The IMT and the Ukraine War: A Shameful Betrayal

 

Alan Woods and the IMT fail to defend the Ukrainian people against the Russian invasion and effectively refuse to recognize Russias imperialist character

 

By Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 2 March 2022, www.thecommunists.net

 

 

 

Our tendency has explained numerous times that historic turning points in history are a decisive test for each and every socialist organization. This is particularly relevant in the current world situation which is characterized by Putins brutal military invasion in the Ukraine and the parallel escalation of the tensions between imperialist Great Powers - NATO and Russia. [1]

 

The Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) together with its comrades in Russia and the Ukraine have elaborated in several documents published in the last days that it is the utmost duty of socialists to take a position on the basis of intransigent internationalism and anti-imperialism. This means that, under the current circumstances, socialists recognize the dual and combined character of the two lines of conflicts. As we noted in our recent Manifesto, the resistance of the Ukrainian people is a just war of defense against an imperialist attack. At the same time, the Western imperialist powers try to utilize this war for their own interests () to accelerate militarism and armament. They try to utilize Zelensky a willing lackey of U.S. and EU imperialism in order to transform the just struggle of the Ukrainian people into a proxy war. [2]

 

From such an analysis follows that the RCIT applies the principle of revolutionary defensism in the Ukrainian war against the Russian invaders. At the same time, we apply the principle of revolutionary defeatism in the conflict between NATO/EU and Russia (as well as in all other conflicts between Great Powers). Hence to quote again from our Manifesto we say:

 

* Defend the Ukraine! Defeat Russian imperialism! International popular solidarity with the Ukrainian national resistance independent of any imperialist influence!

 

* Down with all imperialist powers NATO and EU as well as Russia! In all conflicts between these powers, revolutionaries fight against both camps!

 

 

 

Does the struggle of the Ukrainian people have an imperialist character?

 

 

 

Unfortunately, the International Marxist Tendency (IMT) has a very different approach. It refuses to defend the Ukrainian people against the Russian invasion. In two longer statements one officially by the IMT, the other by its long-time leader Alan Woods (both published on the same day) they make clear that they consider both Russia as well as the Ukrainian people as equally reactionary. We cannot support either side in this war, because it is a reactionary war on both sides. [3]

 

Such a neutral stance in a war between an imperialist Great Power and a semi-colonial country is an utter shame! It is of course true that Zelensky, the Ukraines President, is a reactionary figure and a willing lackey of NATO. But it is equally true that this is not so much a war between Putin and Zelensky but between the Gendarme of Eurasia and the Ukrainian popular masses that defend their country against imperialist colonialization.

 

History has seen such imperialist wars against oppressed peoples many times. To name only a few examples we refer to the Malvinas war of Britain against Argentina in 1982 [4], the US invasion in Afghanistan (2001) [5] and Iraq (2003) [6], Israels four wars against the Palestinian people in Gaza (2008, 2012, 2014 and 2021) [7] or Russias war in Chechnya 1999-2008 [8] and in Syria since 2015. [9] As the RCIT has explained in its documents, Marxists defend the oppressed peoples against the imperialist aggressor in such wars without lending any political support for their leadership.

 

Such a Marxist approach of proletarian anti-imperialism is deeply alien to the IMT leadership. They failed to defend Argentina against Britain and they also have failed to defend the oppressed peoples in the other named wars. [10] The IMT leadership even went so far and hailed the military coup of General Sisi in Egypt in July 2013! [11] It is therefore not surprising that they refuse to side with the Ukrainian people in the current war of defense against Putins invasion.

 

Of course, as we have explained in our documents, there can be situations where an imperialist power effectively takes control of the struggle in a semi-colonial country. Usually this is the case, if such a Great Power sends its soldiers to the given country or if it takes similar measures which assure its control. In such a situation, a just war of defense can lose its legitimate character and become a proxy war for an imperialist power. We have seen such developments in World War I in the case of Serbia or, more recently, in the Kosova War in 1999. But such a transformation has not taken place in the Ukraine War until now. And, to quote again from our Manifesto, this is only a possibility in the future and revolutionaries base their strategy on the facts of today and not on speculations about tomorrow.

 

 

 

The most counterrevolutionary force on the planet - a new type of imperialism?

 

 

 

In contrast, the IMT refuses to defend the Ukrainian people. Such a betrayal of a legitimate war of defense is closely related to the long-standing refusal of the IMTs central leadership core to recognize the imperialist character of Russia. We have pointed to this failure on several occasions. [12] The documents of this organization on the NATO-Russia conflict and the Ukraine War fully confirm this. These statements are riddled with denouncing the U.S. and EU as imperialist but one can hardly ever read that they characterize Russia as such a state! Look at Woods above-mentioned statement: 3,000 words, many denunciations of Western imperialism but none of Russian imperialism! This is truly astonishing given the fact that it is not NATO which has invaded the Ukraine but Russia!

 

The RCIT has explained many times that it is impossible to find a correct orientation in the current historic period without recognizing the existence of several imperialist Great Powers which are engaged in intensive rivalry against each other. (U.S., China, EU, Russia and Japan) As we demonstrated in several studies, Russia is an important Great Power and those numerous revisionists which deny this are utterly wrong! [13]

 

Fortunately, there are comrades in the IMT in particular in its Russian section who oppose such a reactionary position and who recognize the imperialist character of this power. In most official documents of the IMT leadership, the London center manages to ignore such internal opposition. However, since the beginning of Russias war against the Ukraine, this has become more difficult for Woods and his close circle.

 

A result of this opposition and clearly the Russian section carries some moral weight in the current situation! the IMT leadership was forced to accept an amendment to its latest statement which explicitly characterizes Russia as an imperialist power. While this is a welcomed development in itself, Woods and his friends manage to neutralize any concrete progressive consequence from such a formal recognition.

 

They invent a strange new category by calling U.S. imperialism the most counterrevolutionary force on the planet. As this formula is repeated in both above-mentioned statements, it is evident that Woods & Co try to connect it with a specific meaning. This meaning is that even if Russia would be an imperialist power, it would be a less counterrevolutionary force on the planet than the U.S.!

 

Such an invention of a new type of imperialism has nothing to do with the Marxist method. Of course, it is true that the U.S. has waged more wars of aggression than Russia in the last decades. But this does not mean that Marxists differentiate between bad imperialists and worse imperialists. Did Lenin differentiate between Britain and Germany in World War I? Following Woods method, Lenin should have called Britain the most counterrevolutionary force on the planet since it possessed the largest number of colonies. In contrast, Germany hardly had any colony. Did this make Germany a less counterrevolutionary force then Britain? Certainly not in Lenins and Trotskys eyes!

 

In fact, the formula of the most counterrevolutionary force on the planet is just a pretext for refusing to take a consistent anti-imperialist position. It is a pretext for taking a neutral stance in the Ukraine war. It is a pretext to present Russia as a victim of U.S. imperialism and to claim that all political moves by Putin are of defensive nature and that it is the U.S. and NATO which is the main aggressor.

