Terrorism and Communism

237 Pages·2017·7.37 MB·English

Slavoj Ziiek
presents
TROTSKY
TERRORISMA ND COMMUNISM

TERRORISAMN D
COMMUNISM:
A REPLYT O KARLK AUTSKY
◆
•
LEON TROTSKY
FOREWORBDY S LAVZOrJZ EK
PREFABCYEH .N,B RAILSFORD
VERSO
LondoNne w York
•
Firpsutb lisahseD di ctavtsDo ermsohcbipyr t ahecyW o rkerPsa rty ofA meric1a9 20
Thise ditiopnu blisbhyeV de rs2o0 07
© Vers2o0 07
Forewo©rd S lavZoijz e2k0 07
Allr ighrtess erved
Them orarli ghotfsl hea uthohra veb eena sserted
1 3 57 91 08 6 4 2
Verso
UK: 6 MeardS treeLto,n doWn1 F OEG
USA:1 80V aricSkt reeNte,w YorkN,Y 10014-4606
www.versobooks.com
Versiost hei mprionftN ew LeftB ooks
ISBN-1937:8 -1-84467-178-6
BritiLsihb rCaartya loignuP iunbgl icDaattiao n
A catalorgeuceo rfdo rt hibso oki sa vailafrbolme t heB ritish Library
LibroafrC yo ngrCeastsa loging-iDna-tPau blication
A catak>rge corfdo rt hibso oki sa vailafrbolme t heL ibraorfyC ongress
TypesientB embob yH ewerT extUK LtdE,d inburgh
Printientd h eU SA byC ouriSetro ughtIonnc .
CONTENTS
ForewobrydS lovZoijt ek vii
SeelcteFdu rthReera ding xxxiii
GlsosarofyN ames xxxv
Chronology
PrefabcyeH N Brailsford 3
Inrtoduction 9
TheB alanocfPe o wer 15
2 TheD itcatorsohfti hpeP roletariat 23
3 Democracy 31
4 Tenrorism 49
5 TheP arCiosm munea ndS ovieRtu ssia 68
6 Marx and. .K.a utsky 88
7 TheW orkinCgl asasn di tSsov iePto licy 94
8 Probleomfts h eO rganizatoifLo anb our 121
9 KarKla utshkyi,Ss c hooaln dh iBso ok 165
InP lacoefa nE pilogue 175
Notes 179

FOREWORD
TrotsTkye'rsro rainsCdmo mmunoirs,m ,
DespaaniUdrt opiinta h Teu rbulYeenaotrf 1 920
ByS laZviozje k
KarKlr austh,e V iennecsuel tucrrailta incdc hronic(laeurt haomro,n g
othetrh ingosft, h ef amoucsl aitmh apts ychoanailsiy tssiteshl efd isease
itt riteosc urek)n,e wo fT rotskfryo m thel attesrij'osi unVr i enna
beforteh eF irWs to rlWda r.O ne oft hel egenadbso uKtr auiss t hat,
int hee arl1y9 20wsh,e nh ew ast oltdh aTtr otsskayv etdh eO ctober
Revolutiboyon r ganiztihneRg e dA rmy,h ee xclaim'eWdh:o w ould
haveex pecttehda otf H errB ronstfreoimn CafeC entraTlh!i'rs e mark
relioens t het ransubstanitnit ahtesi toynlo eft hef amouasn ecdote
on ZhuangT-ze andt heb utterfiltwy a:s n otT rotsktyh,e g reat
revolutiownhaor,yd ,u rinhgi se xilienV iennas,p entti mei nC afe
Centrailtw; a st heg entalen dl oquaciHoeursrB ronstefrionm Cafe
Centrwahlo latebre comet hed readeTdr otsktyh,es courogfet he
counter-revolutionaries.
Therea reo thefri guroef's H erBrr onstewihinc'h enacat s imilar
mystifYitnrga nsubstanotifTa rtoitosnak nyd t husst anidnt hew ayo f
properulnyd erstanhdiisin mgp ortanFcier.st th,e ries t heg entrified
imagoef T rotspkoyp ulartiozdeadby y t hel atterT-rdoatys kytihsetms­
selveTsr:o tsktyh ea nti-bureaulcirbaetritcac rriiationcf t heS talinist
Therrnidorp,a rtiosfaw no rkersse'l f-organiszuaptpioorontf,ep rs ycho­
analyasnidsm odern artfr,i endo fs urrealeitsct(.sa ,n do nes hould
incluidnet hi'se t ct.h'eb rielfo vea ffaiwri thF ridKaa hlo.). .t his
is thed omesticfaitgeudtr hea lte adosn en ott ob es urpritsheadst o me
viiTiE RRORISMA ND COMMUNISM
ofB ushsn' e ocoanrsee x -Trotsk(yeixsetmsp liashre yr teh ef atoefP artisan
Reviiets tawr:t iendt he1 930ass th e voiocfte h eC ommunisitn tellectuals
anda rtisttsh;e ni tb ecamTer otskytihsetnt, h eo rgaonf l ibeCroalld
Warrior-sn ow its upporBtuss hi nt heW aro nT errorT)h.iT sr otsky
almosmta keosn es ympathettioSc t aliann'tsi -Trotskyist wisdom.
