Communism and its Tactics

Part 2, Chapter 6 : March 10th 1923
Workers Dreadnought 10th March 1923 (Continued from last week.) C. Zinoviev, at the Second Congress of the Third International in Moscow, introduced a Thesis, declaring that no attempt should be made to form Soviets prior to the outbreak of the revolutionary crisis. It was argued that, as such bodies would be powerless, or nearly so, their formation might bring the conception of the Soviets into proletarian contempt. The Thesis was adopted by the Congress, without discussion, and thereby became an axiom of the Third International. This decision was of far-reaching significance: it meant that the Third International would no longer support the formation of Workshop Councils; and the building of an organization upon the foundation of the Workshop Councils, taking in all workers in all industries with the revolutionary purpose of taking over and managing industry. At its inception the Third International had made much of the British Shop Steward... (From : Marxists.org.)

Part 2, Chapter 5 : March 3rd 1923
Workers Dreadnought 3rd March 1923. Those who have been students at a school of art and craft, which has been fortunate enough to be entrusted with some piece of work destined for actual use, will realize something of what industry will be under Communism. They will remember with pleasure the zealous fervor with which the students threw themselves into the effort, the friendly emulation in efficiency, the general determination to achieve as fine a result as possible in the collective work. Everyone was enthused by the thought that this was no mere exercise, but an object needed and desired. The finest and most difficult parts of the work were done by the teachers and more accomplished students, the easier and more mechanical tasks were willingly performed by those who were least advanced, who, nevertheless, felt that their turn to execute something ambitious would come with the acquisition of further skill. In the tasks set merely for their training, the stud... (From : Marxists.org.)

Part 2, Chapter 4 : February 24th 1923
Workers Dreadnought 24th February 1923 The Soviets. The function of the Workers’ Councils, or Soviets, is to administer and co-ordinate production, transport and distribution. The functional units of the Soviets are the groups of workers of all grades, including those who are doing organizing or managerial work, in the engineering, textile, or boot factory, the dockyard, the mine, the farm, the warehouse, the distributive center, the printery, the laundry, the restaurant, and the domestic workers, whether engaged in the hotel or communal house or the individual dwellings — so long as individual dwellings continue to exist. The Soviet Structure. The generally accepted theoretical structure of the Soviets is as follows : Industrial Co-ordination. The Workshop Council, comprising all the workers in the shop. The Factory Council, comprising delegates from the Workshop Council. (From : Marxists.org.)

Part 2, Chapter 3 : February 10th 1923
Workers Dreadnought 10th February 1923 Nationalist struggles, though largely economic and bound up with the might of Empire, which assures to Big Business its control of markets, are less vital to the upholders of Capitalism, than the direct contest for the overthrow of the system itself. When the established order is in danger its beneficiaries arm to protect it; its supporters and opponents come to blows, civil war breaks out, and, for the time being, peace is no more. Is that as it should be? It is as it is. The inevitable must be recognized and prepared for. A determined struggle for supremacy inevitably accompanies the overthrow of Capitalism. Experience shows that the crisis arises suddenly: the old relationship has been growing more and more strained, and suddenly the bonds are snapped and the storm bursts. We do not say that a Parliamentary crisis, could not be the last straw that would precipitate the conflict, but in... (From : Marxists.org.)

Part 2, Chapter 2 : February 3rd 1923
Those who are well to do under the present system are apt to oppose Communism, from conservatism and lack of imagination, and from anxiety lest the disorganizations of the transition period may destroy their present comfort. Some even fear that under Communism the emancipated workers may revenge themselves upon those who were of the employing class in Capitalist society, by degrading them to a subject position; but Communism has no place for subject classes. It has neither economic nor social distinction. It will emancipate the entire humanity. The hard toil of the business man and his manifold anxieties are continually cited as arguments against this or that amelioration of the lot of the workers to-day. Let the exacting toil, the stupendous financial commitments, the ceaseless stupefying anxieties be admitted: Communism will remove all these. It will emancipate the business man from his business: it will free him for useful, care-free work and pleasure, fro... (From : Marxists.org.)

January 28th 1922
Workers Dreadnought January 28th 1922 Zinoviev, at the Second Congress of the Third International in Moscow, introduced a Thesis declaring that no attempt should be made to form Soviets prior to the outbreak of the revolutionary crisis. It was argued that, as such bodies would be powerless, or nearly so, their formation might bring the conception of the Soviets into proletarian contempt. The Thesis was adopted by the Congress, without discussion, and thereby became an axiom of the Third International. The question as to whether the mere borrowed term, Soviet, shall be reserved for use in the actual crisis of revolution is of small importance though, if not used previously, it would probably miss being adopted as the slogan of the revolution... (From : Marxists.org.)

November 26th, 1921
Workers Dreadnought VOL. VIII. No. 37 Saturday, November 26th, 1921 Under Communism all shall satisfy their material needs without stint or measure from the common storehouse, according to their desires. Everyone will be able to have what he or she desires in food, in clothing, books, music, education and travel facilities. The abundant production now possible, and which invention will constantly facilitate, will remove any need for rationing or limiting of consumption. Every individual, relying on the great common production, will be secure from material want and anxiety. There will be no class distinctions, since these arise from differences in material possessions, education and social status — all such distinctions will be swept a... (From : Marxists.org.)

December 3rd 1921
Workers Dreadnought, December 3rd 1921 Since the overthrow of capitalism would be resisted by the possessors of wealth, whether this were effected by Act of Parliament or by a sudden revolt of the people, it is absolutely necessary for the Communists to prepare the working class for such resistance. Many people still doubt that capitalist resistance to the overthrow of capitalism will go to the length of civil war, yet there is abundant contemporary evidence to prove that such resistance will be made. Here in Britain we have the Ulster capitalists’ preparations for armed resistance to the Asquith Home Rule Act. The civil war threats and preparations by Ulster Capitalism were and are supported by British Toryism. That is why it succeed... (From : Marxists.org.)

December 10 1921
Workers Dreadnought December 10 1921 In Russia all this was done, and over vast districts, under the spur of need without preliminary thought or organization. In this country the workers cannot leave things to chance. Capitalism is highly organized here and will defeat the workers’ revolution again and again, unless the workers are organized efficiently. Moreover, in London and in the vast chains of towns which form our industrial districts we are so closely massed on the ground, so absolutely dependent on food brought in from outside, and upon the collective service of the whole industrial community, that unless production and distribution is well organized we must speedily starve. It will go hard with us if we have not created the m... (From : Marxists.org.)

January 27th 1923
Workers Dreadnought January 27th 1923 Under Communism all shall satisfy their material needs without stint or measure, from the common storehouse, according to their desires. Everyone will be able to have what he or she desires in food, in clothing, books, music, education and travel facilities. The abundant production now possible, and which invention will constantly facilitate, will remove any need for rationing or limiting of consumption. Every individual, relying on the great common production, will be secure from material want and anxiety. There will be no class distinctions. These arise from differences in material possessions, education and social status. All such differences will be swept away. There will be neither rich nor poor. M... (From : Marxists.org.)