Ukraine War: The Outcome of the Stalino-“Trotskyist” Conference

On the official conference declaration in support of Russian imperialism and on some “Trotskyists” participants (IMT, OKDE Spartakos)

By Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 13 July 2022, www.thecommunists.net

 

As we reported two weeks ago, a shameful alliance of Stalinist and pseudo-Trotskyist parties organised an international conference on 25/26 June calling for the support of Russia in the Ukraine War. Since we demonstrated in our article the pro-Russian social-imperialist nature of the organisers of this conference, there is no need to repeat our arguments. [1]

At this place, we will rather focus on two things: first, the official declaration of this conference published two days ago and, second, on some “Trotskyist” participants in this conference.

 

A social-imperialist declaration

 

The official declaration fully confirms our characterisation of the conference as a Putinista festival. Of course, the statement has critical words for the regime and for capitalist restoration in general. However, the declaration does not even dare to speak in favour of a revolution against the bonapartist regime. It rather calls for reform “involving the active participation of the masses”. Such a modest formulation does certainly not frighten the Great Russian social-patriots! “A radical change of orientation is needed involving the active participation of the masses themselves: a new revolutionary turn away from capitalist restoration to the path of Socialism.[2]

As we did show in our last article on this conference, the “Trotskyist” co-organizers (mainly EEK in Greece and DIP in Turkey which have been historically affiliated with the Argentinean Partido Obrero [3]) claim that the process of capitalist restoration in the ex-USSR countries has still not been completed. Such an absurd assertion conveniently serves as justification for their refutation of the Marxist analysis that Russia and China have become imperialist powers. [4]Claims about “Russian imperialism” in 2022 not only are empty but also echo the war propaganda of the actually existing Western imperialism.

Unsurprisingly, the focus of the conference declaration is the call for international support for the Russian army in its war against the so-called “NATO-Nazis” in the Ukraine. The war itself is characterized as a “NATO-provoked, proxy war”: “The truth is that it is a NATO provoked, proxy war, where the Ukrainian people is used as cannon fodder for US imperialism’s goal to fragment and colonize the former Soviet space and subjugate the countries that it officially considers as its main international “strategic antagonists”, Russia and China.

Hence, the declaration states that one must not be neutral in this war but take the side of Russia: “The defeat of the US/NATO led imperialist war is the primary, necessary and urgent task for all forces fighting for emancipation from capitalist slavery and imperialist bondage, first of all the international working class and its revolutionary vanguard. No communist, no socialist, no fighter of the anti-imperialist struggle can be “neutral” or “equidistant” in the ongoing military conflagration that started in Ukraine.

In fact, the conference proclaims that a victory for Russia would a “strategic defeat of world imperialism” which would “advance the world struggle against capitalism and imperialism”! “Without any support for restorationist regimes, oligarchs or Bonapartes, the international working class and its vanguard should not remain neutral in the face of imperialist aggression but to fight to defeat it. A military victory by US/NATO-led imperialism against Russia today (and China tomorrow) will be a catastrophe, not solely for the peoples of Russia, Ukraine and of the entire Eurasian region, reduced into fragmented semi-colonies, but for humanity as a whole. A decisive strategic defeat of world imperialism, on the contrary, not only will advance the world struggle against capitalism and imperialism but will create the best conditions for defeating capitalist restoration as well.

All this is a powerful demonstration that self-proclamations of parties as “communist“, “Marxist-Leninist” or “Trotskyist” has no meaning. Each and every force must be tested by its concrete position in key events of world politics and the international class struggle. Those who oppose the oppressors and who support the struggles of the oppressed – these are our friends. Those who serves the imperialists – these are our enemies!

