Ultra-leftism

Scan page 6

Workerism US imperialism.

For an examination of the clașs nature of the Soviet Union and an answer to the "state capitalist" position see Trotsky's books Revolution Betrayed and In Defence of Marxism.

A vague, comparatively new term, coined and generally used by petty bourgeois revisionist groups, to describe movements that are thought to be obsessively orientated towards the working class. Since it lacks any serious content, the term is not used in the pages of Socialist Press. Ultra-lettism amounts to a refusal to use bourgeois parliaments, elections or any tactics or manoeuvres in the struggle for socialism.

In particular it signifies a wrong position (Third Period. ism) on the fight against the reformist leaders.

In the Third and Fourth Congresses of the Third International it was recognised that the task of breaking workers from social democracy could not be achieved by proclamations.

The tactic of the United Front was adopted, involving calls on the social democratic leaders to engage in joint struggles alongside the Communists, so that the treachery of the social democrats could be exposed in practice.

Ultra-lefti m rejects such tactics, and i ttempts to substitute shrill de lunciations of the social democrats, and even the building of alternative "red' unions, for patient struggle among the mass of the working class.

The most catastrophic example of such a policy was in the period 1928-34, defined by Stalin as the Third Period-the final period of capitalism, heralding" its collapse and its replacement by soviets.

In line with this forecast Stalin directed the Communist International on a course "i". cr involved branging soca derscratic parties as scia es:= parties a^3 :-=:: = =: =Trs sea-ce: = = sas: =_= spilt in the powerfui German labour movement, which eventually facilitated in 1933 Hitier's rise to power.

For the Marxist position on bourgeois elections, the use of Parliament, and the reformist leaders, see Communism, Disorder.

Lenin, eft Wing An Infantile SECTARIANISM The substitution of fixed formulas and abstract propaganda for a constant study of objective conditions and active intervention and participation in the class struggle.

Sectarianism spearates the creation of a revolutionary programme from the need for the working class to accept it, and sees colitical discussion, not as a - ==-= astrument, but as a -=-porary expressions = sec:arianism can be seen in opposition to the tactic of voting for Labour in elections.

Sectarianism is often accompanied by a haughty and arrogant manner and a pronounced tendency towards intrigue, gossip and hysteria.

Scan page 7

IAL RES Iness December 1978 ar Frontism Centrism REFORMISM These "fronts" included not only the other mass workers' parties-the social democrats hitherto branded as "social fascists"-but also so-called "Progressive sections of the bourgeoisie" , who were supposedly allies of the working class in the struggle for democracy against fascism.

In order not to alienate such parties, the Popular Fronts were built on a programme which excluded socialist policies of nationalisation or any independent mobilisation of the working class. As a result the Spanish Popular Front paved the way for the victory of Franco in 1939.

This same policy of subordinating the workers' movement to bourgeois parties re-emerged in the post-war period, and is now the predominant policy of the Communist Parties of Western Europe and internationA general term for a party, political current or an individual vacıllating between reformism and revolutionary politics.

As Trotsky points out, the centrist hates all precise characterisations, and is "unable to understand that principles are not dead ballast, but a lifeline to a revolutionary swimmer"

MENSHEVISM The opportunist wing of the Russian Social Democratic Party The view developed by Bernstein and others in the German Social Democratic Party (2nd International) at the turn of the century that the ultimate goal of socialism could be achieved by the "gradual' "peaceful" and "democratic" reform of the capitalist system.

The material basis on which the ideas of reformism came to dominate the European labour movement-leading to the degeneration of the Second International-was the increasing prosperity of European capitalism as a result of the huge drive to colonise the world in Healey reformist ideas that they peddle.

This conflict brings with it the possibility of a complete break by whole sections of the working class from reformisn.

At such a point the role of the left reformists is to try and head off such a movement with their left wing rhetoric.

But these. spineless talkers (e.g. the Tribunites) are completely unwilling and indeed unable to lead a consistent fight against the right wing.

They are just as wedded to reformism as the most diehard right wing reformist.