Austria: Pseudo-Trotskyists Call for a 3-Week Total Lockdown

The Cliffites continue to act as “left-wing” advocates of the COVID Counterrevolution

By Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 19 November 2021, www.thecommunists.net

 

 

 

Since the beginning of the authoritarian COVID Counterrevolution, most forces of the so-called “left-wing” parties have supported the policy of Lockdowns, Green Pass and de facto enforced mass vaccination. [1] Wherever they have been in government, they uncritically implemented these measures (e.g. in Spain, South Africa, Italy). Many of them praise the Stalinist-capitalist dictatorship in China which has imposed the most draconic version of this policy. [2]

 

However, support for the practical policy of COVID Counterrevolution has not been limited to the Stalinist, social democratic or populist parties. Likewise, most so-called “Trotskyist” organizations support these measures. One example for this is the International Socialist Tendency whose most prominent section is the Socialist Workers Party in Britain. It stands in the tradition of the late Tony Cliff which is why they are usually called “Cliffites”.

 

As we have explained in other documents, the Cliffites have the sorry reputation of being one of those forces supporting the notorious ZeroCOVID campaign. This campaign basically claims that a total Lockdown for an unspecified “short” period of time would eliminate the pandemic once and for all. This campaign is both ultra-reactionary as well as silly. It is reactionary because it supports the radical expansion of the authoritarian police and surveillance state – something which we call chauvinist state bonapartism. It is silly because the claim to overcome the pandemic within a short period of time is a hilarious hoax. As everyone can see, even the most draconic Lockdown policy can not eliminate the virus (e.g. China, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand). [3]

 

Hence, the RCIT has strongly denounced the ZeroCOVID campaign from the very beginning. We characterize those left-wing groups which support the Lockdown and Green Pass policy as social-bonapartists – “socialists” in words, but supporters of bonapartism in practice.

 

The recent imposition of a lockdown for unvaccinated people in Austria demonstrates once more the reactionary nature of the social-bonapartist Cliffites. [4] True, their Austrian section criticizes this concrete measure with the argument that it would only fuel popular opposition against the government which – according to the Cliffites – could only help the right-wing opposition party. However, their alternative to the government policy is even worse. In a recently published article, they advocate – as an alternative – the imposition of a total lockdown for the whole population!

 

Given the current dynamic of infections, we can only quickly stop the fourth wave with an effective lockdown. Instead of stating that unvaccinated people are the only [sic] problem, we should focus on the world of work as well as schools and kindergarten. (…) The most effective action in the current situation is a three-week long break [sic] for all. This means the closure of all socially not extremely urgent sectors of service and production, with full wage compensation for the employees. Such a solidarity pause [sic] can be utilized to revitalize the stagnating vaccination campaign.[5]

 

Both the contents as well as the language of this program reveal utter cynicism! In reality, the Cliffites conceal the fact that this proposal would mean de facto house arrest for large parts of the population. Of course, it would also mean ongoing work for significant sectors of the working class who are employed in the so-called “essential” sectors. However, this does not unnerve the ZeroCOVID Left as these middle-class people enjoy sitting at home, watching Netflix and eating pizza which conveniently is served by low-paid migrant workers. Naturally, as we are living in a capitalist class society such a “break” can only be imposed via a state of emergency and a massive expansion of the police and surveillance state.

 

The logic of this reactionary policy is that if the virus has not been liquidated after three weeks of lockdown (which did not happen anywhere), then such a mass incarnation of the population must be continued or repeated after some time. In other words, the proposal of the Cliffites opens the door to the authoritarian capitalist state. It represents ideological flank protection for the COVID Counterrevolution. It is just another example of how much large sectors of the so-called “left” have become social-bonapartists. They talk about socialism but they advocate the policy of the atomization of the working class and the expansion of the bonapartist state.

 

All authentic socialists must unite in the struggle against the COVID Counterrevolution and fight against the influence of the social-bonapartist “left”.

