Re: Russian elections-Communist party

["Marcus Strom" <MSTROM@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, I agree with some of Scott's observations, but it leads me to
different conclusions....

> Date:          Wed, 6 Dec 95 11:08 CST
> To:            marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> From:          Scott Marshall <Scott@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject:       Re: Russian elections-Communist party

> Marcus:
>
> >An understanding of this is important. What position do we take? I
> >would in no way support the CPRF. It has no revolutionary program for
> >the emancipation of the working class.
>
> Scott:
>
> While I would agree with Marcus that the CPRF does not present a complete
> revolutionary program and still advances some half assed social democratic
> program elements, you can only take Marcus' postition if you give not a damn
> about the welfare of the Russian working classes. The CPRF is the only
> viable counter to Yeltsin and privatization and resolving the current crisis
> on the backs of the workers. Their program does call for socialism and does
> *not* call for a return to the old days. And it is a direct repudiation of
> some of the worst anti-communist myths. Their popularity is not pining for
> the past but rejection of the Yeltsin, US imperialist, world bank propaganda
> that all was bad in past with socialism and all is peachy now with
> capitalism. These are people who know these questions first hand,
> acknowledging that they have the experience with the situation on the ground
> is *not* any kind of stalinism - it's just common sense.

Common sense - what the fuck is this?

>
> I'm sure Marcus and I would disagree about the defeat of Walesa in Poland
> also. I think the ex-red who won is probably a mess of social democratic
> crap and neo-libralism and world bankism, but the defeat of Walesa was a
> severe defeat for anti-communism and the catholic church who raised the
> histeria of red-baiting to fever pitches not seen since mccarthy days.
>

Scott

I do not disagree with you on this one. I think that the victory of a
Blairite social democrat ex-'communist' bureaucrat is a defeat for
the ultra reactionary forces in Poland, which standing alone is a
good thing. But, of course, 'things'  do not stand alone do they.

But we do not support his platform - which is profoundly
anti-socialist and pro-market forces. The logic of the politics is
anti-working class. Mussolini allegedly got the trains running on
time. Do we rejoice this as a victory?

While I would not want to suggest that the Polish social democrats
are anything like Mussolini, it is a question of looking at the logic
of our politics.

This politics is the politics, as Lenin put it, of  'choosing our own
butcher'. It is the politics of supporting the Democrats, the Labour
Party, the Labor Party as 'a step in the right direction'. It is
tailing social democracy. If not, it is pure opportunism. We will
support the social democrats because that's where the workers have
their illusions at the moment, so if we support them we will be seen
to be moving with them, and win them when the nasty social democrats
inevitably betray us.Well, the socdems have been betraying us since
1914. Most ordinary people vote socdem or Democrat precisely because
there is no alternative. Our task is to seriously build that.

In all this talk of the SLP, russian elections, the DEmocrats/CoC,
where is the independent role of communists and the working class? I
can't see it too clearly.

I will not advise that anyone choose their butcher, will you?

Comradely Marcus

PS Scott

Anna P and I had a nice chat about you - she says hi!


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