Perspectives Of Marxism The and Union Unity WE up.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1932 THE MILITANT PAGE persist in their backwardness in the domain of Socialist theory, it does not mean that they will remain backward always.
It is possible to venture without much risk a contrary phophecy: the longer The Stalinist Policies Fail to Meet the Test of the Situation Open Letter by Leon Trotsky to Calverton on the Revolutionary Intellectuals el cale celotne ehe nimetus poration belongs to tead al company strom dere beste best one wrought by a false trade union policy.
Dear Comrade Calverton cussion club into the street. But to dis bitions, means to protect mental laziness, revolutionary thought when its have received your pamplilet, For pute about a revolutionary party with to yield to the worst Philistine prejudice, will strike. And it is nour. The over, they will consider the advisability trade union amity fully cognizant of the Revolution. and read it with interest such subs is a waste of time. What we and to be doomed to demoralization. On elevation of revolutionary theory to new of the six hour day slogan and even furt that the forces as well as advantage to myself. Your are talking about are the other, more seri this subject, hope we shall not have heights can be looked for in the next state that it is necessary to pay atten are in constant motion. Hence the proof class relations arguments against the American ons Marxists, who are in no way inclined any differences with you.
few decades from two sources: the Asia tion to the question of trade union uncess of unity cannot remain the same knights of pure reform are very con to be scared by revolutionary action, but The policy of the proletariat has the East and America.
ity vincing, certain of them are really splen whom the present Communist party dis great theoretical tradition and that is at every stage or in every sphere. While did. But, so far as understand your quiets by its low theoretical level, buone of the sources of its power. train in the course of the last hundred odd The proletarian movement has displaced Will There Be a Change of Polley revolutionists have the general road to inquiry, what you wanted from me was, reaucratism and lack of genuine revolu ed Marxist studies the differences be years its national center of gravity SovIn general the whole question of trade their goul definitely marked out, the not literary compliments, but politionury initiative. At the same time, tween Engels and Lassalle with regard eral times. England, France, Germany question of independent unions by split ca depends entirely upon the nature of union policy, and in particular, the method of making the curves encounter.
tical evaluation. shall be all the more they say to themselves, that is the party to the European war of 1860 willing to grant your request since the which stands furthest to the Left, which essary to do so. But if he is not a of the home of Socalism and Marxism. trade unton unity is due for some seri are not bound in advance, nor can It is nec Russia this was the historical sequence ung od minorities versus the issue of the curves and territors traversed. We problems of American Marxism have ac is bound up with the Soviet Union and pedant of Marxist historiography, not a The present revolutionary hegemony of ous attention by the Comintern and the lay down in advance, any specitle form quired at the present time an extraordin which represents it in a certain sense. Lookworm but a proletarian revolution ry importance.
Is it right to attack it, is it permisible ary, it is a thousand times more imporRussia can least of all claim durable various parties. That is not only fun or formulat which will fit the various character. The fact itself of the existicated in the compelling force of devel. Situation which arise. Our slogans, our By its character and structure, your to criticize it?
tant and urgent for him to elaborate forence of a Soviet Union, especially before opmets of the class struggle but also tactics and our methods while sitting pamphlet was most appropriate for the STALINISM DRIVES himself an independent opinion about the the proletarian victory in one of the ad. in the shifting winds within the Comin into a general strategy must also be thinking representatives of the academic revolutionary strategy in China from 1925 vanced States, has naturaly an immeastern.
su moldiet and applied that they baryouth. To ignore this group would, INTELLECTUALS TO QUANDARY to 1932. it was precisely on that ques urable mportance for the workers move in vermany, for example, the official monize with each spreific stage of deany case, be out of the question: on the The opportunist and adventurist vicestion that the struggle within Bolshevlem ment of all countries. But the immediate party lias attained a mass basis. But velopment.
contrary, it is necessary to know it and first reached the state of an explosion influence of the Moscow ruling faction it has, of course, pursued the Comin Two years ago the Left Opposition ad.
