The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-21
The Problem of Bolshevisation

Of belief, than of action.
THIS was due more to the immatur-
/ ity of the movement than to the
absence of concrete native issues
Only slowly and gradually did our
Communist Party in America learn
to function as one. And this develop
ment Of our party from a Communist
propaganda club to a Communist
Party is not yet completed. The egg
shells Of our former existence as So
cialists still cling to us here and
there. So, to certain degree, the
reorganization of our party into shop
nuclei is not merely process Of
adapting the organizational forms of
our party to its necessary functions,
but the simultaneous development of
Bolshevist functioning and organiza-
ton.
HE Bolsheyized Communist has
the revolutionary class struggle
uppermost in his mind. ALI his &C.
tons he subjects to his determine
ton of proletarian victory. For the
Communist, the organization, the par
ty, is not an aim in itself. It is an
instrument. The quality of this in
strument is measured by it's useful
ness in the proletarian struggle for
emancipation. Mere organizational
routine means nothing to the party.
The question is not how well the in
ner party organization is functioning,
but how we'll does the party as a
whole function outwardIy. The
smoothness of the inner organization
al machinery is important only as far
as it facilitates the outward function
Of the party. In that respect, how
ever, it is Of the utmost Importance.
REORGANIZATION of our party on
IN the nuclei basis is difficult espe-
cially, because of our traditional or
ganizational forms. It is much harder
to overcome the natural inertia of
tradition than it is to solve the &C
tual technical difficulties. Old tradi-
tions have not only preserved organi-
rational forms but also the shortcom-
ings that went with these forms. The
principles of federalism underlying
on rold language group organization
have permitted enough segrega-
ton of the diverse groups within
our party that a measure of auton-
omy Of these groups prevailed. With
the change of the fundamental organ
izational principle Of our party from
that Of federalism to centralism we
could not revolutionize the practice.
Up to this day there are still whole
sections of our party living in prac-
tical seclusion and in some degree
of independence from the party as a
whole. 1t is true that we adopted a
new principle. but the old practice re-
manned. Consistent efforts on the
part of the party and also much good
will on the part of the language Sec
tons and members have gradually
brought about considerable improve
ment-but no fundamental change.
THIS condition is decidedly nom
l Bolshevik. It fosters and pre-
serves a separate loyalty to a sub
division of the party. 1t develops sep
arate problems that are entirely aside
from the political problems of the
party. And no matter how intensely
the party endeavors to concentrate
on its revolutionary duty, some sub
divisions of the party are too busy
solving their own particular inner
problems to participate unreservedly
in the efforts of the party.
1t is evident that a fundamental
change is required to overcome this
difficulty. The reorganization of the
party into SHOP nuclei will BRING
about this change. But at the same
time, this reorganization also presup-
poses a change. 1t presupposes a Boil
shevization of the minds Of the com
rades.
NT present we meet again and
n again the argument that shop
nuclei are all right in theory but
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