 

Shameful “Trotskyist” participants

 

As we pointed out in our last article, the conference program announced the participation of a representative of the Russian section of Alan Woods’s IMT, Artem Kirpichenok. [5] And, indeed, Kirpichenok spoke at the conference for more than 10 minutes. Tellingly, he was introduced by the Stalino-“Trotskyist” chairman of the conference as “a very good friend”. In fact, he proved to be “a very good friend” of the social-imperialist conference organiser since he spoke for the whole time only about the role of Israel in Russian and Ukrainian politics. [6]

Surely, this is an interesting subject in itself. But at a time when the Russian army invades the Ukraine and slaughters thousands of people, it is the utmost duty of every socialist – and in particular of every Russian socialist! – to condemn Russian imperialism and its barbarous foreign policy!! And this is even more the case in a conference which deals with the Ukraine War! But, disgracefully, the Russian IMT representative did not utter a single word of condemnation of Putin’s aggression against the Ukraine! He simply served as a “constructive” participant of this Stalino-”Trotskyist” event – and this is why he was invited to speak!

This scandal reveals once more the de facto pro-Russian stance of the IMT leadership in the Ukraine War. As we pointed out in other documents, Alan Woods and his clique deny the imperialist nature of Russia. Consequently, the IMT has always strictly refused to support the Ukrainians’ war of defense against Putin’s invasion. This is why a representative of the IMT Russia sees no problem in participating in such a Putinista conference as a speaker! [7]

Unfortunately, there was also another speaker who definitely should not have participated at this shameful event: Christos Nomidis from OKDE-Spartakos in Greece. It is true, compared with the pathetic IMT representative, comrade Nomidis made a much better impression – not that the bar has been set very high! But in contrast to the abysmal Kirpichenok, the Greek comrade at least managed to say that Russia and China are imperialist powers, and that Putin wages an imperialist aggression in the Ukraine!

Nevertheless, it can not go unmentioned that the comrade of OKDE-Spartakos repeated the totally wrong position of his organization – and their friends in the “left opposition” within the Mandelite “Fourth International”. [8] He said that the Ukraine War “is an inter-imperialist war” and that “there is no side which revolutionaries could support since both are fighting for their capitalist-imperialist interests.[9] We refer those interested in a critique of such an abstentionist position to our relevant documents. [10]

We repeat that it is impermissible for socialists, for internationalists, for anti-imperialists, to lend any kind of credibility to such a disgraceful Putinista event by participating as a speaker! Socialists rather have to speak out in solidarity with the Ukraine’s national war of defence against Putin’s invasion while opposing both Russian as well as Western imperialism! [11]



[1] Michael Pröbsting: Ukraine War: Stalino-“Trotskyist” Chamber of Horrors. On a recently held “anti-war” conference organised by some “Trotskyists” as well as Russian Stalinist parties, 29 June 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/stalino-trotskyist-chamber-of-horrors/

[2] Emergency International Anti-War Conference issues its “International Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Declaration”, by the International Socialist Center “Christian Rakovsky” and RedMed, July 11, 2022, http://redmed.org/article/emergency-international-anti-war-conference-issues-its-international-anti-imperialist-and. All quotes are from this declaration if not indicated otherwise. All speeches of this conference can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT

[3] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: Closet Putinistas. On the Ukraine War and the inter-imperialist rivalry: a reply to a polemic of the Partido Obrero (Argentina), 7 June 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/ukraine-war-closet-putinistas-reply-to-po-argentina/

