Paul Mattick

Was the Bolshevik Revolution a Failure? (A Symposium)

Source: The Modern Quarterly, Fall 1938, pp. 16- !. "ra#scri$e%: $y "&omas Sc&mi%t Proo'e%: $y (o#as )olm*re#

The Questions 1. . 3. +i% t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio# ac&ie-e its proletaria# o$/ecti-es0 1s t&e %ictators&ip o' t&e proletariat co#so#a#t 2it& Party +ictators&ip0 3a# a proletaria# State arise o# t&e $asis o' t&e 2a*e system, ma#a*e% $y a Party-State0 4&at co#stitutes t&e a$olitio# o' capitalism0 5. +oes 6e#i#7s t&esis t&at i# t&e imperialist epoc& t&e proletariat alo#e ca# lea% a re-olutio# to complete t&e 8,our*eois task9 claim -ali%ity i# -ie2 o' t&e course pursue% $y 3ar%e#as i# Me:ico, ;emal Pac&a i# "urkey, etc.0 <. =ie2e% i# retrospect, %i% t&e sei>ure o' po2er $y t&e ,ols&e-iks retar% t&e 4orl% Proletaria# .e-olutio#0 I. 1 %e#y t&e assumptio# o' t&e 'irst ?uestio# t&at t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio# &a% proletaria# aims. "&e proletaria# c&aracter o' t&e .ussia# .e-olutio# is o#ly appare#t. 1t is true t&at t&e re-olutio#ary 2orkers 2ere stri-i#* 'or a -a*uely co#cei-e% sort o' socialism, $ut i# e-ery $our*eois re-olutio# i# 2&ic& 2orkers participate%, proletaria# o$/ecti-es 2ere e-i%e#t. "&e i%eas a#% slo*a#s co##ecte% 2it& proletaria# o$/ecti-es, a#% e-e# actual stru**les a#% 'orms o' or*a#i>atio# peculiar to t&e i#%epe#%e#t proletaria# class mo-eme#t, are #ot e#ou*& to *i-e t&e .ussia# .e-olutio# a proletaria# c&aracter. 3ertai#ly ma#y 2orkers $elie-e% t&at t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio# 2oul% e#% i# socialism, &o2e-er, t&e illusio#s o' t&e 2orkers ca##ot replace t&e #ecessary actio# to attai# proletaria# o$/ecti-es. Socialism as a slo*a#, as a# i%eal, still 'its per'ectly i# a# ot&er2ise $our*eois re-olutio# a#% society. Proletaria# o$/ecti-es, 'irst o' all, must i#corporate t&e a$olitio# o' t&e proletaria# class t&rou*& t&e a$olitio# o' all class relatio#s. "&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio#, &o2e-er, aspire% to t&e %e-elopme#t o' mo%er# i#%ustry a#% o' a mo%er# proletariat, a 'act 2&ic& comes clearly to li*&t i# t&e $ols&e-istic co#cept o' 8socialism,9 2&ic& still co#tai#s 2a*e la$or a#% capital pro%uctio#, a#% secures t&ose relatio#s t&rou*& t&e %i-isio# o' society i#to rulers a#% rule%. "&at t&e .ussia# .e-olutio# 'irst o' all 2as a peasa#t re-olutio# ca##ot $e %e#ie%@ t&at t&ese peasa#ts, stri-i#* 'or la#% a#% property, &a% #o proletaria# o$/ecti-es is o$-ious. 1# so 'ar as t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio# 'ou#% support $y t&e peasa#ts a#% i# tur# supporte% t&em, #o proletaria# o$/ecti-es 2ere i#-ol-e%. For t&is reaso# t&e ,ols&e-iks re*ar%e% t&eir early peasa#t policy as a# u#a-oi%a$le co#cessio# to t&e $ack2ar%#ess o' .ussia# co#%itio#s. "&e later collecti-i>atio# %ri-e i# a*riculture illustrates &o2 ear#estly t&e ,ols&e-iks a*ree% 2it& 4ester# Socialism t&at t&e %istri$utio# o' la#% to t&e peasa#ts is #o socialistic *oal. )o2e-er, t&e collecti-i>atio# o' a*riculture, a#% t&e tra#s'ormatio# o' i#%epe#%e#t peasa#ts i#to 2a*e 2orkers, is still #o proletaria# o$/ecti-e, $ut a $our*eois %esire o' lo#* sta#%i#* a#% &as little c&a#ce