Date: Fri, 18 Oct 1996 07:38:52 +0200 (MET DST)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: Re: Western factory workers...faceless and docile?


Louis G. writes;    
>
>Now,  clearly,  this will not do.    A number of us--quite a number judging
>from my personal mail--are hoping that Lucas' study would be a point of
>departure for a vigorous but respectful discussion on the revolutionary
>potential of the working class.     We are especially interested in the
>current period (since 1968) and,  though we are skeptical of any attempts to
>deny the working class its rightful place in the struggle for socialism,  we
>are adamant in rejecting the practice of continuing to repeat formulas which
>have lost their credibility.   We are not  reassured by the present disarray
>of the Left,   divided into a galaxy of minute warring sects,  united only
>by their failure to attract more than an insignificant fringe of the
>workers'  movement,  and by the brave illusion that their prescriptions for
>revolution represent the interests and ambitions of the workers.    We
>insist on having the opportunity to look at a number of alternative
>scenarios and,  through the rigors of study,  discussion and action,  make
>up our own minds,  the Parson Weems of the world notwithstanding.

Now Louis G. comes out in full bloom! Naturally using the "parson" meaning 
the Trotskyist and Leninist understanding (not to say Marx) of the working 
classes role in any revolutionary uppsurge. Naturally he is using a big dos 
of something NEW or a period since 1968 has a cover for his rotten OLD 
popular front politics and above all multi-class theories as something NEW. 
In fact he is trying to justify "repeating"
the new left and neo Stalinist politics and practices of popular front 
politics that has predominated the struggle in the third world.

In fact what he represents is as old as Stalin and Mao! It is just another 
nice way to paint living reality into the frame work of the popular front 
politics and two stage theory of politics for the Stalinists. All the old 
crimes must be swept under the table.
All the old defeats that this political line represents is now being 
presented by Louis G. as something new and revolutionary.

The new thing on western workers is Louis G. is soft on third world maoism 
and the anti-imperialist front that has led too so many bloody defeats. And 
his solution is naturally going to atttack against the Trotskyists who have 
for years and years warned of the rotten class collaboration and popular 
front politics of the Stalinists.

No longer able to have Mosco or Peking in the background serving them they 
now strike out on a new course of reviving the worst sort of new left 
Stalinist and maoist third worldism and popular front multiclass formations. 
In order to do this that have to prove that the Western working classes are 
written off for the revolution. 

Also it is Louis G. and others capitilating to the pressure of the so called 
north-south or first vs third world debate. A complete bankrupt line which 
is a capitulation to nationalism and backwardness which replaces both the 
theroy of marxism and Leninism with a NEW strategy where no longer a 
proletarian international struggle against the bougeois and imperialism is 
no longer on the order of the day. But poor countries against rich countries. 

Then Louis G. goes on to declare;
>>
>>My own feeling is that,  when the physical limits of exploitation of the
>consumer market are reached,  and when the opportunities for the
>reinforcement of capitalism from without are exhausted in any given country,
>the clash between the interests of employer and worker may once more become
>predominant,  and that the way will be clear for the long delayed
>proletarian revolution on the Marxist model.    On the other hand,  I must
>confess myself skeptical about this prospect.     I am more impressed by the
>fact that the only considerable revolutions since 1917 have been in China
>and Cuba,  and that revolutionary movements are alive today only in
>countries where the proletariat is weak or non-existent.

In fact the reason that China, Cuba and Vietnam is not a matter of whether 
Louis G. is impressed or not, but come out of concrete historical conditions 
and leadership of the classes involved in this great historical struggle.

First Louis sweeps under the rug the entire policies of the COMINTERN under 
Stalin which led to the defeat of the Spanish Proletariat and the defeat of 
the German Proletariat and their responsibility for events leading up to the 
second world war. The Chinese revolution was a product of the weakness of 
imperialism at the end of the second world war after the bloodbath and 
despite Mao and his Stalinist line. 

But what was decisive in regards to the working class in the west was the 
Stalinist and social democratic line of peaceful coexistence with 
capitalism. A long period of growth and class collaboration led only too the 
complete disintegration of the Soviet Union and the disarming of the Russian 
working class politically while at the same time in the west the Stalinists 
and Social Democrats were on a line of peaceful coexistence and class 
collobaration after the war. This led to a long period where capitalism and 
imperialism strengthened its positions to where they find themselves today. 
Where the reformist solution and gains that the Social Democrats and 
Stalinists were responsible for are quickly being taken back as the 
proletariat reels under the attack, like a chicken with its head cut off, 
under the years of peacefull coexistence and class collaborationists 
politics these parties represented.  On the verge of the new beginning of  
heading towards a new international showdown where imperialism wants to 
redivide the pie the working class has no leadership at all. Just a bunch of 
traitors deserting the ship. The Social Democrats joining the bougeoisie and 
middle class. Neo Stalinists like Godena deserting them for the 
anti-imperialist third worls struggles where the real action is. 

