A Marxist analysis needed as basis t reconstruct the Fourth International

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Italian CP leader Berlinguer with Yugoslav President Tito so called 'EuroCommunism' no threat to Stalinist regimes completely to exclude discussion on the counter-revolutionary politics of Stalinism, and centre instead on the secondary issue of 'democracy'-both within the British CP and within the Soviet Union.

In the public discussion between IMG spokesman Robin Blackburn and the CP's Monty Johnstone on Trotsky and Revolutionary Strategy in Europe" the IMG's debating society attitude to Stalinism came out clearly.

Blackburn's contribution attempted to compare the size of the British CP to that of the French section of the USFI.

He advised Johnstone:

"I think you should therefore seriously study the strategy and tactics that Trotskyists have debated over the last decades."

In this way Blackburn reduces differences between Trotskyism and Stalinism to a question of numbers, or simply "wrong" tactics adopted by Stalinist parties.

HEAD OFF This leaves out completely the fact that the British CP leadership is not looking, and has no intention of looking for tactics to mobilise the working class in struggle. They are looking for manoeuvres to head off and defuse workers' struggles in the name of 'peaceful coexistence' Blackburn goes further, and gives us a revealing insight into the reactionary political implications of the IMG's current "unity" campaign. the Stalinists, Blackburn leaves out any reference to the Fourth International. And he attempts to pass off the history of Trotsky's struggle against Stalinism as a series of isolated 'specific contributions' to understanding the development of And, having swept the Trotskyist movement contemptuously to one side, Blackburn extends a friendly hand to the Stalinists, calling for 'the creation of a united Marxist party... There is a burning need for a framework of united action for all Marxists to the left of the Leaving aside the dubious notion that the British CP in practice stands to the left' of the Labour Party, this incredible statement hands every Stalinist tree creaentials as a "Marxist"

For this reason the British CP has gladly. accepted the "left' credentials handed to it by the IMG, and sent speakers to participate in set piece discussions.

And the IMG has responded by remaining silent throughout the 'debate' on the treacherous practice of the British Stalinists in the class DEPTHS Such are • the depths to which Mandel's British follow ers have sunk. But their inability t o analyse or fight Stalinism is shared by other forces within the motley 'United' Secretariat.

Until a few weeks ago fartian Mandel u the main ithin the from international affiliation).

But in the wake of the SWP convention this August a hasty marriage has been rushed through in which the LTF has dissolved itself into the majority tendency.

Certainly the SWP shares Mandel's complete confusion on the role of Stalinism and the processes that have produced the phenomenon of so-called Euro-Communism.

PROGRESSIVE

The SWP accepts Mandel's notions that Western CPs have criticised the regimes in Eastern Europe and the USSR because of 'pressure from the masses' , and that such criticism is progressive.

It has gone one further, and offered some 'advice' to these Stalinist leaders as how best to defend themselves from the Kremlin. For instance Intercontinental Press has this to say of Moscow's attack on Carrillo's book:

'The weak response of Carrillo's French and Italian allies to this attack • does not augur well for their 'independence' from Moscow. If they do not put up more of a fight they will either be forced to isolate themselves from the radicalising masses in their own countries or be decimated by Kremlin factional operations.

In his June 27 news conference, Carrillo boasted that his party 'may have means of defending itself that are greater than those of a state. In fact a CP can defend itself effectively only by means of support from the workers of its own country. And winning such support requires putting the workers interests above those of 'peaceful coexistence' with the capitalists nationally and internationally.

Otherwise the non-ruling CPs may be torn to pieces by the contradictions of Stalinist opportunism'.

The SWP don't attempt to inform baffled readers why these CP's should suddenly pay attention to the 'workers' interests" after years of betrayals.

Instead, by fostering the illusion that mass Stalinist parties can be transformed into parties responsive to the revolutionary demands of the working class the SWP is dredging up all the worst confusion and blunders which brought the split in the Trotskyist movement in 1953 and the unprincipled reunification' of 1963.

DEGENERATION

Another major participant in those events, the leadership of the present-day Workers Revolutionary Party, gives the appearance of a correct analysis of the nationalist tendencies within the mass nonruling Communist Parties.

But the theoretical degeneration of the WRP distorts this analysis.

For instance, while. correctly attacking the use of the term 'Euro-Communist' to describe these nationalist tendencies, the WRP proceed to argue for the parallel term "Euro-Stalinist'-restricting its application to Europe.

This is of course wrong. These pressures within the Stalinist movement are worldwide-affecting, for example the Australian CP, the Japanese CP. the Communist

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