The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-03

hOR general pTOpABAuua must USdl
~ at the same dime with the ques-
lions of historical naterialism and
with MARKS economic teachings. A
comprehension Of the laws Of capital
list development, and Of the conform
ity to law embodied in classic indus
trial capitalism, are necessary pre-
requisites to the comprehension OF the
connection existing between the cap
kalism Of free competition and mon
opolist capitalism, If the knowledge
does not exist, the danger arises of a
lack Of comprehension of the associa-
lions between imperialism and classic
capitalism, leadingin practical politics
to a tendency towards left infantile
diseases" And as our general propa-
gandR must deal at the same time
with the special purport impaired to
Marxism by Lenin, our propaganda
work must lay special emphasis on the
fundamental elements Of Leninism.
Tho theory of imperialism must be
accorded a leading place in our prop
uganda. A clear comprehension Of
the nature Of imperialism is absolute
ly necessary II we are to grasp the
character of the new historical epoch.
Here our propaganda must expose the
manner in which misapprehension of
the essential character of Imperialism,
as special stage in the development
Of capitalism, has converted social
democracy into the nunkeys of the
bourgeoisie.
The position into which social dem
ooracy has thus fallen has of course
its social causes, and the theoretical
| expression of these is the false theory
Of Imperialism held by the social dem
ocrats. This failure to comprehend
Imperialism leads the social demo
labyrinth of misapprehension as to the
real character Of the, split in the ranks
of socialism and in the working class.
They do not understand that this split
is an inevitability arising out of the
essential nature of the imperialist
epoch.
They do not understand that imperial
list excess profits form soil for the
growth Of q labor aristocracy and
bureaucracy which, finding firmer eco
nomic ground beneath their feet, be-
gin to show Bourgeois" and phil
istine" tendency The political ex-
preston of this economic schism of
the labor aristocracy to the side of the
bourgeoisie is represented by the split
in socialism. 1t is precisely this fun
damental fact which has made the
split between Communists and oppor-
tunists Cor imperialist socialists) an
imperative necessity And precisely
for this reason there could be no
thought of simple reorganization of
the Second International, and the Gre
alton Of new organization, the
Third International, became an alb
solute necessity.
II1E must thus accord a leading
w place in our propaganda work to
this question Of the imperialist nature
Of the social democratic parties. Fail
ure to comprehend this imperialist
character may be observed among the
so-called left Communists. Even Rosa
Luxembourg shared this lack of clear
understanding on, this subject. In her
book on THE Crisis in Social Democ-
racy," she regards the attitude adopt
ed by German social democracy at the
outbreak of the war In 1914 simply as
a mistake, and does not associate it
with the history Of opportunism. Lenin
drew special attention to this when
he said that the treachery would be
inexplicable" If we could not trace its
connection to opportunism as a ten
dency with long history behind it.
the history of the whole Second Inter-
national. The question of the split
in socialism during the imperialist
stage of capitalism has been dealt
with by Lenin in his remarkable ar
ticle entitled: Imperialism and the
Split in Socialism"
The question Of the theory OF i'm
pcrialism is Of increased importance
to us, since at the present time we
are Obliged In our own ranks to COM
/ UaJ INC AdlDo buoOEy piOpdbdlOu Dy
Rosa Luxemburg's conception Of i'm
perialism should be made the funda-
mental Of the program of the Com
munist International. 1t is the vital
duty Of our propaganda work to OPP
pose our incontestable theory to Rosa
Luxemburg's incorrect theory of i'm
perialism, in which she summed up
her wrong conceptions Of the role
played by the party, the national
emancipation movement. the move
ments in the colonies, and the peasant
movements. Dr.
Another important branch OF our
general propagandist work is the
teaching of Lenin's theory, strategy,
and tactics Of proletarian revolution.
The fundamental principles laid down
by Lenin in these questions are con-
tanned in the main documents OF the
Communist International. These are:
1. The theses on bourgeois and pro-