 

Lets be clear: the IMTs leadership has failed to take an internationalist and anti-imperialist position in the most important war in Europe since 1945. It is of utmost importance that authentic Marxists in the IMT fight against such a shameful adaption to Russian imperialism. The RCIT looks forward to join forces with all socialists who defend the Ukrainian people against the Putins aggression and, at the same time, oppose both NATO as well as Russian imperialism!

 

 

 



[1] We refer readers to a special page on our website where all RCIT documents on the current NATO-Russia conflict and the Ukraine War are compiled: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/

[2] RCIT Manifesto: Ukraine War: A Turning Point of World Historic Significance. Socialists must combine the revolutionary defense of the Ukraine against Putins invasion with the internationalist struggle against Russian as well as NATO and EU imperialism, 1 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/manifesto-ukraine-war-a-turning-point-of-world-historic-significance/

[3] IMT: The Ukrainian war: an internationalist class position, 01 March 2022, http://www.marxist.com/the-ukrainian-war-an-internationalist-class-position-imt-statement.htm; Alan Woods: The Ukrainian conflict: is this the start of World War III? 28 February 2022 https://www.marxist.com/the-ukrainian-conflict-is-this-the-start-of-world-war-iii.htm

[4] See on this chapter 13 in the book by Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. Continuity and Changes in the Super-Exploitation of the Semi-Colonial World by Monopoly Capital Consequences for the Marxist Theory of Imperialism, 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/great-robbery-of-the-south/.

[5] See on this e.g. the compilation of RCIT documents on the defeat of the U.S. in Afghanistan on a special sub-page on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/asia/collection-of-articles-on-us-defeat-in-afghanistan/

[6] See on this chapter 13 in the book by Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. Continuity and Changes in the Super-Exploitation of the Semi-Colonial World by Monopoly Capital Consequences for the Marxist Theory of Imperialism, 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/great-robbery-of-the-south/.

[7] See on this e.g. the compilation of RCIT documents on the Fourth Gaza War on a special sub-page on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/collection-of-articles-on-fourth-gaza-war/

[8] See e.g. Where does the RCIT Stand on Russia's Occupation of Chechnya? https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/russia-and-chechnya/; Russian Troops Out! Self-determination for Chechnya!, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/freedom-for-chechnya/; see also Fight against Russian capitalism and imperialism at home and abroad! Provisional Platform of the Revolutionary Communists (Russian Federation), September 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/platform-of-rcit-russia/

[9] See on this e.g. the compilation of RCIT documents on the Syrian Revolution on a special sub-section on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/collection-of-articles-on-the-syrian-revolution/.

[10] See the respective references in chapter 13 in the above-mentioned book by Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South as well as in the article by the same author: NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon Marxist Tendency. On the IMTs confusion about the role of Russian imperialism, 31 January 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/nato-russia-conflict-the-anglo-saxon-marxist-tendency/; in addition, see e.g. the critique of our comrades in Occupied Palestine who broke with the IMT: The ISLs Break with the IMT, August 2009, https://the-isleague.com/isl-imt-split/. See also Yossi Schwartz: The Zionist Wars, RCIT Book, 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-zionist-wars/, Yossi Schwartz: Israel's War of 1948 and the Degeneration of the Fourth International, http://the-isleague.com/1948-war-5-2013/ and https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/israel-s-war-of-1948/.

[11] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: The Coup d’État in Egypt and the Bankruptcy of the Lefts Army Socialism, August 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/egypt-and-left-army-socialism/; Yossi Schwartz: Egypt: The U.S. Support for the Military Coup and the Lefts ignorance, 11.7.2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/egypt-us-support-for-military-coup/

[12] See on this e.g. chapter XI and XXVIII in the book by Michael Pröbsting: Anti-Imperialism in the Age of Great Power Rivalry. The Factors behind the Accelerating Rivalry between the U.S., China, Russia, EU and Japan. A Critique of the Lefts Analysis and an Outline of the Marxist Perspective, RCIT Books, Vienna 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/anti-imperialism-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry/; see also the above-mentioned article: NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon Marxist Tendency.

[13] The RCIT has published numerous documents about capitalism in Russia and its rise to an imperialist power. See on this e.g. several pamphlets by Michael Pröbsting: The Peculiar Features of Russian Imperialism. A Study of Russias Monopolies, Capital Export and Super-Exploitation in the Light of Marxist Theory, 10 August 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-peculiar-features-of-russian-imperialism/; by the same author: Lenins Theory of Imperialism and the Rise of Russia as a Great Power. On the Understanding and Misunderstanding of Todays Inter-Imperialist Rivalry in the Light of Lenins Theory of Imperialism. Another Reply to Our Critics Who Deny Russias Imperialist Character, August 2014, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/imperialism-theory-and-russia/; Russia as a Great Imperialist Power. The formation of Russian Monopoly Capital and its Empire A Reply to our Critics, 18 March 2014, in: Revolutionary Communism No. 21, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/imperialist-russia/; Russian Imperialism and Its Monopolies, in: New Politics Vol. XVIII No. 4, Whole Number 72, Winter 2022, https://newpol.org/issue_post/russian-imperialism-and-its-monopolies/. See various other RCIT documents on this issue at a special sub-page on the RCITs website: https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-russia-as-imperialist-powers/.

 

"가장 악랄한 제국주의"와 "덜 악랄한 제국주의"?: 부끄러운 배신의 논리

자칭 트로츠키주의 IMT 러시아의 침공에 대항하여 우크라이나 인민을 방어하길 거부하며 러시아의 제국주의적 성격을 사실상 부인하다

 

미하엘 프뢰브스팅, 혁명적 공산주의인터내셔널 동맹 (RCIT) 국제서기, 2022 3 2, www.thecommunists.net/

 

 

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지금 우크라이나 전쟁과 같은 세계사적 분기점은 모든 사회주의 조직 하나하나에게 결정적 시험대라는 점을 우리는 여러 차례 설명해 왔다.[1] 혁명적 공산주의인터내셔널 동맹 (RCIT) 비타협적 국제주의와 일관된 반제국주의에 기초하여 입장을 취하는 것이 사회주의자들의 최대 의무임을 지난 며칠간 발표한 여러 문서들에서 밝혀왔다.

