File spoon-archives/marxism-thaxis.archive/marxism-thaxis_1998/marxism-thaxis.9803, message 690


Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 16:01:29 -0500
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: M-TH: Thoughts and Projections!


!Not "Proyections" by the way! For those who find my spelling confusing at 
best some times or most of the time....

Just a few thoughts and projections that come to mind...  I bet that events 
Internationally (the past few years) will force and emergency conference of 
those claiming to be Fourth Internationalists. It will probably take the eve 
of another World war to do it. And probably it should have been called with 
the demise of the ex Soviet Union..

Or is this a transitional phase where we are all wandering around in the 
desert waiting for something to happen? And out groupie existence in the 
trenches will continue as we head towards a new imperialist confrontation..

Trotsky in trying to create the Fourth International in the face of historic 
Stalinist betrayals did everything in his power to win those groups and 
individuals to his perspective but drew the line at outright class treason. 
Lenin too did this with the "Zimmerwaldists"..

Now just why our Trotskyists can not do this in the face of the destruction 
of the Soviet Union and coming imperialist war I find fucking completely insane!

The conference will have to take a position on the situation facing the 
International Proletariat connected to the death of Stalinism and the 
October Revolution. And if China crosses the Rubicon imperialist war will be 
a fact before I am dead! Naturally the tasks facing us before the outbreak 
of a new war..And the concrete conditions that exist..And what it means for 
the Proletariat..

No Pabloist left center flim flam nor popular front build the nine and a 
half International but realistic authodox Trotskyist politics based on the 
first four congresses of the Third International and the founding documents 
of the fourth including the TP which will have to be revised in the face of 
the great historical events of the last years..Anything less would probably 
be the ultimate betrayal of the traditions and politics of the COMINTERN 
under Lenin and Trotsky and the FI and its founding conference. And ultimate 
disaster for the International Proletariat...

If this does not happen then we are back to pre 1914 politics and Zimmerwald 
at best! Zimmerwald by the way was and attempt by Lenin to break out of 
isolation and the demise of the 2nd International. So literally speaking we 
are not even their yet...

The post war politics that led to the destruction of the Fourth 
International came under the pressure of the victory of the allies and 
foremost Stalin which consolidated Stalinism and Social Democracy for a 
number of decades.Only meaning that Trotsky's predictions took a bit longer 
to vindicate. Albeit not exactly as he thought he was correct on all of the 
basics.. 

Above this we also had the isolation of the Trotskyists from the workers 
movement.
and not in the least the fact that most of the European sections went down 
the Pabloite drain. Dragging Latin America in its wake.. Cannon who fought 
Pabloism on a principled basis from the US and its isolation led towards the 
once Trotskyist SWP crossing the Rubicon which gave rise to the 
Revolutionary Tendency which today has become the ICL. A left split which 
upheld and developed the Cannoite tradition and opposition to Pablo. 

Mean while as of late after the Pabloite upturn based on left centrism and 
tailing everything that moved coming out of Vietnam and May 68 we are seeing 
the downside of things beginning with the defeats in Chile Niguaraqua and 
Iran where they used the same methodology (including Poland) and over the 
destruction of the former deformed workers states in the East and the 
degenerated Soviet union and the leap by the Social democracy to the right 
and liberalism we see the Stalinists who haven't become capitalist counter 
revolutionaries taking the beginnings of pre 1914 Social democratic politics. 

Mean while the so called anti Pabloite and Pabloite familys are splitting 
and fractruring all over the place some as left splits from the Healites and 
Pabloites and right splits towards state capitalism and out right treason 
like the former IMGer Tariq Ali! Not to mention the whole myriad of 
regroupers and clones coming out of Morenoite, Healyite and Pabloite 
tradition and others like the LCMCRI, Workers power and all the rest of the 
rabble...

This fracturing including the Spartacists has nothing really to do with the 
human material involved other then its outright petty bougeois intellectual 
component which has been for decades the fucking norm!-- but far more with 
the tremendous events and defeat that the destruction of the Soviet Union 
has meant to not only all those claiming to be Trotskyist but the new turn 
towards imperialist rivalry and war that is coming..

Like the rest of the left the so called Trotskyist left has done all kinds 
of handstand acts and nobody has come out of this yet smelling like a rose. 
Some far worse then others. the USec in general tailing the traditional 
Social democracy and the ex Stalinists who now want to become traditional 
social democracy. the Lambertists on the verge of theitr own 1914 in Algeria 
are the incredibly bad examples. The Morenoites (mainly through Hugh) 
looking for a new uppswing in world revolution) the Lcmcri looking for a new 
anti imperialist and "Yankee" revolution to support (including redbaiting 
Cannon).. The Healyites are dead with Healy clones and the numerous 
fragments left all over the place. The ICL fracturing at the seams also 
under this pressure..