Thoscer itiocfTa rlo tsiknyv entaendo thfeirg uorfe' HerBrr onstein':
g
Trotskayst he' wanderJienw'o ft he' permanernetv olutiwohno'
coulndo tfi nd peacien t her outipnoes t-revolutpirooncaerosyfs
(re)constraun cetwoi rndge Nro. w ondetrh aitn,t he1 930esv,e nm any
conservaltiovoeksef da vourabboltyuh p ont heS talinistc couulnttuerr­al
revolutiaso wne lals u pont hee xpulsoifoT nr ots-kyb othw erer ead
as an abandonmeonftt hee arlJieewri sh-internarteivoonlault ionary
spiraintdas ther etutrno R ussiraono tEsv.e ns uchc rai tiocfB olshevism
asN ikolBaeir daieexvp resisnet dh e1 940sj,u sbte forhei sd eatha,
certasiynm patfhoyr S taliann,dc onsiderreetdu rnintgo t heU SSR.
Alonthge sel ineTsr,o tsakpyp ealriska ek inod fR ussiCahne G uevara
inc ontrtaosF ti deFli:d etlh,e a ctulaela desru,p remaeu thoroiftt yh e
statvee,r sCuhse ,t hee ternarle volutiorneabrewylh oc oulndo tr esign
himsetlojf u srtu nnians gt atIest. h inso ts omethilnigka eS oviUenti on
inw hichT rotskwyo uldn oth aveb eenr ejectaestd h ea rch-traitor?
Imagine if, int hem iddloef t he1 920sT,r otskhya de migrataendd
renouncSeodv iceitti zensihinop r detroi nstipgeartmea nernetv olution
arountdh ew orlda,n dt hehna dd iesdo ona fterwar-daftse rh idse ath,
Stalwionu ldh aved utifully elevathime di ntao c ul.t. .
All thimsa kesT erroriasnmCd o mmunTirsotms,kr ye'psl tyo K arl
Kautskyv'isc ioautst acokns t heB olsheviskois m,p ortainttb :e lies
botht hesfei gurKeasu.t skwyh,o ist odadye servefdolryg ottweans,
int he1 920tsh ee mingerniocfste eh eG ermaSno ciDaelm ocratPiacr ty,
by fart hes trongSeoscti Daelm ocratpiacr tiyn t hew orlda,n dt he
guardioafMn a rxiosrtt hodoaxgya inbsott hB ernsteinrieavni sionism
andl eftiesxtt remisTme.rr riosamn Cdo mmunpiressme nat Tsr otsky
who knewh ow tob eh ardt,o e xercitseer roarn,da Trotskfuyl ly
readtyo a cceptth et asokf r econstrudcatiillnyig f e.
Theries n onethealt ehsisrf di guorfe' HerBrr onsteoinne'w ,h ich
relies proenc Tiseerrlriyo samnC do mmunTirsotms:tk yh ep recursor
ofS talwihno ,i n1 920a,l reacdayl lfeodr o ne-parrtuyl em,i litar­
izatioofn l abou.r. .N o wonderT errroisamn dC ommuniiss m
disowneevde bny m anya T rotskyfriosmt I,s aDaecu tschteoEr rn est
Mande(lw hoc haracteritia zsTe rdo tsk'yw'osr bsoto k'h,i sre lapse
FOREWORD ix
intaon ti-democdriacttiact orTshheirpae)r .ep assaigneT ser roarisnmd
Communwihiscmhe ffectivseeleymt op oinfto rwartdost heS talinist
1930wsi tht heisrp iroiftt o tailn dustmroibaill izattiood nr aRgu ssia
outo fi tbsa ckwardnAfteesrs .S talidne'ast ha, w ell-recaodp yo f
TerrorainCsdmo mmunwaissf omu nadm ongh isp rivaptaep erfulsl, o f
handwritntoetnew sh icshi gnalSlteadl in's enthusiaswtihca ta pproval-
mored oeso nen eeda sa proof?
Thisi sw hy Terrriosamn Cdo mmuniisT sromt skkye'ys boohki,s
'symptomtaelx'wt h ichs houlodn no accounbte p olitely ignored
buto,n thec ontrafroyc,u soend. W e leavteo t hec anaoifcl ylneicsa l
wisdotmh ed ubiopulse asuorfde w ellionngt he( fromt heh indsight
oft odayp'esr spectiavletl)o oo bvioiulsl usiooftn hse b ooks,t arting
witThr otskrye'lsi aonnct eh ef orthcomWiensgtE uroperaenv olution.
