Characteristics of the Centre as a Trend in International Social-Democracy{9}
In Grimm:
Characteristics of the Centre
as a trend in international Social-Democracy:
| + | 1. No rupture with the social-patriots of one’s owncountry either on basic principles, or in organisation; hence 2. |
| + | 2. Against split. |
| (+—) | 3. Evasiveness on the question of defence of country. |
| + | 4. Recognition of Zimmerwald and Kienthal—without a split with the I.S.B. and international social-patriotism. |
| + | 5. No break with reformism: only verbal criticism of it (“passiver Radikalismus”{1} ). |
| + | 6. Adoption of await-and-seeattitude (n o tactive,n o twith initiative as the Left) on the coming revolution (in connection with the presentwar). |
| + (ΣΣ) | |
| (?=§ 1) | 7. ΣΣ=prettifying (and defending) social-patriotism in varying measure and by diverse means, such is theessence(wesen) of the Centre.... |
| + | 8. No reconstruction of the present Social-Democratic parties and trade unions, nothing like Liebknecht’s “regeneration from top to bottom”. Deferring this question. |
| (—) | 9. Social-pacifism as programme and tactics. |
| + | 10. No systematic propaganda of revolution in connection with the present war. |
| + |
11. No preparation of organisations, etc., for such a revolution. —α) Avanti! March 6, 1916 β) Morgan in Swiss newspaper γ) social-pacifism +αα) social-patriots exclusively ββ) the young. |
In putting Liebknecht and the Italian Socialist Party side by side, Grimm tends to confuse the Centre and the Left.
Grimm wants to solve a revolutionary problem (struggle against war) by reformist means
(“schwächen”, erschweren, etc.{2} ).
Indirect tax, November 4-5, 1916.
Reformist struggle against high cost of living (August 6, 1916).
Polemics against{3} (“Sozialismus tut not”{4} ).
|
Idem reform- ism |
|| || |
Hushing up of social-patriotism in the Swiss Social-reformist Party. Absence of struggle against it. |
| Idem in trade union movement (Schneeberger & Dürr). | ||
| NB |
[BOX END:] [[ |
Question of themomentof revolutionary action isconfusedwith that of systematic propaganda and agitational and organisational preparation for possibility of revolutionary action in general. |
Lying, dishonest dodges with Entwaffnung{5} (cf. his own “theses”). Idem Diensterweigerung.{6}
Dodges on the question of was heisst “verweigern” die Leipziger Volkszeitung? Verzerrung der Frageseitens Grütli-Verein.{7} )
- NB:
- Paying lip service to Zimmerwald + Kienthal and carrying on as before in fact!!
- Page 13.
- From the standpoint of the Centre in general it would beconsistentin Switzerland to stand for defence of the country!!!{8} )
{1} “Passive radicalism.”—Ed.
{2} Weakening, complication, etc.—Ed.
{3} The next word is illegible.—Ed.
{4} “Socialism is necessary.”—Ed.
{5} Disarmament.—Ed.
{6} Refusal to do military service.—Ed.
{7} What does Leipziger Volkszeitung call “refusal”? Distortion of the question on the partof Grütli-Verein.—Ed.
{8} Here the MS. breaks off.—Ed.
{9} This was written in connection with an article by R. Grimm, “The Majority and the Minority on the War Question”, in Berner Tagwacht Nos. 19-23 of January 23-27 and in the magazine Neues Leben in January 1917, which defended the Centrist attitude of the majority of the Swiss Social-Democratic Party p. 391