And in the face of all this we are heading towards imperialist war and 
anybody thinking that and emergency conference will not take place with 
those claiming to be Fourth Internatioonalists along the Zimmerwald 
conference lines albeit this time with the revolutionary internationalists 
claiming to be Trotskyist will be a vital neccessity..

Any takers? 

Or is Hugh and Dave off to Kosovo or the anti-imperialist leaders of the 
world in Iraq? Norden of to Brazil and Mexico. The ex-LTfers in France off 
to the to tail a strike somewhere while paying lip service to Norden and his 
antics in Brazil..Leading what they believe to be the new uppsurge?Perhaps 
Dave waiting in the wings for a new war between Argentina and Britain over 
some deserted islands.And the Sparts screaming from New York "Treason"!!!! 
Anyhow..A mini version of this circus as already been going on in South 
Africa by the way in the wake of the ANC/Stalinist betrayal of the black 
proletariat..But now it is the big one imperialist war again and any body 
claiming to be Trotskyist who avoids the possibility and neccessity of a 
Zimmerwald is fundamentally anti-Leninist ultra sectarian and objectively 
will wind up supporting this bloodbath unless we try to create a pole of 
attraction which can fill the vacum after the extrodinary events of the past 
few years...

Because today even Hugh admits we have the popular front---but i believe not 
because of the line of the Stalinists and building socialism in one country 
like the entire post war popular fronts. But popular fronts that only can 
lead to a new 1914 and voting for war credits for our *own* bourgeoisies 
including the ex-Soviet Union..So in a historical context of the popular 
front of old Stalinism leading to a blood bath in one country (China, Spain 
Indonesia) for example these new popular fronts are leading towards voting 
for war credits in the next imperialist confrontation..and a world bloodbath!

I also predict that China will cross the rubicon! Along with Cuba Korea and 
Vietnam. Albeit Cuba and Vietnam do not have the same strategic importance 
as China and Korea does in this stuff.. I base this on they stand on even 
less firmer ground then the SU in that they were deformed workers states 
from their inception and not a degenerated workers state like the SU.. 
Naturally Trotskyists will do everything to defend these countries against 
imperialism until they actually do cross the Rubicon

Against this!... the possibility of breaking out of historic isolation might 
be the only and last chance there is this time around..The left has gone 
berserk including the so called Trotskyists..And those claiming to be 
Trotskyist had better get their act together to confront what is coming..

Hugh and Dave glorifying the French stuff, Iraq and now Kosovo in the face 
of a clear right wing shift historically is really mind boggling! The far 
right, nationalists and fascists are growing at leaps and bounds look at the 
elections in france,Norway and now Denmark. This tendency is reflected in 
various "Trotskyist" tendencies who were breastfeeded on events around 68 
and Vietnam. Far from this now DEAD past..And one thing Hugh says which has 
a glimse of reality is the fact that even meer economic struggles in the 
future in the most defenceist way give rise to Bonapartist and even far 
worse solutions like in Yugoslavia and the middle East and Algeria.. Not new 
1968's or 1905's or 1917's. We need a pole of attraction if this is going to 
become a reality! And without it the confusion you talk about and the 
despair will become right wing fascist reaction and nationalism and 
patriotism in preparation for a new wars and not just civil war like in 
Yugoslavia but imperialist war on a world level..

The growing desperation in Russia does not = proletarian revolution. But the 
growth of rightwing nationalism andd fascist solutions just because and 
enormous vacum has developed in the wake of this great histoic defeat..And 
this vacum has hardly been filled with anything..Just mind boggling circle 
jerk --fence sitting and out right treason! And to think that the workers 
are just gonna sit around as the situation heats up more and more and 
becomes even more desperate is just ridiculous and without a left Leniist 
Trotskyist pole then their are new Hitlers and nationalists Bonapartes 
gathering in the wings in droves!

