the classical Marxism of whether Trotskyists their own can be revolutionary.
The question of whether nonTrotskyist, oreven non-Leninist, political forces could genuinely be considered revolutionary was one which Trotsky had to deal with several times in his life.
It was particularly important at the timeotthe founding of the Communist International in 1919-20 Internationalinthe 1930s.
It also has a maior organisational and political conclusion. Can only be revolutionary organisation, or can there be other genuinely revolutionary forces with whom Trotskyists should seck organisation?
Trotsky himself was about this, writing:
International will not be composed only of Bolshevik-Leninists [as the Trotskyists then called themselves!. (Writings 1935-36, p.151).
As he explained:
Leninistsconsiderthemselvesa faction of the International which is being built. They work hand in hand with other truly revolutionary factions.' (The Crisis in the French Section, p.47)
TRENDS Trotsky knew not merely from theory bur-from the experience of the Bolsheviks and the that any revolutionary party will inevitably have different ideological and political currents and trends within Bolsheviks continuously had left' and "right trends within them.
Bolshevism was the most consistently revoluona movement. But that did not mean that WICH I OInCI cally revolutionary currents which on sonic cucsons nad a more conce Lenin the question of revolutionary strategy today. continues this discussion consider that currents positionthan Lenin.
Leninoncertainquestions.
and in then historical as p.130)
NONSENSE quite clear The Fourth hadn't been a Leninist, *The BolshevikUp.131)
was obviously not a Leninist, Doin. (Wrings 1932.D. 50)
Communist Communist serious The group of Bordigists) has is traditions scale, 33,p.58)
WOrkers But although they represent and Trotsky relates to by looking at other than Forexample, Rosa Luxemburg was not a Leninist but a "Luxemburgist'. However, she was still one of the greatest of all leaders of the working class and actually right as compared to As rolsky wrote: 'It one were to take the disagreements between Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg in their entirety, correctness unconditionally on Lenin's side. But this does not exclude the fact that on certain questions and during definite periods Rosa Luxemburg was correct agains Lenin." (Writings 1932.
When Stalin attempted to use Luxemburg's mistakes to claim that shewasnot a revolutionary because she Trotsky acnounccatisasnonsense: nisgreat revolutionist is enrolled by Stalin into the camp of centrism. (Writings 1932, Heexplained that while Luxemburg "The disagreements [between Luxemburg and Lenin], despite their importance and ai times their extreme sharpness, developed on the basisef revolutionary proletarian policies common to them Even after the degeneration of the Trotsky held to this position. He noted, for the Italian Communists (Prometo which are sharply distinguished fromthetraditions of the Bolshevik-Leninists.' (Writings 1932were clearly Bordigists, and not Trotskyists, he stated that on the basis of the positions they held at that time, "the Bordigists SCIOUS Levolonaly group' (Writings 1932-3, p.27).
AS WIN most currents in the unfavourable conditions of the 1930s, the Bordigists were to move away from revolutionary positions. Nevertheless, thisexampleclearlyshowsthat Trotsky did not consider that only Trotskyists comicocrevorusonanes Intheperiod of upswing of the world revolution, Trotsky spredictionabout non-Trotskyist revolutionary currents has been borne COHE famous case was Malcolm X. He was Trotskyist, DuE ne authentically revolutionary leader.
What Trotsky was not prepared to accept wasthat particular currents and
WCFC
merely because they claimed to be so.
currenis mai exisica al tne time Trotsky wroie Labour Party, the POUM in Spain, the London Bureau — might well claim to be revolutionarv. but in really ther supported collaboration with bourgeois partiesin Popular Fronts, refused tocomeout against Stalinist repression in the Soviet Union. capitulated before imperialist wars, and displayed the real characteristics vacillating in the material clashes of great class forcesbetween the proletariat and thebourgeoisieanditsagents.
It was this situation, and this alone. which led Trotsky to state of the initial forces of the Fourth International:
Trotsky never envisaged the Fourth revolutonan the Independent SUCH centrists Leninists' hand *Outside of these cadres there does not exist a single revolutionary current on this planet really meriting the name. (The Transitional Programme)
Ins was no a salement tang other forces could be revolutionary that at that particular time no other CUTCHE position on the basic question was still that the rourth International will not be composed only of Bolshevik That is why the Trotskyists of the International Marxist Group are, like Trotsky, 'completely ready to work in hand other truly revolutionary factions who are not themselves Trotskyists. possible for a faction to be in America