And all of the so called reforms under this post war period of peace 
co-existence which both the Stalinists and the Social Democrats were and are 
politically responsible for in disarming the working class about class 
struggle are leading to situations where the class not only has to take on 
the renewed attacks of capitalism and imperialism. But have to do this in 
the context of the former learership of Social Democratic traitors deserting 
to the bourgeoisie and middle class, while the Stalinists in Russia desert 
to the Mafia and in the west are organising the greens and feminists and 
more new popular fronts of the so called left against the right and new 
liberalism if not like Godena who wants to chase everything that moves in 
the third world.

What has happened is that the leftist who so long followed Stalinists and 
social democratic trends from the left are looking in desperation for a new 
line in order to desert the working class. A new support everything that 
moves in the third world or whatever instead of getting down to the nitty 
gritty of intervening in the new unorganized working class  uppsurges that 
are beginning to appear here in Europe.

For the first time in history thousands of workers here in Sweden marched 
last night against the Social Democratic government! A women who helped 
organized the demo was asked if she voted for the reformists. She said yes 
and said now it is time to through out these traitors, support the 
Euro-Communists or build a new workers party. This women NEVER marched in a 
demonstration before in her life!

This is going on in many countries in Europe today and perhaps the United 
states tomorrow!

And Godena and he is not alone, Proyect and others are walking down the same 
path want to desert this struggle! Even more they want to write off this 
struggle!
Because the real action is in the third world! In fact Louis and others in 
their dying days were raised on the Stalinist ideas of third world struggle 
against imperialism.
All the solidarity work for Vietnam,Nicaragua,Chile,Cuba or whatever has 
been their entire political carreers. Now they want to set up this kind of 
work as the ultimate principle for building a "new" political movement.  In 
fact a complete capitulation to new left politics of the 60ties and 70ties 
raised to the ultimate principle. They have broken with anything that 
represents Marx, Lenin or Trotsky!  They are renagades from the founding 
principles of the proletarian principles of class struggle communism is 
built upon.

The cover is cheerleading anything that moves from the Allyotohas in Iran, 
to the Mullahs in Afghanistan, to the peasant gureilla warfare in Peru or 
the Zapistas in Mexico. None of these movements can solve the present 
crisis. Only a revolutionary Communist International with very strong 
sections and a perspective of proletarian revolution in the advanced 
imperialist countries can solve that crisis. The likes of Godena have lived 
and sucked off the third world movements for years and want to raise this 
struggle to some kind of principle!  This kind of stuff must be combatted 
and defeated politically by every thinking worker. 
>
>With E.H. Carr,  I should now feel tempted to say that the Bolsheviks won
>their victory in 1917,   not in spite of the backwardness of the Russian
>economy and society,  but because of it.   I think,  consequently,  that we
>have to seriously consider the hypothesis that the world revolution of which
>it was the first stage,  and which will complete the downfall of capitalism,
>will prove to be the revolt of the colonial peoples against capitalism in
>the guise of imperialism rather than a revolt of the proletariat of the
>advanced capitalist countries.

This is just another fake justification by Godena. In fact the Bolsheviks 
lost in the long run. Because Stalin took over and led the former Soviet 
Union to its destruction! Just because of its backwardness and that the 
Communist Parties in the west were not mature enough, nor large enough, to 
incorperate the Lenist model into practice. The COMINTERN existed only a few 
years before the Stalinists took over and destroyed it as a revolutionary 
international for the politics od "socialism" in one country! An a backward! 
country at that... Look where it has led to in reality!

Louis G. and the line he represents in writting off the working class as the 
ONLY
real motor to every revolution is completely bankrupt. It is in fact just 
another version of neo-Stalinist popular front politics which wants to tie 
the working class to aliens classes and nationalism in the third world. And 
complete disregard for working class struggle and the vital importance of 
building strong new sections in every major imperialist country with the 
goal of leading the working class towards taking power independently against 
all wings of the bourgeoisie.

In the present situation the most important task is to rid the left of these 
renagades of anything involved with real working class struggle and 
perspective. We do not need a reprisal of anti-imperialist new leftism 
raised to a principle by a generation who new nothing other then just this 
kind of struggle. We need a knew generation of proletarian communist cadre 
with a perspective of building communist, bolshevik Trotskyist organisations 
for the task of leading the workers to victory.

Bob Malecki

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------

http://www.kmf.org/malecki/

Read the book! Ha Ha Ha McNamara,
Vietnam-My Bellybutton is my Crystalball!

COCKROACH, a zine for poor and workingclass people
NOW ON LINE
--------------------------------------------------------