The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-01
FIFTH CONGRESS-
HEARS REPORTS
ABOUT FASCISM
Bordiga Tells of Italian
Workers Struggle

reports on dSClSlu. OAo was OOAAF7
cred by Bordiga of Italy and the other
by Freimuth Of Germany. They
showed that international Fascism,
while presenting national differences,
is still one Of the most valuable
weapons of the capitalist class in its
struggle to beat back the rising revo-
luton. For the workers it is of the
utmost Importance to find the methods
by which Fascism can be met and
overcome
Bordiga said:
I presented to the Fourth Congress
a report on the question of Fascism
dealing with a very decisive period of
the history Of Fascism in Italy; that is
to say, with the conquest Of power by
Nussolini I must deal now with
another phase of Fascist development
which is connected, as you know, with
the Matteotti affair.
Mentions MatteottI.
At this juncture it is of particular
interest to study this important social
and political phenomenon.
l am, Of course, not going to repeat
what said about Fascism in my first
report from the historical point of
view. l will merely remind you of
the fundamental criticism in connec-
ton with the phenomena now before
us and with which dealt in my first
report.
It has been said that the develop
ment of the governmental crisis in
Italy represented Fascism as the
political negation of the period during
which the liberal and democratic bour-
geosie of the left was in power in
Italy. According to this point of view,
Fascism came as reaction against
the concession postwar policy of
Giolitti, etc. We think, on the con-
trnry, that there Is a dialectic connec.
ton between the two periods, and
that the attitude which the italian
bourgeoisie adopted at first during the
crisis which convulsed the state after
the war was paving the way for Fas-
cism.
TA9@totN 0iHtos
Fascism began in the agricultural
district. This is a characteristic fact.
The attack on the positions of the red
proletariat began in Italy in the agri-
cultural districts. But if it is true that
Fascism began its actions in the nom
industrial districts, we must not mag
inc that it is purely a movement in
the interests of the agrarian bour-
geoisie and of the big land owners.
On the contrary, it is a movement
which represents also the interests
of the big industrial, financial and
commercial bourgeoisie. 1t is an at
tempt at counter revolutionary unity
OF all the forces Of the bourgeoisie.
At the first glance, Fascism by it's
outward aspect does not seem to be
an organization OF the important
social classes which we have just
named. It rather appears as a move
ment Of the middle classes, of war
veterans, of bourgeois intellectuals
and OF all other sections which the
proletariat could not bring over to
its side.
Fascism is not a revolutionary
movement It is rather a movement
TO- the preservation of what exists
1lready and it does not present us
9TH a new program. 1t merely brings
forward a new factor which was en-
tirely lacking in the old parties, a
formidable fighting organization, both
political and military.
Anti-ProIetarian.
What are the relations between
Fascism and the proletariatIs
Its name alone shows that It is an
anti-socialist and therefore an anti
proletarian movement. From begin
ming to end 1t appears as the destroyer
of even the smallest conquests of the
working class. But even II Fascism
is not the old extreme right reaction
with its concomitant Of martial law,
terror, emergency legislation, and Off
cial prohibition Of red and revolution
airy organizations, it is something
more thar that. II Is a more modern,
CuuuluH LuOFuu4CAb MAASA Ch0CaNOA .
at the same time to do propaganda
among the masses, and even adopts
the principles OF trade union organiza-
ton. 1t endeavors to form economic
workers organizations. It is self-evi-
dent that we cannot compare these
trade union organizations with the red
trade unions. But we must admit that
ais 10 a very strong theoretical argu-
ment against trade unions and even
against revolutionary trade unionism,
which maintains that the most effec-
tive weapon for the proletarian strug-
gle ia economic organization. Facts
have shown US that this weapon can
be very we'll used for counter-revolu-
tionary purposes.
"class Cooperation"
In fact, Fascism has merely adopted,
but IN a new form, the old platform
o. laft bourgeois parties and of the