Boris Krinkle
22nd June 2011, 03:27
At first glance, this may seem preposterous, but after examining the facts one will find it is quite necessary to advocate a sixth international.
Some may ask, why do we even need a FIFTH International? Isnt the fourth alive and well? Well no, unfortunately, it is not. The fourth died a slow painful death brought on by internal conflict and numerous splits following the death of Leon Trotsky, and eventually many of these factions descended into revisionism, as Lenin noted the Second International did under Kautsky.
I mostly agree with the advocates of a Fifth International in their analysis of the death agony of the Fourth International, but many calling for a Fifth are too inclusive in the types of ideological tendencies that would supposedly be allowed in this abortion waiting to happen.
For example, Hugo Chavezs call (which is supported by the L5I) would include some of his anti-imperialist allies, such as Gaddafi, Theocratic Iranians, and Stalinist Cubans, to name a few.
Clearly such a visible advocate of a Fifth International calling for such a muddled blend of anti-imperialists into a new International will stunt the growth of a real, working communist international, much in the same way Stalins legacy harms the growth and success of socialism to this day.
I wish there were something I could do to derail or fix Chavezs plans, but unfortunately I think the end result of all this (if it even comes to pass) will be another split in the movement and the creation of a committee for the sixth international
Some may ask, why do we even need a FIFTH International? Isnt the fourth alive and well? Well no, unfortunately, it is not. The fourth died a slow painful death brought on by internal conflict and numerous splits following the death of Leon Trotsky, and eventually many of these factions descended into revisionism, as Lenin noted the Second International did under Kautsky.
I mostly agree with the advocates of a Fifth International in their analysis of the death agony of the Fourth International, but many calling for a Fifth are too inclusive in the types of ideological tendencies that would supposedly be allowed in this abortion waiting to happen.
For example, Hugo Chavezs call (which is supported by the L5I) would include some of his anti-imperialist allies, such as Gaddafi, Theocratic Iranians, and Stalinist Cubans, to name a few.
Clearly such a visible advocate of a Fifth International calling for such a muddled blend of anti-imperialists into a new International will stunt the growth of a real, working communist international, much in the same way Stalins legacy harms the growth and success of socialism to this day.
I wish there were something I could do to derail or fix Chavezs plans, but unfortunately I think the end result of all this (if it even comes to pass) will be another split in the movement and the creation of a committee for the sixth international