 



[1] The RCIT has analyzed the COVID-19 counterrevolution extensively since its beginning. Starting from 2 February 2020 we have published about 100 pamphlets, essays, articles and statements plus a book which are all compiled at a special sub-page on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/collection-of-articles-on-the-2019-corona-virus/. In particular we refer readers to two RCIT Manifestos: COVID-19: A Cover for a Major Global Counterrevolutionary Offensive. We are at a turning point in the world situation as the ruling classes provoke a war-like atmosphere in order to legitimize the build-up of chauvinist state-bonapartist regimes, 21 March 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-a-cover-for-a-major-global-counterrevolutionary-offensive/; “Green Pass” & Compulsory Vaccinations: A New Stage in the COVID Counterrevolution. Down with the chauvinist-bonapartist police & surveillance state – defend democratic rights! No to health policy in the service of the capitalist monopolies – expand the public health sector under workers and popular control! 29 July 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/green-pass-compulsory-vaccinations-a-new-stage-in-the-covid-counterrevolution/; In addition, we draw attention to our book by Michael Pröbsting: The COVID-19 Global Counterrevolution: What It Is and How to Fight It. A Marxist analysis and strategy for the revolutionary struggle, RCIT Books, April 2020, Chapter V, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-covid-19-global-counterrevolution/. See also our very first article on this issue by Almedina Gunić: Coronavirus: "I am not a Virus"... but WE will be the Cure! The chauvinist campaign behind the “Wuhan Coronavirus” hysteria and the revolutionary answer, 2 February 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/wuhan-virus/. Almedina Gunić and Michael Pröbsting: On Some Ideological Features of the COVID Counterrevolution. Comments on an interesting interview with a German liberal historian, 14 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/on-some-ideological-features-of-the-covid-counterrevolution/; See also a number of Spanish-language articles of our Argentinean comrades: Juan Giglio: La izquierda de la "Big Pharma", dejó de defender las libertades, 1.10.2021, https://convergenciadecombate.blogspot.com/2021/10/la-izquierda-de-la-big-pharma-dejo-de.html; Juan Giglio: ¿Por qué la izquierda no cuestiona las políticas de la OMS? 8.9.2021, https://convergenciadecombate.blogspot.com/2021/09/por-que-la-izquierda-no-cuestiona-las.html

[2] We have published many documents which criticize the Lockdown Left which are compiled on a special sub-page on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/collection-of-articles-on-the-2019-corona-virus/. See e.g. Michael Pröbsting: Why Do Some Socialists Refuse to Support the Mass Struggle against the “Green Pass”? PTS/FT, PSTU/LIT, IMT and PCL in the face of the latest stage of the COVID Counterrevolution, 15 October 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/why-do-some-socialists-refuse-to-support-the-mass-struggle-against-the-green-pass/; by the same author: COVID-19: The Current and Historical Roots of Bourgeois Lockdown “Socialism”. Police State and Universal Basic Income are key elements of the new version of reformist “War Socialism” of 1914, 19 December 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/covid-19-the-current-and-historical-roots-of-bourgeois-lockdown-socialism/

[3] For our critique of the ZeroCOVID campaign see e.g. Michael Pröbsting: COVID-19: Zero Socialism in the “ZeroCOVID“ campaign. Following the model of China and Australia, some British Stalinists and “Trotskyists” call for a “total and indefinite lockdown”, 22 December 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-zero-socialism-in-the-zerocovid-campaign/; “ZeroCOVID” Left Calls for the Authoritarian State – A Practical Example. A revealing article shows that the Lockdown Left calls for the expansion of the police and surveillance state, 8 April 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/zerocovid-left-calls-for-the-authoritarian-state-a-practical-example/

[4] For the statement of the Austrian section of the RCIT against the Lockdown for unvaccinated people see RKO BEFREIUNG: Nieder mit dem Lockdown für Ungeimpfte! Nein zu einem weiteren Schritt in Richtung Polizeistaat und Apartheid! 18 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/home/deutsch/%C3%B6sterreich-nieder-mit-dem-lockdown-f%C3%BCr-ungeimpfte/

[5] Linkswende / Marx21: Lockdown für Ungeimpfte: Ein Aufbauprogramm für die Rechten, 16. November 2021, http://linkswende.org/lockdown-fuer-ungeimpfte-ein-aufbauprogramm-fuer-die-rechten/. The translation is ours.