 

상황에서 사회주의자들은 개의 방향이 충돌하는 이중적·복합적 성격을 인식해야 한다. 우리가 최근 선언문에서 언급했듯이, "우크라이나 인민의 저항은 제국주의 공격에 대한 방어 전쟁으로서 정의의 전쟁(正義戰)이다. 동시에 서방 제국주의 열강들은 자신의 이익을 위해 전쟁을 이용하려고 한다. EU 미국의 지배계급은 전쟁을 군국주의와 군비확대를 가속화하는 구실로 삼고 있다. 그들은 우크라이나 인민의 정의의 투쟁을 대리전쟁으로 전화시키기 위해 젤렌스키 미국·EU 제국주의의 자발적 마름인 이용하려고 한다."[2]

 

그렇다면 이러한 평가분석에서 어떠한 전쟁 강령이 나오는가? RCIT 러시아 침략자들에 대항하는 우크라이나의 전쟁에서 혁명적 방어주의 원칙을 적용한다. 동시에, 우리는 서방/나토와 러시아 간의 분쟁에서 (강대국 간의 다른 모든 분쟁에서처럼) 혁명적 패배주의 원칙을 적용한다. 그리하여 (위의 우리 선언문에서 다시 인용하자면) 다음과 같이 선언한다.

 

* 우크라이나 방어! 러시아 제국주의에 패배를! (일체의 제국주의 영향력으로부터 독립적인) 우크라이나 민족 저항에 국제 민중연대를!

 

* 러시아뿐만 아니라 나토와 EU, 모든 제국주의 열강 타도! 열강들 간의 모든 분쟁에서 혁명가들은 진영 모두에 맞서 싸운다!

 

 

 

우크라이나 인민의 투쟁이 제국주의적 성격을 가지는가?

 

불행하게도, 트로츠키주의를 자칭하는 국제맑스주의동맹”(IMT) 이와는 매우 다른 접근법을 가지고 있다. 국제맑스주의동맹은 러시아의 침공에 대항하여 우크라이나 인민을 방어하길 거부한다. 장문의 성명 하나는 국제맑스주의동맹의 공식 성명이고, 다른 하나는 조직의 리더 앨런 우즈의 성명으로, 성명 모두 같은 발표됐다 에서 국제맑스주의동맹은 러시아뿐만 아니라 우크라이나 인민도 마찬가지로 반동으로 간주한다. " 전쟁은 양측 모두에서 반동적 전쟁이기 때문에 우리는 전쟁에서 어느 쪽도 지지할 없다."[3]

 

제국주의 강대국과 반식민지 나라 간의 전쟁에서 이와 같이 중립 입장을 취하는 것이야말로 부끄러운 반동 행위다! 우크라이나 대통령 젤렌스키가 반동적인 인물이자 나토의 자발적인 따까리라는 것은 물론 사실이다. 그러나 전쟁이 푸틴과 젤렌스키 간의 전쟁이기보다는 유라시아의 헌병과, 제국주의 식민지화에 맞서 나라를 방어하는 우크라이나 인민대중 간의 전쟁이라는 것도 똑같이 사실이다.

 

역사는 피억압 인민을 상대로 제국주의 전쟁을 여러 봐왔다. 국제맑스주의동맹과 런던의 중앙지도부도 명백히 경험했을 가지 예만 들어본다면, 1982 영국이 아르헨티나를 상대로 벌인 말비나스 (포클랜드) 전쟁[4], 미국의 아프가니스탄(2001)[5] 이라크(2003) 침공[6], 이스라엘이 가자지구에서 팔레스타인 인민을 상대로 벌인 4차례 전쟁 (2008, 2012, 2014, 2021)[7], 1999-2008 체첸에서[8], 2015 이래 시리아에서[9] 러시아의 전쟁이 있다. RCIT 많은 문서에서 밝혀왔듯이, 맑스주의자들은 이러한 전쟁들에서 제국주의 침략자들에 대항하여 피억압 인민을 지도부에게 어떠한 정치적 지지도 주지 않고서 방어한다.

 

이러한 프롤레타리아 반제국주의는 국제맑스주의동맹 지도부에게는 뿌리 깊이 생소하다. 그들은 말비나스 전쟁에서 제국주의 영국에 대항하여 반식민지 아르헨티나를 방어하길 거부했고, 위에 거명한 밖의 전쟁들에서도 피억압 인민을 방어하지 않았다.[10] 국제맑스주의동맹 지도부는 심지어 2013 7 이집트 시시 장군의 군사쿠데타를 환영하기까지 했다![11] 그러므로 그들이 푸틴의 침공에 대항하는 방어전쟁에서 우크라이나 인민을 들길 거부하는 것은 놀라운 일이 아니다.

 

물론 우리가 여러 문서에서 설명했듯이, 제국주의 외세가 반식민지 나라에서의 투쟁에 대해 사실상 통제권을 쥐고 있는 상황이 있을 있다. 보통, 그러한 강대국이 병력을 해당 나라에 보내거나, 통제권을 확실히 하기 위해 그와 비슷한 조치를 취하는 경우들이다. 같은 상황에서 반식민지의 정의의 방어전쟁은 정당성을 잃고 제국주의 외세를 위한 대리전으로 전화될 있다. 우리는 이러한 전화를 1 세계대전에서 세르비아의 경우에서, 또는 보다 최근 사례로는 1999 코소보 전쟁에서 보아왔다. 그러나 그러한 전화는 지금까지 우크라이나 전쟁에서는 일어나지 않았다. 그리고 우리의 선언문을 다시 인용하자면, “이것은 미래의 가능성일 뿐이며, 혁명가들은 그들의 전략을 내일에 대한 추측이 아닌 오늘의 사실에 기초한다.”

 

 

 

"지구상에서 가장 반혁명적인 세력" - 신형 제국주의인가?

 

반대로 국제맑스주의동맹은 우크라이나 인민을 방어하길 거부한다. 정당한 방어전쟁에 대한 이와 같은 배신은 오랫동안 국제맑스주의동맹 중앙지도부가 러시아의 제국주의적 성격을 인정하길 거부해 것과 밀접한 관련이 있다. 우리는 이러한 오류를 여러 차례 지적한 있다.[12] 나토-러시아 분쟁과 우크라이나 전쟁에 관한 조직의 성명들은 이를 완전히 확인해준다. 성명들은 미국과 EU "제국주의" 내내 규탄하면서도, 러시아에 대해 제국주의로 성격규정 하는 언급들은 거의 찾아보기 힘들다. 위에 언급한 조직의 리더 앨런 우즈의 성명을 보라. 장문의 성명에서 서방 제국주의에 대한 규탄 언급은 많은데 "러시아 제국주의" 대해서는 자체가 없다. 우크라이나를 침공한 것은 나토가 아니라 러시아라는 사실을 고려하면 정말 놀라운 일이다!

 

가속화 하고 있는 패권경쟁 속에 서로 물고 물려 있는 복수의 제국주의 강대국 (미국, 중국, EU, 러시아, 일본) 존재를 인식하지 않고서는 역사시기에 올바른 방향을 찾는 것이 불가능함을 RCIT 줄곧 설명해왔다. 우리가 몇몇 연구논문에서 보여주었듯이, 러시아는 주요 제국주의 강대국이며 이를 부정하는 수많은 수정주의자들은 완전히 틀렸음이 드러나고 있다.