One shoulndo tf orgtehta tth ibse liweafs s harebdy a lBlo lsheviks,
Leniinn cludwehdo, s awt hes urviovfat lh eipro wern ota so pening
upt hes pacfeo r' constru.ctisnogc ialiinos nme c ountrbyu'ta, sb uying
thema breathsipnagc seu,r vivtililnr ge liaerfr iviendt heg uisoeft he
WestE uroperaenv oluttihoawnto ulrde leatsheep ressuTrhee.c !r ucial
problelmi eesl sewhetrheeb: a ttfloerT rotsskhyo ulbde w on ont he
very' Stalitneirsrta'oi fnt e rraonrd i ndustrmioabli lizatiitio shn :e re
thaat minimbaultc, r ucidailff,e renbceet weeTnr otsaknyd S talhians
tob ed emonstrated.
WHY WAR COMMUNISM?
Letu sb egiwni tht heh istormiocmaeln tw hent heb ookw asw ritten:
1920t,h el asstt agoefst hec ivwialr ,w henR ussihaa db een' looted,
weakeneedx,h aust[eadnw da sf]a llaipnagr tto'q ,u otTer otskoyw'ns
straiagnhdth onesdte scriptDiiosne.a sheu,n gearn dc olsdt alktehde
landt;h el ivoefst hew orkehrasd g ottweonr sen,o tb etttehr;ep romises
oft her evolutiwoenr em ored isttahntae nv e-rh erea,g aiinsT, r otsky's
own candiadd missifroonm a speecghi veonn thet hiradn niversary
oft heO ctobeRre volution:
We wenitn tthoi ss trugwgiltemh a gnificiednetal wist,h m agnificent
enthusiasm,i tsa enedm etdo m anyp eoplteh atth ep romisleadn d
ofc ommunifrsatt ernitthye,f lowerinnogto nlyo fm ateribault
spiriltiuaflw ea,s m uchc lostehra ni th asa ctuatlurnleyd outt o
x TERRORIMS AND COMMUNISM
be. ..T.h ep romisleadn- dt hen ewk ingdoomfj ustifrceee,d om,
contentmaenndct u ltuurpalli- ftw ass on eairtc oulbdet ouch.e.d. .
Ifb actkh ent,h reyee arasg ow,e hadb eeng ivetnh eo pportunity
oflookianhge awde, w oulndo th avbee lieovuered y eWse. would
noth aveb elietvheadtt h reyee arasft etrh ep roletarreivaonl ution
itw oulbde s oh arfdo urs s,o h arsthob el ivionngt hiesa rt.h..2
Thereriens idtehseg reatnoefts sh eB olshevaitkt sh:ip so inotfu tter
disappointwmheenntt h,e piors itiwoans ' itnh eh ighedsetg retera gic',
thedyi dn otw ithdraanwdc onceddeef ebautpt, esrisWtaes,hd o.w ever,
the prthiecyep aifdo rt hipse rsistfeonrtc hee, isru cceisnss urviving,
nott ooh ighH?e reis thep redorn.inanstt oroyfth e fatefuyle a1r9 20
sharbeydf anatiacnatil- coumnmihsits tornieawn-sg,e ner'artieovni sionists'
and even some Terrosttswkhiyltiehs etmss el(vseusca hsD eutscher):
Russiwaa s' at heatoefrt hea bsuridn'w hicht hed epressrienagl ity
wasp resen'taeisdf i tw erew hati tw ass upposteodb e,a si magined
byt heC ommunistl eaderAsn'd.w 3h atd idt heC ommunislte aders
imaginree altiotb ye ?T heyb asichalallyl ucthieniraret acetdti:oot nh e
uttesro cicaalt astrwoapsha e w eirmdi llenaeruipahno rtihaa,it s i,t
appearteotd h emt hatth ec atastrooppheen eudp a c hancoefa ' short­
cutt oC ommunsim'':I na veritaibdleeo logdieclailr ituhmem, o st
colosescaoln omicco llaopfst eh ec entuwrays t ransmogriinftioe d
really-exCiosmmtuinnigs m,t her adiafunttu reh iectn un'c4F.o r
examplger,a in-retiqouniisnbigy f orcwea s' regarbdyet dh eP arty,
from Lenidno wn,a sn otm erelsyo cialibsumt,e venc ommunism5' .
TheB olshevwiekrset hu'si nclitnose edet hee ssenftieaalt uorfefu sl ly
fledgceodm munisemm bodiiendt hew are conomoyf 1 919-20'T.h6e
nexlto gisctaelfrp o m heries o,f c oursteoi, d enttihfYew are conomy
witSht alicno'nsc entractiaomnp s:
A decadlea tSetral in, iwn1h 9o2 0-h1a ds upporLteendi n''lsi beral'
poliwcays,t oa dopTtr otskiyd'esia nsal lb utn ameN.e ithSetra lin
norT rotsnkoyrt, h ea dhereonfet ist her, then afdam.ci.tt. t.e d the
Whatw aso nlyo neo fm any faicneT trso tskeyx'pse rimental
thinkwiansgt ob ecomSet alianl'psha an do mega.7
Thep atfrho m TrotstkoyS taliistn h utsh ep ath fraocmc ideonrtiagli n
toi trse petiwthiiocneh l evaittie ndt noe cessIitit say s.i ft hehi storical
.a ccideonftt h ec ivil-dweavra stattoiuocnh eudp ons omethitnhga t