Louis Proyect

8/9/2019 Louis Proyect

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Louis Proyect: The Unrepentant Marxist

January 25, 2012

Mangling the Party: Vol. 1 of Tony Cliffs Lenin By Pham Binh

ile! un!er: !emocratic centralism"Lenin"re#olutionary organi$ing"sectarianism%

louisproyect & ':() pm

Mangling the Party:

Vol. 1 of Tony CliffsLenin

By Pham Binh

*anuary +'" +(1+

The following is dedicated to anyone and everyone has sacrificed in the name of building

the revolutionary party.

Tony CliffsLenin: Building the Partypu,lishe! in 1-) /as the first ,oo0length political

,iography of Lenin /ritten ,y a Marxist. 2s a result" it shape! the approach of su,se3uent

in#estigations ,y aca!emics li0e Lars T. Lih as /ell as the thin0ing of thousan!s of socialists

in groups li0e the British 4ocialist 5or0ers Party 645P" foun!e! ,y Cliff7" the U.4.

8nternational 4ocialist 9rgani$ation" an! Paul LeBlanc" author ofLenin and the

Revolutionary Partyan! former mem,er of the 2merican 45P 6no relation to Cliffs group7.

Cliff ,egins his ,iography ,y !e,un0ing the U.4.4..s official state religion of Lenin

/orship that ;en!o/e! ?et throughout the ,oo0 Cliff

refers to these ;superhuman attri,utes>:

Lenin a!apte! himselfperfectlyto the nee!s of in!ustrial agitation.


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years 1@-'-" is /ritings of the perio! coinci!e exactly /ith the line /hich it put for/ar!.

To sho/ that Lenins /ritings of this perio! ;coinci!e exactly> /ith the arguments of b

!gitatsii" Cliff 3uotes Lenins 1@- !raftussian 4ocial Democratic La,or Party 64DLP7

program an! cites his article"hat !re ur #inisters Thin$ing !bout%in /hich

Cliffclaims;Lenin urge! the expe!iency of lea#ing the Tsar out of the argument" an! tal0ing

instea! a,out the ne/ la/s that fa#ore! employers an! of ca,inet ministers /ho /ere anti

/or0ing class.>

Cliff later states inBuilding the Partythat; 8n "hat !re ur #inisters Thin$ing !bout% Lenin did

not ;urge the expe!iency of lea#ing the Tsar out of the argument.> Lenin !i! not fall into

li,eralism.

These egregious misrepresentations of Lenins #ie/s occur throughoutBuilding the Party.

!"en#ing the $ti%&'

Cliffcloseschapter t/o ,y claiming that Lenins penchant for ;,en!ing the stic0> /as ;a

characteristic that he retaine! throughout his life.>


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8f ;stic0 ,en!ing> /as Lenins political metho!" it /oul! mean that none of his /ritings

shoul! ,e ta0en at face #alue. Gach piece /oul! suffer from onesi!e! o#eremphasis an!

!istortion. 4uch a metho! /oul! also call into 3uestion Lenins intellectual an! political

honesty. o/ coul! anyone ,e sure /hat Lenin reallymeant or thought if his arguments /ereal/ays exaggerate! in some /ayE urthermore" /hy /oul! anyone in the ussian socialist

mo#ement ta0e /hat Lenin ha! to say seriously if the only thing that /as consistent a,out his

message /as its exaggerate! characterE 4uch a metho! /oul! create a culture of !is,elief an!

cynicism among Lenins follo/ers that /oul! gro/ more toxic /ith each ;,en!.>

Lenins letterto Heorgi Ple0hano# on the economist tren! that Cliff uses to illustrate ;stic0

,en!ing> tells us something #ery !ifferent from /hat Cliff claims:

The economic trend" of course" /as al/ays a mista0e" ,ut then it is #ery youngI /hile there

has ,een overemphasisof ;economic> agitation 6and there still is here and there7 e#en

/ithout the tren!" an! it /as the legitimate an! ine#ita,le companion of any step forwardin

the con!itions of our mo#ement /hiche&isted in Russia at the en! of the 1@@(s or the

,eginning of the 1@-(s. The situation then /as so mur!erous that you cannot pro,a,ly e#en

imagine it" an! one shoul! not censure people /ho stum,le! as they clam,ere! up out of that

situation. or the purposes of this clam,ering out" some narro/ness /as essential an!

legitimate: was" 8 say" for /ith this ten!ency to ,lo/ it up into a theory an! tie it in /ith

Bernsteinism" the /hole thing of course change! ra!ically A The o#eremphasis of

;economic> agitation an! catering to the ;mass> mo#ement /ere natural.

ere" Lenins real metho! emerges. The onesi!e!ness Cliff lau!s is not Lenins ,ut a feature

of a particular stage of the ussian socialist mo#ements !e#elopment" namely the transition

from stu!y circles an! propagan!a to the fiel! of mass action an! agitation. 8n this transition

some mista0es /ere ine#ita,le an! ;one shoul! not censure people /ho stum,le! as they

clam,ere! up out of that situation.> o/e#er" /hen people elevatedine#ita,le mista0es"

errors" an! stum,les into a full,lo/n theory an! then connecte! it /ith Bernsteins

re#isionism ;the /hole thing of course change! ra!ically.> 9nce the /hole thing change!

ra!ically" Lenin /rote! Protest by Russian 'ocial (emocratsin 1@--.

Cliffconflatesfeatures an! stages of o,Jecti#e !e#elopment /ith Lenins su,Jecti#e

responses to them:
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an!

Herman re#isionism in the secon! half of 1@-- A moti#ate! Lenin to ,en! the stic0 right

o#er again" a/ay from the spontaneous" !ayto!ay" fragmente! economic struggle an!

to/ar! the organisation of a national political party.

Lenin !i! not transform from an armchair re#olutionary in a stu!y circle into an economist

factory agitator" from economist factory agitator into top!o/n party,uil!er" an! from top

!o/n party,uil!er into a proponent of ,uil!ing the party from the ,ottom up aroun! the

electi#e principle in the name of the spontaneously socialist /or0ing class in 1-(" attac0ing

his o/n former positions all along the /ay. e continually grapple! /ith the !e#elopment of

ussias /or0ersocialist mo#ement through each of its !istinct stages" each of /hich ha!

uni3ue challenges an! opportunities 6or ;tas0s>7. Together" these stages /ere part of a single

process that Lars T. Lih !escri,e! as Lenins ;heroic scenario> % the 4DLP /oul! lea! the

/or0ers" /ho" in turn" /oul! lea! the peasants" oppresse! nationalities" an! all of the

!o/ntro!!en" exploite!" an! oppresse! people of Tsarist ussia in a re#olution that /oul!

!estroy the autocracy" setting the stage for international socialist re#olution.

8n polemics Lenin typically remin!e! his rea!ers a,out the importance of 0eeping the /hole

process of !e#elopment in min!an! instea! of isolating its in!i#i!ual elements:

That /hich happene! to such lea!ers of the 4econ! 8nternational" such highly eru!ite

Marxists !e#ote! to socialism as Kauts0y" 9tto Bauer an! others" coul! 6an! shoul!7 pro#i!e

a useful lesson. They fully appreciate! the nee! for flexi,le tacticsI they themsel#es learne!

the Marxist !ialectic an! taught it to others 6an! much of /hat they ha#e !one in this fiel!

/ill al/ays remain a #alua,le contri,ution to socialist literature7I ho/e#er" in the

applicationof this !ialectic they committe! such an error" or pro#e! to ,e so un!ialectical in

practice" so incapa,le of ta0ing into account the rapi! change of forms an! the rapi!

ac3uisition of ne/ content ,y the ol! forms" that their fate is not much more en#ia,le than

that of yn!man" Hues!e an! Ple0hano#. The principal reason for their ,an0ruptcy /as that

they /ere hypnotise! ,y a !efinite form of gro/th of the /or0ingclass mo#ement an!

socialism" forgot all a,out the onesi!e!ness of that form" /ere afrai! to see the ,rea0up

/hich o,Jecti#e con!itions ma!e ine#ita,le" an! continue! to repeat simple an!" at first

glance" incontesta,le axioms that ha! ,een learne! ,y rote" li0e: ;three is more than t/o>.

But politics is more li0e alge,ra than elementary arithmetic" an! still more li0e higher than

elementary mathematics. 8n reality" all the ol! forms of the socialist mo#ement ha#e ac3uire!a ne/ content" an!" conse3uently" a ne/ sym,ol" the ;minus> sign" has appeare! in front of
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all the figuresI our /iseacres" ho/e#er" ha#e stu,,ornly continue! 6an! still continue7 to

persua!e themsel#es an! others that ;minus three> is more than ;minus t/o>.

8t /as Lenins appreciation for the totality of !e#elopment" not ;stic0 ,en!ing"> that le! him

to /rite polemics against economists" Menshe#i0s" follo/ers of Bog!ano#" li3ui!ators" ;left>

communists" an! Karl Kauts0y" all of /hom !i! not ma0e the transition from one stage of the

;heroic scenario> to the next ,y a!apting themsel#es to the ne/ ;tas0s>.