 

다행히도, 국제맑스주의동맹에는 그러한 반동적 입장에 반대하고 강대국의 제국주의적 성격을 인정하는 동지들이 특히 조직의 러시아 지부에 있다. 국제맑스주의동맹 지도 부의 공식 문서에서는 앨런 우즈를 비롯한 중앙 지도부가 그러한 내부 반대를 무시할 있었다. 그러나 러시아의 우크라이나 전쟁 시작 이후로는 쉽게 그렇게 없게 됐다.

 

이러한 반대의 결과로 국제맑스주의동맹 지도부는 가장 최근의 성명에서 명시적으로 러시아를 제국주의 열강으로 성격규정 하는 것으로 정정 요구를 수용하지 않을 없었다. (그리고 분명히 러시아 지부는 정세에서 약간의 도덕적 무게를 싣고 있다!). 이것은 자체로 환영할 만한 일이지만, 앨런 우즈와 중앙지도부는 그러한 정식 인정에서 나올 어떤 구체적인 진보적 결론도 일체 무력화시킬 있었다.

 

그들은 제국주의를 "지구상에서 가장 반혁명적인 세력"이라고 부르며 낯선 범주를 발명해냈다. 정식(定式) 앞서 언급한 성명에서 모두 반복되는 만큼 우즈와 중앙지도부가 정식을 특정 의미와 연결시키려 한다는 것은 분명하다. 이는 설사 러시아가 제국주의 열강이라 할지라도, 미국보다는 "지구상에서 반혁명적인 세력" 것이라는 의미다.

 

이러한 신형 제국주의의 발명은 맑스주의 방법과 아무 관계가 없다. 지난 수십 년간 미국이 러시아보다 많은 침략전쟁을 벌인 것은 물론 사실이다. 그러나 때문에 맑스주의자들이 "가장 악랄한 제국주의자들" " 악랄한 제국주의자들"이라는 식의 구분법을 쓰진 않는다. 레닌이 1 세계 대전에서 영국과 독일을 차별화했는가? 앨런 우즈의 방법을 따른다면, 레닌은 영국이 가장 많은 식민지를 보유하고 있었으므로 "지구상에서 가장 반혁명적인 세력"이라고 불렀어야 했다. 반대로 독일은 식민지가 거의 없었다. 이것이 독일을 영국보다는 " 반혁명적인 세력" 되게 했는가? 레닌은 제국주의 강도들을 그런 식으로 구분한 적이 없다.

 

실제로 지구상에서 가장 반혁명적인 세력이라는 정식은 일관된 반제국주의 입장을 취하길 거부하는 구실일 뿐이다. 우크라이나 전쟁에서 중립 입장을 취하기 위한 구실이다. 러시아를 제국주의의 피해자로 제시하고, 푸틴의 모든 정치적 행보는 방어적 성격을 가진 것이며 도발자는 미국과 나토라고 주장하기 위한 구실인 것이다.

 

명확히 하자. 국제맑스주의동맹 지도부는 1945 이후 유럽에서 가장 중요한 전쟁에서 국제주의적이고 반제국주의적인 입장을 취하는 실패했다. 국제맑스주의동맹 진짜 맑스주의자들이 러시아 제국주의에 대한 이러한 수치스러운 영합에 맞서 싸우는 것이 실로 중요한 이유다. RCIT 푸틴의 침략에 대항하여 우크라이나 인민을 방어하고 동시에 서방 제국주의와 러시아 제국주의 다에 반대하는 모든 사회주의자들과 힘을 합치기를 기대하고 있다.

 

 

 

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[1] 독자들에게 나토-러시아 분쟁에 대한 모든 RCIT 문서를 모아놓은 다음의 우리 웹사이트 특별 페이지를 방문할 것을 권한다. https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/

 

[2] RCIT Manifesto: Ukraine War: A Turning Point of World Historic Significance. Socialists must combine the revolutionary defense of the Ukraine against Putin’s invasion with the internationalist struggle against Russian as well as NATO and EU imperialism, 1 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/manifesto-ukraine-war-a-turning-point-of-world-historic-significance/ [<우크라이나 전쟁: 세계사적 의의를 갖는 전환점에서 사회주의자들의 임무> https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/manifesto-ukraine-war-a-turning-point-of-world-historic-significance/#anker_1]

 

[3] IMT: The Ukrainian war: an internationalist class position, 01 March 2022, http://www.marxist.com/the-ukrainian-war-an-internationalist-class-position-imt-statement.htm; Alan Woods: The Ukrainian conflict: is this the start of World War III? 28 February 2022 https://www.marxist.com/the-ukrainian-conflict-is-this-the-start-of-world-war-iii.htm

 

[4] 이에 대해서는 다음 책의 13장을 보라. Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. Continuity and Changes in the Super-Exploitation of the Semi-Colonial World by Monopoly Capital Consequences for the Marxist Theory of Imperialism, 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/great-robbery-of-the-south/.

 

[5] 아프간에서 미국의 패배에 관한 RCIT 문서들을, 다음의 우리 웹사이트 상의 특별 하위 페이지에 모아놓았다. https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/asia/collection-of-articles-on-us-defeat-in-afghanistan/

 

[6] 이에 대해서는 다음 책의 13장을 보라. Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. Continuity and Changes in the Super-Exploitation of the Semi-Colonial World by Monopoly Capital Consequences for the Marxist Theory of Imperialism, 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/great-robbery-of-the-south/.

 

[7] 4 가자지구 전쟁에 관한 RCIT 문서들을, 다음의 우리 웹사이트 상의 특별 하위 페이지에 모아놓았다. . https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/collection-of-articles-on-fourth-gaza-war/

 

[8] 다음을 보라. Where does the RCIT Stand on Russia's Occupation of Chechnya? https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/russia-and-chechnya/; Russian Troops Out! Self-determination for Chechnya!, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/freedom-for-chechnya/; 다음도 보라. Fight against Russian capitalism and imperialism at home and abroad! Provisional Platform of the Revolutionary Communists (Russian Federation), September 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/platform-of-rcit-russia/

 

[9] 시리아 혁명에 관한 RCIT 문서들을, 다음의 우리 웹사이트 상의 특별 하위 페이지에 모아놓았다. https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/collection-of-articles-on-the-syrian-revolution/.

 

[10] 각각의 참고문헌을 다음 책의 13장에서 보라. Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. 같은 저자의 다음 글도 보라. NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon ‘Marxist’ Tendency. On the IMT’s confusion about the role of Russian imperialism, 31 January 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/nato-russia-conflict-the-anglo-saxon-marxist-tendency/; 다음도 보라. the critique of our comrades in Occupied Palestine who broke with the IMT: The ISL’s Break with the IMT, August 2009, https://the-isleague.com/isl-imt-split/. 다음도 보라. Yossi Schwartz: The Zionist Wars, RCIT Book, 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-zionist-wars/, Yossi Schwartz: Israel's War of 1948 and the Degeneration of the Fourth International, http://the-isleague.com/1948-war-5-2013/ and https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/israel-s-war-of-1948/.

