To: Detroit/Seattle
Workers' Voice mailing list
December 13, 2022
RE: The left and the Russia-Ukraine war
by Joseph Green, Detroit Workers’ Voice
The article “The crisis of the anti-war movement deepens (pt 1)” appeared in the Nov. 3 issue of the D/SWV list. When it was posted on Facebook by Tim Hall, some opponents of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine questioned why it said that not just Stalinism but Trotskyism too is in crisis over the invasion, with Trotskyist groups on both sides of the issue. The article holds that this isn’t because some groups misunderstand Trotskyist theory, but because Trotsky’s major theories are flawed. This has come up before with respect to the Arab Spring and other struggles, and it will keep coming up as Trotskyism can’t deal with the current world situation. So one part of dealing with the present-day crisis in the left has to be dealing with Trotskyism.
In particular, it even has trouble assessing Stalinist regimes. Trotsky himself, while denouncing Stalin, held that the USSR under Stalin was still a workers’ state, albeit one that needed a change in leadership. Since then, Trotskyists have divided on whether repressive regimes calling themselves socialist or communist are really state-capitalist, and what attitude revolutionary workers should take to such regimes. This is one of the reasons why there is so much nostalgia among much of the left for the present Chinese regime, for the old days of East European “socialism”, or even for the present-day Russian regime; and this nostalgia is one of the main reasons why the left has divided on the issue of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile the Ukrainian left, except for neo-Stalinist groups, doesn’t share this nostalgia and supports the Ukrainian right to self-determination; it sees a resumption of Russian domination of Ukraine as a disaster for the Ukrainian left and the true forces of socialism in Ukraine.
Below are some excerpts from the discussion:
I agree with the main points of this article 100%. On my home page I posted an article from today’s Wall St. Journal which reports on how Khamenei is blaming Saudi Arabia and the “West” for stirring up the students. (*) Certainly, the RT left will be parroting him soon, if they are not doing so already. However, I also think we need further discussion on this whole view of state capitalism. If the article is referring to China, then yes I agree that it is some form of state capitalism. However, China today is not what it was 30 or 40 years ago. Whatever we want to call it back then, its economic laws of motion were different from capitalism’s. This is important for a key reason: a huge change has come about in Russia and China. That means that the entire world situation has been transformed. A major problem with the RT Left is that they are living in the past - a past which they don’t even understand today!
(*) Reimann’s post about the WSJ
article stated: The
Western RT left will start parroting Khameini on this. They will say,
“oh, of course, we oppose the repression of the students and of women,
but these protests are being stirred up by Western imperialism.” Then
they will cite some statements of Western politicians and Western
backed TV channels. In other words, exactly as the RT left is doing in
relation to Ukraine. Here is the full article.
Thank you for your comment, John. There’s a lot of excellent material on Iran, Ukraine, and various other issues at your website “Oakland Socialist” (https://oaklandsocialist.com). And you have written a number of articles against the fake anti-imperialists.
With regard to state-capitalism, the CVO has a lot of material on the state-capitalist nature of Stalinist regimes. See http://www.communistvoice.org/00Stalinism.html which has links to a many of these articles. We don’t believe that state-capitalism is a transitional form towards socialism, and have discussed what a transitional economy would actually be (see the articles linked to at http://www.communistvoice.org/00LeninistTransition.html). We hold that the Trotskyist theory of the deformed workers’ state has done a lot of damage in identifying socialism with a form of state-capitalism, and in making it seem as if state-ownership was socialist even if the workers aren’t in control. This issue is of importance not simply as a matter of judging the past, but with regard to what the world is going to face with regard to the worsening environmental and global warming crises. As the climate disasters intensify and the devastation gets worse and worse, neo-liberalism and market fundamentalism are eventually going to crash, as governments will have to turn towards more and more state management of the economy so that people can survive. But this won’t yet be socialism; instead there will be a sharp struggle over the nature of this state control, so understanding the nature of state-capitalism will be important to the workers’ movement. <>
There’s some very sound political points here; mainly those that focus attention on the rigidified and non-Dialectical & Historical Materialist geopolitical politics these various groups espouse.
Where Green’s Analysis falters and dramatically so in my political opinion is in pointing his finger at Trotskyism. While I’m not a Trotskyist myself condemning one particular political tendency greatly obscures the politics of the various forces that make up the “anti-imperialist, anti-interventionist” and those characterizing themselves as “radical leftists, socialists” and/or “communists”.
Additionally, Green never once mentioned the toxicity of Stalinism which remains far more pervasive amongst these forces globally as well as here in the US.
The author also ignores Maoists and (for lack of more appropriate terminology) “third road anti-imperialists” who base their views on Luxembourg or those who confuse a snippet from Karl Liebknecht as a Leninist dicta.
The article does condemn the toxicity of Stalinism; it sharply denounces the idea that “there is something socialist or at least anti-imperialist in Stalinist state-capitalist regimes”. And indeed, Stalinism today is usually connected to nostalgia for the past and present state-capitalist regimes, and even wrong assessments of “outright capitalist regimes, such as the Russian Federation”. Meanwhile, the Detroit/Seattle Workers’ Voice list supports the accomplishments of activists whatever their trend, and has reprinted statements from them, but at the same time, the radical left has to deal with mistaken theories that have undermined its work and helped bog it down in a major crisis of disorientation.
Good points, except that the theory of Permanent Revolution does not dismiss democratic struggles. It supports those struggles but tries to move them forward to the fight for socialism.
