The Theory of Stalinism and the Revolution 111 Span.
reOne of the surest marks of the philisBy MAX SHACHTMAN more dangerous.
tine in the revolutionary movement is his Paradoxically enough, it appears that contempt for the theories which underlie it. archists lie the threat to both of them of may upset the plans laid out for a na Moscow is not overdelighted by this cirNo more dangerous philistine inside the the permanent revolution, that is, of the tionally contented socialist utopia! Many cumstance in fact it may almost be and movement can be imagined than the one revolutionary proletariat coming to power have undoubtedly already observed how the that if the Spanish revolution swings Left. who conceals this contempt under the thin at the head of the popular masses.
Given official Communist press here (the Dally as Moscow now expects, Moscow will be cover of a vulgar practicalism. He who a resolute Communist party in Spain, im Worker) has paid less attention to the more embarrassed than pleased. One would protests, Yes, yes, theory may be all right, bued with the audacity that inspired Lenin, Spanish events than it has to a branch naturally have expected Pravda to salute but we must be practical, will always lead Trotsky and Russian Bolsheviks in 1917, meeting of the alleged Friends of the Sov the chance of a Spanish proletariat strugthe workers into the opportunist morass. the Spanish Kerenskys and Tchernovs can iet Union. Now let us see how the main gle for power with loud and glowing enAs for the Marxist, to whom the word prac be turned out and the revolutionary Soviet organs of Stalin in the Sovet Union evalu thusiasm and to appeal to the Spanish peotise has an infinitely more serious connota régime established in their place. sue ate Spain today. We will be more than ple to support and encourage their Spanish tion, he is guided by Lenin terse axiom: cessful proletarian revolt in Spain, which amply and instructively repaid by a couple comrades.
Without revolutionary theory no revolu is an absurdity only to such people as of lengthy quotations. Instead of that, Pravda first reaction tionary practise.
regarded a Bolshevik victory absurd in the was a dismal editorial, stalo as a damp One of the most highly perfected types Stalin on Spain early part of 1917, would not only be of squib. For, first, the Soviet Union is er of superficial practical people is Stalin. incalculable assistance to the Soviet Union, The first reliable dispatch from Mog cessively and perhaps unduly nervous about In his image, there has been created a but would give a mighty impulsion to the cow by Walter Duranty (New York Times, a war danger and views with alarm any whole school which permeates and poisons international proletarian revolution, primar 17 1931) gives the following illuminating event anywhere that may upset the Eurthe life and thought of the official Commun ily in Europe. From this standpoint, the information: opean status quo 80. The Soviet anist movement today. It is no accident that events in Spain must arouse the greatest xiety may be exaggerated, but it is quite comment on the Stalin called the invaluable theoretical dis The first Soviet enthusiasm among revolutionists, who look natural in view of the fact that this counin events in Spain appears the leading cussion which shaped Bolshevism in its upon today not only as the continuation of editorial in the newspaper Pravda today, try is in the position of a rider crossing struggle against Menshevism and other petty Yesterday but as the beginning of tomorrow.
a dangerous ford, where a sudden cloudbourgeois tendencies, a storm in a water but the organ of the Russian Communist burst ght eep him and steed away glass (1911. Party seems none too jubilant over the proAgain, it is characteristic It is true that the proletarian tomorrow Secondly, the Kremlin policy today of Stalin and his school that, in the strughas been retarded in Spain by the bureau spects of the revolutionary struggle which stands much more on the success of socialist gle against the Bolshevik Leninists (Op cratic régime, the ignorance and downright it clearly expects will follow Alfonso construction in Russia than upon world revposition) within the party, they constantly neglect of Stalinism. The Molotovs, who downfall.
olution. The Bolshevikl do not much like derided the latter as emigrés (with spe discover revolutionary situations where The unexpectedly pessimistic tone of to admit it, but it is a fact as a consequence cial reference to Trotsky, of course, but un there are none, who declared almost two Pravda, which more than Izvestia is the of the Kremlin previous conflict with Leon wittingly Lenin as well. in contrast years ago that it was France which was Kremlin mouthpiece. perhaps is to be Trotsky, who declared the existence of a entering with both feet into an era to those practical people who, like Stalin, of explained by Soviet anxiety lest the events genuine socialist state in a capitalist world remained in Russia between the first two great revolutionary events. are naturally in Spain disturb European peace during the Impossible.
revolutions and conducted the work at taken completely unawares by revolutionary present critical period of the five year plan. The Kremlin exiled Trotsky and set home while the others theorized abroad.