 

[11] 이에 대해서는 다음을 보라. Michael Pröbsting: The Coup d’État in Egypt and the Bankruptcy of the Left’s “Army Socialism”, August 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/egypt-and-left-army-socialism/; Yossi Schwartz: Egypt: The U.S. Support for the Military Coup and the Left’s ignorance, 11.7.2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/egypt-us-support-for-military-coup/

 

[12] 이에 대해서는 다음을 보라. chapter XI and XXVIII in the book by Michael Pröbsting: Anti-Imperialism in the Age of Great Power Rivalry. The Factors behind the Accelerating Rivalry between the U.S., China, Russia, EU and Japan. A Critique of the Left’s Analysis and an Outline of the Marxist Perspective, RCIT Books, Vienna 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/anti-imperialism-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry/ [<<강대국 패권쟁투 시대에 반제국주의>> https://www.thecommunists.net/home/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%96%B4/book-anti-imperialism-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry/]; 위에서 언급한 다음 글도 보라. NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon ‘Marxist’ Tendency.

 

[13] RCIT 러시아 자본주의와 러시아의 제국주의 강대국 부상에 대한 많은 문서를 발표했다. 다음을 보라. Michael Pröbsting: The Peculiar Features of Russian Imperialism. A Study of Russia’s Monopolies, Capital Export and Super-Exploitation in the Light of Marxist Theory, 10 August 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-peculiar-features-of-russian-imperialism/ [<러시아 제국주의의 특색> https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-peculiar-features-of-russian-imperialism/#anker_6]; Russia and China: Neither Capitalist nor Great Powers? A Reply to the PO/CRFI and their Revisionist Whitewashing of Chinese and Russian imperialism, 28 November 2018, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/russia-and-china-neither-capitalist-nor-great-powers-reply-to-po-crfi/; 다음도 보라. 같은 저자: The Catastrophic Failure of the Theory of “Catastrophism”. On the Marxist Theory of Capitalist Breakdown and its Misinterpretation by the Partido Obrero (Argentina) and its “Coordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International”, 27 May 2018, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-catastrophic-failure-of-the-theory-of-catastrophism/; Lenin’s Theory of Imperialism and the Rise of Russia as a Great Power. On the Understanding and Misunderstanding of Today’s Inter-Imperialist Rivalry in the Light of Lenin’s Theory of Imperialism. Another Reply to Our Critics Who Deny Russia’s Imperialist Character, August 2014, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/imperialism-theory-and-russia/; Russia as a Great Imperialist Power. The formation of Russian Monopoly Capital and its Empire A Reply to our Critics, 18 March 2014, in: Revolutionary Communism No. 21, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/imperialist-russia/. 문제에 관한 여러 다른 RCIT 문서들이 다음의 RCIT 웹사이트 상의 별도 하위 페이지에 있다. https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-russia-as-imperialist-powers/

 

 

 

ММТ и война в Украине: позорное предательство!

Алан Вудс и ММТ стоят против украинского народа и не встают на его защиту от российского вторжения, а также фактически отказываются признать империалистический характер России

Михаэль Пребстминг, международный секретарь Революционной Коммунистической Интернациональной Тенденции (РКИТ), 2 марта 2022, www.thecommunists.net

 

Введение к русскому переводу, 14 Июня 2022

 

Даннаю статья была написана примерно три с половиной месяца назад после начала войны в Украине. В этой статье наша организация решительно осудила лидеров так называемой ММТ от признания права украинского народа на защиту против нападения российского империализма. ("Мы не можем поддержать ни одну из сторон в этой войне, потому что это реакционная война с обеих сторон"). За этри три с половиной месяца ничего принципиально не изменилось в политике клики Вудса, руководящей ММТ с момента основания в 1992 году.

Все статьи за три с половиной месяца повторяют одну и ту же политическую линию. По мнению лидеров ММТ Украина является всего-навсего марионеткой империализма США. По этой приичне они характеризуют эту войну "прокси-войной империализма США". [a] Из-за этого лидеры ММТ осуждают все левые силы, которые осмеливаются встать на сторону сопротивления украинского народа против русского вторжения.

Как мы уже отмечали в переведенной статье: Вудс и ко. Рассматривают по сути Россию как "меньшее зло" по сравнению с США, поэтому они последовательно отрицают империалистическую природу этой империалистической державы. Снова и снова Вудс и ко. осуждают "империализм США", характеризуют его "самой контрреволюционной силой на планете". В то же самое время, по мнению клики Вудса, Россия не характеризуется как империалистическая держава, и в лучшем случае лидеры ММТ делают упоминания про "региональные империалистические амбиции России "[b] или про "империалистическую авантюру Путина". [c]

Таким образом, мировоззрение лидеров ММТ основано на принципиально неверной идее, что ситуация в мире можно описать конфликтом между империалистическим и неимпериалистическим лагерем: между "империализмом США" - "самой контрреволюционной силой на планете" против России, где Путин только имеет "империалистические амбиции", не считается империалистической державой. Достаточно логично, что Вудс и Ко называют Кремль "меньшим злом" и это объективно заставляет ММТ симпатизировать российскому империализму.

Из всего этого лидеры ММТ не смогли найти правильной позиции для украинской войны и правильно понять обострения противоречий между империалистическими державами. Поэтому неудивительно, что ММТ как слепые оппортунисты спотыкаются в исторических событиях нынешней мировой ситуации и встают на сторону контрреволюции!

Иронично, как лидеры ММТ пытаются оправдать свою позорную позицию. Они утверждают, что "главный враг находится в собственной стране". Под этим они, разумеется, имеют в виду то, что они сидят в Лондоне, поэтому ММТ должно бороться в первую очередь против западного империализма. Это крайне показательный аргумент, говорящий многое о вырожденном "марксизме" а-ля Вудс.

Если лидеры ММТ делают свои позиции в мировой политике по своему географическому положению, ММТ следует переименовать свою организацию в "Лондонскую марксистскую тенденцию". Однако подлинные интернационалисты разрабатывают свою программу не на основе географии, а на основе интересов мирового рабочего класса.

Следовательно, если российский империализм начнет войну в Украине, то социалисты должны разрабатывать свой анализ и программу не от ограниченного обзора с лондонского Тауэра! Напрпотив точка зрения социалисттов исходит из понимания интересов мирового пролетариата и, в частности, того его большинства, которое живет не в богатых странах Запада, а в угнетенных нациях!

Как мы уже показывали в ряде других статей, американские троцкисты безоговорочно поддерживали Китай против японских захватчиков в 1930-х и 1940-х годах. Солидарность троцкистов с освободительной войной не была запятнана ни реакционностью руководства Чан Кайши, ни тактической поддержкой Китая со стороны Вашингтона. Разумеется, американские троцкисты продолжали выступать против обоих лагерей в межимпериалистическом соперничестве между США и Японией. [d]

Достаточно легко представить дейстия Вудс и Ко в такой ситуации! Они предали бы освободительную борьбу китайского народа, объявили бы США своим главным врагом и тайно сочувствовали бы авантюрам японского императора!