8n chapter three" Cliff continueshis ;,en!ing the stic0> narrati#e:

8t /as fear of the !anger to the mo#ement occasione! ,y the rise of ussian ;economism>

an! Herman re#isionism in the secon! half of 1@-- that moti#ate! Lenin to ,en! the stic0

right o#er again" a/ay from the spontaneous" !ayto!ay" fragmente! economic struggle an!

to/ar! the organisation of a national political party.

This is totally false. The 1@- !raft 4DLP program Lenin /rote an! Cliff cite! in chapter

t/o pro#es that Lenin sought to ,uil! a national political partyyears beforethe economist

tren! emerge!:

The ussian 4ocialDemocratic Party !eclares that its aim is to assist this struggle of the

ussian /or0ing class ,y !e#eloping the classconsciousness of the /or0ers" ,y promoting

their organisation" an! ,y in!icating the aims an! o,Jects of the struggle. The struggle of the

ussian /or0ing class for its emancipation is a political struggle" an! its first aim is to

achie#e political li,erty.

2nyone /ho rea!s Lenins !raft program /ill 0no/ /here he stoo! on the party 3uestion in

1@-. ear ha! nothing to !o /ith Lenins commitment to organi$ing a national political

party.

(enin an# Party )ules

Cliffs chapter on Lenins "hat )s To Be (one%is unremar0a,le except for the section

!ealing /ith Lenins attitu!e to/ar!s party rules. Cliff 3uotes Lenins 1-(+Letter to a

*omrade on ur rgani+ational Tas$sthat /as circulate! as an 4DLP pamphlet in 1-(' to

sho/ that Lenin ha! a ;!istaste for re!tape an! rulemongering.> Cliffgoes on to say:
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Lenins faction /as for a long time #ery informal in!ee!. e starte! to ,uil! his organisation

through *s&raagents. 5hen" after the secon! Congress" as /e shall see" he lost the support of

his o/n Central Committee" he reorganise! his supporters aroun! a ne/ly con#ene!

conference that electe! a ussian Bureau.

There are a num,er of errors here.

The first is that the purpose of)s$raagents /as to ,uil! the 4DLP" not an organi$ation loyal

to Lenin 6another falsehoo! that runs throughoutBuilding the Partyis the notion that

Bolshe#i0s an!or the central committee /ere ;his>7.

The secon! an! more serious error is to use Lenins actions in the aftermath of the 4DLPs

secon! congress that ga#e ,irth to the Menshe#i0Bolshe#i0 split as proof of Lenins

preference for informal or loose rules. 9ne of the central chargesthat Lenin an! his

Bolshe#i0 cothin0ers le#elle! at the Menshe#i0s /as that their resignations" ,oycotts of

party institutions" refusal to call a thir! congress !espite the expresse! /ill of the maJority of

the 1-( congress !elegates" an! !eclaration that the League of 4ocial Democrats 2,roa!

/as autonomous from the 4DLP all #iolate! therulesa!opte! at the 1-( congress.

2nyone /ho rea!s Lenins ne 'tep ,orward- Two 'teps Bac$/ill fin! that Lenin pai! #ery

close attention to rules" regulations" proce!ural minutiae" an! a,i!e! ,y them. 9ne of the

central reasons /hy Lenin spent years /or0ing to con#ene the 1-( congress in the first

place /as to eliminatethe informal rules an! proce!ures that pre#aile! in the socialist circles

an! replace them with the formal rules necessary to govern the wor$ings of a professional

political party. 8n contemporary terms Lenin sought to o#ercome /hat feminist *o

reeman !escri,e!as ;the tyranny of structurelessness.>

LeninsLetter to a *omrade on ur rgani+ational Tas$spro#es the opposite of /hat Cliffclaims. 8n that letter Lenin /rites:

8t /oul! ,e all the less useful to !ra/ up such ules at present


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/ellprepare! report to the entire Partyon his particular function" the /or0 /oul! gain a

hun!re!fol!.

2n! it is not merely ,ecause re#olutionary /or0 !oes not al/ays len! itself to !efinite

organisational form that ules are useless. Fo" !efinite organisational form is necessary" an!

/e must en!ea#our togive such formto all our /or0 as far as possi,le. That is permissi,le to

a much greater extent than is generally thought" an! achie#a,le not through ules ,ut solely

an! exclusi#ely 6/e must 0eep on reiterating this7 through transmitting exact information to

the Party centreI it is only then that /e shall ha#e real organisational form connecte! /ith

real responsi,ility an! 6innerParty7 pu,licity. or /ho of us !oes not 0no/

thatseriousconflicts an! !ifferences of opinion among us are actually !eci!e! not ,y #ote

;in accor!ance /ith the ules"> ,ut ,y struggle an! threats to ;resign>E During the last three

or four years of Party life the history of mostof our committees has ,een replete /ith such

internal strife. 8t is a great pity that this strife has not assume! !efinite form: it /oul! then

ha#e ,een much more instructi#e for the Party an! /oul! ha#e contri,ute! much more to the

experience of our successors. But no ules can createsuchuseful an! essential !efiniteness

of organisational formI this can ,e !one solely through innerParty publicity. Un!er the

autocracy /e can ha#e no other means or /eapon of innerParty pu,licity than 0eeping the

Party centre regularly informe! of Party e#ents.

ere Lenin stresse! the importance of reporting an! innerparty pu,licity as oppose! to rules

,ecause he ,elie#e! 6correctly7 that proper !ecisions a,out rules coul! only ,e ma!e if the

4DLPs lea!ers /ere fully a/are of the /or0 each of its mem,ers engage! in. 6Lenin

#ie/e! the centrali$ation of information regar!ing mem,ers acti#ity into the han!s of the

party lea!ership as a response to operating as an illegal organi$ationI presuma,ly information

/oul! ,e !ecentrali$e! among the mem,ership as a /hole through the me!ium of a

ne/spaper if the party /as legal.7

Lenin close! this letter /ith the follo/ing /or!s:

2n! only after /e ha#e learne! to apply this innerParty pu,licity on a /i!e scale shall /e

actually ,e a,le to amass experience in the functioning of the #arious organisationsI only on

the ,asis of such extensi#e experience o#er a perio! of many years shall /e ,e a,le to !ra/

up ules that /ill not be mere paper Rules.


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4o /hile it is true that Lenin !eteste! rulemongering" it is e3ually true that Lenin spent the

,etter part of 1-(' an! 1-( fighting in !efense of the rules a!opte! ,y the 1-( congress

an! against the informal metho!s that the Menshe#i0s pro#e! un/illing to part /ays /ith.

Chapter fi#e on the 1-( congress is again replete /ith errors. 8n !iscussing the famous

!e,ate ,et/een Lenin an! Marto# o#er /hat the !efinition of a party mem,er shoul! ,e" Cliff

attac0s Marto# an! Trots0y for supporting Lenins organi$ational plan as lai! out in "hat )s

To Be (one%an! then opposing Lenins formulation on mem,ership" /riting:

To com,ine a strong centralist lea!ership /ith loose mem,ership /as eclecticism ta0en to an

extreme. A


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party statutes" /hich reser#e! to the Central Committee the right to organise an! recognise

committees.

e goes on to say that these ;completely ne/> an! ;centralise! committees> ,egan to agitate

for a ne/ 4DLP congress in 1-(' to resol#e the !isputes that arose ,et/een the Menshe#i0s

an! Bolshe#i0s at the en! of the pre#ious congress.

8f Cliffs statement is true" then Lenin /as a hypocritical an! ruthless faction fighter /ho

attac0e! his political opponents for not playing ,y party rules that he exempte! himself from.

8f true" it /oul! ha#e fatally un!ermine! the /hole ,asis of post1-( Bolshe#i0 agitation for

a ne/ congress ,ecause it /as ,ase! on the follo/ing rule a!opte!,y the secon! congress:

;The Party Council must call a congress if this is !eman!e! ,y Party organisations /hichtogether /oul! comman! half the #otes at the congress.> 8f Lenin himself #iolate! these rules

,y creating ;completely ne/ centralise! committees> it /oul! ha#e ,een impossi,le for him

to attract support /ithin the 4DLP for his claim in ne 'tep ,orward- Two 'teps Bac$that

it /as the Menshe#i0s /ho /ere ma0ing a moc0ery of the 4DLPs rules.

Cliffs assertion has no footnote" so it is unclear /hat the source of his claim is. 5hat is

certain is that there is no mention of illegal 6in the sense of ,eing against the 4DLPs rules7

an! ;completely ne/ set of centralise! committees> in Krups0ayas memoirs. 4urely if Lenin

ha! !one /hat Cliff claims the Menshe#i0s /oul! ha#e pounce! on this monstrous fact an!

inclu!e! it in their ,itter attac0s on Lenin in the pages of the postcongress )s$ra.