o' $ei#* reali>e% 2it&out ra%ical a#% risky c&a#*es i# t&e socio-eco#omic set up. So 'ar t&e maki#* o' 2a*e 2orkers 2as al2ays co#si%ere% t&e task o' capitalism@ $y maki#* t&is task t&eir o2#, t&e ,ols&e-iks 'ul'ille% capitalistic o$/ecti-es. 1t is true t&at 2it&i# t&e 2&ole re-olutio#ary situatio# i# .ussia t&ere 2ere also 'orces 2&ic& 'ou*&t 'or outspoke# proletaria# o$/ecti-es. "&ey 2ere ac&ie-e%, &ere a#% t&ere, t&rou*& t&e e:propriatio# o' 'actories a#% ot&er 'orms o' property $y t&e So-iets. "&ey 2ere lost a*ai# as soo# as t&e ,ols&e-ik State arose 2&ic& suppla#te% t&e po2er o' t&e So-iets 2it& t&at o' t&e ,ols&e-ik Party. 1t is o'te# aske% &o2 it is possi$le t&at po2er 2o# $y t&e 2orkers $y 2ay o' re-olutio# may $e lost a*ai# 2it&out a cou#ter-re-olutio#. "&e latter &ere is co#cei-e% as a retur# o' t&e ol% aut&orities, $ut cou#ter-

re-olutio#ary actio#s are #ot co#'i#e% to ol% aut&orities@ #e2 o''icials ca# e#*a*e i# t&em /ust as 2ell, or e-e# $etter. "&e cou#ter-re-olutio# a*ai#st t&e state-capitalistic i#te#t o' t&e .ussia# .e-olutio# 2as %e'eate% $y t&e .ussia# masses 'ollo2i#* t&e %irecti-es o' t&e ,ols&e-iks. "&e cou#ter-re-olutio# a*ai#st t&e proletaria# o$/ecti-es e:presse% 2it&i# t&is re-olutio# 2as triump&a#t 2it& t&e success o' ,ols&e-ism, 2&ic& tra#s'orme% pri-ate property i#to state property, a#% co#ti#ue% t&e e:ploitatio# o' t&e 2orkers o# state-capitalistic terms. Aot 2it&out oppositio# a#% stru**le 2ere t&e So-iets re%uce% to a mere i#strume#t o' t&e ,ols&e-iks7 rule o-er t&e 2&ole o' society. Broups o' 2orkers i# 4ester# Curope as 2ell as i# .ussia reco*#i>e% ?uite early t&e real c&aracter o' t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio#. Dt&ers, arisi#* i# oppositio# to t&e Stali# mac&i#es $elie-e e-e# to%ay t&at t&e latter is a per-ersio# o' ,ols&e-ism, a#% t&at t&e ori*i#al 6e#i#ism i#te#%e% somet&i#* else t&a# 2&at e:ists i# .ussia. "&is, &o2e-er, is #ot true. "&e .ussia o' to%ay represe#ts t&e esse#tial aspiratio#s o' t&e early ,ols&e-iks $e'ore a#% a'ter t&e Dcto$er .e-olutio#. "&at t&e ,ols&e-iks carrie% t&rou*& a $our*eois re-olutio# o' 2&ic& t&e $our*eoisie 2as #o lo#*er capa$le, 2as state% ma#y times $y 6e#i# &imsel'. "&e 'act t&at t&is re-olutio#, esse#tially $our*eois i# its tasks, ma%e use o' a Mar:ia# termi#olo*y, *a-e rise to t&e illusio# t&at its socialistic tre#%s 2ere stro#* e#ou*& to alter 'u#%ame#tally its ori*i#al c&aracter. )o2e-er, all t&at &appe#e% 2as t&at t&e ,ols&e-iks 2ere #ot o#ly 'orce% or 2illi#* to 'ul'ill t&e 'u#ctio#s o' t&e $our*eoisie, $ut $y t&is process t&ey $ecame t&e #e2 ruli#* a#% e:ploiti#* class. II. "&e %ictators&ip o' t&e party ca##ot $e co#so#a#t 2it& t&e %ictators&ip o' t&e proletariat. Cit&er t&e proletariat rules or is rule%. "&e party is o#ly a small *roup i# society@ it is #ot t&e e#tire proletariat@ it rules as a mi#ority a#% is a# e:pressio# o' t&e co#%itio#s o' e:ploitatio#. ,y t&e -ery co#%itio#s t&at make it #ecessary, it is impelle% to rule i# its o2# i#terestsEt&at is, repro%uce co#ti#ually t&e co#%itio#s o' t&e %ictators&ip o-er t&e proletariatEu#til t&e proletariat 'i#ally e#%s t&e rule o' all mi#orities $y %estroyi#* t&e $ases o' e:ploitatio#, 2&ic& are 2a*e la$or a#% t&e state. III. "&e state al2ays a#% i#-aria$ly represe#ts %omi#atio# o-er t&e proletariat. 