РКИТ повторяет, что настоящие социалисты должны занимать последовательную интернациональную и антиимпериалистическую позицию: поддерживать справедливую войну и украинского народа, выступая против всех империалистических великих держав (США, России, Китая, Западной Европы и Японии), а также их шовинистической политики (включая санкции империалистов). Легко видеть, что такая линия полностью противоречит систематической капитуляции руководства ММТ перед пророссийским социал-империализмом!

Товарищи в ММТ, которые поддерживают освободительную борьбу украинского народа, обязаны сделать выводы. Как мы показываем в этой статье, Вудс и Ко имеют давнюю традицию приспособления к социал-империализму. Их неспособность в украинской войне занять интернационалистскую и антиимпериалистическую позицию происходит не в первый и не в последний раз. Товарищи, которые стоят за последовательную антиимпериалистическую программу, должны порвать с ММТ и начать дискуссию с подлинными марксистами из РКИТ!

 

Ссылки:

 

a) Jorge Martín: Western imperialism turns to pessimism in Ukraine, IMT, 13 June 2022, https://www.marxist.com/western-imperialism-turns-to-pessimism-in-ukraine.htm

b) Ibid

c) Jorge Martin: US imperialism's proxy war: fighting Russia to the last drop of Ukrainian blood, IMT , 13 May 2022 https://www.marxist.com/us-imperialism-s-proxy-war-fighting-russia-to-the-last-drop-of-ukrainian-blood.htm

d) Michael Pröbsting: The Ukraine War and the Second Sino-Japanese War: A Historical Analogy. The dual tactic of Marxists in the Ukraine War today draws on the approach of their predecessors in the war between China and Japan in 1937-41, 10 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/ukraine-war-second-sino-japanese-war-a-historical-analogy/; see also Yossi Schwartz: The ISA, by opposing the delivery of weapons to Ukraine to fight Russian imperialism, serves Russian imperialism, 14.04.2022, https://the-isleague.com/the-isa-by-opposing-the-delivery-of-weapons-to-ukraine-to-fight-russian-imperialism-serves-russian-imperialism/

 

* * * * * *

 

Наша тенденция неоднократно писала, что важные исторические моменты являются решающим испытанием для каждой социалистической организации. Такая позиция особенно актуальна в сейчас, когда происходит кровавое вторжение Путина в Украину с одновременным ростом противоречий между империалистическими великими державами: НАТО и Россией. [1]

Революционная Коммунистическая Интернациональная Тенденция (РКИТ) вместе с товарищами в России и Украине в других документах, опубликованных в последнее время, подчеркивает, что важнейший долг социалистов - занять позицию на основе ясного интернационализма и антиимпериализма. Такая позиция означает, что в нынешних условиях социалисты признают двойственный и комбинированный характер двух конфликтов. Как мы отметили в нашем недавнем Манифесте:

“Таким образом, сопротивление украинского народа является справедливой защитной войной против империалистического нападения. В то же время западные империалистические державы пытаются использовать эту войну в своих интересах. Правящий класс Европейского Союза и США использует войну как предлог для ускорения милитаризма и вооружения. Они пытаются использовать Зеленского - добровольного прислужника империализма США и ЕС - для того, чтобы превратить справедливую борьбу украинского народа в прокси войну.” [1]

Из такого анализа следует, что РКИТ применяет принцип революционного оборончества в украинской войне против российских захватчиков. В то же время мы применяем принцип революционного пораженчества в конфликте между НАТО/ЕС и Россией (как и во всех других конфликтах между великими державами). Следовательно мы говорим:

* Защитить Украину! За победу на российским империализмом! За международная народную солидарность с украинским национальным сопротивлением независимого от любого империалистического влияния!

* Долой все империалистические державы - НАТО и ЕС, а также Россию! Во всех конфликтах между этими державами революционеры ведут борьбу против обоих лагерей!

 

Носит ли борьба украинского народа “империалистический” характер?

 

К сожалению, Международная марксистская тенденция (ММТ) придерживается совершенно иного подхода. ММТ отказывается защищать украинский народ от российского вторжения. В двух более пространных заявлениях, одно официально от ММТ, другое многолетнего лидера Алана Вудса (оба опубликованы в один день), ясно дают понять, что считают как Россию, так и украинский народ одинаково реакционными. "Мы не можем поддерживать ни одну из сторон в этой войне, потому что это реакционная война с обеих сторон". [1]

Такая нейтральная позиция в войне между империалистической великой державой и полуколониальной страной является постыдной для социалистов! Конечно, верно, что Зеленский, президент Украины, является реакционным деятелем и добровольным лакеем НАТО. Но не менее верно и то, что это война не столько между Путиным и Зеленским, сколько между жандармом Евразии и народными массами Украины, которые защищают свою страну от империалистической колонизации.

История неоднократно видела подобные империалистические войны против угнетенных народов. В качестве примеров можно привести Мальвинскую войну Великобритании против Аргентины в 1982 году [1], вторжение США в Афганистан (2001) [2] и Ирак (2003) [3], четыре войны Израиля против палестинского народа в Газе (2008, 2012, 2014 и 2021) [4] или войну России в Чечне в 1999-2008 годах[5] и в Сирии с 2015 года.[6] Как объясняет РКИТ в своих документах, марксисты защищают угнетенные народы против империалистического агрессора в таких войнах, не оказывая никакой политической поддержки их руководству.

Такой марксистский подход пролетарского антиимпериализма глубоко чужд руководству ММТ. Они не смогли защитить Аргентину против Великобритании, а также не смогли защитить угнетенные народы в других названных войнах. [1] Руководство ММТ даже зашло так далеко, что приветствовало военный переворот генерала Сиси в Египте в июле 2013 года![2] Поэтому неудивительно, что они отказываются встать на сторону украинского народа в нынешней войне в защиту от вторжения Путина.

Конечно, как мы уже объясняли в наших текстах, возможны ситуации, когда империалистическая держава фактически берет под контроль борьбу в полуколониальной стране. Обычно это происходит, если такая великая держава посылает своих солдат в данную страну или принимает подобные меры, обеспечивающие ее контроль. В такой ситуации справедливая оборонительная война может потерять свой справедливый характер и превратиться в войну под контролем империалистической державы. Мы видели подобное развитие событий в Первой мировой войне в случае Сербии или, совсем недавно, в Косовской войне 1999 года. Но в украинской войне такой трансформации не было до сих пор. И, снова цитируя наш Манифест, "это лишь одна из возможностей в будущем, и революционеры строят свою стратегию на сегодняшнем положении вещей, а не на предположениях о завтрашнем дне.".

 

“Самая контрреволюционная сила на планете” – новый тип империализма?