2nother element that appears in this chapter an! throughoutBuilding the Partyis Cliffs

;truisms> a,out a #ariety of topics that ha#e no ,asis in things Lenin sai! or !i!.

or example:


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Cliffs references to Lenins imaginary !isregar! for rules ser#es an important purpose in

theBuilding the Partynarrati#e: Lenin has to constantly circum#ent rules an! fight against

his o/n follo/ers /ho ,ecome ;conser#ati#e> an! ;formalistic> in their approach to politics

,y resisting Lenins continual ;stic0 ,en!ing.> This narrati#e reaches its climax in chaptereight /hich cele,rates Lenins fight at the thir! 4DLP congress hel! in 2pril 1-( against

the Bolshe#i0 committeemen o#er t/o issues: recruiting /or0ers to party committees an!

!emocrati$ing the party in the mi!st of the 1-( re#olution. 2ccor!ing to Cliff"; a Bolshe#i0turne!Menshe#i0 /ho /rote The Russian

Revolution of 0123: the "or$ers/ #ovement and the ,ormation of Bolshevism and

#enshevism 6;/holesale> meaning copie! /or! for /or!7.

Cliffs plagiarism is a relati#ely minor issue compare! to the real scan!al: he e#i!ently ne#er

,othere! to rea! LeninsReport on the Third *ongress of the Russian 'ocial(emocratic

Labor Party/ritten in May 1-(N a! Cliff rea! Lenins account of the thir! congress he

/oul! ha#e !isco#ere! that Lenin ma0es no mention of any conflict" !e,ate" or friction o#er

/hether to recruit /or0ers an! !emocrati$e the party in light of the ne/ con!itions create! ,y

the 1-( re#olution. The report is positi#ely glo/ing a,out the results of the thir! congress"

/hich inclu!e! more clearly !efine! party rules 6so much for Lenins allege! informality7

an! a series of resolutions gui!ing the 4DLPs con!uct !uring the 1-( re#olution.

The conclusion is inescapa,le: eitherCliff !i! not rea! /hat Lenin sai! a,out the 1-( thir!

congress orhe 0no/ingly repeate! a falsehoo! ta0en from someone elses /or0 in or!er to

support his narrati#e of ;Lenin #ersus the party machine he ,uilt.> Feither is accepta,le for a

political ,iographer of Lenin.

8t is in this chapter that the contra!ictions em,e!!e! in Cliffs ;Lenin must continually fight

the party machine he ,uilt> narrati#e ,ecome most apparent. 4uppose that Cliff /as right that

the committeemen !i! in!ee! !efeat Lenin on the issue of recruiting /or0ers at the thir!

congress an! stu,,ornly resiste! such recruitment efforts. The 3uestion then ,ecomes: ho/
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!i! the Bolshe#i0 /ing of the 4DLP gro/ so rapi!lyE o/ coul! /or0ers Join the party

against the /ill of the people /ho /ere the partyE Cliff !oes not explain this impossi,ility

,utexclaims" ;ne#ertheless it mo#es> an! 3uotes figures sho/ing the rapi! gro/th of the

Bolshe#i0s in 1-( an! after. Cliffs Lenin /as e#i!ently a magician /ho coul! ma0e theparty ta0e actions the people /ho constitute! the party oppose!.

!+eo%rati% Centralis' an# Party +is%i-line

8n chapter 1 Cliffs litany of errors continues. The 1-( re#olution create! strong pressure

from the 4DLPs rapi!ly gro/ing ran0s to unite the Menshe#i0 an! Bolshe#i0 factions.

This unity /as consummate! at the 4DLPs 1-( congress hel! in 4toc0holm. Cliff

neglects to mention that this congresselecte!a central committee of three Bolshe#i0s an! sixMenshe#i0s. e recounts that an 4DLP conference in Tammerfors hel! in 1-( !eci!e! to

create an electoral ,loc /ith the Constitutional Democrats 6Ca!ets7" a li,eral party ,ac0e! ,y

,ig ,usiness. Lenin insiste! that the !ecisions of this conference /ere not ,in!ing on local

party ,o!ies. 2 surprise! Cliff /rites:

5hat ha! happene! to the !emocratic centralism so !ear to LeninE or years he ha! argue!

for the su,or!ination of the lo/er organs of the party to the higher" an! against the fe!eral

concept of the party. 8n One $te- or/ar#, T/o $te-s "a%&" /ritten e,ruaryMay 1-('"

he ha! sai! that ;the un!ou,te! ten!ency to !efen! autonomism against centralismA is a

fun!amental characteristic of opportunism in matters of organisation.>

5hat Cliff means ,y ;!emocratic centralism> is ;su,or!ination of the lo/er organs of the

party to the higher> an! a nonfe!eral party. 5hat Lenin meant ,y ;!emocratic centralism>

/as altogether !ifferent.

The 3uote Cliff cites from ne 'tep ,orward- Two 'teps Bac$is misplace! ,ecause Lenin/as arguing against those" li0e Trots0y" /ho hel! that the e!itorial ,oar! of the partys

ne/spaper shoul! ,e autonomous an! not su,Ject to the !emocratic control of the party

congress" a #ery !ifferent issue from the autonomy of local committees or local party

,ranches to ma0e !ecisions regar!ing local /or0. The notion that local autonomy /as a ne/

element in Lenins thought in 1-() is mista0en. Lenin note!that the thir! congress of the

4DLP in 1-( affirme! this principle:

The autonomy of the committees has ,een !efine! more precisely an! their mem,ership

!eclare! in#iola,le" /hich means that the C.C. no longer has the right to remo#e mem,ers
http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap08.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap08.htm#s3http://members.optushome.com.au/spainter/Pearce.htmlhttp://members.optushome.com.au/spainter/Pearce.htmlhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap15.htm#f18http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1905/may/27.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap08.htm#s3http://members.optushome.com.au/spainter/Pearce.htmlhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap15.htm#f18http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1905/may/27.htm


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from local committees or to appoint ne/ mem,ers /ithout the consent of the committees

themsel#es. A G#ery local committee has ,een accor!e! the right to confirm periphery

organisations as Party organisations. The periphery organisations ha#e ,een accor!e! the

right to nominate can!i!ates for committee mem,ership.

The principle of autonomy /as first affirme!at the 4DLPs secon! congress in 1-(:

2ll organisations ,elonging to the Party carry on autonomously all /or0 relating specially

an! exclusi#ely to the sphere of Party acti#ity /hich they /ere set up to !eal /ith.

2nother element missing from Cliffs account of ;!emocratic centralism> is the follo/ing

rule" also a!opte! at the secon! congress:

G#ery Party mem,er" an! e#eryone /ho has any !ealings /ith the Party" has the right to

!eman! that any statement su,mitte! ,y him ,e place!" in the original" ,efore the Central

Committee" or the e!itorial ,oar! of the Central 9rgan" or the Party Congress.

This rule seems to ha#e ,een !esigne! to pre#ent secret expulsions an! other a,uses of po/er

,y party officials that plague all ;Leninist> organi$ations" a,uses /hich are almost al/ays

Justifie! on the groun!s of ;!emocratic centralism.> The term has ,een a,use! to such an

extent that it no longer con#eys the organi$ational norms that pre#aile! /ithin the 4DLP

among Menshe#i0s 6/ho first coine! the term7 an! Bolshe#i0s ali0e until the 1-1)

re#olution.

Lenin famously !efine! ;!emocratic centralism> as ;free!om of !iscussion" unity in action.>

Cliffappropriately 3uotesLenin on /hat this meant in practice:

2fter the competent ,o!ies ha#e !eci!e!" all of us" as mem,ers of the party" must act as one

man. 2 Bolshe#i0 in 9!essa must cast into the ,allot ,ox a ,allot paper ,earing a Ca!ets

name e#en if it sic0ens him. 2n! a Menshe#i0 in Mosco/ must cast into the ,allot ,ox a

,allot paper ,earing only the names of 4ocial Democrats" e#en if his soul is yearning for the

Ca!ets.

