A Letter to James P. Cannon [1]¶
Core Argument¶
In this brief letter of 9 January 1940, Trotsky writes to James P. Cannon to explain his strategic decision to centre the ongoing factional dispute within the Socialist Workers Party on the question of dialectical materialism. He reports that he has already sent the Russian text of a new article, written in the form of an open letter to Max Shachman (here referred to as Burnham, though the note clarifies the intended recipient). Trotsky anticipates that some comrades may be dissatisfied with his insistence on giving “the predominant place in the discussion to the matter of dialectics.” He counters this objection by asserting that this approach is now “the only way to begin the theoretical education of the party, especially of the youth,” and to combat what he identifies as a dangerous “reversion to empiricism and eclectics.”
The core argument is that the political differences tearing at the SWP cannot be resolved—or even properly understood—without first establishing a correct Marxist method. Trotsky is not merely defending a philosophical abstraction; he is insisting that the abandonment of dialectical reasoning leads directly to political opportunism and theoretical confusion. The polemic is directed against the emerging Shachman-Burnham faction, which Trotsky accuses of substituting a pragmatic, empirical approach for the revolutionary dialectic. By framing the dispute in these terms, he elevates the debate from a clash of personalities or immediate tactical disagreements to a fundamental question of Marxist science. The letter draws on the theoretical context of the Marxist tradition, particularly the Hegelian inheritance that Trotsky saw as indispensable to historical materialism. Empiricism—the reliance on raw facts without dialectical mediation—and eclecticism—the arbitrary combination of incompatible theoretical elements—are presented as the twin enemies of revolutionary clarity. Trotsky’s tone is firm and pedagogical; he is not negotiating but instructing. The letter’s brevity and directness reflect the urgency of the moment: the factional split was already well advanced, and Trotsky saw theoretical rearmament as the only path to preserving the party’s revolutionary character. The note appended to the text clarifies that Trotsky wrote the letter in English, underscoring his direct engagement with the American party.