The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-11
Leninism or Trotskyism

| ACdNs uhuoA Zig COuULtOuS AIupOSSu Oy
the revolutionary tasks facing the Ia
Dor movement in Russia. l.. K.) has
worked out an excellent European
plan and because he has done this,
boasts of his 'Europeanism' to the
whole world" (Compl. works, Kill,
PIP. 222, 223, July 1924
These tactics, actually implying ap-
probation of the transition of the
party from the path of revolution to
the path of the then peaceful Europ-
can socialists, were proclaimed at the
time when the new wave of revolu-
ton following the blood bath on the
Lena demanded an expressly revolu-
tionary leadership. 1t is possible that
someone will submit the question.
How is it possible that the theory
of permanent revolution did not re-
strain Comrade Trotsky from such
unrevolutionary tactics? How could
he the representative Of this ultra
left theory, lend his support to such
anti-revolutionary tactics, side by side
with the mensheviki, during the OBJ
viously revolutionary situation from
1912 to 1914?"
DuS any OhC putting LlllS QucbllOu
would only prove that he has not yet
comprehended Lenin's characterize
ton of Trotskyism: Right politics
disguised in left phraseology."
Examine the standpoint of the
liquidators," Lenin continued to ex-
plain to the naive in the year of 1913.
THE essential character of their
liquidatory standpoint is artiflcally
disguised beneath Trotsky's revolu-
tionary phrases. The naive and en-
tirely inexperienced are still often de-
ceived by this disguise. But the
slightest closer examination imme-
diately disperses this self deception"
1914.
Then came the year 1914. The rev.
dictionary movement in the proletar-
lat made rapid strides forward, the
waves of the tempest of revolution
rose higher and higher. Trotskys
viewpoint remained unchanged in the
questions of the principles of revolu-
ton and the tactics of the proletarian
movement. Let us read what Lenin
wrote about him in the year 1914:
Comrade Trotsky has never yet
possessed a definite opinion on any
single earnest MARKHAM question; he
has always crept into the breach
made by this or that difference, and
has oscillated from one side to an
other" (Compl works, XII-2., PIP.
536, 537.)
"The liquidators have their own
viewpoint--a liberal and not a Marx
ian one. Everyone familiar with the
writings of Dan, Martov, Potressov
and Co. knows this viewpoint. But
Trotsky has no viewpoint, never has
had one; he has merely transitions
and fittings from the liberals to the
Marxists and back again, fragments
of words and sounding phrases, swing
here and there. In reality, Trot-
sky's sresounding, confused and empty
phrases, so misleading to the untrain-
! ed worker. serve solely for the defense
of the liquidators; Trotsky accom-
plishes this by preserving silence on
the question of illegality chat is, of
the revolutionary organization and
policy of the working class. L. K.),
by endeavoring to convince us that
labor policy does not exist amongst
TO az eAA Abudb lot ~ CluCuNOl Ou lnC
part of the mensheviki to subordinate
the labor movement to the cadets, etc
L. K.) Comrade Trotsky addresses a
special and lengthy sermon to the
seven deputies, headed by Tscheidse,
instructing them as to the cleverest
methods of carrying out the policy
of rejection of illegality and of the
party" (Lenin, KILL, PIP. 40 to ABB
Then came the tempestuous months
of the year of 1914. The labor move
ment advanced from political and eco
nomic strikes to armed demonstra-
tions, only interrupted by the mobiliz-
alton of the army. In July the work
ers of Petersburg were already at the
barricades. II was necessary to strike
balance, it was necessary to show
to the working class the political cur
rents and tendencies emerging from
illegality and from the influence of the
refugees from abroad, in order that
they might carry on their movemen;
further. Lenin wrote a comprehen-
sive article and had it published in
May, 1914, in the Bolshevist periodi-
CAL Prosweschtschenje CEnlighten-
ment). Here he drew the balance of
the ten years Of struggle between Boil
shevism and Trotskyism. the struggle
which we have followed in it's vari-
Gus stages:
"The old participators in Russias
Marxist movement know Trotsky's fig
ure very we'll; there is no need to say
anything about him to them. But the
younger generation of workers does
not know him, for he represents a
certain type. At the time Of the old
Iskra (1901-1903), people OF this type
oscillated between the economists and
the lskra group.
when we speak of the liquidators,
we so designate a certain theological
tendency rooted in menshevism and
economism. a tendency closely
bound up with the policy and theology
of a certain class, the liberal bour-
geoisie.
These people explain that they
are above the fractions, but the sole
basis for this assertion is that they