Fote /hat ;free!om of !iscussion" unity in action> did notmean. 8t did notmean that the

minority ha! to pu,licly champion the ;line> or argument of the triumphant maJority. ;Unity

in action> for a !issenting minority simply meant acting in concert /ith the maJority" not

singing their tune or arguing for their ;line.> Fo/here !i! Lenin say ;a Bolshe#i0 in 9!essa
http://www.marxists.org/history/international/social-democracy/rsdlp/1903/rules.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/history/international/social-democracy/rsdlp/1903/rules.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/history/international/social-democracy/rsdlp/1903/rules.htmhttp://books.google.com/books?id=Js5RAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=%22democratic+centralism%22+mensheviks&source=bl&ots=wgewvOhGPR&sig=_udennJZvJ4Z0iEK50nIwgnU10A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wZYXT4T9O6ra0QHE4JiHAw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22democratic%20centralism%22%20mensheviks&f=falsehttp://marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1906/may/20c.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap15.htm#f20http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap15.htm#f20http://www.marxists.org/history/international/social-democracy/rsdlp/1903/rules.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/history/international/social-democracy/rsdlp/1903/rules.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/history/international/social-democracy/rsdlp/1903/rules.htmhttp://books.google.com/books?id=Js5RAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=%22democratic+centralism%22+mensheviks&source=bl&ots=wgewvOhGPR&sig=_udennJZvJ4Z0iEK50nIwgnU10A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wZYXT4T9O6ra0QHE4JiHAw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22democratic%20centralism%22%20mensheviks&f=falsehttp://marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1906/may/20c.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap15.htm#f20


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8n chapter 1)" Cliff !iscusses Lenins fight against the li3ui!ationist tren! in the 4DLP. e

notes that a *anuary 1-1( 4DLP conference #ote force! Lenin to !is,an! the Bolshe#i0

faction" close its ne/spaper" an! ,rea0 off relations /ith the ;,oycottists> in their ran0s /hile

the Menshe#i0s /ere o,lige! to !o the same: !is,an! their faction" close their ne/spaper"an! ,rea0 /ith the li3ui!ators in their mi!st. Lenin !utifully complie!. is Menshe#i0

counterparts !i! not.

2fter the Menshe#i0s pro#e! un/illing to follo/ through /ith their o,ligations" Lenin

launche! a ne/ /ee0ly paper at the en! of 1-1(" 4ve+da. Cliff omits this fact an! instea!

pic0s up the story /ith the Prague Conference hel! in *anuary 1-1+. e also omits the fact

that this conference electe! a proparty Menshe#i0 6one of t/o /ho atten!e!7 to the 4DLPs

central committee. This is important ,ecause the 1-1+ Prague Conference is almost al/ays

referre! to as the ,eginning of the Bolshe#i0s as a separate party from the Menshe#i0s. Cliff

e#a!es this issue ,y referring to those electe! to the central committee in 1-1+ as ;har!s"> a

term use! no/here else inBuilding the Party.

2fter chapter 1)" Cliff claims the 4DLPs !aily ne/spaperPravdaplaye! ;a central role in

,uil!ing the Bolshe#i0 Party"> !eclares that the Bolshe#i0s ,ecame ;a mass party> in 1-1+

1-1'" an! says that the Bolshe#i0 Duma !eputies ;finally en!e!> relations /ith their

Menshe#i0 counterparts in late 1-1 6/hen 5orl! 5ar 9ne ,ro0e out the !eputies issue! a

Joint statement" so this is false7. Base! on these claims it is clear that Cliff a!heres to the

myth that the Menshe#i0s an! Bolshe#i0s separate! into t/o parties in 1-1+.

o/e#er" a cursory glance at Lenins /ritings in 1-1+ re#eals ho/ /rong this #ie/ is.

4hortly after the 1-1+ Prague Conference" Lenin /rotethe follo/ing in an explanatory note

to the 8nternational 4ocialist Bureau:

8n all" t/enty organisations esta,lishe! close ties /ith the 9rganising Commission con#ening

this conferenceI that is to say" practically all the organisations" ,oth Menshe#i0 an!

Bolshe#i0" acti#e in ussia at the present time.

The 1-1+ Prague Conference separate! proparty Menshe#i0s an! Bolshe#i0s from the

li3ui!ators. The Menshe#i0Bolshe#i0 !i#i!e !i! not culminate in t/o separate parties until

the 1-1) re#olution. Cliffs account of the 1-1+1-1' perio! is terri,ly fla/e! ,ecause it is

pre!icate! on falsehoo!s. The Bolshe#i0s /ere not a party" therefore they coul! not ;,ecome

a mass party"> nor coul!Pravdaha#e playe! ;a central role in ,uil!ing the Bolshe#i0 Party>
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,ecause such an entity !i! not yet exist. This explains /hy" /hen Lenin referre! toPravda/s

success against its li3ui!ationist ri#alLuch he /rote" ;fourfifths of the /or0ers ha#e

accepte! the Pra#!ist !ecisions as their o/n" ha#e appro#e! of Pra#!ism" an! actually rallie!

aroun! Pra#!ism> instea! of using the terms ;Bolshe#ist> an! ;Bolshe#ism.>

Cliffs treatment of the history of Lenin an!Pravdais Just as errorri!!en as the rest

ofBuilding the Party.or example" heclaims" ;Lenin practically ranPravda.> 5hat he

neglects to mention is that ') of Lenins articles /erereJecte!" an! that many of Lenins

pu,lishe! articles /ere hea#ily e!ite! to /ea0en their factional content. 8f Lenin ;practically

ranPravda-> /hy /oul! he reJect so many of his o/n articles an! censor himself politicallyE

Pravda/as run ,y a team of e!itors" not ,y Lenin" an! the initiati#e for it came from thelo/er ran0s of the party. 8t /as not ;LeninsPravda> as Cliff claims" ,ut a /or0ers paper to

/hich Lenin /as one contri,utor among many 6Ple0hano#" osa Luxem,urg" an! Kauts0y

also /rote for it7. The o#er/helming maJority ofPravdas content" inclu!ing poems an!

humor columns" /as /ritten ,y /or0ers" not ,y higherups in the party or the papers

e!itorial team.

Con%lusion

Building the Partyhas so many gross factual an! political errors that it is useless as a

historical stu!y of Lenins actions an! thoughts. This conclusion is inescapa,le for anyone

/ho rea!s the ,oo0 closely an! compares it /ith the /ritings of Lenin an! the historical

recor!. Those /ho rea!Building the Partyan! ta0e it seriously /ill nee! to unlearn the

falsehoo!s an! misinformation containe! in its pages if they /ant a reasona,ly accurate

picture of Lenins /or0 in the context of the ussian socialist mo#ement of the early

t/entieth century.

Boo0mar0s in Britain an! aymar0et Boo0s in the U.4. shoul! thin0 t/ice ,efore

repu,lishing" selling" an! profiting fromBuilding the Party since it contains so many errors"

falsehoo!s" an! lies a,out Lenin.

Pha "inhs arti%les hae been -ublishe# by Occupied Wall Street Journal, The

Indypendent, Asia Times Online,Znet, Counterpunchan# thenorthstar.info, a

%ollaboratie blog by an# for o%%u-iers fro a%ross the 3.$. 4is other /ritings %an be

foun# at///.-lanetanar%hy.net
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1914/may/30.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap19.htm#f14http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap19.htm#f14http://www.archive.org/stream/Elwood--LeninAndPravda1912-1914.pdf/Elwood--LeninAndPravda1912-1914#page/n0/mode/2uphttp://www.archive.org/stream/Elwood--LeninAndPravda1912-1914.pdf/Elwood--LeninAndPravda1912-1914#page/n0/mode/2uphttp://www.planetanarchy.net/http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1914/may/30.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1975/lenin1/chap19.htm#f14http://www.archive.org/stream/Elwood--LeninAndPravda1912-1914.pdf/Elwood--LeninAndPravda1912-1914#page/n0/mode/2uphttp://www.planetanarchy.net/


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Comments 6@@7

+e%eber 2, 2011

5hat 0in! of party !o /e nee!E 2 reply to 2hme! 4ha/0i

ile! un!er:!emocratic centralism"re#olutionary organi$ing% louisproyect & : pm

8 am not exactly sure /hy the 849 reprinte! a +(( speech ,y party lea!er 2hme! 4ha/0i on

;5hat Kin! of Party 5e Fee!> in their latest ne/spaper ,ut it seems to ,e a retreat from

Paul LeBlancs more recent thoughts on the su,Ject that partially reflecte! the insights of

scholar Lars Lih an! others /or0ing through the pro,lems of ;Leninism>.

Mostly 4ha/0i tries to communicate the i!ea that party,uil!ing concepts ha#e e#ol#e! since

the !ays of Karl Marx" almost in a Dar/inian fashion. There are still lots of !inosaurs aroun!

,ut sur#i#al of the fittest%implicitly un!erstoo! in terms of a superior program%/ill sort

things out.

e says that Marx /as too preoccupie! /ith theori$ing a,out capitalism to really gi#e much

thought to organi$ational 3uestions:

Marx himself ha! place! some emphasis on the attempt to ,uil! political organi$ation. But

you /ere tal0ing a,out a perio! of the rise of capitalist social relations" an! therefore" in large

part" the ,ul0 of Marxs o/n personal acti#ity lay in !e#eloping theory rather than political

organi$ation.

