From dagda at eircom.net  Sat Jun 30 07:42:05 2012
From: dagda at eircom.net (Karl Carlile)
Date: Thu Jul 13 15:48:01 2006
Subject: [A-List] Marx the Opportunist
Message-ID: <002401cd56c6$2d9ba1e0$bbff869f@beprepared>

Although Karl Marx was one of the foremost pioneers of the interests of the
working class on a number of levels a serious re-examination of his theory
and politics is an indispensable task facing communists. To some degree this
task has been begun. However it is still at its initial stages.

Marx's role in relation to the First International is one that needs to be
looked at with the cold eye of objectivity. In the first place his
acceptance of a leading position in the leadership has to be questioned. In
many ways the International had more of the character of a Popular Front
rather than a United Front. Evidence of this is the failure of Marx to
seriously subject the trade union leadership on the International to
criticism. He concentrated his fire on what were called sects by some --the
Bakunists-- while going easy on other elements actively present in the
International. Even the entire purpose, structure and character of the First
International makes the role of Marx in relation to it questionable.

Much of the later opportunism and perhaps even revisionism within the
Marxist movement can be traced back to the First International. Even the way
in which the International was effectively dissolved by Marx and Engels
smacks of crass. Marx and Engels stand guilty, together with Lenin and many
others, in generating a myth about the significance of the First
International. Lets stick to the facts.

Karl Carlile
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