The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-10-07
BY D. z. MANUILsKY.

THERE are still other reasons that hinder the
Communists in undermining the influence
of Social Democracy. One of these is our own
mistakes, especially our is7appIcation of the
tactics of class against class.
Theory of Lesser Evil"
The tactics of class against class which we're
dictated to the Communist International by the
sharpening of the class struggle, by the process
of the fascisation of Social Democracy, by the
increasing Importance Of the Communist Parties
in the labor movement and by Bolshevization,
has completely justified itself The importance
of these tactics is increasing especially az the
present moment Of the crisis of sharpened
struggles of labor against capital and in con-
formity with this, the sharp turn of all bour-
geos groups including the Social Democratic
Party, still further to the right 1. e., their
fascination, and in view of the necessity of con-
Quoting most active struggle against Social
Democracy as the police force of capital The
tactics of class against class is sharp-edged
weapon directed against Social Democracy, with
the aim of exposing it in the eyes of the broad
masses of wor5sxs, which frequently accept it
as the '1esser evil" Thus in Finland we see
how after the Lepuan Coup the Social Demo-
Gratis utilized the coup to get control of the
union movement, its property and its halls, and
even o-Communist workers voted for the So
cial Fascist Party at the. elections, because they
feared the victory Of Fascism The same
thing can be observed in Austria. The fear of
victory of the Conservatives in England still
keeps the British workers who are betrayed
every day by the Macdonald government, under
the influence of the Laborites Similar senti-
nents hinder the successes of the Communist
Party in the Scandinavian countries. And this
proves that the Communists have not yet brought
about change of mind among the millions of
non-Party workers, and not even in the con-
seriousness of the Communist workers
The class against class tactics have not yet
been learned by the masses. Our speeches on
the fascination of Social Democracy in connec-
ton with the sharpening of the class struggle
have been taken formally, outwardly, and have
not penetrated the flesh and blood of the Com
munist Parties. This is sad fact, but it can
not be denied The danger of the illusion that
Social Democracy is not reactionary is becoming
extremely serious in countries like Poland, where
perpetual squabbles take place in the very camp
of fascism around the state pie on the question
OF utilizing more effective methods Of muzzng
the working class and the revolutionary peas
ants. The Communists, in spite of favorable
conditions, have not succeeded by the tactics Of
class against class in completely shaking the
position of the Social Democrats in the working
class Evidently the Communists make mis-
takes in applying these tactics
Opportunist Passivity and Tagging Behind.
What are these mistakes? Firstly opportunst
passivity in the struggle against Social Demo-
cracy, a kind of tactics of defense and not of
attack. This is expressed most clearly among
Communists who are working in the reformist
trade unions. Scores of examples could be
quoted Of how Communists have played the role
of strong silent men" in the refornlist trade
unions, who explain their passivity by arguments
about the necessity of keeping their position and
not being expelled from the trade union. The
struggle against so-called trade union legalism
was struggle of the Communist Parties against
this type of opportunist passivity. International
Brandlerism formed its trade union policy on
this system of capituation to the Social Demo-
Gratis. In the past, this tactic of defense was
fostered by the conditions of sterilization" The
Communist International and its sections had
to carry out great deal of work in order to
put the Communists On path of more decisive
struggle against Social Democracy to correspond
to the sharpening Of the class struggles and the