Left Communists

[communard resolution]

What are the fundamental differences between anarcho-communists and left communists, if any? I've seen people on revleft refer to themselves as "anarchist and left communist".

Do left communists agree with bolshevism? Up to what stage do left communists generally agree with the course of the Russian Revolution?

On what fundamental points do left communists disagree with Trotskyists?

What tendencies other than their own do left communists view as comrades rather than counter-revolutionaries?

Do left communists consider it important to convince others of their views at this point in history, or are they waiting for the right conditions?

[mykittyhasaboner]

Perhaps this thread could help.

http://www.revleft.com/vb/marxist-leninism-vs-t96803/index.html

[communard resolution]

It does, but only partially so. I would appreciate if some Lefts could briefly outline their positions with regards to my questions.

[communard resolution]

It doesn't seem like they're too keen to share their wisdom. Oh well.

[Bilan]

Anarchists and Left Communists are not similar, really.
Though, you will find anarchists with many similar tendencies to Left Communists, but not vice versa, due to the nature of anarchism being much more broad (encompassing things from Platformism to Individualism; insurrectionism to syndicalism) whilst Left Communism is a much more defined tendency (Though it does have variations.

The main ideological point of Left Communism is Internationalism.
This is where you will find similarities between some anarchist sand some left communists.

However, Left Communists support the idea of the party (see Bordiga's, Party and Class, for example).
There are other differences, too. But I can't really be bothered addressing them. :)

[BobKKKindle$]

There are several differences between Trotskyists and Left-Communists. Trotskyists are willing to participate in elections as a means of gaining access to platforms which can be used to expose larger numbers of workers to socialist ideas whereas Left-Communists, in common with Anarchists, view electoral participation as an act of implicit support for the bourgeois state. Left-Communists also argue that there is no substantial difference between different forms of state under capitalism and so would not be willing to fight against fascism unless the fight was also directed against capitalism at the same time. Moreover, Trotskyists adopt the Leninist position of giving unconditional military support to all movements and states fighting against impeiralism, whereas Left-Communists refuse to give any such support.

[beltov]

It doesn't seem like they're too keen to share their wisdom. Oh well.

Hey there. Give us a minute! We're keen, but not everywhere. Here we go...


What are the fundamental differences between anarcho-communists and left communists, if any? I've seen people on revleft refer to themselves as "anarchist and left communist".
I would say left communists are marxists while A/C's are more diverse and take their influences from a number of different currents. We have written a number of articles that explain the differences in approach between anarchism and marxism:

'Left communism is not part of the anarchist tradition'
http://en.internationalism.org/wr/238_leftcom.htm

'German/Dutch left is not a branch of anarchism'
http://en.internationalism.org/wr/231_gdleft.htm

'Is it possible to reconcile anarchism and marxism?'
http://en.internationalism.org/ir/102_gcl_icc_reply.htm



Do left communists agree with bolshevism? Up to what stage do left communists generally agree with the course of the Russian Revolution?Yes, we defend the heritage of the Bolsheviks, but we are not Leninists. It's difficult to put a date on the degeneration of the Russian Revolution and the Bolsheviks but if we had to it would be 1926/27 with the declaration of 'Socialism in One Country'. Throughout the whole of the 1920s there were still proletarian currents within the degenerating Bolshevik Party in the Third International. We have published a book on the history of the communist left within Russia:
http://en.internationalism.org/ads/britrussleft


On what fundamental points do left communists disagree with Trotskyists?
Quite a few:
- Anti-fascism
- Defence of USSR
- Participation in elections
- Participation in trade unions

See section 13 of our Platform: 'THE COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY CHARACTER OF THE 'WORKERS' PARTIES'
http://en.internationalism.org/node/618


What tendencies other than their own do left communists view as comrades rather than counter-revolutionaries?
Council Communists, libertarian communists, internationalists. The ICC's predecessor - the GCF - took part in conference of internationalist revolutionaries in 1945 (which anarchists were excluded from, because of their ideological support for WW2). However, today the situation is different:


The heterogeneity of the anarchist current is such that today the question can no longer be posed in such simple terms. Under the same denomination of "anarchist" we can find groups which differ from the Trotskyists on the sole question of the "party" while at the same time supporting the whole range of Trotskyist demands (right down to the demand for a Palestinian state!), and truly internationalist groups with which communists can perfectly well not only discuss but undertake a common activity on the basis of internationalism. In our opinion, there can be no question today of rejecting discussion with groups or individuals simply because they describe themselves as "anarchists".
http://en.internationalism.org/ir/2008/132/1947_conferenceFinally...

Do left communists consider it important to convince others of their views at this point in history, or are they waiting for the right conditions?Definately the former, whether the conditions are wrong or right! Here's a goo dexample of how one of comrades intervened at his workplace last year:
'Unison strike: a workplace intervention'
http://en.internationalism.org/wr/294_unison

Has that helped to clarify things? If not, then please say...

