,! ,POLITICS ,( ,GORT] 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,ANTON ,PANNEKOEK 

,TEXT 3 

,WRITT53 #a#i#e#b2 
,FIR/ ,PUBLI%$3 9 ,FR5* 9 ,LA ,REVOLUTION ,PROLET>I5NE1 ,AUG-,SEPT #a#i#e#b2 
,TRANSCRIPTION_*,H,T,M,L ,M>KUP3 BY ,&Y ,BLUND51 = M>XI/S4ORG #b#c4 
,S\RCE3 ,JOHN ,GRAY'S ,>*IVE2 

,9TRODUCTION BY ,REVOLUTION ,PROLET>I5NE3 ,CIRCUM/ANCES BEYOND \R CONTROL DELAY$ ! PUBLICATION ( ! FOLL[+ >TICLE BY ,PR(ESSOR ,PANNEKOEK3 LOSS ( A FIR/ MANUSCRIPT BETWE5 ,HOLL& & ,P>IS1 !N DIFFICULTIES ( TRANSLATION4 ,H[EV] ?IS DELAY MAY HAVE AN UN=ESE5 ADVANTAGE WOR? BE+ ANN\NC$3 ! COMRADES :O PUBLI% ! WEEKLY SOCIALI/ PAP] ,DE ,VLAM 9 ,AM/]DAM HAVE =M$ A COMMITTEE TO COMMEMORATE ! TW5TY FIF? ANNIV]S>Y ( ! DEA? ( ,GORT] & !Y >E PUBLI%+ ,PANNEKOEK'S >TICLE AT ! SAME TIME AS US4 

,9 AN >TICLE 9 ,REVOLUTION ,PROLET>I5NE ,NO #e 7,MAY 
#a#i#e#a1 PAGE #a#g#a7 9 :I* ,S4 ,TAS SPEAKS ( ,H]MAN ,GORT]1 HE IS DESCRIB$ AS 
HAV+ 0A RA!R BAD POLITICS40 ,IT SEEMS NECESS>Y TO COMP5SATE = 
?IS >TICLE ) SOME REM>KS ON ! POSITIVE *>ACT] ( ,GORT]'S 
POLITICS4 

,GORT] BECAME A MEMB] ( ! SOCIALI/ P>TY :]E HE DISCOV]$ & /UDI$ 
,M>XISM4 ,FROM ?IS HE DREW ! CONVICTION ?AT ! PROLET>IAT CAN ONLY GA9 ! 
MANAGEM5T ( SOCIETY ?R\< CLASS /RUGGLE AGA9/ ! B\RGEOISIE1 & ?AT 
?IS IS H[ IT WILL DE/ROY CAPITALISM4 ,HE WAS !N ( ! OP9ION1 LIKE ! 
:OLE ( ! RADICAL W+ ( ! P>TY1 ?AT GOOD P>LIAM5T>Y POLITICS C\LD 
BE AN EFFECTIVE MEANS TO ORGANIZE ! WORK+ MASSES1 TO AWAK5 !IR CLASS 
CONSCI\SNESS &1 BY ?IS MEANS1 9CREASE !IR P[] 9 RESPECT ( ! 
DOM9ANT B\RGEOISIE4 ,= HIM ! SOCIALI/S 9 ,P>LIAM5T \<T TO HAVE 
VIGOR\SLY OPPOS$ ! B\RGEOIS POLITICIANS1 ! REPRES5TATIVES ( ! 
DOM9ANT CLASS4 ,IT W\LD BE A MISUND]/&+ TO SAY ?AT ?IS POLITICS S\<T 
TO TRANS=M ! WORLD ?R\< A S+LE BL[4 ,! GOAL ( ?IS POLITICS WAS TO 
9CREASE ! /R5G? ( ! PROLET>IAT SO ?AT ?R\< A S]IES ( 5GAGEM5TS 
IT BECAME CAPABLE ( OBTA9+ P[]4 ,IT WAS 9 ! POLITICS ( ! ,G]MAN 
SOCIALI/ P>TY ?AT ONE SAW ! MO/ CLE> 9C>NATION ( ?IS RADICAL 
POSITION4 

