Encyclopedia of Trotskyism On-Line

—Socialist Workers Party [US] Education for Socialist Bulletins—

United Front VS. People’s Front

STUDY GUIDE

(a four-six class series)

Summer, 1972

Class 1. THE LENINIST CONCEPTION OF THE UNITED FRONT

Reading:

Leon Trotsky, “On the United Front,” in United Front vs. People’s Front: selected readings, Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 7-9; also in The First Five Years of the Communist International , volume, 2, pages 91–96.

Les Evans, Alliances and the Revolutionary Party , Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 3–7.

Tom Kerry, “Some Comments on Party Policy and Tactics in the Antiwar Movement,” United Front vs. Peop1e’s Front: selected readings. Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 3-6

Supp1ementary: Leon Trotsky, “On the United Front, “The First Five Years of the Communist Internationa1 , volume 2, pages 97-109

Leon Trotsky, The Struggle Against Fascism in Germany, Pathfinder Press, pages 179-199

Questions:

1. Why was the tactic of the united front first raised by the Communist International? Are Conditions in the workers movement essentially the same in most countries today? What does the SWP’s approach to the antiwar movement have in common with the united front tactic of the early Communist International?

2. In a united front, what is it that the different political tendencies can be united around?

3. Was the united front as initially proposed intended to include the opportunist leaders of the social democratic parties as well as the masses who supported these parties? Why?

4. Trotsky says that “the growth of the mass aspects of the movement tends to radicalize it,” creating more favorable conditions for the revolutionary party. Why is this so? How does this relate to the antiwar movement in the United States?

5. How did Trotsky see the united front tactic helping to win over the social democratic workers to revolutionary politics?

6. Why does the united front require freedom of criticism between its participants? Can there be a united front around program as well as action?

7. How was the united front approach applied in the Russian Revolution?

8.What is wrong with the ultraleft concept of a “united front from below”?

Class 2. THE UNITED FRONT AND THE POPULAR FRONT

Reading:

Les Evans, Alliances and the Revolutionary Party , Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 3–70

Leon Trotsky, “For Committees of Action, Not the People’s Front.” in United Front vs. People’s Front : selected readings , Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 9-11, also in Writings of Leon Trotsky, 1935-36 , Pathfinder Press, pages 56–58

James Burnham, “The People’s Front: The New Betrayal,” in United Front vs. People’s Front selected reading s, Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 12–24

Supplementary: Leon Trotsky, “On the United Front,” The First Five Years of the Communist International , volume 2, pages 97–109.

Leon Trotsky, The Struggle Against Fascism in Germany , Pathfinder Press, pages 179–199.

QUESTIONS

l. What is the basic political characteristic of the popular front?

2. How did the popular front line originate?

3. Ultraleft sectarianism and opportunism are often described as two sides of the same coin. How is this manifest in relation to the line of “united front from below” and the line of the “people’s front”?

4. How is the Stalinist popular front line manifest in the United States today?

5. The Stalinists and Social Democrats seem to join together easily in popular fronts, but generally have to be pushed into united fronts. Why?

Class 3. THE POPULAR FRONT IN SPAIN, INDONESIA CEYLON

Reading:

Les Evans, Alliances and the Revolutionary Party, Education for Socialists bulletin, pages 7–11.

Supplementary: Leon Trotsky, “The Lessons of Spain - The Last Warning,” in Fourth International , April 1945.

Felix Morrow, Revolution and Counter-revolution in Spain , New Park Pub1ications (British).

T. Seodarso, Catastrophe in Indonesia , Pathfinder Press.

Ernest Germain, “From Wavering to Capitulation - People’s Frontism in Ceylon,” International Socialist Review ., Fall l964.

Les Evans, “Why Mao Defends the Bloodbath in Bengal,” ISR, June 1971.

N. Anthony, “Ceylon Behind the Socialist Mask,” ISR, June 1971 (in section entitled: “Perspectives on World Revolution)

QUESTIONS:

1. How did popular frontism in Spain pave the way for the Franco reaction? Is there a similar danger in Chile?

2. What do the Indonesian and Ceylonese experiences reveal about the similarities between Chinese and. Soviet Stalinism?

3. Can the revolutionary party give political support to a popular front regime under any circumstances? Does the party utilize exactly the same tactics towards a popular front regime as towards an openly reactionary regime?

4. What is wrong with the “bloc of four classes” theory? With the “two stage” theory of revolution?

C1ass 4: CHILE: THE UNIDAD POPULAR OF ALLENDE

Reading:

Allende’s Chile: Is It Going Socialist ? by Peter Camejo, Pathfinder Press.

Peter Camejo and Les Evans, “Chile: Reformism in Crisis,” ISR February, l972.

“Chile: The Coming Confrontation,” resolution of the United Secretariat of the Fourth International, Intercontinental Press , February 21, l972.

QUESTIONS:

l. The Unidad Popular (UP) government of Allende claims to be socialist-oriented In this, it differs from the People’s Fronts of the l930s in Spain and France, which were explicitly committed to the defense of bourgeois society, Does this difference change in any way the fundamental political character of the Allende regime?

2. “Socialism” is sometimes characterized by supporters of the People’s Front solely as “nationalization” of industry. Why is this false?

3. How is a false and demagogic concept of “anti-imperialism” used by the Communist Party to justify the Chilean popular front?

4. The more “left” sounding claims of the Chilean UP are the result of a deep radicalization of the Chilean masses. However, deep illusions about bourgeois democracy allow the UP to maintain, sometimes brazenly (as in the case of the old Chilean army) the old institutions and policies of capitalism. How can a revolutionary party intervene to change this?

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL CLASSES ON TOPICS RELATED TO THE UNITED FRONT VS THE POPULAR FRONT

A. One or two classes on Lenin’s Left Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder .

B. One or two classes on the united front vs. the “united front from below.”

Readings for this topic can be selected from Trotsky’s The Struggle Against Fascism in Germany and Whither France ? Both are published by Pathfinder Press. (Excerpts are contained in the pamphlet, Fascism: What It Is and How To Fight It .)

C. One or two classes on Trotsky’s writings on the Chinese revolution. The best selection of material on this can probably be obtained from Trotsky’s The Third International After Lenin (Pathfinder Press). Other material is contained in the pamphlet by Trotsky, Chinese Revolution: Problems and Perspectives (Pathfinder Press) and in the book Problems of the Chinese Revolution (Ann Arbor)

One of the questions that should be considered in such a class is the inapplicability of the popular front concept to the colonial and neo-colonial countries as well as to the advanced imperialist countries. Of particular importance is the analysis of the role of the national bourgeoisie and the theory of permanent revolution.

D. The Popular Front policy of the Communist Party in the United States.

Reading for such a class should include some selections from current CP publications, and recent articles in The Militant and International Socialist Review . Also, the section on “Capitalist Peace Politics” in Aspects of Socialist Election Policy, Education for Socialists bulletin.