1t is t&e u#mistaka$le $a%*e o' t&e e:ploiti#* society. A 8socialism9 t&at is reali>e% $y t&e state al2ays i#clu%es t&e co#ti#uatio# o' class relatio#s, i#e?ualities o' i#come, mo#ey a#% market la2s, a#% ot&er 'orms o' mo%er# e:ploitatio#. 6ike a#y ot&er co#tra%ictio# i# terms, a 8proletaria# state9 is ?uite i#co#cei-a$le. 1t is possi$le to co#cei-e, &o2e-er, t&e temporary a#% %irect e:ecutio# o' state 'u#ctio#s $y t&e arme% proletariatEt&e actual re-olutio# to t&e e#% o' securi#* t&e %e-elopme#t o' socialism, or t&e associatio# o' 'ree a#% e?ual pro%ucers a#% co#sumers. IV. "&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio# 2as #ot le% $y t&e proletariat $ut $y t&e mi%%le class. "&e $our*eoisie o' t&at cou#try 2as e:tremely 2eak, a#% t&e i#telli*e#tsia a#% all t&e 8pro*ressi-e9 'orces stru**li#* a*ai#st reactio# coul% o$tai# support #eit&er 'rom t&em #or 'rom t&e alrea%y reactio#ary $our*eoisie o' 2ester# Curope. D#ly i# t&e 2orkers7 mo-eme#t coul% it 'i#% a usa$le re-olutio#ary i%eolo*y, a#% o#ly 2it& t&e 2orkers7 &elp, to*et&er 2it& t&e a*ricultural re-olutio#ary #ecessities, coul% t&e i#telli*e#tsia &ope to c&a#*e .ussia i#to a mo%er# state. 1# "urkey a#% Me:ico, as 2ell, it is #ot t&e proletariat 2&o lea%s, $ut t&e mi%%le-class, 2&o make use o' t&e proletariat 'or t&eir o2# e#%s. 1mporta#t layers o' t&e mi%%le class, #o lo#*er a$le to secure or ele-ate

t&eir eco#omic positio#s 2it&i# t&e ol%-style capitalism, try to secure t&eir 'urt&er e:iste#ce as #o#2orkers $y political mea#s, $y ele-ati#* t&emsel-es i#to ruli#* positio#s, to co#ti#ue to participate i# t&e e:ploitatio# o' la$orE#aturally i# t&e 8i#terest o' la$or.9 "&e state &as al2ays playe% a# importa#t part i# t&e %e-elopme#t o' capitalism. 1ts role i#crease% i# importa#ce 2it& t&e relati-e sta*#atio# i# capital e:pa#sio#. A 2&ole re-olutio# 2as #ecessary 'or .ussia to secure $y political mea#s 2&at it coul% reac& #o lo#*er $y eco#omic 2ar'are: t&e complete ce#trali>atio# o' all possi$le po2er i# t&e &a#%s o' t&e %ictatorial state, as t&e #ecessary prere?uisite 'or a s2i't %e-elopme#t o' mo%er# i#%ustry i# .ussia, to sa-e t&e cou#try 'rom $ecomi#* a colo#y o' o#e or more o' t&e imperialistic #atio#s, a#% to e#% t&e misery resulti#* 'rom t&e $ack2ar%#ess o' t&e cou#try. "&e ,ols&e-ist policy, aspiri#* to a state capitalist system, 2as $est suite% to sa-e .ussia 'rom semicolo#ial co#%itio#s, a#% to ele-ate it as a po2er amo#* t&e ot&er 2orl% po2ers. 1mperialism as a &i#%ra#ce to t&e %e-elopme#t o' t&e $ack2ar% cou#tries $rou*&t 'ort& t&e mo%er# #atio#alistic mo-eme#ts to e#% imperialistic oppressio#. "o $uil% to%ay success'ully a mo%er# state capa$le o' mai#tai#i#* its i#%epe#%e#ce, t&e slo2 process i# 2&ic& pri-ate property e:pa#%s is useless@ i#stea%, t&e &i*&est co#ce#tratio# o' all capital resources is #ee%e% 2&ic& #ecessitates a ra%ical o#slau*&t o# t&ose i#terests %e'e#%i#* t&e $ack2ar% state o' a''airs. 1# or%er to $ri#* results, t&e stru**le 'or #atio#al li$eratio# &a% to take o# re-olutio#ary 'orms. "&is #ecessity %etermi#es t&e %e-elopme#tal tre#%s i# ot&er cou#tries