# A Brief Review of the Labour Movement in Japan/Part 2/Chapter 5

CHARTER V.
Revival of Socialism, and the „Left Wing“
1. Socialism Underground, 1910–1918.
In 1910, the year of the bloody execution, the Japanese propertied class succeeded in guilloting or imprisoning a number of Revolutionists, but could achieve no effects in massacring or imprisoning the Socialist ideas, which is nothing but the product of the Capitalist System itself. Soon after the tragedy, Sakai established the „Baibun-sha“ ​(Sling-ink Society), both for the study of Marxism and for supporting the livelihood of colleagues. In 1914, the Baibuh-sha started a monthly journal, „The New Society“. Naturally the society and its journal became a bond of Socialists scattered over the country and in the foreign countries.
In 1916 Osugi published a syndicalist journal, „The Modern Thought“, but it could not continue long.
A little later, there appeared a few small study groups of Socialist intellectuals and workers in Tokyo, among which „The Hokufu-kai“ was prominent.
Taken on the whole, however, all those groups, papers, an activities were largely confined to the academic study of Socialist theory and the masses of workers and their organisations were not touched by them. Poor, miserable and wretched not materially alone, but mentally also, were the exploited peoples of this period.
2. Revival of Socialism, 1919–1921.
Faced with the life-and-death struggles of the enslaved for their existence at home and the great practical lesson of Communist Revolution in Russia, Socialism (especially Marxism) began early 1918 to revive from a decade's enforced silence, to come out on the high-way from its refuge on the dusty bookshelf.
One year from the summer of 1919 was that of the greatest crop of Socialist literature such as never happened in the previous years. Translations, writings and papers on Socialism of all schools (Marxism, Syndicalism, Guild Socialism, Anarchism, State Socialism, Fabianism, etc.) were published in a considerable amount by the Baibun-sha group, petit-bourgeois professors and journalists, some of them however being suppressed by the censor and some published in secret. At the same time, several groups for the study and propaganda of Socialism sprang ​up everywhere. Intellectual quarrells took place between various schools.
For awhile, Communism or Bolshevism was in a state of under-current, being greatly hampered by the lunatic watch of the government against the importation of Communist literature and the communication with Soviet Russia.
Alarmed and frightened by the growing tendency of the opposite ideas, the possessing classes hurried to exterminate all „dangerous thoughts“ with the usual ruthless methods. Since early 1920, there appeared again the hysteric confiscations of „dangerous“ papers and the arrests of Socialists; almost all revolutionary propaganda meetings were brutally broken and dispersed by police and Japanese „Black and Tan“.
Fortunately, however, instead of extinguishing the revolutionary thought, this bourgeois terrorism resulted, firstly, in a hasty withdrawal of the counterfeit Socialists and Socialist Philistines from the stage, putting an end to the „popularisation“ of Socialism, and justly leaving the victory in the hands of Revolutionary Socialists; secondly, in adding fresh fuel to the revolutionary fire, in driving all Revolutionists toward Communism. The study of Communist theory and the fragmentary informations about the real conditions in Soviet Russia through the foreign books and papers began to appear on all the Socialist papers. Although the propaganda or agitation for Communism is absolutely prohibited, it is being carried on by every possible means among workers, soldiers, policemen, and teachers with a good amount of crop.
Thirdly, it met with a cynical effect in uniting those revolutionary elements into one solid army„The Socialist Federation of Japan“ which was, in the teeth of every counteractions of the authority, openly formed in Tokyo, December 1920, although it was practically founded three months before. The Federation is in form neither a Communist nor Socialist Party which possesses a certain definite programme, but merely a body calling together individual persons and groups which has tendency of Revolutionary Socialism in a wider sense. But practically it was engineered and led by the Baibun-sha group and dominated by Communism. Therefore, the formation of the Socialist Federation is a preliminary proceeding to create a Communist Party at no very distant date.
3. The „Left Wing“ in the Trade Unions.
Now, turning to the workers' side, the severest experiences of the class struggle on the one hand, and the revolutionary propaganda on the other, threw a cold light on the minds of the oppressed. They gradually began to put their eyes upon the fundamental cause of their present agony—the Capitalist System, and upon the gospel of freeing themselves completely from the fetter of the system—Communism. Thus, for the first time, Communism or Socialism rightly came down from being the monopoly of the intelligentsia into the possession of the proletarians themselves. To-day everybody can observe this new or revolutionary tendency in the labour movement, as revealed in various declarations of the Trade Unions, in their uncompromising attitude to the master class, and in their deep hatred to Parliament.