talk to it in its language. Ilowever, you of the present leadership of the ComImpossible yourself have frequently masized in munist International and of its America ing a position in a question on which ready become a brake on the development The Independent, revolutionary un trades union in the form of proposing to be a Marxist without tak upon the Communist International has al. tern policy of splitting the trade unions. vancel the unity slogan for the needle of capitalism can be affected only by the useless to repeat within the framework tuturende al moet water to that is, the ideology of Bolshevdem has been res sequently the German delegation went tween the party directed industrial unmentary to a Marxist that the overthrow plass. lu any case, it is impossible and with the ion and the ILGWU. Today we propose, proletariat. The revolutionary education of this letter what apparatus. It is not necessary to prove slogan to conquer Lozovsky but not to as a step toward unity, that the indusof its vanguard, you rightly proclaim as in a series of ludependent works. A11 AMERICAN MARXISM the disastrous consequences of this ro annihilate him. They counted on the trial union should declare its readiness the chief task. But in your amphlet, questions of theory, strategy, tactics and AT CROSS ROADS gime: It suflees to point to the leader support of Piatnitzky. But that was to re enter in a body into the ILGWU do not find the bridge to that task, nor organization end by becoming the object ship of the American Communist Party. before Stalin intervened. After that the on the condition of trade union demany indication of the direction in which it of deep divergences within Communism.
It is very useful to study. bet. The liberation from the witless bureau idea of splitting and creating indepen ocratic rights being guaranteed. In this must be sought.
formed, which have suceeded in demon. ists on the character of the future Kus: cratie command has become a question dent unions all along the line won out there is no change of general polley: CALVERTON OMITS strating their character in the course of sian revolution; naturally, according to of life and death for the revolution and completely. One of the German dele only the formula for realization of unthe great events and problems of recent first hand authorities, and not the iguor for Marxism.
REVOLUTIONARY REALITIES of necessity, NO gates reproached Platnitzky: Bat comity has changed years. The struggles among them have ant and disloyal compilations of the eplYou are totally right; the vanguard of rade Piatnitzky you spoke yesterday in all to correspond to the relation of la this a reproach ou my part? Both taken on all the sharper character since gones. But incommensurably more im the American proletariat must come to an entirely different vein. Wherenpon forces which have become more favor yes and no. In its essence your little on the Soviet Union every differeuce with portant is it to elaborate for oneself a base itself on the revolutionary traditions the latter answered laconically: Yes, able to the Right wing. The proposal book represents an answer to that kind of the current ruling group leads to imme clear understanding of the theory and of its own country too. In a certain that was yesterday.
of two years ago did not attempt to petty bourgeois radical (In America they dlate expulsion from the party and to practice of the Anglo Russian commit sense we can admit the slogan, Ameri But within the Comintern the turn define direct sense the relations seem to be wearing out the threadbare state repressions. The Marxist intelli tee, of the third period. of social canize Marxism! It does not mean toward the Right has since become more to the F of while the present dir name of liberals) who is ready to cgentsia in the United States as well as Vascisin. of the democratic dictator certainly, to submit its foundations and unmistakable. Many of the lesser buretly implies inclusion within it. Such cept the boldest social conclusion on con in other countries is placed before au ship In Spain, and the policy of the un methods to revision. The attempt of Max reaucrats, who want an end to the pol questions, of course, must also be deterdition that they involve no political ob alternative: either tacit international the last analysis justified by the fact lalistle dialectic in the interests of the again turning upon Lozovsky, not mere. relation of forces in ench specific in.
ligation. Socialism? Communism? AD to support the Communist and obediently led front. The study of the past is in Eastman to throw overboard the matericy of trade union splits, are therefore mined primarily upon the basis of the archism? All very good battu no other as it is, or to be included in the camp of that it helps one to orientate himself in engneering art of revolution repre ly to conquer him, but also to annihil tance.
way than that of reform. To transform the counter revolution and the social the present.