,?IS ATTITUDE WAS OPPOS$ BY RE=MISM1 :I* S\<T TO A*IEVE RE=MS ?AT 
W\LD MAKE CAPITALISM BE>ABLE1 ?R\< COMPROMISES ) ! O!R P>TIES4 ,9 
! WE/]N C\NTRIES1 BECAUSE ( ! MU* LONG] & SL[] DEVELOPM5T ( 
CAPITALISM1 CLASS DIVISIONS W]E M>K$ 9 A MU* LESS ACUTE WAY ?AN !Y W]E 
9 ,G]MANY1 DUE TO ! FEV]I% RISE ( ITS 9DU/RIAL CAPITALISM4 ,?US 
RE=MISM G5]ALLY DOM9AT$ ! PRACTICAL ACTIVITY ( ! SOCIALI/ P>TIES4 
,! /RUGGLE ( ! ,DUT* ,M>XI/S1 9 :I* ,GORT] DI/+UI%$ HIMSELF1 WAS 
DIRECT$ AGA9/ ?IS PRACTICE BECAUSE !Y W]E ( ! OP9ION ?AT RE=MS 
C\LD NOT BE OBTA9$ ?R\< ! CUNN+ ( POLITICIANS1 BUT ONLY ?R\< ! 
P[] ( ! WORK+ CLASS4 ,ONLY ONCE W]E !Y SUCCESSFUL4 ,H[EV] !Y W]E 
F9ALLY EXPELL$4 ,9 O!R ,WE/]N C\NTRIES1 ?IS WAS NOT EV5 NECESS>Y2 ! 
RE=MISM ( ! MEMB]S ( P>LIAM5T1 0GOOD POLITICS01 REIGN$ 9 
ABSOLUTE MA/]Y4 ,IF WE N[ CONSID] ! RESULTS ( ?IS POLITICS1 WE SEE ?AT 
AFT] A HALF-C5TURY ( RE=MISM1 CAPITALISM IS MORE P[]FUL ?AN EV] & 
SOCIETY IS ?REAT5$ ) ANNIHILATION1 :ILE ! WORK]S MU/ CONT9UE TO 
FI<T = !IR CRUMBS ( BREAD4 

,9 ,G]MANY1 RE=MISM CONT9U$ TO GA9 9FLU5CE 9 PRACTICE1 AL?\< 
!ORETICALLY ?IS WAS NOT RECOGNIZ$ 9 ! FACE ( ! 9T5SITY ( ! CLASS 
/RUGGLE4 ,IT WAS H]E ?AT ! CONVICTION WAS BORN1 )9 ! ,M>XI/S & ! 
MO/ PROGRESSIVE CIRCLES ( ! PROLET>IAT1 ?AT ONE C\LD NOT A*IEVE P[] BY 
PURELY P>LIAM5T>Y MEANS4 ,= ?AT ONE NE$$ ! ACTION ( ! MASSES1 ( ! 
WORK]S !MSELVES4 ,! ,P>TY PASS$ RESOLUTIONS ON ! G5]AL /RIKE & WE 
/>T$ DEMON/RATIONS = ! RI<T TO VOTE4 ,! EXT5T & /R5G? ( !SE 
FRI<T5$ ! P>TY *IEFS EV5 MORE ?AN IT DID ! DOM9ANT CLASS2 !Y PUT 
AN 5D TO IT = FE> ( ! CONSEQU5CES & ALL =CES W]E *ANNEL$ 9TO 
! ELECTIONS & P>LIAM5T>Y POLITICS4 ,ONLY1 A M9ORITY1 0! EXTREME 
LEFT10 CONT9U$ PROPAG&A 9 FAVOR ( MASS ACTION4 ,! ,G]MAN 
B\RGEOISIE1 ITS P[] UN%AK51 C\LD PREP>E TO CONQU] WORLD P[] )\T 
MEET+ ANY OB/ACLES4 ,NATURALLY1 ,GORT] WAS AT ! SIDE ( ! EXTREME LEFT1 
:OSE POLITICS W]E AS HIS [N4 

