From: glevy-AT-acnet.pratt.edu
Date: Sat, 2 Mar 1996 12:31:28 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Lenin and party discipline


Louis N Proyect wrote:

> This advice was given to German left Communists by Lenin in the 
> context of trying to break them from sectarian abstentionism. These 
> words unfortunately were lifted out of context and served as a model 
> for functioning by Communists in the broader mass movement. Every 
> movement became one in which Communists sought to advance party 
> goals first and foremost. "Democratic centralist" discipline meant that 
> the marching orders came from CP headquarters, and ultimately from 
> Stalin himself.

During a later period, didn't Lenin support the expulsion of Paul Levi 
from the German Communist Party, despite Klara Zetkin's personal appeal, 
for violating party discipline? Lenin, BTW, was supportive of the 
political positions advanced by Levi and Zetkin against the majority of 
the German Communist Party leadership.

> It is simply 
> a place where socialists can discuss out strategy on a continental basis 
> and work together when possible. The forum has been very active 
> around issues of environmentalism and indigenous rights, two issues 
> that cut across national borders. This is the probably what Lenin had 
> in mind when he created the 3rd International, but, as in everything 
> else that is done in his name, was wrenched out of context and used to 
> bureaucratically impose its will here and there for many decades. We 
> need to reject this model and create a new type of internationalism, 
> one that is based on respect.

Lenin's ideas on the Communist International evolved. After October, 
many organizations around the world which were social democratic or 
syndicalist identified with the revolution and were embraced by the CI. 
After the downfall of the Hungarian Soviet Republic of 1919, Lenin 
re-evaluated believing that the downfall of the Hungarian Soviet Republic 
on 9/1/19 was due in large part to "treachery" by the Hungarian Social 
Democratic Party. Afterwards, the "21 Point Conditions" were established 
by the CI and Lenin cited the role of the Social Democrats in Hungary, 
Bavaria, (and, I believe) Austria as examples of a need for a change in 
CI policy towards admittance.

Jerry


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