erents which break out in reality, and not Rightly or wrongly, it is believed here out to prove that he was wrong, which led This attitude is in the very nature of tenmerely in bureaucratic fantasy. The same that the peace of Europe hangs literally to the concentration of Soviet effort upon Ciency which Stalin represents Centrism, Molotovs, Kussinens, Manuilskys, and other on a thread, that the accumulation of arma the economic development embodied in the which, having no distinct theoretical founda shadows of Stalin, conduct themselves with ments and national hatreds are much great five year plan. These two reasons help to tion of its own, finds a substitute for it such brilliant strategical wisdom and a diser than before the war and make the pre explain Pravda embarrassment.
in the scraps it borrows from the stark play of the qualities of leadership, that sent situation no less dangerous than in clearer presentation of the case could opportunism of the Right wing and the when a revolutionary situation actually the Spring of 1914, and that Spanish fire hardly be requested. The difference be Marxian principles of the Left wing, and arises, they either tie the Communist party works might easily provoke general con tween the conceptions of socialism in one fuses into a formless, eclectic mass.
to the chariot of the enemy (to Chiang Kaiflagration.
country and of revolutionary internationalThe National Socialist Conception Shek in China, to Purcell in England, to ism stands reevaled not only in theory but Pilsudsky in Poland. or else carry on in In other words, the interests of socialalso in practise. Tested in the retort of the The eclecticism of the Stalinist faction such a manner that the offical Communist ist construction in the Soviet Union are Spanish events, it gives the following obthe world over is most clearly expressed in party is totally unprepared to play any directly counterposed to the interests of vious result: To Stalinism, the first conthe combination of the theory of socialism decisive role in the situation (July 1927 the world revolution, and the attitude which ception expresses itself concretely in setin one country and the mechanical, life events Vienna, the present day in Spain. welcomes the disturbance of capitalist ting up socialist progress in one country less. bureaucratic Internationalism which revolutionary situation of first magni equilibrium replaced by a timid pacifist fear against revolutionary progress in others, in it has foisted upon the parties of the tude in Spain and insignificant Comof the social convulsions wheh accompany a pacifist degeneration of Communism; to Comintern.
Centris: holds so tenaci munist party!
Stalini the proletarian struggle for power. This the Marxian wing of the movement (tho ously to the theory of national socialism wards the Communist International for its astounding standpoint is revealed in an Left Opposition. the strengthening of the does not at all refut our contention that long toleration of Centrist rule. But even even brighter light by the Duranty dispatch socialist sector in the country where the it is thoroughly imbued with profound the barriers set up by Stalinism are not of the following day (4 18 1931. proletariat has seized power is not only esscorn for Marxian theory. The nationalist insurmountable. In the heat of revolution The Soviet attitude toward the events sential itself. but more than that, it is conception of Stalin Bucharin arose and ary struggle, a Communist party can be in Spain is extraordinarily interesting and Inseparable from the advance of the revoluachieved its dominant position in the Comforged and tempered with unusual rapidity.
in a sense highly revealing. It had long tion in other countries and le directly demunist movement only because of the retarTo what extent, in what sense will the been accepted here as, for that matter, by pendent upon it.
dation of the world revolution, because a ruling bureaucracy contribute towards this the rest of the world that the position of An Objection Answered period of reaction set it after the proletarend? It has already given a provisional rethe Spanish monarchy was precarious.
There only remains to answer in adian defeats in 1923 1924, reaction ply to this question. In it is expressed in Too such connoisseurs in revolutionvånce and it is not difficult to do it the against the revolutionary perspectives which flowed from a Marxian evaluation of our the crassest manner the reactionary signi ary science as the Bolsheviki it was inevit objection which it is also not difficult to epoch.
ficance of the theory of socialism in one able that each day delay in the proclamaforesee. Unable to refute the argument on For some seven years now, the Left country. The practical people now ap tion of a republic which logically should its own merits, our Centrists will take repear Opposition has conducted an intransigent the scene as onlookers from afar fuge behind the declaration that the quobave occurred six months ago must surwho are anxious and disturbed by the re erheat the revolutionary forces to an extations made above are taken from Durstruggle against this conception. Nobody initiated into the elements of Marxism has volutionary events in Spain because they tent that would make the final explosion anty, a bourgeois correspondent, in the New York Times, a tourgeois paper. The objecbeen able to defend it. That is why the tion is not worth a copper, and is insincere official defense of the Stalinist version to boot, for the objectors know better than of national socialism begins and ends, in what value should be attributed to Durthe Communist party, with the summary anty dispatches. Whoever has been to the organizational suppression of those who opofl. Continued from page 4)
This, it appears, produced a certain pose it. Unofficially, it is confidentially de.
Soviet Union and understood the mechaneffect.
ism of the Stalin apparatus, especially of fended in this way: It is true that as who declared that the Political Bureau no its information system, knows that Duranty a theory it does not hold water from a have recently had the occasion to longer exists, but only a group of four. Marxian point of view; but it nevertheless speak with a provincial member of the occupies one of the most imortant steps on Stalin, Molotov. Kaganovitch and Ord Central Control Commission, an old friend.
the backstairs of the Kremlin today. For gives the Russian working class a practical jonikidze. But Syrzoy submitted right away.
