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Extraordinary Congress of 2nd International was called in Basil in November 1912. The Congress solemnly declared: “workers consider a crime to shoot each other for the increase of profits of capitalists, dynasties’ ambitions or for the glory of secret diplomacy agreements.” Unanimously adopted manifesto called proletariat to gather all efforts in order not to let bloody war happen. “Working class and its parliamentary representations in all countries, which are threatened by the war must do everything and use the means, which seem to be most effective and which can be changed depending on intensification of class struggle and whole political situation in order to prevent the origin of the war. If the war happens it is the duty of the working class to come out for its fast ceasing and to strive with all powers for using the economical and political crisis caused by war in order to rouse all people and therefore to fasten the overthrow of capitalism.”
As Bolsheviks pointed out, Basel manifesto had “the most correct proletarian slogan”- usage of crisis caused by war for fastening the downfall of capitalism, turning imperialistic war into civil one.
However any party, but the party of Bolsheviks, did not put this correct slogan into practice. In the most decisive moment opportunistic leaders betrayed proletarian internationalism, joined the positions of the bourgeois class and appeared to be social- chauvinists. This made easy for the capitalists to unleash World War.
Interesting. So, shouldn't we then overtly support war so we can subvertly cause the downfall of America? Or am I coming at this from the wrong angle.
Wait I think it means oppose war, and when it comes publicize its brutality regardless of media bans. Let the people know how the blood is being spilt. Destroy the CNN war that one of my buddies so eagerly wants (hes a dumb ass racist towards himself). Peace Comrades.
Yes, RH, it did pretty much happen the way you described it.
Here's the problem: why did the working class "follow their leaders" into the abyss?
Some have gone so far as to suggest that the "leaders" actually followed the working classes into the abyss. (!)
Social Democracy before World War I "looked healthy" on the "outside"...they had all the right slogans, they got ever larger numbers of votes in elections, they organized lots of unions and led lots of strikes, etc., etc., etc.
Somehow, the "core" was rotten. Somehow neither the "leaders" nor the "rank-and-file" really understood imperialist war. The ideas of Marx and Engels were on everyone's lips...and in very few brains.
My own opinion is that the "delusion" of "gaining power" through capitalist elections corrupted the revolutionary integrity of Social Democracy. When war came, Social Democrats--leaders and members alike--didn't know what to do except...support their "own" imperialism.
Only a few leading Social Democrats and only a few small groups of rank-and-file workers responded to the war in a Marxist, revolutionary way...all the rest behaved shamefully!
Listen to the worm of doubt for it speaks truth.
The Redstar2000 Papers
Also see this NEW SITE:@nti-dialectics
You are somewhere right, redtar2000.
Leaders of European social- democratic parties of that time perfectly knew what Marxism was, they performed a great detailed knowledge of Marxism before WW1, but in the most important moment they betrayed Marxism and misled proletariat. The best example of such a leader was Kautsky; just try to compare his works before and after WW1 and you will notice a significant change in his beliefs, you will see the shift to opportunism and social- chauvinism.
You, redstar, said:” My own opinion is that the "delusion" of "gaining power" through capitalist elections corrupted the revolutionary integrity of Social Democracy. When war came, Social Democrats--leaders and members alike--didn't know what to do except...support their "own" imperialism.”
Social- democracy did not strive for parliamentary victory, rather for revolutionary change before the WW1.
WW1 was the marking point of collaboration of social- democrats with the bourgeois governments. Social- democratic parties, being numerous and most popular political organizations of that time, became the part of bourgeois state apparatus; therefore helped bourgeois class to oppress working people. Indeed, some of the European leaders of social- democracy occupied important governmental posts. Why did it happen? Party leaders feared the revolution, they were afraid of unsuccessful results and the failure, mainly being afraid for their own life.
In order to be distinguished from such traitors Bolsheviks decided to rename Russian Social- Democratic Workers’ Party into Russian Communist Party of Bolsheviks.
modern social democrats have betrayed the electorate that voted for them & the prolitarient
"It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. " - Buenaventura Durutti
"The life of a single human being is worth a million times more than all the property of the richest man on earth." - Ernesto Che Guevara.
"Its Called the American dream, because you gotta be asleep to believe it". - George Carlin
Tone ~ Emmet ~ Larkin ~ Connolly ~ O Donnell
www.union.ie
Or is it just that modern social democrats have not had a chance to have the power to make changes? I know that in Canada all they have been capable of doing has been on the provincal level.
Modern social- democrats are not true Marxists.
What do social- democrats stand for? They advocate peaceful coexistence of working and bourgeois classes in ONE SOCIETY, “defending” the interests of workers they also consider the interests of capitalists. Social- democrats are reformists and mainly their reforms always lead to the strengthening of positions of bourgeois class. The main mistake of social- democrats is that they don’t follow true Marxist understanding of SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY and don’t want to realize the task of destruction of bourgeois state apparatus and replacement of it with the governmental structure of a new type, the one which will truly answer the interests of all working people.