sents an obviously hopeless and in its ate him. The formula, by which he won In the minefields today, on the other from top to bottom society, morality, the ascists. part of the intelligentsia Impermissible for Marxist theoretician possible consequence retrograde adven them over in the past; that just as the hand, we have a situation of a differ family? Splendid! but by all means chooses the tirst way, with closed or to pass by the congresses of the First ture. The system of Marxism has com revolutionary unions are schools for ent character. In the soft coal fields with the permision of the White House half closed eyes, it follows the official International. But a thousand times pletely passed the test of history. Communism so are the reformist unlons the UMW of broke down, the rebel and of Tammany. Aguinst these preten Party. Another part wanders without a more urgent is the study of the living pecially now, in the epoch of capitalist schools for capitalism; that formula is forces within became the majority and tlous and fruitless tendencies you dove party home, defends where it can the differences concerning the Amsterdam decline of wars and revolutions, storme now used as the noose with which to found no alternative but the formation of lop as said before, victorious argumen Soviet Union from slander, and occuples anti war congress of 1982. What is the and shocks the materialistic dialectic hang him and his policy. But such a new, independent union. Nevertheless tatlon. But this dispute thereby inevit itself with abstract sermons in favor of value, in effect, of the sincerest and fully reveals its indestructible force. To methods of change, of course, can not the unity issue in pored there and has ably takes on the character of a domestic the revolution without indicating through warmest sympathy for the Soviet Union Americanize Marxism signifies to root it serve at all to educate the revolution been advanced correctly by the Left op debate in an intellectual club where which sate they can go to meet it The if it is accompanied by indifference to in American soll, to verify it against the ary cadres.
there is a reformist and a Marxist wing. difference between these two groups, the methods of its defense?
events of American history, to explore Should these shifting winds not fully with the UMW Of but of the various So thirty and forty years ago tu Peters however, is not so great. On both sides by its methods the problems of American succeed in affecting a change at this new miners unions against it, and in burs and Moscow the academic Marxist it in an atidicat top uirum athae creation de for a revolutionary, more gripping, more world revolutionary expertence under the forces of class relations will soon exere this field, as elsewhere, the formula Is there now a theme more important economy and politice, to assimilate the moment we may expect that the actual this sense also against the F of Russia pass through the stage of cupi courageous struggse for it, which is pre burning than the struggle and the fate viewpoint of the tasks of the American a sufficiently strong pressure in that respond to the existing conditions, beflowed over the dam since that time on both sides we have a type of fellow uile, on the other hand, totx one rela: approach it with the shirt sleeves rolled the question of these fudependent, Te cause it is primarily determined by the The very necessity of tuking the question tarveler and not an active builder of the tions to the problems of the German rev.
olutionaryunions and the liquidation relation of forces. But while the for.
as you do in your pamphlet throws a proletarian party. Certainly, a fellow olution while passing by the differences NEW VISTAS BEFORE of that kind of splitting polley is posed mula is quite different from that of the in the camp of German and international glaring light on the political backward traveler is better than an enemy. But as acutely here as, for example, Ger needle trades it is still essentially the ness of the United States, technological Marxist cannot be a fellow traveler of Communism? revolutionary who has many. Not at all. Nor do we attempt some general policy.
ly the most advanced country in the the revolution, and besides, the expert. Thaelmann is not a Marxist. Marxist no opinion on the policies of Stalin COMMUNISTS to draw a direct analogy. But we do To the party leadership these ques world. Insofar as you neither can norence of history bears witness that On the occasion nt strikes in the Unl contend that the increased speed of the tions are still anathema. Can they rehave the right to tear yourselt out of the most decisive moments the storm of who has an opinion but remalus silent ted States, where the decomposing cen. class relations in motion compels much main so very long? Obviously not. It the American background, there is no re the struggle burls the majority of the is not a revolutionary.
ter of the First International was trans more serious consideration of this ques will also be compelled to take cognixproach in my words.