 

[오스트리아] 3주 전면 록다운을 요구하는 사이비 좌파

클리프 파가 코로나 반혁명을 측면 엄호하는 좌익 외피로 복무하다

 

2021 11 19, 미하엘 프뢰브스팅, 혁명적 공산주의인터내셔널 동맹 (RCIT) 국제서기, www.thecommunists.net

 

 

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코로나 반혁명 시작 이래로 소위 "진보" 세력 상당 부분이 록다운 봉쇄령과 백신패스, 백신접종 의무화 정책을 지지해왔다.[1] 그들이 연립정부에 입각해 있는 곳에서는 어디서든 한결같이 이러한 조치를 무비판적으로 시행했다. (예를 들어 스페인, 남아공, 이탈리아 ). 그들 다수는 정책의 가장 혹독한 계엄령 버전을 시행한 중국 스탈린주의-자본가 독재를 칭찬한다.[2]

 

그러나 실제 코로나반혁명 정책에 대한 지지는 스탈린주의, 사민주의, 민중주의 당들로 국한되지 않았다. 이른바 "트로츠키주의" 조직들 대부분도 이러한 조치들을 지지한다. 이것의 예가 국제사회주의 경향(IST)/영국 사회주의노동자당(SWP)이다. 토니 클리프의 전통에 있다고 해서 통칭 클리프 불린다.

 

우리가 다른 문서들에서 설명해왔듯이, 클리프 파는 악명 높은 제로 코로나 캠페인을 지지하는 세력 하나라는 유감스러운 명성을 가지고 있다. 기본적으로 캠페인은 불특정의 기간 동안 전면적인 록다운 봉쇄로 팬데믹을 완전히 없앨 있다고 주장한다. 캠페인은 반동적일 뿐만 아니라 어리석은 운동이다. 그것이 반동적인 이유는 그것이 권위주의적인 경찰·감시 국가의 확장 우리가 배외주의적 국가 보나파르트주의라고 부르는 지지하기 때문이다. 그것이 어리석은 이유는, 짧은 시간 안에 팬데믹을 극복할 있다는 주장이 우스꽝스런 야바위이기 때문이다. 이제 누구나 있듯이, 가장 혹독한 계엄령 록다운 봉쇄 정책조차도 (중국, 호주, 베트남, 뉴질랜드에서처럼) 바이러스를 제거할 없다.[3]

 

이에 RCIT 처음부터 제로 코로나 캠페인을 강하게 비난했다. 우리는 록다운과 백신패스 정책을 지지하는 좌익 그룹들을 사회-보나파르트주의자 말로는 "사회주의자"지만 구체적인 실천에서는 보나파르트주의 지지자 성격규정 한다.

 

최근 오스트리아에서 백신접종을 하지 않은 사람들에 대한 록다운 조치가 내려지면서 사회-보나파르트주의 클리프 파의 반동성이 다시 드러나고 있다.[4] 그들의 오스트리아 지부는 구체적 조치가 대중의 정부 반대 여론을 부채질할 뿐이고, 이는 우파 야당에게만 도움이 것이라며 조치를 비판한다. 그런데 이들의 대안은 정부 정책보다도 악성 정책이다. 이들은 최근에 기사에서 대안으로 전체 주민에 대한 전면 록다운 실시를 내건다.