:)

Beltov.

[Devrim]

The main ideological point of Left Communism is Internationalism.
This is where you will find similarities between some anarchist sand some left communists.

Yes, this is the point of agreement with some anarchists. I think that really it is a much more important point of agreement than divisions over anarchism or Marxism.


Though, you will find anarchists with many similar tendencies to Left Communists, but not vice versa, due to the nature of anarchism being much more broad (encompassing things from Platformism to Individualism; insurrectionism to syndicalism) whilst Left Communism is a much more defined tendency (Though it does have variations.

The variation of left communism that you usually see on RevLeft is around the positions of the ICC. There is actually a lot of variation.


However, Left Communists support the idea of the party (see Bordiga's, Party and Class, for example).

Just following on from the previous point, not all of them do. Left communism varies from ultra-partist Bordigists to anti-party councilists.

Devrim

[Devrim]

Yes, we defend the heritage of the Bolsheviks, but we are not Leninists. It's difficult to put a date on the degeneration of the Russian Revolution and the Bolsheviks but if we had to it would be 1926/27 with the declaration of 'Socialism in One Country'.

We, EKS, would put it much earlier.

Devrim

[Junius]

Indeed, the Left Communist Bolsheviks were pointing this out as early as April 1918:


The Russian workers' revolution cannot 'save itself' by leaving the path of international revolution, constantly avoiding battle and retreating before the onslaught of international capital, by making concessions to 'native capital'.

From this point of view three things are necessary: decisive class internationalist policy, combining international revolutionary propaganda by word and deed, and strengthening of the organic links with international socialism (and not with the international bourgeoisie); decisive resistance to all interference by imperialists in the internal affairs of the Soviet republic; refusal of political and military agreements which make the Soviet republic a tool of imperialist camps.
The Left Communists Theses on the Current Situation (1918) (http://libcom.org/library/theses-left-communists-russia-1918)

Also see: The Communist Left in Russia after 1920. (http://libcom.org/library/communist-left-russia-after-1920-ian-hebbes)

[beltov]

I didn't make the point on the degenration of the Russian Revolution very well. 1926 was the end of a process of degeneration, the roots of which can be found in the failure of the Russian Revolution to spread into Europe, specifically into Germany 1918/19.

[communard resolution]

Beltov,

first off thanks a lot for your very helpful post and apologies for my ridiculously late reply.


Anti-fascism

I understand that the Left position is that anti-fascism serves to defend poweful factions of the bourgeoisie against less powerful bourgeois groups, sometimes unknowingly so. I think this makes a lot of sense, and I can't help the impression that this is e.g. what the SWP are doing with their almost pathological focus on the BNP at the expense of, say anti-Labour activism.

What I'm having some difficulty with is that Lefts elevate their stance on anti-fascism to a matter of principle regardless of the actual conditions. At present, Russian neo-fascists murder two persons in an average week and injure many more. Some cities have become almost unlivable for minorities. Given that the police turn a blind eye and popular sentiments tend to be nationalist/xenophobic, there is IMO a real, immediate, desperate need for militant anti-fascism in Russia - it's a matter of self-defence as well as defence of others. How can Lefts justify their rigid stance on anti-fascism in a situation like that?

>Participation in trade unions

Why not? Concessions are concessions and will not bring about the end of capitalism. But how can workers believe in their own power if they never see any gains, however small they may be?

As for national liberation struggles, I'm still in two minds on that topic.

I'll have a look into the links you provided.

Thanks again!

[Bilan]

The variation of left communism that you usually see on RevLeft is around the positions of the ICC. There is actually a lot of variation.


Indeed, I'm aware that there are even Bordigist red unions! What I meant was, though there are variations within Left Communism, it really has nothing on anarchism.
To compare them would be like comparing a pin-stripe suit and a tie-died shirt with clown pants and a multi-coloured wig.

[Lamanov]

Depends.

What anarchism? What school of Left communism?

I am, personally, a council communist and an anarcho-syndicalist. Former is the "school of thought" as well as my political tendency, the economic and social key to the revolutionary process, while the latter is organizational principle. It works. You can find historical examples of two being quite similar: like Otto Ruhle's AAUD-E.

This could be called similar in many degrees.

On the other hand, you have other forms and directions within anarchism, like isurrectionism and platformism, that are not compatible with each other, and that are not compatible with any form of Left communism.

There are some points where a member of some IWA (anarcho-syndicalist) section can be closer to a member of ICC, then to a member of some platformist group, because of their common antipathy to union bureaucracy or their fully internationalist stance (working withn the union structures is a platformist strategy, as well as uncritical stance to certain "national liberation" movements).