,AFT] ?IS ! DANG] ( W> BECAME EV] MORE M5AC+4 ,! SOCIALI/S & 
PACIFI/S ( ,FRANCE & ,G]MANY ORGANIZ$ A ,PEACE CONGRESS AT ,BASLE 9 #a#i#a#b4 
,BEAUTIFUL & SOLEMN SPEE*ES W]E MADE AGA9/ ! W>4 ,GORT] HIMSELF W5T 
!RE TO PROVOKE A DISCUSSION AB\T ! PRACTICAL MEANS ( FI<T+ AGA9/ W>4 
,M&AT$ BY A C]TA9 NUMB] ( ELEM5TS ( ! LEFT1 HE HAD PROPOS$ A 
RESOLUTION ACCORD+ TO :I*1 9 ALL C\NTRIES1 WORK]S HAD TO DISCUSS ! 
DANG] ( W> & CONSID] ! POSSIBILITY ( MASS ACTION AGA9/ IT4 ,BUT HE WAS 
NOT ALL[$ TO SPEAK4 ,! LEAD]%IP ( ! CONGRESS REFUS$ ANY DISCUSSION 
AB\T MEANS OR ME?ODS4 ,IT ACT$1 SUPPOS$LY1 SO AS NOT TO DE/ROY ! 
IMPRESSION ( \R IMPOS+ UNITY4 ,ACTUALLY IT FE>$ ! CONSEQU5CES ( SU* 
MASS /RUGGLES4 ,! GOV]NM5TS1 NOT MISL$ BY APPE>ANCES1 N[ KNEW ?AT !Y 
HAD NO S]I\S RESI/ANCE AWAIT+ !M 9 ! SOCIALI/ P>TIES4 ,GORT]'S 
0BAD POLITICS0 :I* WANT$ TO PREV5T W> BY ALL MEANS1 HAD BE5 
REPULS$1 ! 0GOOD POLITICS0 ( ! P>TY POLITICIANS REMA9$ 
DOM9ANT1 IT IMPOS$ ITSELF ON ! PROLET>IAT & SOON L$ ,EUROPE 9TO ! 
FIR/ WORLD W>4 

,9 ?IS W> ! SOCIALI/ POLITICIANS W]E REVEAL$ AS BE+ :AT !Y ALWAYS 
HAD BE5 FUNDAM5TALLY3 NATIONALI/ POLITICIANS1 OR 9 O!R WORDS B\RGEOIS 
POLITICIANS4 ,9 EV]Y C\NTRY !Y SUPPORT$ !IR [N GOV]NM5T1 HELP$ IT TO 
CONTA9 ! WORK]S & TO /IFLE ANY RESI/ANCE TO ! W>4 ,ALL ?IS WAS ! 
GOOD POLITICS ( SKILLFUL POLITICIANS4 ,! 0BAD POLITICS0 ( ,GORT] 
CONSI/$ ( ATTEMPT+ 9 HIS PAMPHLETS ON IMP]IALISM & ON ! WORLD 
REVOLUTION1 TO 9=M ! WORK]S ( ! REASONS = ! W> & ! NE$ = A 
REVOLUTION AFT] ! W>4 

,9 #aiah :5 ! W> 5D$1 REVOLUTION ]UPT$ 9 ,G]MANY4 ,OR1 TO BE MORE 
EXACT1 ON ,NOVEMB] #f? IT ]UPT$ 9 ,KIEL1 & ?REE DAYS LAT] ! 
C\NT]-REVOLUTION ]UPT$ 9 ,B]L92 ,EB]T1 ! LEAD] ( ! SOCIALI/ P>TY1 
CAME 9TO GOV]NM5T TO REPRESS ! ACTION ( ! REVOLUTION>Y WORK]S1 9 
ASSOCIATION ) ! G5]ALS4 ,NATURALLY ,GORT] WAS AT ! SIDE ( ,K>L 
,LIEBKNE*T1 ,ROSA ,LUXEMBURG & ! ,SP>TACI/S444 ,! WORK]S ACTION WAS CUT 
D[N BY ! MILIT>Y1 ,LIEBKNE*T & ,ROSA W]E ASSASS9AT$4 ,EB]T1 ! MODEL ( 
A SOCIALI/ POLITICIAN WAS VICTORI\S2 ?R\< GOOD POLITICS HE BR\<T ! 
B\RGEOISIE BACK TO P[] 9 ,G]MANY & WAS ITS FIR/ PRESID5T4 