intellectual fellow travelers into the en It is not enough to preach the utility of ferred, Marx wrote, on July 25, 1877 to thon than heretofore.
ance of the development of the relation to bulla Engels: The porridge is beginning to of forces within the trade union field. In Yet at the same time there is a recmy camp. If they still return, it is technology: it is necessary The Unorganized and the of prouch, since. beside pamphlets and clubs only after the victory has been conso bridges. What would be thought of a boil, and the transfer of the center of the future, the question of trade union where academic discussions for and lidated. Maxim Gorky is the most color. young doctor who, instead of working in the International to the United States such consideration involves primarily policy will have more far reaching imagainst revolution are carried on, in the ful but not the only example. In the self with reading the blographies of great days later, Engels answered him: Only main problems: the organization of ranks of the American proletariat, with present Soviet apparatus, incidentally, If the revolutionary party is to have all the backwardness of its movement, clear to the top a very important surgeons of the past? What would Marx twelve years after the abolition of bond organized and activity within the Aany influence upon the future course of there are different political, and among percentage of people stood fifteen years have said about a theory which, instead slavery, and the movement has already of Essentially the policy of organt. the trade union movement le costs of them, revolutionary grouplugs.
You say ago openly the other side of the of deepening revolutionary practice, achieved such acuteness! They both, xation of the organized adopted by the of all, return to the policy of active nothing about them Your pamphlets barricades.
would serve to separate one from it? Marx and Engels, were wrong. But a party in 1928, in the shaping of which work within this movement. It should does not mention a word about the 30 MARXISM NO DOGMA Most probably he would repeat his sar in the other cases, they were wrong as we, who are today in the left opposi now be in a position to draw a balance called Socialist party, nor the Commun castle sentence, No, am not a Marx to tempo, but not as to direction. The tion, bad a considerable part, still re from its period of creation of ist.
great porridge from the other side of mains correct. The potentialities in this revolutionary unions. The result will, ists, nor the transitional formations, not GUIDE TO ACTION to speak of the struggling factions with All the evidence is that the present the ocean begins to boll; the turn in the Held have not grown los today but have of course, appenr quite negative but in Communism. This means that you It is necessary to remember that crisis will be a great milestone in the development of American capitalism will rather increased That will be even more it can and should become a starting are talking to nobody in particular and Marxism both interprets the world and political rond of the United States. The inevitably provoke a blossoming of crit the case in the future period of rising point for a new orientation, an orienta calling them to nowhere in particular. teaches how to change it. The will is the self sufficient American provincialism Lical and generalizing thought, and per struggles and therefore becomes decisivetion toward trade union unity. Within You explain the inevitability of the rev moving element in the domain of knowl. in any case nearing its end. Those com haps in not so long time as from the for our orientation. But this question that general orientation should be coolution, but the intellectual who is com edge, too. Lf Marxism loses its will to monplaces which invariably nourished transfer of the theoretical center of the cannot entirely await a future settle ordinated the coorts of a correct policy ment; it demands a correct preparation of organization of the unorganized tovinced by you can quietly smoke his cigar transform political reality, it loses the American political thought in all its ram. International to New York.
understand it. The Marxistifications are completely worn out. All Before the American Marxist ette to the end and go on to the order ability gether with active work in building a of the day. Insofar there is in my words who, for one secondary consideration or classes need a new orientation. radi virtually grandiose, breath taking per. Today the only trade union busere Left wing within the existing mass sembling a mass character is the unions, of and the kindred unions of the railI would not put this circumstance in the end, betraye Marxism. To overlook but also of the fixed capital of political With sincere greetings. ARNE SWABECK.
roud brotherhoods. It would be foolish the first place if it did not seem to me the different Communist factions, so as ideology, Is imminent. if the Americans Prinkipo, Nov. 4, 1932 TROTSKY.
