreign trade as well. All these pro groupings of forces within the army final. our direction. Taking his representations in formally made by the National Committee at cesses leading to capitalism would inevitably ly, on the specific gravity and character good faith, the National Committee decided its last meeeting.
amount to the crushing of the proletarian of the foreign intervention. At any rate, to accept his offer of collaboration and asdictatorship.
it would be the sheerest absurdity to think signed him to conduct a class in Marxian The Weisbord incident, insignificant Does the present party régime. In spite of that a counter revolutionary régime must economies in our school. In this capacity, enough in itself, is of value in affording a economic successes, threaten the party with necessarily go through the stages of the Weisbord was not long in demonstrating contrast between the Pepperistic method of the disintegration of bonds and discipline? Directorate, the Consulate and the Empire that he had by no means freed himself of unprincipled faction fighting and the methUndoubtedly. To underestimate the dangers in order to be capped by a restoration of the Pepperistic conception of politics in ods of the International Left Opposition. The of the decay of the party and state fabric, czarism. But no matter what the counter which he had received his party training. latter welcomes all Communists who are because of the economic successes, would revolutionary régime might be, the Ther He undertook to organize a secret factional attempting to break the unwholesome régime be crimina. The party, as a party, does midorian and Bonapartist elements, at any grouping in the Communist League on the in the party and the Comintern and to seek rate, would find their place in it, a bigger not even exist today. The Centrist appar opportunistic platform of a bloc between the their way platform. We stand ready to atus has strangled it. But the Left Opposi or smaller rôle would be played by the Left Opposition and the Lovestone Right assist them in every comradely way. But tion, which the Centrist apparatus fears Bolshevik Soviet bureaucracy, civil and mill wing against the official party. After some we will have nothing to do with those who like fire and under whose lash it performs tary and at the same time the régime it weeks of these unprincipled maneuvers of try to smuggle into the Opposition the con Its zig zags. does exist. It is precisely this Melf would be the dictatorship of the sword Weisbord reminiscent of the contemptible traband platform of opportuntem and the correlation between the Left Opposition and over society in the interests of the hour. methods of petty bourgeois politiclandom, petty bourgeois methods that always ac.
the Centrist apparatus that is a substitute geoisle and against the people. This is why with which the Pepper Lovestone leaders company it. The exit of Welebord serves to. nar nd keeps the Rights in check. it is so important at present to follow how poisoned the party life for so many years give point to this principle of conduct.
Exit Weisbord.