[4] 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 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/ (the same essay has been republished by International Viewpoint, 21. April 2022, https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7618); Once Again on Russian Imperialism (Reply to Critics). A rebuttal of a theory which claims that Russia is not an imperialist state but would be rather “comparable to Brazil and Iran”, 30 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/once-again-on-russian-imperialism-reply-to-critics/. On capitalism in China and its transformation into a Great Power, see e.g. 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 by the same author an essay published in the second edition of The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism (edited by Immanuel Ness and Zak Cope), Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2020, https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-91206-6_179-1; China: An Imperialist Power … Or Not Yet? A Theoretical Question with Very Practical Consequences! Continuing the Debate with Esteban Mercatante and the PTS/FT on China’s class character and consequences for the revolutionary strategy, 22 January 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-imperialist-power-or-not-yet/; China‘s transformation into an imperialist power. A study of the economic, political and military aspects of China as a Great Power (2012), in: Revolutionary Communism No. 4, http://www.thecommunists.net/publications/revcom-number-4; How is it possible that some Marxists still Doubt that China has Become Capitalist? (A Critique of the PTS/FT), An analysis of the capitalist character of China’s State-Owned Enterprises and its political consequences, 18 September 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/pts-ft-and-chinese-imperialism-2/; Unable to See the Wood for the Trees (PTS/FT and China). Eclectic empiricism and the failure of the PTS/FT to recognize the imperialist character of China, 13 August 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/pts-ft-and-chinese-imperialism/; China’s Emergence as an Imperialist Power (Article in the US journal 'New Politics'), in: “New Politics”, Summer 2014 (Vol:XV-1, Whole #: 57). See many more RCIT documents at a special sub-page on the RCIT’s website: https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-russia-as-imperialist-powers/.

[5] Christian Rakovski Balkan Socialist Centre and RedMed: Final program of the Emergency International Anti-War Conference drawn up: New names added, June 24, 2022, http://redmed.org/article/final-program-emergency-international-anti-war-conference-drawn-new-names-added

[6] The speech of Artem Kirpichenok (IMT Russia) can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLEIJoswV4&list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT&index=4. His speech starts at minute 1:17:30.

[7] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: 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 Russia’s imperialist character, 2 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/the-imt-and-the-ukraine-war-a-shameful-betrayal/; new preface to the Russian translation: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/the-imt-and-the-ukraine-war-a-shameful-betrayal/#anker_3; 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/

[8] See e.g. A critique to the decisions of the Executive Bureau of the Fourth International concerning the war in Ukraine, Central Committee of OKDE-Spartakos, 2022-04-19, https://www.okde.org/index.php/en/announcements/86-anakoinwseis/969-a-critique-to-the-decisions-of-the-executive-bureau-of-the-fourth-international-concerning-the-war-in-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR09X9XwqkMckMcxiSGmK5V7yeG4v-oxskg_OuX6OQdaVOcOdFVjmXWAn7s; see also: Let us build an international movement against the imperialist war! No to the intervention of NATO, the USA and the EU! Russian troops out of Ukraine! Declaration of the Tendency for a Revolutionary International (TRI), public tendency of the Fourth International, March 14th, 2022, https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7641

[9] The speech of Christos Nomidis (OKDE-Spartakos in Greece) can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLEIJoswV4&list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT&index=4. His speech starts at minute 1:41:52.

[10] See e.g. Michael Pröbsting: The Fundamental Meaning of the Ukraine War. The current events are a key test for revolutionary strategy in the coming period, 25 May 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/fundamental-meaning-of-ukraine-war/; by the same author: Boycotting the Ukrainian Resistance Is Neither Internationalist Nor Socialist! On the “International Socialist Alternative” and its refusal to support the Ukraine’s war of defence against Russian imperialism, 10 June 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/isa-boycotts-the-ukrainian-resistance/; No to Workers Boycott against Russia but Yes to Boycotting the Ukraine? On the support of the PTS/FT for boycott actions against arms shipments for the Ukraine, 26 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/pts-ft-workers-sanctions-against-ukraine/

[11] We refer readers to a special page on our website where nearly 100 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/. The most important documents are: 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/; Joint Statement of Socialist Tendency (Russia) and RCIT: Defend the Ukrainian People against Putin’s Invasion! Down with Russian and NATO Imperialism! 4.6.2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/joint-statement-with-ct-russia-on-ukraine-war-4-6-2022/

Guerra de Ucrania: el resultado de la conferencia Stalino-“trotskista”

Sobre la declaración oficial de la conferencia en apoyo del imperialismo ruso y sobre algunos participantes “trotskistas” (IMT, OKDE Spartakos)

Por Michael Pröbsting, Secretario Internacional de la Corriente Comunista Revolucionaria Internacional (CCRI), 13 de julio de 2022, www.thecommunists.net