like "urkey a#% Me:ico, also i# cou#tries tryi#* a come-$ack as a# imperialistic 'orce, like Berma#y. Dt&er cou#tries %i% #ot *o as 'ar as .ussia i# t&is co#ce#tratio# process 2it& political mea#s, 'or reaso#s o' %i''ere#t i#ter#al a#% e:ter#al co#%itio#s. 1t 2as, 'or i#sta#ce, relati-ely easier 'or .ussia, to c&alle#*e t&e imperialistic #atio#s t&a# it is 'or "urkey or Me:ico. )o2e-er, state capitalism e:presses a# eco#omic 2eak#ess 2it&i# t&e cou#tries employi#* it, as 2ell as a# e:isti#* 2eak#ess o' 2orl% capitalism, 2&ic& loses co#trol o-er t&e $ack2ar% cou#tries, as t&is co#trol ca# #o lo#*er $e secure% eco#omically. Cco#omic 2ar'are #o lo#*er su''ices@ political 2ar'are, t&e ope# $rutal slau*&ter, $ecomes t&e o#ly possi$ility 'or copi#* 2it& t&e eco#omic sta*#atio# 2&ic& stra#*les t&e capitalistic 2orl%. F#%er suc& co#%itio#s t&e po2er o' t&e state i#creases co#ti#uously. "&e real rulers o' society are #o lo#*er reco*#i>a$le $y t&eir pri-ate mo#ey $a*s, $ut $y t&eir positio# 2it&i# t&e state apparatus. .ussia# state capitalism &as $ecome t&e e:ample 'or ot&er #atio#s as i#%icate% i# t&e rise o' 'ascism a#% t&e *ro2t& o' *o-er#me#tal co#trol i# all cou#tries. )o2e-er, t&is tre#% is #o si*# o' 8pro*ress,9 as ma#y people $elie-e. 1t %oes #ot correspo#% to a 8&i*&er sta*e9 o' capitalism, $ut i#%icates t&e %ecli#e o' 2orl% capitalism. "&e tre#% to2ar% $ols&e-i>atio# a#% 'asci>atio# is o#ly t&e political e:pressio# o' t&e sta*#atio# a#% %ecli#e o' t&e capitalist system@ it is $ar$arism. V. "&e 2orl%-re-olutio#ary propa*a#%a o' t&e ,ols&e-iks i# t&e 'irst year o' t&e re-olutio# is o'te# take# as a# assura#ce o' t&e proletaria# c&aracter o' ,ols&e-ism. )o2e-er, t&is 8i#ter#atio#alism9 at #o time aspire% to more t&a# to secure t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio#, to &elp t&e ,ols&e-ik Party to remai# i# po2er. As soo# as t&e ,ols&e-iks reco*#i>e% t&at t&e proletariat 2as too 2eak to esta$lis& state capitalistic systems 'a-ora$le to .ussia i# ot&er cou#tries, a#% also t&at t&e $our*eoisie 2as #o lo#*er 2illi#* to risk a#yt&i#* i# a stru**le a*ai#st state capitalist .ussia, t&at is, a$out 19 !, t&e ,ols&e-iks cease% to support re-olutio#ary mo-eme#ts i# ot&er cou#tries a#% i#stea% prepare% 'or a peace'ul si%e $y si%e e:iste#ce 2it& t&e ot&er capitalistic systems. Ao more t&a# Stali# to%ay, 2ere 6e#i# a#% "rotsky i#tereste% i# &elpi#* t&e

2orl% re-olutio# to reac& proletaria# o$/ecti-es. "&e %ecli#e o' t&e re-olutio#ary mo-eme#t i# t&e 2orl%, a#% t&e co#soli%atio# o' t&e po2er o' capital #o2 also ser-e% t&e #ee%s o' ,ols&e-ik .ussia. Still, it ca##ot $e sai% t&at t&e ,ols&e-ik .e-olutio# retar%e% t&e 2orl% re-olutio#. 1' attempts to2ar% t&e latter 'aile%, t&is 'ailure 2as ?uite i#%epe#%e#t o' t&e ,ols&e-ik policies, or t&e policies o' a#y ot&er mi#ority *roup 'or t&at matter, a#% 2as %ue o#ly to t&e still e#ormous po2er a#% -itality o' 2orl% capitalism. "&e ,ols&e-iks ca# $e $lame% o#ly, i' at all, 'or &i#%eri#* t&e proletariat 'rom %ra2i#* t&e #ecessary lesso#s o# its 'irst *reat %e'eat a'ter t&e last 2ar, a#% 'or %estroyi#* t&e 'irst attempts to create a real re-olutio#ary la$or mo-eme#t i# co#'ormity 2it& t&e #ecessities o' to%ay.