,9 #a#i#a#g1 ! ,RUSSIAN ,REVOLUTION DE/ROY$ CZ>ISM & BR\<T ! ,BOL%EVIKS 
9TO P[]4 ,9 EV]Y C\NTRY ! WORK]S W]E /IRR$ UP & COMMUNI/ GR\PS 
W]E =M$4 ,NATURALLY ,GORT] WAS IMM$IATELY AT !IR SIDE ) ALL HIS HE>T4 
,HE SAW ?IS AS ! BEG9N+ ( ! WORLD REVOLUTION1 & 9 ,L591 ITS SUPREME 
LEAD]2 9 ! /RIKE MOVEM5TS 9 ,RUSSIA HE SAW ! BEG9N+S ( A NEW =M ( 
9DEP5D5T ACTION BY WORK]S1 & 9 ! SOVIETS ! BEG9N+ ( A NEW =M ( 
ORGANIZATION ( ! REVOLUTION>Y PROLET>IAT4 ,BUT DIV]G5CES SOON APPE>$4 
,:5 ! DEFEAT ( ! ,SP>TACI/S 9 ,G]MANY PREV5T$ A WORLD REVOLUTION1 
,L59 S\<T TO RETURN TO ! TACTICS ( P>LIAM5T>ISM TO W9 OV] ! LEFT 
W+ ( ! SOCIALI/ P>TIES4 ,! MAJORITY ( ,G]MAN COMMUNI/S VIGOR\SLY 
OPPOS$ ?IS4 ,!Y W]E EXPELL$1 & IT WAS AGA9/ !M ?AT ,L59 WROTE HIS 
PAMPHLET ON ! 09FANTILE DISORD]04 ,L59'S ACTION MEANT ! 
5D ( ! ,RUSSIAN REVOLUTION AS A POSITIVE FACTOR 9 ! WORLD PROLET>IAN 
REVOLUTION4 ,GORT]1 AS SPOKESMAN ( ! OPPOSITION1 REPLI$ ) HIS 0,OP5 
LETT] TO ,L590 .<#a.>4 ,TWO FUNDAM5TALLY DIFF]5T 
CONCEPTIONS W]E OPPOS$ 9 !SE TWO WORKS4 ,L59 WAS A GREAT POLITICIAN1 MU* 
GREAT] ?AN HIS SOCIALI/ CONTEMPOR>IES1 BECAUSE HE HAD GREAT] TASKS & 
OBJECTIVES4 ,HIS HI/ORICAL TASK1 AS LEAD] ( ! ,BOL%EVIK P>TY1 WAS TO RAISE 
,RUSSIA UP FROM ITS PRIMITIVE & AGR>IAN =M ( PRODUCTION 9TO 
9DU/RIALIZATION1 BY MEANS ( A SOCIAL & POLITICAL DICTATOR%IP :I* L$ TO 
,/ATE SOCIALISM4 ,& BECAUSE HE ONLY KNEW CAPITALISM FROM ! \TSIDE & NOT 
FROM ! 9SIDE1 HE BELIEV$ IT WAS POSSIBLE TO FREE ! WORK]S ( ! WORLD BY 
MAK+ SOME ! DISCIPL9$ TROOPS ( ! 0,COMMUNI/ P>TY04 ,FROM 
!N ON !Y ONLY HAD TO FOLL[ ! ,RUSSIAN EXAMPLE4 ,GORT] REPLI$ ?AT 9 
,RUSSIA ! REVOLUTION HAD ONLY BE5 ABLE TO CONQU] ?ANKS TO ! AID ( ! 
PEASANT MASSES1 & ?AT1 PRECISELY ?IS AID WAS MISS+ 9 ! ,WE/1 :]E ! 
PEASANTS !MSELVES W]E PROP]TY [N]S4 ,9 ,RUSSIA IT WAS ONLY NECESS>Y TO GET 
RID ( A CRUMBL+ ,ASIATIC DESPOTISM4 ,9 ! ,WE/ ! WORK]S W]E OPPOS$ BY 
! =MIDABLE P[] ( CAPITALISM4 ,!Y W\LD ONLY FREE !MSELVES FROM IT IF 
!Y !MSELVES RAIS$ ! LEVELS ( REVOLUTION>Y /R5G?1 ( CLASS UNITY1 ( 
9DEP5D5CE & ( 9TELLIG5CE4 ,!REAFT] ,L59'S POLITICS HAVE 
LOGICALLY 5D$ 9 ,/AL9ISM 9 ,RUSSIA1 !Y HAVE DIVID$ ! PROLET>IAT 9 ! 
,WE/ & BE5 R5D]$ IMPOT5T BY ! FANATIC & BOA/FUL QUASI-REVOLUTIONISM 
( ! COMMUNI/ P>TY4 ,9 ! YE>S AFT] #a#i#b1 ,GORT] 9 CONTACT ) ! 
SMALL GR\PS ( ! EXTREME LEFT1 WORK$ TO CL>IFY ! IDEA ( ! ORGANIZATION 
( WORK]S C\NCILS & ?US COLLABORAT$ 9 ! FUTURE R5EWAL ( ! CLASS 
/RUGGLE ( ! PROLET>IAT4 ,DUR+ ?IS TIME ! SOCIALI/ POLITICIANS ( ! 
SECOND 9T]NATIONAL1 AS MEMB]S ( P>LIAM5T & M9I/]S1 W]E OCCUPI$ 9 
BAIL+ \T A BANKRUPT CAPITALISM = ! B\RGEOISIE1 BUT NONE!LESS )\T 
HALT+ ! CRISIS OR BE+ ABLE TO BLUR CLASS DIVISIONS4 ,9 ?IS WAY !Y 
PREP>$ ! GR\ND = ! ACCESSION ( ,HITL] & ! SECOND WORLD W>4 