 

감염의 현재 동태로 , 우리는 효과적인 록다운 봉쇄를 통해서만 4 유행을 빠르게 막을 있다. 백신접종을 받지 않은 사람들만이 문제라고 말하는 대신, 우리는 학교와 유치원뿐만 아니라 노동계에도 초점을 맞춰야 한다.... 상황에서 가장 효과적인 조치는 모두에게 3주간의 휴식이다. 이는 사회적으로 매우 긴급하지 않은 모든 서비스 생산 부문의 폐쇄와 함께 피고용자에 대한 임금 전액 보상을 의미한다. 같은 연대 중지 [원문 그대로!] 활용해 정체해 있는 백신접종 캠페인에 활력을 불어넣을 있다.”[5]

 

프로그램의 내용과 언어 모두 위선과 야바위의 전형을 보여준다! 클리프 파는 제안이 주민 상당 부분에 대한 사실상의 가택연금을 뜻한다는 사실을 숨기고 있다. 소위 "필수" 부문에 고용된 노동자계급 상당 부분에게는 휴식 없이 노동이 계속된다는 것을 뜻한다는 것도 명백하다. 그러나 그들 제로 코로나 좌파는 이에 개의치 않는데, 왜냐하면 그들 중간계급 사람들은 집에 앉아서 편리하게 저임금 이주노동자들이 서빙 하는 피자를 먹으며 넷플릭스를 시청할 있기 때문이다. 당연한 바지만, 우리가 자본주의 계급사회에 살고 있으므로 오직 국가비상사태와 경찰·감시 국가의 대대적인 확장을 통해서만 같은 휴식 실시될 있는 것임을 망각해선 된다.

 

반동적인 정책의 논리는, 3주간의 록다운 이후에도 바이러스가 청산 (어디에서도 일어난 없는) 되지 않았다면, 그러한 대규모 주민 격리·봉쇄를 계속, 또는 일정 시간을 두고 반복적으로 해야 한다는 것이다. 다시 말해, 클리프 파의 제안은 권위주의 자본가 국가로 가는 문을 열어준다. 제안은 코로나 반혁명에 대한 이데올로기적 측면 보호에 다름 아니다. 이른바 좌파 얼마나 많은 부분들이 사회-보나파르트주의자가 되었는지를 보여주는 하나의 예일 뿐이다. 입으로는 사회주의를 운위하지만, 실제로는 노동자계급의 원자화 정책과 보나파르트주의 국가의 확장을 옹호한다.

 

모든 진정한 사회주의자들은 코로나 반혁명에 대항하는 투쟁에서 하나로 뭉쳐 사회-보나파르트주의 "좌파" 영향력에 맞서 싸워야 한다.

 

 

 

