The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-03-20
The German Party Discussion
BY Fred Ellis

the third Period" spoken of in the
resolution of the Sixth World Con-
Igress. The sterilization of capital
ism referred to in the theses of the
Sixth Congress can be interpreted
only within the framework of this
general. crisis of capitalism and its
basis.
1t is because this sterilization of
capitalism has taken place under the
conditions of a general crisis of CAPT
talism, that the sterilization can
only be relative and partial. Those
who deny the RELATIVELY and incom-
pleteness of the present stage of
capitalist sterilization, as for in
stance Comrade Humbert-Droz and
the representative of the concilia-
tors in Germany, only show that they
regard the capitalist sterilization,
which in reality is only an episode of
! the general development of the crisis
of capitalism, as an "entity in itself"
torn out of relation with the back
ground against which it is taking
place.
The difference between the second
and the third periods of the situa-
ton of capitalism in the postwar
period is by no means that, whereas
the sterilization of capitalism in the
second period was relative and par
tial, it has become in the third pc
Rod the organic and normal state
Of capitalism, that the capitalist sys-
tenn has experienced a general conval
escence; the difference between these
two periods is that in the third pc
riod the contradictions TO the pre-
war period and the crisis of capital
ism which resulted from the world
war, are reinforced, in consequence
of the progress of sterilization, by
new and gigantic contradictions
(which exceed all our expectations and
all our previous experiences.
Although the sterilization of CAPT
talism disposed to a certain extent
of the effects of the world war upon
the capitalist economic system, it at
the same time laid the basis for new
contradictions which, in connection
with the still unsolved contradictions
from former periods, condition the
relative and partial nature of the
sterilization no less in the third than
in the second period.
The underestirlation of the general
crisis of capitalism represents the
fundamental error of the group OF
conciliators end of Comrade Hum
bert-Droz. 1t is chiefly this error
which joins them with the attitude
of the Right wing Brandler group
for which the whole postwar situa-
ton Of capitalism is divided into two
periods: the period Of postwar
crisis, and the period of sterilization
lee, Of the consolidation and conval-
escence of capitalism.
j, The conciliatory revisionists of the
!. decisions Of the Sixth World Con-
.Igress are only more afraid in the
Question of the sterilization of CAPT
Etalism than the Brandler group is;
: the former group cannot pluck up
,senough courage to follow their own
standpoint to its logical conclusions
!, The conciliators wish to revise the
decisions Of the Sixth Congress I'M
der the pretense of defending them
In words this group recognizes the
general crisis of capitalism, the in
classification of the contradictions
and the "Third Period" but in deeds
! lin it's tactical attitude, this group
-lshows that it overestimates the sta.
bilization of capitalism. In the his
tory of the working class movement
, there are dozens of instances where
the opportunist tendenc.25 Of this OF
that group of revolutionary Marxists
. had to be peeled out of observation
of loyalty to the fundamental prin-
, ciples of Marxism.
Not all revisionists possess the sor.
Iry courage of Bernstein in the Sec.
ond International, or of Brandler il
, the Third International. Comrade
Humbert-Droz for instance, exposes
! his real attitude in the question Of
, capitalist sterilization only when hi
uses the collapse of the British Gen.
{ eral Strike and the defeat Of the
: Chinese Revolution as argume:-.s tt
prove that capitalism in 1928 was
more consolidated than it was II
1926.
To see only defeat Of the prole-
tariat and consolidation of CAPT