adam_mcphee 's review for:

The Death Agony of Capitalism by Derek McMillan, Leon Trotsky, Leon Trotsky

3.0

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In a society based upon exploitation, the highest moral is that of the social revolution. All methods are good which raise the class consciousness of the workers, their trust in their own forces, their readiness for self-sacrifice in the struggle. The impermissible methods are those which implant fear and submissiveness in the oppressed before their oppressors, which crush the spirit of protest and indignation or substitute for the will of the masses — the will of the leaders; for conviction — compulsion; for an analysis of reality — demagogy and frame-up. That is why Social Democracy, prostituting Marxism, and Stalinism — the antithesis of Bolshevism — are both mortal enemies of the proletarian revolution and its morals.

To face reality squarely; not to seek the line of least resistance; to call things by their right names; to speak the truth to the masses, no matter how bitter it may be; not to fear obstacles; to be true in little things as in big ones; to base one’s program on the logic of the class struggle; to be bold when the hour for action arrives these are the rules of the Fourth International. It has shown that it could swim against the stream. The approaching historical wave will raise it on its crest.

The writing's as stiff and boring as it gets, but the transitional program sounds okay. In particular:

- Form factory committees to create a dual power structure in the workplace.
- Form soviets to create dual power in the country. (Maybe don't call them Soviets. I'm picturing them as like the Venezuelan communes in the recent Ciccaiarello book?).
- Expropriation of the Private Banks and Nationalization of the Credit System.

Spoiler

The expropriation of the banks in no case implies the expropriation of bank de- posits. On the contrary, the single state bank will be able to create much more favorable conditions for the small depositors than could the private banks. In the same way, only the state bank can establish for farmers, tradesmen and small merchants conditions of favorable, that is, cheap credit. Even more important, however, is the circumstance that the entire economy — first and foremost large-scale industry and transport directed by a single financial staff, will serve the vital interests of the workers and all other toilers.

However, the nationalization of the banks will produce these favorable results only if the state power itself passes completely from the hands of the exploiters into the hands of the toilers.

- Sliding wage scales and sliding scale of hours.
- Build alliances between workers and farmers. Because farmers aren't traditional workers, sort of unique in their national circumstances.
- Arm the picket lines and arm the unions. So that capitalists will start to take workers seriously.
- Smash fascism.
- Fight against imperialism by demanding an end to secret treaties. "The complete diplomatic correspondence of the Kremlin to be published. Down with secret diplomacy!"
- Open the road to the woman worker! Open the road to youth!