 

В отличие от подхода РКИТ ММТ отказывается защищать украинский народ. Такое предательство справедливой оборонительной войны тесно связано с давним отказом центрального руководящего ядра ММТ признать империалистический характер России. Мы неоднократно указывали на этот провал.[1] Документы этой организации про конфликт НАТО-Россия, а также украинской войне полностью подтверждают это. Эти документы изобилуют обличениями США и ЕС как "империалистических", но едва ли можно прочитать, что они характеризуют Россию как империалистическое государство! Посмотрите на вышеупомянутое заявление Вудса: примерно 3 000 слов, множество обличений западного империализма... но ни одного против "российского империализма"! Это действительно поразительно, учитывая тот факт, что это не НАТО вторглось в Украину, а Россия!

РКИТ много раз объясняла, что невозможно найти правильную ориентацию в текущем историческом периоде без признания существования нескольких империалистических великих держав, которые ведут острую конкуренцию друг с другом. (США, Китай, ЕС, Россия и Япония) Как мы показали в нескольких исследованиях, Россия является важной империалистической державой, а те многочисленные ревизионисты, которые отрицают это, совершенно неправы! [2]

К счастью, в ММТ, в частности, в его российской секции, есть товарищи, которые выступают против такой реакционной позиции и признают империалистический характер России. В большинстве официальных документов руководства ММТ лондонскому центру удается игнорировать такую внутреннюю оппозицию. Тем не менее, с началом войны России против Украины это становится все труднее для Вудса и его ближайшего окружения.

В результате этого противостоянии позиции Вудса, очевидно, что российская секция имеет определенный вес в сложившейся ситуации! Руководство ММТ было вынуждено принять поправку к своему последнему заявлению [на момент написания статьи], которое прямо характеризует Россию как империалистическую державу. Хотя само по себе это положительное событие, Вудсу и его друзьям удается нейтрализовать любые конкретные прогрессивные последствия такого формального признания.

Они изобретают новую странную категорию, называя империализм США "самой контрреволюционной силой на планете". Поскольку эта формула повторяется в обоих вышеупомянутых заявлениях, очевидно, что Вудс и Ко пытаются связать ее с определенным смыслом. Смысл такой формулировки заключается в том, что даже если Россия будет империалистической державой, она будет "менее контрреволюционной силой на планете", чем США!

Такое изобретение нового типа империализма не имеет ничего общего с марксистским методом. Конечно, верно, что за последние десятилетия США вели больше агрессивных войн чем Россия. Тем не менее, марксисты проводят различие между "плохими империалистами" и "худшими империалистами". Разве Ленин проводил различие между Британией и Германией в Первой мировой войне? Следуя методу Вудса, Ленин должен был назвать Британию "самой контрреволюционной силой на планете", поскольку она обладала наибольшим количеством колоний. В отличие от нее, Германия почти не имела колоний. Делало ли это Германию "менее контрреволюционной силой", чем Британия? Конечно, не в глазах Ленина и Троцкого!

На самом деле, формула "самая контрреволюционная сила на планете" является лишь предлогом для отказа от последовательной антиимпериалистической позиции. Предлогом для того, чтобы занять пацифистскую позицию в войне в Украине. Этот предлог, чтобы представить Россию жертвой американского империализма и заявить, что все политические шаги Путина носят оборонительный характер, а главным агрессором являются США и НАТО.

Скажем прямо: руководство ММТ не смогло занять интернационалистскую и антиимпериалистическую позицию в самой важной войне в Европе с 1945 года. Крайне важно, чтобы подлинные марксисты в ММТ боролись против такого позорного приспособления к российскому империализму. РКИТ надеется объединить усилия со всеми социалистами, которые защищают украинский народ от агрессии Путина и, в то же время, выступают против НАТО и российского империализма!

 

Ссылки:

[1] мы отсылаем читателей к документа РКИТ по войне в Украине: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/

[2] Манифест РКИТ: Война в Украине: переломный момент всемирно-исторического значения. Социалисты должны объединить революционную защиту Украины от вторжения Путина с интернационалистской борьбой против российского империализма, а также империализма НАТО и ЕС, 1 марта 2022 года, https://vk.com/@-186796207-voina-v-ukraine-perelomnyi-moment-vsemirno-istoricheskogo-zn

[3] IMT: The Ukrainian war: an internationalist class position, 01 March 2022, http://www.marxist.com/the-ukrainian-war-an-internationalist-class-position-imt-statement.htm; Alan Woods: The Ukrainian conflict: is this the start of World War III? 28 February 2022 https://www.marxist.com/the-ukrainian-conflict-is-this-the-start-of-world-war-iii.htm

[4] See on this chapter 13 in the book by Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. Continuity and Changes in the Super-Exploitation of the Semi-Colonial World by Monopoly Capital Consequences for the Marxist Theory of Imperialism, 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/great-robbery-of-the-south/.

[5] Смотри подборку страниц про войну в Афганистане: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/asia/collection-of-articles-on-us-defeat-in-afghanistan/

[6] Смотри 13 главу книги Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South. Continuity and Changes in the Super-Exploitation of the Semi-Colonial World by Monopoly Capital Consequences for the Marxist Theory of Imperialism, 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/great-robbery-of-the-south/.

[7] Смотри коллекцию статей про 4ую войну в Секторе Газы: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/collection-of-articles-on-fourth-gaza-war/

[8] See e.g. Where does the RCIT Stand on Russia's Occupation of Chechnya? https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/russia-and-chechnya/; Russian Troops Out! Self-determination for Chechnya!, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/freedom-for-chechnya/; see also Fight against Russian capitalism and imperialism at home and abroad! Provisional Platform of the Revolutionary Communists (Russian Federation), September 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/platform-of-rcit-russia/

[9] See on this e.g. the compilation of RCIT documents on the Syrian Revolution on a special sub-section on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/collection-of-articles-on-the-syrian-revolution/.

[10] See the respective references in chapter 13 in the above-mentioned book by Michael Pröbsting: The Great Robbery of the South as well as in the article by the same author: NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon ‘Marxist’ Tendency. On the IMT’s confusion about the role of Russian imperialism, 31 January 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/nato-russia-conflict-the-anglo-saxon-marxist-tendency/; in addition, see e.g. the critique of our comrades in Occupied Palestine who broke with the IMT: The ISL’s Break with the IMT, August 2009, https://the-isleague.com/isl-imt-split/. See also Yossi Schwartz: The Zionist Wars, RCIT Book, 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-zionist-wars/  Yossi Schwartz: Israel's War of 1948 and the Degeneration of the Fourth International, http://the-isleague.com/1948-war-5-2013/ and https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/israel-s-war-of-1948/.

[11] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: The Coup d’État in Egypt and the Bankruptcy of the Left’s “Army Socialism”, August 2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/egypt-and-left-army-socialism/; Yossi Schwartz: Egypt: The U.S. Support for the Military Coup and the Left’s ignorance, 11.7.2013, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/egypt-us-support-for-military-coup/

[12] See on this e.g. chapter XI and XXVIII in the book by Michael Pröbsting: Anti-Imperialism in the Age of Great Power Rivalry. The Factors behind the Accelerating Rivalry between the U.S., China, Russia, EU and Japan. A Critique of the Left’s Analysis and an Outline of the Marxist Perspective, RCIT Books, Vienna 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/anti-imperialism-in-the-age-of-great-power-rivalry/; see also the above-mentioned article: NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon ‘Marxist’ Tendency.