The Trotskyist permanent revolution only supports a democratic uprising if it can be regarded as something that will soon lead to a workers’ state; it only supports the democratic uprising if it is the start of a socialist revolution. Anything else is supposed to be Stalinist betrayal of the working class to the bourgeoisie. Thus during the Arab Spring, various Trotskyist groups only supported those uprisings which they believed would lead to an imminent workers’ state. “Permanent revolution” left them with the alternative of either denouncing the movement as something that would lead nowhere, or pretending that a socialist upsurge was imminent. It would be imagined that if only those movements gave the proper slogans, the struggle for the workers’ state would catch fire. Different Trotskyist groups took one or the other stand with respect to the struggle in various countries. The theory of permanent revolution obscured the actual connection that, in current circumstances, could and should be made between the democratic and socialist movements.
The idea of “permanent revolution” has also spread through wider circles. It seems to me that it is one of the things that encourages the views of those who denounce the Ukrainian struggle against Russian annexation on the grounds that the Ukrainian government isn’t revolutionary or socialist or working-class. And it is certainly true that a Ukrainian workers’ state is not imminent. Some Trotskyists support various democratic uprisings anyway, either ignoring the theory of permanent revolution or reinterpreting it to be a vague generality. This shows their good sense; some of these comrades have done good, solid, important work in supporting the Ukrainian people; and I warmly welcome their doing so. But, in my opinion, they did this despite the theory of “permanent revolution”, not because of it.
(See the whole thread on Facebook.) <>
Sinn Fein is not a revolutionary workers party, but the largest
Irish
nationalist organization. The invasion of Ukraine has caused Sinn Fein
to reconsider for now its stand towards Russia. On November 5, its Ard
Fheis (highest assembly) adopted a resolution supporting the Ukrainian
people. Below is the resolution, along with an introduction by the
Irish activist Tom O'Flaherty.
“Credit where credit is due – the Sinn Féin 2022 Árd Fheis has adopted a very good policy statement. This policy compares very well against the policy of People Before Profit and the Dublin South-West TD [member of parliament] Paul Murphy – who need to think again.
The Sinn Féin policy statement is also a welcome contrast with Kremlin-inspired wild conspiracy stories issued by various parts of the traditional Irish anti-war movement – for example, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA).
The SF Árd Fheis resolution is silent on some key issues. It does not directly refer to the right of the Ukrainian masses and their government to defend themselves and their sovereign territory by any means necessary. It also does not refer to the Ukrainian government’s recent anti-Labour neo liberal law, which has been heavily criticised by genuine Ukraine Solidarity organisations (see in particular a statement issued by Central European Trade Union Federations [https://ukraine-solidarity.eu/to-read/ukraine-resolution-of-the-central-european-trade-unions]).”
“65. This Ard Fheis unequivocally condemns all forms of imperialism and colonial aggression.
We oppose the denial of national self-determination and all violations of national sovereignty throughout the globe, and without exception.
We assert that the primacy of international law must be upheld and enforced with respect to the exercise of national self-determination, sovereignty, and democracy of all nations.
On that basis, we call for:
• A complete end to the war in Ukraine;
• Full restoration of Ukrainian national sovereignty;
• An immediate withdrawal of all Russian armed forces;
• And, maintenance of all appropriate political and economic sanctions until these outcomes are achieved.”
“We stand with Ukraine. We will support you until that day when your beloved homeland is free from Russia’s war. Russia must end its war. The journey to peace must start now.
Ireland stands on the side of international law, against those who trample on the rights of others. Be it Putin’s war or Israeli apartheid.” <>
October 17, 2022
To the President of Ukraine
To the Prime Minister of Ukraine
To the Ukrainian Ambassadors of Central Europe
To the Governments of Central Europe
The trade union confederations of Central Europe discussed the situation in Ukraine at a meeting in September 2022. We expressed our full solidarity with the Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. The support of our trade unions in this regard is not only in words, but also through numerous concrete aid measures that have been and are still being implemented for the benefit of the people of the Ukraine. The Russian attack on the country has been strongly condemned by us since the first day of the war.
Of course, we understand that due to the war, everyday life in Ukraine has had to be restricted with many measures. However, together with our Ukrainian colleagues, the European Trade Union Confederation, and the International Trade Union Confederation, we strongly reject the latest legal changes to the labour law in the Ukraine and the apparent expropriation of trade union property. It is precisely the workers who are the backbone of a country in a war, and it is precisely these people who are working heroically in the hinterlands who are now having their already deficient labour rights further restricted for no reason. This decision is incomprehensible to us and is rightly criticised by the International Labour Organisation and the European Union.
The Ukraine is a candidate for admission to the EU, but the way to this European community of values is not through the increased exploitation of working people, but through the hearts of Ukrainians. We therefore hope that Ukraine will revoke Law No. 5371 (under wartime conditions) and bring the labour law into line with ILO and EU standards. The working people deserve to be taken seriously by their politicians, especially in the Ukraine. Knowing their duties, especially in the crisis, the people also expect the rights they are entitled to.
In solidarity with the workers of Ukraine as well as with the Ukrainian trade unions
Austria - ÖGB [Austrian Trade Union Federation]
Czech Republic- CMKOS [Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions]
Croatia – SSSH [Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia]
Hungary - SZEF [Co-operative Forum of Trade Unions]
Hungary - MASZS Z [Hungarian Associations of Trade Unions]
Liechtenstein - LANV [Liechtenstein Employees’ Association]
Slovakia - KOZ [Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic]
Slovenia – ZSSS [Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia]
Switzerland – SGB [Swiss Trade Union Federation]
(From text at
https://ukraine-solidarity.eu/to-read/ukraine-resolution-of-the-central-european-trade-unions).
<>
Picture. <>
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