 

Como informamos hace dos semanas, una vergonzosa alianza de partidos estalinistas y pseudotrotskistas organizó una conferencia internacional el 25 y 26 de junio para pedir el apoyo de Rusia en la Guerra de Ucrania. Ya que demostramos en nuestro artículo el carácter socialimperialista pro-ruso de los organizadores de esta conferencia, no hay necesidad de repetir nuestros argumentos. [1]

En este lugar, nos centraremos más bien en dos cosas: primero, la declaración oficial de esta conferencia publicada hace dos días y, segundo, en algunos participantes “trotskistas” en esta conferencia.

 

Una declaración socialimperialista

 

La declaración oficial confirma plenamente nuestra caracterización de la conferencia como un festival putinista. Por supuesto, la declaración tiene palabras críticas para el régimen y para la restauración capitalista en general. Sin embargo, la declaración ni siquiera se atreve a hablar a favor de una revolución contra el régimen bonapartista. Más bien pide una reforma “que involucre la participación activa de las masas”. ¡Una formulación tan modesta ciertamente no asusta a los socialpatriotas de la Gran Rusia! “Se necesita un cambio radical de orientación que involucre la participación activa de las propias masas: un nuevo giro revolucionario que se aleje de la restauración capitalista hacia el camino del socialismo”. [2]

Como mostramos en nuestro último artículo sobre esta conferencia, los coorganizadores “trotskistas” (principalmente EEK en Grecia y DIP en Turquía que han estado históricamente afiliados al Partido Obrero argentino [3]) afirman que el proceso de restauración capitalista en los países de la ex-URSS aún no se han completado. Una afirmación tan absurda sirve convenientemente como justificación para su refutación del análisis marxista de que Rusia y China se han convertido en potencias imperialistas. [4]Las afirmaciones sobre el “imperialismo ruso” en 2022 no solo son vacías, sino que también hacen eco de la propaganda de guerra del imperialismo occidental realmente existente”.

Como era de esperar, el enfoque de la declaración de la conferencia es el llamado al apoyo internacional para el ejército ruso en su guerra contra los llamados "nazis de la OTAN" en Ucrania. La guerra en sí se caracteriza como una “guerra indirecta provocada por la OTAN”: “La verdad es que es una guerra indirecta provocada por la OTAN, en la que el pueblo ucraniano es utilizado como carne de cañón para el objetivo del imperialismo estadounidense de fragmentar y colonizar la antigua Unión Soviética. espacio y subyugar a los países que oficialmente considera como sus principales “antagonistas estratégicos” internacionales, Rusia y China.”

Por lo tanto, la declaración establece que uno no debe ser neutral en esta guerra sino ponerse del lado de Rusia: “La derrota de la guerra imperialista liderada por EE. UU. y la OTAN es la tarea principal, necesaria y urgente para todas las fuerzas que luchan por la emancipación de la esclavitud capitalista y servidumbre imperialista, en primer lugar, la clase obrera internacional y su vanguardia revolucionaria. Ningún comunista, ningún socialista, ningún luchador de la lucha antiimperialista puede ser “neutral” o “equidistante” en la conflagración militar en curso que comenzó en Ucrania”.

¡De hecho, la conferencia proclama que una victoria de Rusia sería una “derrota estratégica del imperialismo mundial” que “haría avanzar la lucha mundial contra el capitalismo y el imperialismo”! “Sin ningún apoyo a los regímenes restauracionistas, oligarcas o Bonapartes, la clase obrera internacional y su vanguardia no deben permanecer neutrales frente a la agresión imperialista sino luchar para derrotarla. Una victoria militar del imperialismo liderado por EE.UU. y la OTAN contra Rusia hoy (y China mañana) será una catástrofe, no solo para los pueblos de Rusia, Ucrania y de toda la región euroasiática, reducidos a semicolonias fragmentadas, sino para la humanidad entera como tal. Una derrota estratégica decisiva del imperialismo mundial, por el contrario, no solo hará avanzar la lucha mundial contra el capitalismo y el imperialismo, sino que también creará las mejores condiciones para derrotar la restauración capitalista”.