[13] РКИТ опубликовали множество документов про империалистический характер России. See on this e.g. several pamphlets by Michael Pröbsting: The Peculiar Features of Russian Imperialism. A Study of Russia’s Monopolies, Capital Export and Super-Exploitation in the Light of Marxist Theory, 10 August 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-peculiar-features-of-russian-imperialism/; by the same author: Lenin’s Theory of Imperialism and the Rise of Russia as a Great Power. On the Understanding and Misunderstanding of Today’s Inter-Imperialist Rivalry in the Light of Lenin’s Theory of Imperialism. Another Reply to Our Critics Who Deny Russia’s Imperialist Character, August 2014, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/imperialism-theory-and-russia/; Russia as a Great Imperialist Power. The formation of Russian Monopoly Capital and its Empire – A Reply to our Critics, 18 March 2014, in: Revolutionary Communism No. 21, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/imperialist-russia/; Russian Imperialism and Its Monopolies, in: New Politics Vol. XVIII No. 4, Whole Number 72, Winter 2022, https://newpol.org/issue_post/russian-imperialism-and-its-monopolies/. See various other RCIT documents on this issue at a special sub-page on the RCIT’s website: https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-russia-as-imperialist-powers/.

 

 

Introductory Notes on the Russian Translation of the Article “The IMT and the Ukraine War: A Shameful Betrayal”

by Michael Pröbsting, 14 June 2022

 

 

 

The following article was published three and a half months ago, shortly after the beginning of the Ukraine War. In it we strongly denounced the IMT leaders’ refusal to side with the Ukrainian people against the attack by Russian imperialism. (We cannot support either side in this war, because it is a reactionary war on both sides.) Since this time, nothing fundamental has changed in the policy of the Woods clique – a group which controls the IMT since its foundation in 1992.

 

All articles published since then repeat the same line. According to the IMT leaders, the Ukraine is merely a proxy of U.S. imperialism and, hence, they characterize the conflict as “US imperialism’s proxy war”. [1] It is only consequential that the IMT leaders denounce all leftists who dare to side with the resistance of the Ukrainian people against the Russian invasion.

 

As we pointed out in the article at hand, Woods & Co., effectively, view Russia as “the lesser evil” compared with the U.S. as they consistently deny the imperialist nature of this Great Power. Again and again, they denounce “U.S. imperialism” and characterize it as the most counterrevolutionary force on the planet”. In contrast, Russia is not characterized as an imperialist power and, at best, the IMT leaders mention Russia’s regional imperialist ambitions[2] or “Putin’s imperialist adventure. [3]

 

Hence, the world view of the IMT leaders is based on the fundamentally wrong idea that the global situation would be characterized by a conflict between an imperialist camp and a non-imperialist camp, i.e. between U.S. imperialism” – the most counterrevolutionary force on the planet” – and Russia, whose leader has “imperialist ambitions” but which has not become an imperialist power. It is only logical, that Woods & Co. consider the Kremlin as “the lesser evil” which, objectively, leads them to sympathize with Russian imperialism.

 

Effectively, the IMT leaders fail to find a correct orientation in the Ukraine War and the escalating rivalry between the imperialist powers. It is therefore no surprise to see them stumbling as half-blind opportunists through the historic events of the current world situation, ending up close to the camp of counterrevolution!

 

Ironically, IMT leaders try to justify their position by claiming that “the main enemy is at home”. By this they mean that since they sit in London, they have to fight primarily against Western imperialism. This is a revealing argument which tells a lot about the degenerated “Marxism” a la Woods.

 

If the IMT leaders develop their positions in world politics according to their geographical location, they should rename their organization into “London Marxist Tendency”. However, authentic internationalists do not elaborate their program on the basis of geography but on the basis of the interests of the global working class.

 

Hence, if Russian imperialism invades the Ukraine, it is not the limited outlook of the Tower of London from which socialists should elaborate their analysis and program! It is rather a global viewpoint – taking into account the interests of the world proletariat and, in particular, the large majority of it which does live not in the rich, Western countries but rather in the oppressed nations!

 

As we did show somewhere else, the American Trotskyists unconditionally supported China against the Japanese invaders in the 1930s and 1940s. Their solidarity with the Chinese liberation war was neither tarnished by the reactionary nature of the Chiang Kai-shek leadership nor by the tactical support of Washington for China. Of course, the American Trotskyists continued to oppose both camps in the inter-imperialist rivalry between the U.S. and Japan. [4]

 

It is not difficult to imagine what Woods & Co would have done in such a situation! They would have betrayed the liberation struggle of the Chinese people, declared the U.S. as their main enemy and secretly sympathized with the adventures of the Japanese Tennō!

 

We repeat that authentic socialists have to take a consistent internationalist and anti-imperialist line: support for the just war of defence of the Ukrainian people, while opposing all imperialist Great Powers (U.S., Russia, China, Western Europe and Japan) as well as their chauvinist policy (including sanctions). It is easy to see that such a line is in complete contrast to the systematic capitulation of the IMT leadership to pro-Russian social-imperialism!

 

Those comrades in the IMT who support the liberation struggle of the Ukrainian people need to draw conclusions. As we show in the article at hand, Woods & Co. have a long tradition of adaption to social-imperialism. Their failure in the Ukraine War to take an internationalist and anti-imperialist position is not the first time and won’t be the last time. Comrades, who wish to fight for an anti-imperialist program, should break with the IMT and open discussion with the authentic Marxists of the RCIT!

 



[1] Jorge Martín: Western imperialism turns to pessimism in Ukraine, IMT, 13 June 2022, https://www.marxist.com/western-imperialism-turns-to-pessimism-in-ukraine.htm

[2] Ibid

[3] Jorge Martin: US imperialism's proxy war: fighting Russia to the last drop of Ukrainian blood, IMT , 13 May 2022 https://www.marxist.com/us-imperialism-s-proxy-war-fighting-russia-to-the-last-drop-of-ukrainian-blood.htm

[4] Michael Pröbsting: The Ukraine War and the Second Sino-Japanese War: A Historical Analogy. The dual tactic of Marxists in the Ukraine War today draws on the approach of their predecessors in the war between China and Japan in 1937-41, 10 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/ukraine-war-second-sino-japanese-war-a-historical-analogy/; see also Yossi Schwartz: The ISA, by opposing the delivery of weapons to Ukraine to fight Russian imperialism, serves Russian imperialism, 14.04.2022, https://the-isleague.com/the-isa-by-opposing-the-delivery-of-weapons-to-ukraine-to-fight-russian-imperialism-serves-russian-imperialism/