9utli#ing Marx an! ostensi,ly past the thorny pro,lems of theori$ing capitalism" Gngels /as

more !irectly in#ol#e! /ith such nittygritty efforts:

Gngels participate! much more effecti#ely in the construction of the 4econ! 8nternational an!

playe! a formati#e role in the construction of /hat /as to ,e the mo!el socialist organi$ation

of the !aythe Herman 4ocial Democratic Party 64PD7" an organi$ation that pro!uce!" after a

perio! of illegality" !o$ens of ne/spapers" a mass mem,ership" electe! officials. The 4PD

/as le! ,y a man calle! Karl Kauts0y /ho /as !escri,e! at the time as the Pope of

Marxismthat /as suppose! to ,e a goo! thing as oppose! a negati#e thing.

Un!erstan!ing that ;5hat is to ,e DoneE> is 3uite clear a,out Lenins insistence that the

Herman party /as a mo!el for /hat he a!#ocate! in C$arist ussia%allo/ing for the nee! to
http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/mangling-the-party-vol-1-of-tony-cliffs-lenin-by-pham-binh/#commentshttp://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/what-kind-of-party-do-we-need-a-reply-to-ahmed-shawki/http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/category/democratic-centralism/http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/category/democratic-centralism/http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/category/revolutionary-organizing/http://socialistworker.org/2011/12/02/what-kind-of-party-do-we-needhttp://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/mangling-the-party-vol-1-of-tony-cliffs-lenin-by-pham-binh/#commentshttp://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/what-kind-of-party-do-we-need-a-reply-to-ahmed-shawki/http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/category/democratic-centralism/http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/category/revolutionary-organizing/http://socialistworker.org/2011/12/02/what-kind-of-party-do-we-need


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!e#elop /ays to fen! off repression%4ha/0i tries to !ra/ a !istinction ,et/een Kauts0y an!

Lenin that is a ,it lost on me:

8m not saying that Lenin /as i!entical to Kauts0y. ?ou can go ,ac0 an! rea! Kauts0y" for

example" /here he says clearly in the perio! of the late 1@((s that the Herman 4ocial

Democratic Party is a re#olutionary party" ,ut not a re#olutionma0ing party. 8n other /or!s"

/ere a party that see0s the transformation of society" ,ut /ere not a,out to ma0e a

re#olution.

Lenin insiste! al/ays on the re#olutionary character of the Bolshe#i0s" in part ,ecause they

operate! un!er Tsarism an! in part ,ecause of e#ents after the /riting of "hat )s To Be

(one%

Perhaps there is a su,tle !istinction that re3uires a higher le#el of !ialectical insight than 8

can muster at this point" ,ut the !ifference ,et/een a ;re#olutionary party> an! a ;re#olution

ma0ing party> /as not o,#ious to me at first ,lush. But after consulting chapter fi#e of

Kauts0ys ;The oa! to Po/er;" it all ,ecame clear to me. 8n fact Kauts0y is simply /arning

against Blan3uist schemas an! trying to explain that re#olutions cannot ,e ;create!>. They

are the pro!ucts of profoun! crises that ser#e as imperati#es to fun!amental change:

The 4ocialist party is a re#olutionary party" ,ut not a re#olutionma0ing party. 5e 0no/ that

our goal can ,e attaine! only through a re#olution. 5e also 0no/ that it is Just as little in our

po/er to create this re#olution as it is in the po/er of our opponents to pre#ent it. 8t is no part

of our /or0 to instigate a re#olution or to prepare the /ay for it. 2n! since the re#olution

cannot ,e ar,itrarily create! ,y us" /e cannot say anything /hate#er a,out /hen" un!er /hat

con!itions" or /hat forms it /ill come.

9ne surely hopes that comra!e 4ha/0i !oes not o,Ject to the i!ea that ;the re#olution cannot,e ar,itrarily create! ,y us>.

urthermore" a strong case can ,e ma!e that Lenin #ie/e! Kauts0ys ;oa! to Po/er> as

exemplary long after ;5hat is to ,e DoneE> ha! ,een /ritten an! e#en after he ha! ,ro0en

/ith Kauts0y o#er 558. 8n the latest issue of ;The 5ee0ly 5or0er>" the organ of the

Communist Party of Hreat Britain 6a group !e#ote! to fresh thin0ing a,out such matters e#en

if !oes ten! a ,it to/ar! scan!almongering" a reflection of the ,a! ha,its of the British press

no !ou,t7" theres an article>Lenin" Kauts0y an! the One/ era of re#olutionsO>,y the
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re!ou,ta,le Lars Lih that !ocuments Lenins respect for Kauts0ys ,oo0" couche! as it /as in

anger at Kauts0ys su,se3uent e#olution:

8n autumn 1-1'" shortly after the out,rea0 of 5orl! 5ar 8" Lenin /rote to his associate"

2le0san!r 4hliapni0o#: ;8 hate an! !espise Kauts0y no/ more than anyone" /ith his #ile"

!irty" selfsatisfie! hypocrisy.> This pungent summation of Lenins attitu!e to/ar! Kauts0y

an attitu!e that remaine! unchange! for the rest of Lenins life is often cite!. Ultimately

more useful in un!erstan!ing Lenins outloo0" ho/e#er" is another comment" ma!e aroun!

the same time to the same correspon!ent: ;9,tain /ithout fail an! rerea! 6or as0 to ha#e it

translate! for you7 oa! to po/er ,y Kauts0y

5hile 8 certainly agree /ith Lars on the nee! to see the continuity ,et/een the pre558

Kauts0y an! Lenin" 8 sometimes /on!er if he ten!s to go o#er,oar! on all this. That

continuity is certainly of immense interest to Lenin scholars ,ut the more ,urning issue for

re#olutionists to!ay is not the rele#ance of Kauts0ys turnofthecentury socialist party ,ut

the 0in! that /e nee! to!ay. Brea0ing !o/n the misconceptions a,out ;Leninism> is of

course important ,ut unless /e ,egin to thin0 creati#ely a,out our tas0s to!ay%as ,oth

Kauts0y for a time an! Lenin !i!%/e /ill not sol#e /hat Leon Trots0y !escri,e! as: ;The

/orl! political situation as a /hole is chiefly characteri$e! ,y a historical crisis of the

lea!ership of the proletariat.> Trots0y might ha#e ,een in error a,out the solution ,ut he

certainly got the pro,lem right.

5hich ,rings us ,ac0 to comra!e 4ha/0is speech:

2t this point


19/29

e conclu!es that you ha#e to ,egin ,y grouping together militants an! acti#ists,ecause

/ere not tal0ing here a,out commentators an! /riters" ,ut people /ho are in#ol#e! in the

actual struggle against capitalisminto a party that can lea! politically other sections of the

/or0ingclass mo#ement through the e,,s an! flo/ of the /or0ingclass struggle.

e use! the term #anguar! for this" to mean people /ho are in a!#ance . 8nstea! he is preoccupie! /ith uniting the

anti/ar left internationally first of all an! then sei$ing po/er in ussia" matters that in#ol#e!

strategy an! tactics rather than ne/ thin0ing a,out ho/ a ;#anguar!> is constructe!. Try as

you may" the Marxist 8nternet 2rchi#es /ill re#eal nothing along the lines of ;5hat is to ,e

DoneE> ,et/een 1-1' an! 1-1).

9nce 4ha/0i mo#es for/ar! in time to the 1-(s" things !ont get much ,etter 8m afrai!. e

states:

To!ay" there is an i!ea that the construction of a socialist organi$ation is in itself a fla/e!

proJect. 8n short" its ,een there" !one that/e trie! it in the 1-(s an! )(s" an! this mo!el of

organi$ation !oesnt /or0.

8t is not exactly clear /hat this is a reference to. 8n my #ie/" /hat /as trie! in the (s an!

)(s is something 8 refer to as Qino#ie#ism" a mechanical #ersion of ;!emocratic centralism>

that le! to sect an! cult formation in the Trots0yist an! Maoist mo#ements. By this perio!"

the CPs ha! transforme! themsel#es into something much more li0e the social !emocracy so

they /ere out of the running in the race to construct ;#anguar!> parties.


20/29

4ha/0i !oes seem to recogni$e that the party,uil!ing metho!ology /as fla/e!:

8 thin0 that theres a reaction that /e can sometimes ha#e to say you Just !i! it /rong/hich

is a goo! ans/er to a ,eenthere!onethat 0in! of remar0.

But 8 thin0 the more sophisticate! ans/er /oul! ,e that not only !i! the left in the 1-(s

inherit mo!els of organi$ation from the past" ,ut it /as itself !islo!ge! from its historic role

an! place! outsi!e of the /or0ingclass mo#ement. 2n! this is !espite #aliant efforts of many

sections of the left to reconnect /ith the /or0ing class" /hich shoul! ,e applau!e!" not

!eri!e!.