What is it please Hugh and Dave that makes you think that any of this stuff 
is even near what was going on in 68, never mind 1905, 1917 or 1920...Other 
then wishful thinking..Naturally this does not mean that we go off and chase 
the greens and Indians like Proyect. Nor do and SWP Barnes flim flam or a 
Lambertist Algerian Social Democratic 1914! Nor make the LM turn towards its 
public.Nor does it mean jumping on the petty bourgeois feminist bandwagon 
and the anti multi-national new left..Nor does it mean the recent turn by 
the Workers Voice people to ultra workerism and expression by the way which 
is general in the workers movement of mistrust and suspicion to all 
political parties after this great historic debacle.In fact a mini fake 
Trotskyist version of the new Iranian workers party trend after the great 
defeat in Iran..And general anti political trend in the workers movement 
Internationally connected to suspicion of the political leadership and 
parties in general. Nor another round of revolution around the corner.Nor 
like some writting off the working class..Now historically in a great crisis 
the working class either was drawn to the right or towards the left and 
proletarian revolution. But historically there always was a left pole of 
attraction. Is this the case after the demise of the Soviet Union? and 
decades of isolation their is no Leninist pole of attraction! What we do 
have is and ex Soviet Union now capitalist and a third of the world which 
has become the target of inter-imperialist rivalry and another big chunk in 
China on the brink..A bunch of splinters claiming Trotskyist authodoxy..

Naturally I belive the working class will be forced to move. Events will be 
increasing the pressure ten, twenty a hundred times. But if their is no 
Leninist pole of attraction or not even a Zimmerwald left then we will see 
the workers move towards right wing and fascist solutions because they 
really DO EXIST and are growing rapidly..

Just some thoughts..Perhaps the Zimmerwald left was in a far better position 
then our enthusiatic the world revolution is around the corner advocates who 
are popping revolutionary uppsurge champagne corks on marxism-thaxis at 
Jefferson Village.. as elsewhere

In ending up I must say as a worker, as a person who has moved from the 
ghetto in New York City to the Chatholic so called left into the arms of the 
left of center Pabloites and then on to the politics of the IST now ICL and 
still a firm supporter of these politics. That my loyality now comes really 
into question to all those who claim to be Trotskyist albeit with still a 
very warm heart for the politics of the ICL. My loyality to the class now 
comes to the center (probably because as a worker I have always been alien 
in the Trotskyist envionment because I have always been out numbered a 
hundred too one with individuals who are far more intelligent and come from 
and entirely different world then that I came from..plus a good dose of 
workerism. But my loyality must be to my class first and if the so called 
Trotskyists blow it this time because of a lot of stuff mentioned earlier in 
this letter connected to its isolation from the class I belong to. I will 
elect to go with the class and turn my back on all of you unless a serious 
attempt to revolutionary unity along opposing the coming imperialist war 
connected to a rewriting of the TP after the demise of the Soviet Union 
comes forward..But I will probably be dead before that happens!

And the blood this time will be on YOUR HANDS friends because of your 
inability to translate all that stuff into a program of action and pole of 
attraction which can show at least a light at the end of the tunnel..Trotsky 
once wrote the the FI will attract new layers of youth, workers and other 
layers to the FI in the face of the last imperialist war. What is needed 
today is a re-affirmation of Trotsky's words and program connected to where 
we are today. Naturally connected to a serious organizational attempt 
internationally for some fundamental Trotskyist unity on a firm programatic 
basis..

I can wait to hear the noise after this outburst. I am sending it out in 
Cockroach everywhere! I also uphold on the basis of the above that we are in 
a far worse position the Lenin in 1914.. Christ, back then even the the 
Social democrats were claiming to be "Marxist"..The Soviet unions 
destruction is a far dire catastropy then August 1914 and our "Trotskyists" 
are still sitting in the petty bourgeois trenches..

One thing Vlad is right about despite is return to nostagia and Stalinism. 
The proletariat in the Soviet Union along with the proletariat of the rest 
of the world will pay for this great historic defeat which has layed the 
basis for the new coming imperialist confrontation. And the "Trotskyists" 
sit with their thumb up their asses
like a bunch of hen pecked crows looking at the corpse and utter despicable 
inability even to attempt to find a way out..

For a real attempt to reforge a revolutionary International! 

Warm regards
Bob Malecki
-------------------------------------------------------
Check Out My HomePage where you can,

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

And Now the International Communist League Page!
Just push on the "Spartacist" Button.

Or Get The Latest Issue of,

COCKROACH, a zine for poor and working-class people.

NEW! "RADIO TIME"  In cooperation with Straitfacts, Bob
Malecki will be giving occasional reports to Straitfacts
Radio audiences in the United States. Text for these
reports now on line. 

http://www.algonet.se/~malecki

Email <malecki-AT-algonet.se>
-------------------------------------------------------




     --- from list marxism-thaxis-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005