,IF WE TAKE 9 AT A GLANCE ! :OLE ( ! POLITICAL HI/ORY ( ! LA/ 
C5TURY1 WE CON/ANTLY SEE ! OPPOSITION ( TWO POLITICAL ME?ODS1 :I* >E 
!MSELVES AN EXPRESSION ( ! CLASS /RUGGLE4 ,:Y IS ONE CALL$ GOOD & ! 
O!R BAD POLITICS8 ,POLITICS IS ! >T ( DOM9AT+ M54 ,SKILLFUL POLITICIANS 
5DEAVOR TO RE=M1 9 O!R WORDS PAT* UP ! OLD SY/EM ( ANTIQUAT$ & 
%AKY DOM9ATION1 OR1 :5 ITS FALL IS 9EVITABLE1 ]ECT A NEW SY/EM ( 
DOM9ATION4 ,?IS IS :AT IS CALL$ GOOD POLITICS4 ,O!RS 5DEAVOR TO HELP ! 
EXPLOIT$ MASSES ACQUIRE ! /R5G? TO DELIV] !MSELVES FROM EXPLOITATION 
& DOM9ATION4 ,IT IS ?IS :I* 9 P>LIAM5T>Y T]MS IS CALL$ BAD 
POLITICS4 

,ANT ,PANNEKOEK4 

,NOTES 

#a4 ,IT IS AN ]ROR ( FACT :5 ,TAS DESIGNATES ,L59'S PAMPHLET AS 0A =MIDABLE RESPONSE0 TO ?AT ( ,GORT]4 ,! ORD] ( SUCCESSION WAS PRECISELY ! REV]SE4 

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,M>* #a1 #bba 3 ,! ,POLITICS ,( ,GORT] -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #h1 #bbb 3 ,! ,POLITICS ,( ,GORT] -- ,UPDAT$4 

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