Fo/ it /oul! ,e useful to get his thin0ing on inheriting ;mo!els of organi$ation from the

past> ,ut to my 0no/le!ge this is Just something that ne#er gets explore! much in 849

pu,lications. Unless there is something a,out the 849 that 8 ha#e misse!" the metho!ology is

pretty much the same one that they inherite! from the British 45P" their onetime mother

ship. or a,out as succinct a presentation of their i!eas on ;!emocratic centralism> as can ,e

foun!" you can rea! To!! Chretiens article on ;Lenins Theory of the Party; that appeare! a

year after 4ha/0is speech. 8 shoul! say at the outset" ho/e#er" that Lenin ha! no theory of

the party. Tony Cliff !i!" an! thats /here To!!s i!eas come from ,asically. e /rites:

4o /hat is !emocracyE 8ts not a happygoluc0ye#ery,o!ygetsasay 0in! of thing for the

sa0e of fairness. 8nstea!" !emocracy" if it /or0s" has to ,e a contentious" acti#e" participatory"

argumentati#e" organi$e! process. 5e ha#e formal #otes on agen!as" !elegates" lea!ers"

actions" policies" etc. 8n fact" 8! #enture a guess that the 849 is one of the most !emocratic

organi$ations in the /orl!. 4o" yes" there ha#e to ,e formal mechanisms of !emocracy /ithin

the party" ,ut more than that" !emocracy has to ,e acti#e an! participatory. 5hyE 8n or!er to

confront the ,east /e are up against" you nee! to ha#e as many people as possi,le loo0ing at

the pro,lem" stu!ying the pro,lem" engage! in trying to get ri! of the pro,lemA

The secon! part is centralism" ,ecause if the 849 is not a utopia" its also not a tal0 shop. 5e

!ont ha#e aca!emic conferences. Fo/ there are some #ery goo! aca!emics" ,ut there are

also many aca!emic conferences /here e#eryone tal0s an! nothing comes out of it ,ecause

no one e#er expecte! anything to come out of it. The 849 is not a tal0 shop. 5e /ant to act.

5e /ant free!om of !iscussion to ha#e our !e,ates out" ,ut then /e /ant to ta0e a #ote.

5hiche#er si!e /ins /ill ,e put into practice an! then /ere going to see if it /or0s. 8f our

!ecision is /rong" then the people /ho oppose! it can come ,ac0 an! say" ;4ee that /as
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/rong.> But the only /ay to test things in practice is to ma0e a !ecision" ha#e all mem,ers

try to implement that !ecision to the ,est of their a,ility" an! then assess the outcome. 8f

mem,ers !ont ta0e !ecisions an! actions seriously" then you ne#er 0no/ if it /as your

tactics that /ere /rong" or it /as in the implementation that /ent /rong. 8n other /or!s"gi#ing something a halfasse! try is no test at all.

8 !ou,t if any #eteran of the 4ocialist 5or0ers Party in the U.4. or the CP et al /oul! ha#e

!escri,e! ho/ it /as put to them as a ne/ recruit any !ifferently" an! thats the pro,lem.

This ,usiness a,out a ;tal0 shop> is something 8 hear! /hen 8 Joine! the 45P in 1-). 8t

meant that you coul! tal0 until you /ere ,lue in the face !uring precon#ention !iscussion ,ut

once the party ma!e up its min! a,out a gi#en orientation" then you ha! to s/itch gears an!to into action mo!e. 2s /e 0no/ to!ay" this is not really the /ay that the Bolshe#i0s operate!

in real life" no matter ho/ har! Qino#ie# trie! to gi#e that impression. They !i! not !esignate

special perio!s /hen party mem,ers coul! !e,ate /ith each other ,ehin! close! !oors. Their

!e,ates /ere hel! in pu,lic.

8f you /ant proof of this" Just rea! *ohn ee!s ;Ten Days that 4hoo0 the 5orl!> /here there

is a reference to !i#i!e! #otes among party mem,ers o#er 0ey 3uestions such as /hether to

expropriate the ,ourgeois press. 2t a Fo#em,er 1)th 1-1) mass meeting" Lenin calle! for the

confiscation of the capitalist ne/spapers. ee! 3uotes him: ;8f the first re#olution ha! the

right to suppress the Monarchist papers" then /e ha#e the right to suppress the ,ourgeois

press.> ee! continues: ;Then the #ote. The resolution of Larin an! the Left 4ocialist

e#olutionaries /as !efeate! ,y 1 to ++I the Lenin motion /as carrie! ,y ' to +'.!mong

the minority were the Bolshevi$i Ria+anov and Lo+ovs$y- who declared that it was impossible

for them to vote against any restriction on the freedom of the press.;

4o !uring the heat of ,attle" not only !o you ha#e ;Bolshe#i0i> arguing against Lenin" they

#ote against him in pu,lic. Feither /as expelle!. 8n fact not a single Bolshe#i0 /as e#er

expelle! except Bog!ano# an! 8 pro,a,ly /oul! ha#e #ote! for that myself.

inally" 8 /ant to a!!ress myself to the 0ey political 3uestion in 4ha/0is speech that he

formulates as follo/s: ;there isnt much space for a ,roa!" anticapitalist party in the Unite!

4tates.> Fo/ since this /as /ritten years ago" it is un!erstan!a,le that he might not ha#e

anticipate! /hat has transpire! o#er the past fe/ months. But /ith that in min!" 8 strongly


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recommen! that the 849 comra!es pay careful attention to Pham Binhs article ;9ccupy an!

the tas0s of socialists;" especially the conclusion:

The most ,asic an! fun!amental tas0 facing socialists is to merge /ith 9ccupy an! lea! it

from /ithin. 4ocialist groups that insist on ;inter#ening> in the uprising /ill ,e #ie/e! as

outsi!ers /ith little to contri,ute in practice to sol#ing 9ccupys actual pro,lems ,ecause

they /ill ,e focuse! on /inning arguments an! i!eological points rather than acti#ely

listening to" Joining han!s /ith" an! fighting alongsi!e the #anguar! of the --R in

o#ercoming common practical an! political.

9ne !ifficulty the socialist left faces in accomplishing this ,asic an! fun!amental tas0 is the

!i#isions in our ran0s that ser#e in practice to /ea0en the o#erall socialist influence /ithin9ccupy" there,y strengthening that of the anarchists. They ha#e their Blac0 Bloc" ,ut /here

is our e! BlocE 5here are the socialist slogans to shape an! gui!e the uprisings political

!e#elopmentE

9ut of clou!s of pepper spray an! phalanxes of riot cops a ne/ generation of re#olutionaries

is ,eing forge!" an! it /oul! ,e a shame if the Peter CameJos" Max Gl,aums" 2ngela

Da#ises" Da#e Clines" an! uey Fe/tons of this generation en! up in separate ;competing>

socialist groups as they !i! in the 1-(s. Fo/ is the time to ,egin seriously !iscussing the

prospect of regroupment" of li3ui!ating out!ate! ,oun!aries /e ha#e inherite!" of fin!ing

/ays to /or0 closely together for our common en!s.

2,o#e all else" no/ is the time to ta0e practical steps to/ar!s creating a ,roa!,ase! ra!ical

party that in to!ays context coul! easily ha#e thousan!s of acti#e mem,ers an! e#en more

supporters. 8nitiati#es li0e 4ocialist Vie/points call for a Joint re#olutionary socialist

organi$ing committee in the Bay 2rea is a step in the right !irection. 5e nee! to ta0e more of

those steps" sooner rather than later. The opportunity /e ha#e no/ to ma0e the socialist

mo#ement a force to ,e rec0one! /ith again in this country !epen!s on it.

2nyone /ho agrees /ith this conclusion" /hether they are in a socialist group or not" an!

/ants to ta0e these steps shoul! email me so /e can fin! /ays to /or0 together.

+e%eber 0, 2010

9nce more on !emocratic centralism
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?ester!ay Fic0 re!man of the 4ocialist 2lliance in 2ustralia" a #ery promising attempt to

transcen! sectarianism initiate! ,y comra!es of the Democratic 4ocialist Party /ho ha#e

3uite correctly !issol#e! into this ,roa!er formation" raise! a #ery important 3uestion a,out

caucuses" !ra/ing implicitly into consi!eration the /hole 3uestion of !emocratic centralism.e /rote a comment un!er my post a,out the 45PLaurie Penny !ispute:

5hich is /hy 8 !ont un!erstan! at all Louis a,solute stricture against caucusing ,efore

mo#ement meetings. Theres a ,ig !ifference ,et/een on the one han!" say" a small stu!ent

action group meeting /ith the maJority there mem,ers of far left groups each repeating points

alrea!y ma!e a,out the a,solute necessity of a rally ,eing on this !ate rather than that" ,efore

#oting on ;party lines> 6,een there" /ish 8 ha!nt7" an! on the other" say" a large meeting of

union !elegates /ith a small minority of socialists /ho ha! /or0e! out some proposals

,eforehan! that /ere ,etter than the ,ureaucrats course" an! some sensi,le 6an! !ifferent7

things to say in support if they get the chance" /hich may /ell /in people o#er 6,een there"

gla! 8 /as7. 9ne also !oesnt ha#e to scream at or expel people /ho !ont follo/ such

!iscipline 6/hen its !eci!e! its /orth/hile to ha#e such7" as oppose! to a sense of

proportion an! a ,it of patient explanation /hen appropriate.