to contend that things will always rethat your political position as conceive not engage and compromise oneself, sigIt from your articles is typical of through all its contradictions, forms the MILITANT SPEAKS FROM main so. As a matter of fact, as the PARTY nities to ignore the activity which narrow PLATFORM OF OPPOSITION quite numerous and theoretically very ed down toward embracing All of has constantly red trades IN NEWARK, valuable stratum of left intelligentsia in Vanguard of the class; It significs to exclusively, it is well to pay attention the United States.
cover oneself with the abstraction of the to the possibilities of organization with very interesting lecture was arrangINTELLECTUALS FEAR revolution, as with a shield, from the blows and bruises of the real revolution in the basic and unorganized industries ed by our Newark branch on Sunday, arising entrely as a new movement. That December 4, at the Hungarian Workers ary process.
CONSEQUENCES OF CLARITY than five. Postage will be extra. In should also mean possibilities for a new Home. The lecture was delivered by When the Left bourgeois Journalista HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN To talk of the Hillquit Thomas party summarily defend the Soviet Republic AS REVOLUTION lots of ten and more we will give a militant base. But even that gives no comrade Basky on the subject as a tool of the proletarian revolution it is, they acomplish a progressive and Volumes two and three of the History reduction of two cents on a pamphlet. reason whatever to assume that the world crisis and the immediate tasks of is evidently out of the question. With praiseworthy work. For a Marxist rev. of the Russian Revolution by comrade lot of ten will sell for thirty cents Fof will pass out of existence. Nor the Communist parties. An unusually them out having achieved in the slightest de olutionary, it is absolutely insufficient. Trotsky will be out in January. The plus postage it ordered from us at one should the revolutionary rolley be pre large crowd turned out, among gree the power of European reformism. The tusk of the October revolution, do price of a boxed set of all three is five or more can sell them one at a even the most favorably variant of tu. Before the floor was turned over to the contrary, many party members and sympathizers.
American Social Democracy has appro not forget, has not yet been accomplish 10. 00. They may be bought singly or time, of course. The idea behind the lot ture possibilities would still not elimin speaker, a party comrade, representing priated all its vices, and barely passed ed. Only a parrot can find satisfaction in sets or two at a time.
childhood, has already fallen into what in the repetition of the words, the vicWe know that a great many of our requirement is to cut down the exces ate the question of trade union unity. the Unemployed Council of Newark re.
the Russians call dos senility. hope tory is assured. No, it is not assured comrades and readers are anxious to sive cost of postage which is terrific. If the revolutionets are able to build quested the floor to speak on outrageous that you will agree with this evaluation The victory is a problem of strategy. read and study these books but are un THE PUBLISHING FUND up some strength within the unlons they brutalities the Hunger Marchers received and perhaps explain these considerations There is no book which indicates in ad able to pay for them at one blow. For will also be able to participate in deter. at the hands of the authorities. He called upon the meeting to register its proComrades may order now. It will help mining conditions for units.
on many future occasions. But in the vance the correct orbit for the first work them we offer the following arrangeviews test. Comrade Basky supported his call pamphlet For Revolution you did not ers State. The head does not and can ment: they may begin now to pay for considerably. The funds raised for this. These, in general, were our speak word about Social Democracy not exist which can contain the comthem on an installment plan: when they purpose will be used exclusively for when we participated in shaping the and suggested the adoption of a resoluIt is Why? It seems to me because, after plete formula for Socialist society. The have paid up we will ship them coples getting out the pamphlet. too correct party policy. But, subsequently, tion of protest, to be sent by the meeting speaking of Social Democracy, you would roads of economy and politics must still of the volumes they want. We would early to speak of a publishing fund. But following our expulsion, the polley bel to president Hoover, demanding the right Instead of the Hunger Marchers to present their have had to slve an evaluation of the be determined through experience and like to ship the books on credit but that is the direction in which we are come completely emasculated.