He declared flatly that the majority of the that matter, merely to have read his daily perspective towards which to strive.
They tell how, during the transfer of the To this disgraceful cynicism, which pre.
members of the were in their very dispatches for the last few years should affairs of the People Commissariat of the tends to believe that at its worst the idea hearts with Bucharin position, and that suffice to indicate conclusively that he acR. to Sulimov. he broke out they consider the present situation in the curately describes the policy of the can no particular harm, the Opposition into sobs and generally acted like a milkhas replied: Ideas do not live in the clouds.
party catastrophic. Bucharin is right; as in domestic and international afsop. He said while whimpering that all for Stalin, he is ruining the country, those fairs from the intimate point of view of They shaped by conditions and events.
his political actions ought to be considered are his actual words. And they are comthe Stalin faction.
But in turn, they help to shape events. The the result of his sick condition, that his idea that a classless socialist society can pletely overwhelmed by the organizational In the upper circles, at least, of the nerves are upset, that he needs a cure, American Communist Party he is tacitly rebe established within the boundaries of one measures taken against Rykov and Buchetc.
country alone (and in agriculltural Russia arin. The state of nervous panic of these garded as an entirely authentic spokesman of the ruling régime. It is from a faithful members of the is obvious from at that) providing only that it is guaranteed It is extremely interesting to recall the fact that after having interrupted the study of his dispatches that the party leadagainst military intervention has already the declaration made by Stalin in a conconversation in the middle of the seners receive their first intimations regarding had far reaching historical consequences of versation with Lominadze at the time the new policies and new winds in the Soviet tence, he held his head and ran out of the disastrous dimensions. From this idea latter enjoyed his full confidence; The flowed not only our ruinous alliance with Union, and they act in strict accordance Communist International represents nothing room. Another, more outstanding member such anti interventionists as Purcell and with them, quite confident that the official by itself and is kept up only by the aid of the expressed himself, according Informaiton that comes later on will conto my friend, in the following way: BeCo. and with such fighters against imperof the Communist Party of the Soviet Unfore, it was Trotsky who was right against form in every essential with Duranty outialism as Chiang Kai Shek, but in the ion. Withdraw the support and nothing Stalin; now it Bucharin.
lines. It is to be expected that the scriv.
long run, something even more pernicious.
will remain of the Comintern. This as.
eners of the party press will assume a The international Communist movement is sertion is extraordinarily cynical, even for highly esteemed member of the comical posture of righteousness and inbeing transformed from Stalin! Lominadze used it in the factionmilitant instruC. replies to the question, What does he dignation because we quote Duranty as an ment of working class offensive into a faral struggle. Stalin, of course. denies the think of the Syrzov Lominadze faction? authentic representative of Stalin. The flung system of frontier guards for the whole conversation.
by saying, In general, don do any more posture will be especially ridiculous to any. from the organization of the world thinking. Further, during the discussion body who knows the editorial workings of revolution into a pacifist defense organiza The last declaration of repentance by at the Central Committee plenum on the the Daily Worker and Freiheit intimately.
tion.
Bucharin, which, as is known, was more or Bucharin question, a very spicy detail was Aside from the two or three lines received The recent years of revolutionary his less accepted by the Central Commitee, and revealed about Miliutir. He kept on inter once in a while by Inprecorr cable. the tory have unfortunately given more than for criticism of which Boguschevsky, the rupting Bucharin with insolent remarks: current Russian news of these two party one sorry instance of this humiliating con ever servile bootlicker, was covered with Tell us rather about yourself, and so on. dailies is composed almost exclusively of version. Today, the official attitude of the abuse, was preceded by the following events. Bucharin could contain himself no longer badly re written copies of Duranty disStalinist bureaucracy towards the revolu At one of the meetings of the Central Com and retorted: And you better tell us how patches. The latter are the first to be cliptionary events Spain contribute further mittee, where he was thoroughiy riddled, you were first in our ranks. The party ped by the editor and handed to a hack to proof of the reactionary effects of the theory Bucharin left weeping, and then turned in knows nothing about it, does it? That is be re written, sometimes as a special reof socialism in one country.
the declaration demanded of him. In party how it was revealed that Milutin fell dir port to the Daily Worker. We hope that Wherein lles the immense revolutionary circles the rumor obstinately persists, and ecty from the followers of Bucharin into this anticipatory reply will save us the significance of the events in Spain? In a It is very close to the truth, that Bucharin the rank of his traducers. That is how pain of witnessing another parade of outfew words it is this: Under the surface of threatened the Political Bureau to commit the ardor of his over anxious zeal is to be raged virtue by the journalistic Tartuffes the victory of the republicans over the mon suicide if the persecutions were not called explained.
of the party.
a Behind the Scenes in the Russian Party