This is a,solutely correct. Caucuses are a,solutely necessary in the mass mo#ement. 4ocialist

groups must expect their mem,ers to #ote ,ase! on maJority rule in such circumstances. That

in fact is /hat the centralism part of !emocratic centralism is all a,out. 8t is anti!emocratic

for a socialist parliamentarian to ignore his or her partys /ishes. 5hen /or0ers !onate their

time an! money to elect a mem,er to parliament" the least they can expect is to see their

/ishes expresse! there. 9ne of the great scan!als of 1-1' is that some socialist !eputies

#ote! for /ar cre!its !espite the partys anti/ar !eclarations.

The pro,lem" ho/e#er" is that for small" self!eclare! ;Leninist> formations" the !iscussions

a,out policy ta0e place ,ehin! their organi$ational fire/all. 8 sa/ this all through the

Vietnam anti/ar mo#ement /hen the 45P hel! /hat /e calle! ;fraction> meetings ,efore a

0ey national gathering. 5e /ere tol! that /e /ere for a" , an! c an! that /e shoul! follo/

the lea! of our ;floor captains> /hen a crucial #ote came up. This /as /hat ma!e so many

people hate ;Trots>. 8t /as so o,#ious that someone li0e re! alstea! or Hus oro/it$ /as

calling the shots.

The /ay to resol#e this pro,lem" of course" is to go ,ac0 to the real Bolshe#i0 Party rather

than the fictional #ersion coo0e! up ,y *ames P. Cannon or any other men 6an! they /ere
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almost exclusi#ely men7 from that generation. Lenin !i! not ,elie#e in organi$ational

fire/alls. e ,elie#e! in a,solute transparency" except /hen it in#ol#e! the security of the

party.

8n *une 1-(" Lenin /rote an article title! ;The irst 4teps of Bourgeois Betrayal> that

!efine! the relationship ,et/een the mass mo#ement 6,ac0 then" exclusi#ely proletarian7 an!

the /or0ing class party" !ra/ing a sharp !istinction /ith the ,ourgeois !emocrats of the

Ca!et Party:

5e 4ocialDemocrats resort to secrecy from the tsar an! his ,loo! houn!s" /hile ta$ing

pains that the people should $now every thing about our Party- about the shades of opinion

within it- about the development of its programme and policy- that they should even $nowwhat this or that Party congress delegate said at the congress in 5uestion. The enlightene!

,ourgeois of the 9s#o,o$h!eniye fraternity surroun! themsel#es /ith secrecyA from the

people" /ho 0no/ nothing !efinite a,out the muchtal0e!of ;ConstitutionalDemocratic>

PartyI ,ut they ma0e up for this ,y ta0ing the tsar an! his sleuths into their confi!ence. 5ho

can say they are not !emocratsE

Does that soun! anything li0e the /ay that our latter!ay ;Leninist> parties operateE

Methin0s not.

4omething else must ,e sai!. The Bolshe#i0s /ere not committe! to !emocratic centalism as

a metho! of functioning in opposition to the Menshe#i0s. 5hen 8 /as ,eing in!octrinate!

into the Trots0yist mo#ement" /e al/ays use! to hear something that /ent li0e this. The

Bolshe#i0s /ere ;!emocratic centralists> /ho 0ne/ ho/ to get things !one" unli0e the

Menshe#i0s /ho hate! !emocratic centralism li0e a cat hates /ater an! /ho preferre! ;tal0

shops> of the 0in! that 8r#ing o/e an! D/ight McDonal! hoste! at Upper 5est 4i!e

salons.

8n fact the term pre!ates Lenin ,y many years an! /as first use! in 1@ ,y *.B. 4ch/eit$er"

a Lassallean. 6The !iscussion here o/es much to Paul LeBlancs excellent ;Lenin an! the

e#olutionary Party>.7

The Menshe#i0s first use! it in ussia at a Fo#em,er 1-( conference. 8n a resolution ;9n

the 9rgani$ation of the Party> a!opte! there" they state!: ;The 4DLP must ,e organi$e!

accor!ing to the principle of !emocratic centralism.> 2 month later the Bolshe#i0s em,race!

the term at their o/n conference. 2 resolution title! ;9n Party 9rgani$ation> states:
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;ecogni$ing as in!isputa,le the principle of !emocratic centralism" the Conference

consi!ers the ,roa! implementation of the electi#e principle necessaryI an!" /hile granting

electe! centers full po/ers in matters of i!eological an! practical lea!ership" they are at the

same time su,Ject to recall" their actions are gi#en ,roa! pu,licity" an! they are to ,e strictlyaccounta,le for these acti#ities.>

There is #irtually no !ifference ,et/een the Menshe#i0s an! the Bolshe#i0s a,out the nee!

for !emocratic centralism or its meaning. 4o claims that the t/o factions !iffere! o#er this

;Leninist> organi$ational ,rea0through are simply mista0en. Moreo#er" the t/o groups ha!

resol#e! many outstan!ing !ifferences follo/ing the 1-( re#olution. Menshe#i0 lea!er

Pa#el 2xelro! sai!" ;on the /hole" the Menshe#i0 tactics ha#e har!ly !iffere! from the

Bolshe#i0. 8 am not e#en sure that they !iffere! from them at all.> Lenin concurre!: ;The

tactics a!opte! in the perio! of the O/hirl/in! !i! not further estrange the t/o /ings of the

4ocial Democratic Party" ,ut ,rought them closer togetherAThe upsurge of the re#olutionary

ti!e pushe! asi!e !isagreements" compelling the 4ocial Democrats to a!opt militant tactics.>

8n any case" /hate#er !ifferences /oul! resurface in the perio! lea!ing up to 1-1)"

;!emocratic centralism> /as not one of them. 2t a unity conference hel! in 1-(" the

Bolshe#i0s an! Menshe#i0s #ote! for a resolution that state!: ;2ll party organi$ations are

,uilt on the principles of !emocratic centralism>.

2 Menshe#i0" Qagors0yKo0hmal" ga#e the report on the commission that a!opte! this

resolution. 8t state!: ;/e accepte! the formula for mem,ership unanimously>. 8n other /or!s"

there /as no o,Jection to /hat some /oul! characteri$e as ;Leninist> norms. The reason for

this is simple. Democratic centralism /as ne#er an issue.

4ince osa Luxem,urgs criti3ue of Lenins 1-(' ;9ne 4tep or/ar!" T/o 4teps

Bac0/ar!s> re#ol#es aroun! the charge that he /as suscepti,le to ;centralism>" you might

get the impression that these !ifferences re#ol#e! aroun! the nee! for !emocratic centralism.

8n fact" this term !oes not appear in her criti3ue that is online

at http:///.marxists.orgarchi#eluxem,urg1-('3uestionsrs!in!ex.htm

or example" Luxem,urg /rites" ;Lenins thesis is that the party Central Committee shoul!

ha#e the pri#ilege of naming all the local committees of the party.> 5hate#er else might say

a,out this" it is not /hat /e thin0 of or!inarily /hen /e hear the term !emocratic centralism.

8t is instea! a reference to a specific practice roote! in the exigencies of the ussian class
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struggle" force! to operate un!er repressi#e an! clan!estine con!itions. or example" 8 !ont

recall *ames P. Cannon e#er fa#oring this practice" !espite ,eing committe! to the sort of

!emocratic centralism that e#ol#e! un!er Qino#ie#s authority.

Fot that Luxem,urg is oppose! to centralism itself. 4he is not a oucaul!ian. 5hen it ta0es

shape from the selfacti#ity of the /or0ing class" it is a goo! thing. ;Centralism in the

socialist sense is not an a,solute thing applica,le to any phase /hatsoe#er of the la,or

mo#ement. 8t is a ten!ency" /hich ,ecomes real in proportion to the !e#elopment an!

political training ac3uire! ,y the /or0ing masses in the course of their struggle.>

9f course" the !emocratic centralism that !efines ;Leninist> organi$ations to!ay ha! little to

!o /ith Lenins call for ;free!om to critici$e" ,ut unity in action>. 4ome/here along the lineit ,ecame a formula for i!eological homogeneity. 8t states that the ;free!om to critici$e> is

permissi,le !uring precon#ention !iscussion" a perio! that tolerates atypical ,eha#ior e#ery

couple of years or so" more or less li0e 4poc0 un!ergoing ;Pon farr>" the Vulcan #ersion of

mating season.

Those /ho ha#e experience! this #ersion of ;free!om to critici$e> un!erstan! that it is no

such thing. 8nstea! it is mainly an opportunity for the secon!ary lea!ership of the party to

salute the central lea!ership for the ,rilliance of the line resolutions presente! to the

con#ention. Those /ho reach the conclusion that the line resolutions are full of ,aloney are

ultimately #ie/e! as scratches that are in !anger of turning into gangrene. 8n such

organi$ations" ho/e#er" the main !anger from the stan!point of me!ical analogies is

har!ening of the arteries.