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[1] RCIT 코로나19 반혁명을 시작 이래로 광범위에 걸쳐 분석해 왔다. 2020 2 2일부터 우리는 90편의 소책자와 논문, 기사, 성명에 단행본 책까지 발표했다. 모든 것을 다음의 우리 웹사이트 별도 하위 페이지에 모아놓았다. https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/collection-of-articles-on-the-2019-corona-virus/. 특히 다음을 보라. RCIT Manifesto: COVID-19: A Cover for a Major Global Counterrevolutionary Offensive. We are at a turning point in the world situation as the ruling classes provoke a war-like atmosphere in order to legitimize the build-up of chauvinist state-bonapartist regimes, 21 March 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-a-cover-for-a-major-global-counterrevolutionary-offensive/. [<코로나19: 글로벌 반혁명 공세를 가리는 덮개> https://www.thecommunists.net/home/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%96%B4/covid-19-cover-for-major-global-counterrevolutionary-offensive/] 다음의 RCIT 2 시국선언도 보라. Manifesto: “Green Pass” & Compulsory Vaccinations: A New Stage in the COVID Counterrevolution. Down with the chauvinist-bonapartist police & surveillance state defend democratic rights! No to health policy in the service of the capitalist monopolies expand the public health sector under workers and popular control! 29 July 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/green-pass-compulsory-vaccinations-a-new-stage-in-the-covid-counterrevolution/ [<“백신여권” & 백신접종 의무화: 코로나 반혁명의 새로운 단계> https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/green-pass-compulsory-vaccinations-a-new-stage-in-the-covid-counterrevolution/#anker_3]; 다음도 보라. Michael Pröbsting: The COVID-19 Global Counterrevolution: What It Is and How to Fight It. A Marxist analysis and strategy for the revolutionary struggle, RCIT Books, April 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-covid-19-global-counterrevolution/. [<<코로나19 글로벌 반혁명>> https://www.thecommunists.net/home/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%96%B4/book-the-covid-19-global-counterrevolution/] 문제에 대한 다음 우리의 기사도 보라. Almedina Gunić: Coronavirus: "I am not a Virus"... but WE will be the Cure! The chauvinist campaign behind the “Wuhan Coronavirus” hysteria and the revolutionary answer, 2 February 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/wuhan-virus/ [<코로나바이러스: “우한 바이러스히스테리 뒤에 숨은 배외주의 캠페인> https://www.thecommunists.net/home/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%96%B4/wuhan-virus/]; Almedina Gunić and Michael Pröbsting: On Some Ideological Features of the COVID Counterrevolution. Comments on an interesting interview with a German liberal historian, 14 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/on-some-ideological-features-of-the-covid-counterrevolution/; RCIT 아르헨티나 동지들의 다음 스페인어 기사들도 보라. Juan Giglio: La izquierda de la "Big Pharma", dejó de defender las libertades, 1.10.2021, https://convergenciadecombate.blogspot.com/2021/10/la-izquierda-de-la-big-pharma-dejo-de.html; Juan Giglio: ¿Por qué la izquierda no cuestiona las políticas de la OMS? 8.9.2021, https://convergenciadecombate.blogspot.com/2021/09/por-que-la-izquierda-no-cuestiona-las.html

 

[2] 우리는 록다운 좌파를 비판하는 많은 문서들을 있다. 다음 링크로 들어가서 문서들을 있다. https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/collection-of-articles-on-the-2019-corona-virus/. 다음도 보라. Michael Pröbsting: Why Do Some Socialists Refuse to Support the Mass Struggle against the “Green Pass”? PTS/FT, PSTU/LIT, IMT and PCL in the face of the latest stage of the COVID Counterrevolution, 15 October 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/why-do-some-socialists-refuse-to-support-the-mass-struggle-against-the-green-pass/; by the same author: COVID-19: The Current and Historical Roots of Bourgeois Lockdown “Socialism”. Police State and Universal Basic Income are key elements of the new version of reformist “War Socialism” of 1914, 19 December 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/covid-19-the-current-and-historical-roots-of-bourgeois-lockdown-socialism/

 

[3] 제로 코로나 캠페인에 대한 우리의 비판으로는, 다음을 보라. Michael Pröbsting: COVID-19: Zero Socialism in the “ZeroCOVID“ campaign. Following the model of China and Australia, some British Stalinists and “Trotskyists” call for a “total and indefinite lockdown”, 22 December 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-zero-socialism-in-the-zerocovid-campaign/; “ZeroCOVID” Left Calls for the Authoritarian State A Practical Example. A revealing article shows that the Lockdown Left calls for the expansion of the police and surveillance state, 8 April 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/zerocovid-left-calls-for-the-authoritarian-state-a-practical-example/

 

[4] 백신접종을 받지 않은 사람들에 대한 록다운에 반대하는 RCIT 오스트리아 지부의 성명으로는, 다음을 보라. RKO BEFREIUNG: Nieder mit dem Lockdown für Ungeimpfte! Nein zu einem weiteren Schritt in Richtung Polizeistaat und Apartheid! 18 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/home/deutsch/%C3%B6sterreich-nieder-mit-dem-lockdown-f%C3%BCr-ungeimpfte/

 

[5] Linkswende / Marx21: Lockdown für Ungeimpfte: Ein Aufbauprogramm für die Rechten, 16. November 2021, http://linkswende.org/lockdown-fuer-ungeimpfte-ein-aufbauprogramm-fuer-die-rechten/. (독일어로 번역은 필자).