Communist party too and this is not only created collectively, that is, in permanent we are unable to do so. Our very bad headed. This can very well be the be of organization of the unorganized we petition to Congress. resolution to this effect was drawn up, adopted by delicate but also an exceedingly reconflicts of ideas. Marxist who limita financial situation makes it impossible ginning of it. The idea is to raise had the withdrawal of the militant min the meeting and sent by wire.
sponsible question, which imposes obliga himself to a summary sympathy, without to invest any money in this. We will und to be used only for the publionority sections from the of un ions. The TUEL was taken off The lecture of comrade Basky, preits tions and leads to consequences. Per taking part in the struggle on questone keep accurate records and issue receipts ton of literature.
haps may be mistaken in thinking so of collectivization, industrialization, the as we go along. There will be no erOUR SCHEDULE path as the center of the Left wing senting the position of the Left Oppostwith respect to you personally but many regime of the Party, etc. stands no rors from this end.
within the mass unions. It was transton on the world crisis and counterposAmerican Marxists This fund will be devoted in the next formed into a revolutionary center to ing the Marxian Leninist policies of the obviously and higher than the progressive bourgeois of THE UNEMPLOYMENT PAMPHLET period to getting out ostentatiously avoid fixing their posithe type of Duranty, Iouis Fischer, etc. following organise revolutionary unions from Left Opposition to those of the Stalinist The raging financial crisis has made works: after the unemployment tion with respect to the Party. They mut on the contrary, lower because hej it necessary to postpone for a while the pblet will come What the Lett Oppoole erically small, sectarian and kept in pam the top down which all remained num leadership of the party, was followed by the audience with consider themselves friends of the Soviet misuses the name of revolutionary.
he greatest attention.
Union, sympathize with Communisin, publication of the two popular Marxist tion Stands For by comrade Shachtman: leading strings. This conld serve only After the lecture comrade Nagy, chairwrite articles about Hegel and the in mau burl with great problems, to re ago. From the enthusiasm which greet. The Only Road by comrade Trotsky; and in undisputed control. Generally speak well known functionary of the party to avoid a time Soviet Economy by comrade Trotsky: the Fof bureaucracy leaving it man, called upon comrade Leltoer, a evitabllity of the revolution and that is main diplomatically silent and wait, or ed our announcement we know that a reprint of the Draft Program and the ing the reactionaries galned at the expresent all still that is not enough, since the still worse, to quiet oneself with the many will be keenly disappointed by Strategy as one work, which they really pense of the revolutionists. In the same subject, offering him the floor for instrument of the revoution is the party, thought that the present struggle within this delay. But it could not be helped are.
Is it not?
South, whatever unionism is left is in whatever time he deemed necessary for Bolshevism is a question of personal am We are getting around to the first one. We are unable to assign dates now the hands of the AF of In the needle an adequate discussion of the question. would not like to be misunderstood Under the tendency to avoid the prac Unemployment and the American work for these. The financial crials plays trades the F of has gained. In the Comrade Leitner spoke for forty min permit myself to refer you to a ing Class by comrade Swabeck. If we ducks and drakes with our plans. But mine fields new independent unions have ates, quite objectively. He made a very tical consequences of a clear position. New York weekly paper, The Militant, are able to keep anywhere near for the publishing fund is the key to the replaced the TUUL And to complete sincere, but unsuccessful attempt to do ac far from understanding the concern and a series of books and leaflets issued schedule it should be out toward the problem. We will return to this theme the picture practically the same condi tend the Stalinist policies of the party.
well being. Admittedly by the Ploneer Publishers. The paper end of January. It will be about twenty again.
tions obtain throughout the union beld. After his speech the floor was thrown there are many qurol Marxists whom the as well as the publishing house belongs four pages, printed on newsprint, and open for questions which were answered Communist party repels by its aim of to the Communist League of Ameriea will well for five cents. We will sell The Question of Trade Union Unity USE THE CLUB PLAN. GET SUBS by comrade Basky.
bringing the revolution out of the dis. 126 16th Street, New York City. them from New York In lots of not leoFOR THE MINERA.
This is the pleture of devastation open today.
Pioneer Publishers Notes the the