8 /ill conclu!e /ith a point that must ,e ma!e in relation to Fic0 re!mans comment. 5hile

8 agree that !iscipline must ,e expecte! in hostile settings li0e a parliament or a tra!e union

!ominate! ,y classcolla,orationist ,ureaucrats" 8 thin0 that a !ifferent attitu!e must pre#ail

at mo#ement gatherings li0e !uring the Vietnam 5ar. 2lthough the people gathere! there

might not ,e mem,ers of a socialist group" they !eser#e to ,e treate! li0e comra!es rather

than ra/ material that can ,e shape! ,y the partys iron /ill. Despite all its o,Jections to

4talinism" the 45Ps characteri$ation of itself as ;the ,ig re! machine> smac0e! of the same

0in! of ,ureaucratic mentality that /oul! ,e the un!oing of the CPU42 an! for that matter us

after ;the turn>.

Comments 617
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Mar%h , 200

8n esponse to Mic0 2rmstrong

Tom 9Lincoln" a mem,er of 4ocialist 2lternati#e in 2ustralia" graciously in#ite! me to

su,mit a criti3ue to their maga$ine#ar&ist )nterventionsof 42 lea!er Mic0 2rmstrongs

,oo0,rom little things big things grow: strategies for building revolutionary socialist

organi+ations. 2s many of you 0no/" 8 regar! groups such as 4ocialist 2lternati#e claiming

to ,e ,ase! on ;Leninist> principles fun!amentally mista0en on organi$ational 3uestions.

5hile 8 fin! little to !iffer /ith the comra!es on programmatically 6except for the ;ussian

3uestions>7" 8 thin0 that they are going a,out ,uil!ing a re#olutionary party in the /rong /ay.

5hile most of my efforts o#er the years ha#e ,een !e#ote! to reorienting their ri#als on the

2ustralian left" the Democratic 4ocialist Perspecti#e" 8 /elcome! the chance to get a hearingin their maga$ine" something the D4P has ,een a#erse to !espite the polemic against me in its

o/n pages some years ago.

8 in#ite you torea! the entire article,ut /ill only inclu!e the first fe/ paragraphs here:

9ne of the more rapi!ly gro/ing groups on the left is 4ocialist 2lternati#e. Unfortunately it

/oul! appear from a ,oo0 ,y Mic0 2rmstrong that they remain /e!!e! to party,uil!ing

conceptions that /ill inhi,it future gro/th. 8t is un!erstan!a,le /hy such selfstyle! Leninistformations /oul! cling to counterpro!ucti#e metho!ologies since the !ea! han! of tra!ition

/eighs hea#ily on any group see0ing to esta,lish itself as the a#atar of Marx" Gngels" Lenin"

an! Trots0y. Perhaps a ,etter approach /oul! ,e to start /ith a fresh sheet of paper" an

approach #irtually rule! out for small propagan!a groups o,sesse! /ith Ore#olutionary

continuity.

Mic0 2rmstrongs party,uil!ing i!eas are containe! in rom little things ,ig things gro/:

strategies for ,uil!ing re#olutionary socialist organi$ations. 2pparently" the title of

2rmstrongs ,oo0 /as inspire! ,y a left /ing song ,y Paul Kelly that !eals /ith 2,original

an! la,our struggles in 2ustralia. Perhaps 8 am rea!ing too much into the title" ,ut 8 am afrai!

that it remin!s me of the Onucleus analogy from chemistry or physics that is use! so often in

/oul!,e Leninist circles. Basically" a mass re#olutionary party starts /ith a nucleus of

Marxists steele! /ith a correct program" /hich more often than not re#ol#es aroun! a correct

interpretation of the Oussian 3uestions. 8f you !ont ha#e the correct position on 1-1) or

some other ostensi,le ,enchmar0 !ate" you /ill not progress to/ar! the final goal of sei$ing

po/er. Thus" a Oprogram an! the initial ca!re assem,le! aroun! that program are li0e the
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nucleus of an element li0e car,on or uranium. 5hat is misun!erstoo! unfortunately ,y those

/ho thin0 in these terms is that a chemical nucleus rests on materialist foun!ations /hile a

Oprogram is simply a set of i!eas.

8 !o /ant to turn my attention no/ to Mic0s re,uttal" /hich appears imme!iately after my

criti3ue. 8 once again urge you to rea! ,oth pieces in their entirety ,ut /ant to respon! to

some of his points here:

Mic0 /rites" ;Proyect opposes ,uil!ing clear cut re#olutionary socialist organisations an! is a

supporter of the O,roa! party mo!el for ,uil!ing the left to!ay.> 2ctually" 8 !o ha#e a mo!el

an! that is Lenins Bolshe#i0 Party. Despite their commitment to ,uil!ing ;Leninist> parties"

Mic0 an! other a!#ocates of ;!emocratic centralism> ha#e no explanation for the !ifferences,et/een Lenins party an! their o/n. 8n the entire history of the Bolshe#i0 Party" only a

single mem,er /as e#er expelle!: Bog!ano#. G#en after mem,ers of Lenins central

committee ,ro0e !iscipline an! spo0e out against sei$ing po/er in 1-1)" none of them /ere

expelle!. urthermore" the Bolshe#i0s carrie! out their !e,ates in pu,lic. Pro,a,ly the ,est

!ocumentation for this is *ohn ee!s 02 (ays that 'hoo$ the "orld"in /hich ee! refers to

the fight in the Bolshe#i0 party a,out /hether po/er shoul! ,e sei$e! from Kerens0y in

chapter +:

o/e#er" the right /ing of the Bolshe#i0i" le! ,y ia$ano#" Kamenie# an! Qino#ie#"

continue! to campaign against an arme! uprising. 9n the morning of 9cto,er 1st appeare!

inRabotchi Put the first installment of Lenins ;Letter to the Comra!es"> one of the most

au!acious pieces of political propagan!a the /orl! has e#er seen. 8n it Lenin seriously

presente! the arguments in fa#our of insurrection" ta0ing as text the o,Jections of Kamenie#

an! ia$ano#.

2s it turns out"Rabotchi Putis not an internal !iscussion ,ulletin of the 0in! that /e /ere

/arne! ne#er to allo/ ;outsi!ers> to see in the 2merican Trots0yist mo#ement" ,ut the !aily

Bolshe#i0 ne/spaper that /as sol! on the streets all o#er 4t. Peters,urg an! else/here.

Lenins article is foun! in the appen!ix to Chapter + an! it is a real eyeopener. 2gainst

Kamenie# an! ia$ano#s argument that ;/e ha#e not a maJority>" Lenin replies that they

;simply !ont /ant to loo0 the real situation in the face> an! !ra/s the rea!ers attention to

the peasant uprising s/eeping ussia" /hich cannot ,e rea!ily reflecte! in parliamentary

totals.
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Fee!less to say" this is simply not the /ay that mo!ern!ay selfstyle! ;Leninist> parties

operate. They ha#e con#ince! themsel#es that pu,lic !e,ates /ill lea! to social !emocratic

!e#iations. Unfortunately" the only conclusion that you can !ra/ is that internal !e,ates /ill

strengthen sectarian ten!encies.

Mic0 en!s up ,y ma0ing an amalgam ,et/een my i!eas on party,uil!ing an! the

!egeneration of the 5or0ers Party in Bra$il" a group that 8 ha#e spent the past fi#e years

!enouncing on the Marxism mailing list. 8t seems rather farfetche! to explain their !o/nfall

in terms of ha#ing !e,ates in pu,lic. 8n fact" the Communist Party of Vietnam is totally

committe! to ;!emocratic centralist> principles an! has ,asically follo/e! the same

traJectory as Lula.

9f more interest is Mic0s claim that 4ocialist 2lliance type formations in Hreat Britain an!

2ustralia someho/ pro#e that straying from !emocratic centralism /ill lea! you !o/n the

roa! to per!ition. 2lthough 8 ha#e !ou,ts that Mic0 has e#er rea! /hat 8 ha#e /ritten a,out

such formations" his comra!e Tom 9Lincoln must surely 0no/ that 8 thought they /ere

!oome! to failure since the !ominant ten!encies ten!e! to ,e ;Leninist> parties maneu#ering

in the selfsee0ing manner !e#ise! ,y the Trots0yist mo#ement !uring the ;rench turn>.

The only rench turn 8 a!#ocate is the one that the LC has ta0en. 8 sincerely hope that small

propagan!a groups li0e 42 an! the D4P /ill pay close attention to rench !e#elopments"

/hich ha#e the potential to rein#igorate the re#olutionary left e#ery/here. 5hile no,o!y can

pre!ict that the ne/ anticapitalist party /ill ta0e po/er some!ay" one thing is certain. The

;!emocratic centralist> mo!el clung to li0e a security ,lan0et ,y 42" the D4P" et al !oes not

/or0. istory has ren!ere! its merciless Ju!gment on that.

Louis Proyect

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