In August 1920, for instance, each leader of the Yuai-kai, The Shinyu-kai, the Seishin-kai, the Transport Workers', Japanese Watch, Makers' Union, worked as a member of the Organising Committee of Socialist Federation. December, many rank and file members of labour organisations joined the Federation. At the Conference of the Yuai-kai, October, the „Left Wing“ or the Direct Actionist won in a debate—„Direct action or Parliamentalism“.
This the latest tendency—above all the „Left Wing“ fraction which is steadily taking in power inside the Trade Unions, though the great bulk of the masses having nothing to do with it. The time this tendency will take more definite shape, evolve in the acute Communist movement, and lead the whole. of the west into it, of course ​depends largely upon the devoted efforts of the present Left Wing leaders and Communists.
4. 1921, and the Outlook.
After the failure in an attempted strike by the Seishin-kai (of news paper printers) in September 1920, there was for some time an armed truce in the field. Towards the end of the year, however, this was spasmodically broken by the fighters of Yuai-kai,—a seriously defeated strike at Kasho coal mine, Kyushu, in which more than 40 members were arrested; and a successful strike and sabotage conducted by the tailors (belonging to Yuai-kai) against the Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo, the biggest shop in Japan.
The year of 1921 was opened by a thrilling event—a complete smash and destruction of the machines and workshop, and the forcible attack upon the owner and officials of a metal factory, Tokyo, by a band of furious workers who had been locked out and dismissed on the ground that they had been the members of Yuai-kai. More than 40 were arrested on the next day.
The prospect of 1921 is far more dark and gruesome. The economic condition does not seem to recover in the earlier days; the tyrannical class does not slacken the reign of terrorism.
In the past two years, the toiling masses strove and fought, by common impulse, with all means for their existence. But everywhere they were ruthlessly beaten and defeated. Exhausted and despaired, they retreated to the last stronghold, behind which the abysmal Death Ravine deepens.
Now, they are standing on the cross-roads,—more fight or the surrender to their enemy, Communist or Reformism. Here, again, they are waiting the full-hearted activity of Communist.
In closing this chapter, I will quote a few words from a Manifesto issued by the printers' Seishin-kai in January 1921, in order to show the spirit and determination of the Japanese proletarian vanguards and also to show the road through which they are going to march.
„Twice we had to be knocked down—but in order to get up to our feet Thrice. Our present silence is merely a short rest for the further fight, for rising up in full force, and for making our fight more vital, more serious, more „red.“.
* ↑ Toshihiko Sakai is a leader of Marxism, practically the chairman of the newly formed Socialist Federation. Co-translator (with Kotoku) of Marx and Engels, „Communist Manifesto“, the translator of Kautsky's „Ethics and Materialistic Conception of History“, Gorter's Materialistic Conception of History, co-writer of „The Life of Karl Marx“, etc.
* ↑ Sakae Osugi, Anarchist in his youth, then Syndicalist, and now the true leader of the Communist group. Writer and translator on Anarchism, Syndicalism, natural science, etc. The editor of „The Labour Movement“, weekly.
* ↑ Marx became so popular that the translation of his whole volumes of Das Kapital was attempted by three persons separately, and also the translation of all his important works by a few professors is in progress. His „Lohnarbeit und Kapital“ was translated by a professor in this period.
* ↑ The Manifesto produced by the Organising Committe of Socialist Federation was confiscated before distribution. 10th Dec. was fixed for the inauguration, but, in anticipation of being broken up by police, it was unexpectedly (to police) held on the previous day. At the propaganda meetings on the following day, not less than 50 Socialists were arrested under a charge of seditious action. The Federation claims 2000 members over the country, publishing a monthly „The Socialism“ which is the renamed The New Society. Address. 19 Shinsaurada cho.
* ↑ For example: „Through the long and bitterest experiments, We, Japanese workers, learned that the function of Trade Unions is to strike at the nucleus of Capitalist System. Now the time is approaching when we shake off the yoke of the wage-slavery system—Capitalism“, (from „The Labour“, the official organ of Yuai-kai, published in Jan 1921). „Remember that our urgent demand—Eight hours day and other improvement of our conditions—is nothing more than a first step. Our final aim is upon the complete overthrow of the present wage system itself“, (from „The Fraternity“, the official organ of Shinyu-kai, published in Jan. 1921).