 Todo esto es una poderosa demostración de que las autoproclamaciones de los partidos como “comunistas”, “marxista-leninistas” o “trotskistas” no tienen sentido. Todas y cada una de las fuerzas deben ser probadas por su posición concreta en eventos clave de la política mundial y la lucha de clases internacional. Aquellos que se oponen a los opresores y que apoyan las luchas de los oprimidos, esos son nuestros amigos. ¡Aquellos que sirven a los imperialistas, esos son nuestros enemigos!

 

Vergonzosos participantes “trotskistas”

 

Como apuntábamos en nuestro último artículo, el programa de la conferencia anunció la participación de un representante de la sección rusa del IMT de Alan Woods, Artem Kirpichenok. [5] Y, de hecho, Kirpichenok habló en la conferencia durante más de 10 minutos. De manera reveladora, fue presentado por el Stalino-“trotskista” presidente de la conferencia como “un muy buen amigo”. De hecho, demostró ser “un muy buen amigo” del organizador de la conferencia socialimperialista, ya que habló durante todo el tiempo solo sobre el papel de Israel en la política rusa y ucraniana. [6]

Sin duda, este es un tema interesante en sí mismo. Pero en un momento en que el ejército ruso invade Ucrania y masacra a miles de personas, es el deber supremo de todo socialista, ¡y en particular de todo socialista ruso! – ¡¡condenar al imperialismo ruso y su política exterior bárbara!! ¡Y esto es aún más el caso en una conferencia que trata sobre la Guerra de Ucrania! ¡Pero, vergonzosamente, el representante de la IMT rusa no pronunció una sola palabra de condena de la agresión de Putin contra Ucrania! Simplemente se desempeñó como un participante “constructivo” de este evento estalino-“trotskista”, ¡y por eso fue invitado a hablar!

Este escándalo revela una vez más la postura prorrusa de facto de los líderes de la IMT en la Guerra de Ucrania. Como señalamos en otros documentos, Alan Woods y su camarilla niegan el carácter imperialista de Rusia. En consecuencia, la IMT siempre se ha negado estrictamente a apoyar la guerra de defensa de los ucranianos contra la invasión de Putin. ¡Es por eso que un representante de la IMT de Rusia no ve ningún problema en participar en una conferencia putinista como orador! [7]

Desafortunadamente, también hubo otro orador que definitivamente no debería haber participado en este vergonzoso evento: Christos Nomidis de OKDE-Spartakos en Grecia. Es cierto que, en comparación con el patético representante de la CMI, el camarada Nomidis causó una impresión mucho mejor, ¡no es que el listón esté muy alto! Pero en contraste con el abismal Kirpichenok, el camarada griego al menos logró decir que Rusia y China son potencias imperialistas, ¡y que Putin libra una agresión imperialista en Ucrania!

 Sin embargo, no puede dejar de mencionarse que el compañero de OKDE-Spartakos repitió la posición totalmente equivocada de su organización y de sus amigos en la “oposición de izquierda” dentro de la “Cuarta Internacional” mandelista. [8] Dijo que la Guerra de Ucrania “es una guerra interimperialista” y que “no hay un bando que los revolucionarios puedan apoyar ya que ambos luchan por sus intereses capitalistas-imperialistas”. [9] Remitimos a aquellos interesados en una crítica de tal posición abstencionista a nuestros documentos relevantes. [10]

¡Reiteramos que es impermisible que los socialistas, los internacionalistas, los antiimperialistas, presten cualquier tipo de credibilidad a tan vergonzoso evento putinista participando como oradores! ¡Los socialistas más bien tienen que hablar en solidaridad con la guerra nacional de defensa de Ucrania contra la invasión de Putin mientras se oponen tanto al imperialismo ruso como al occidental! [11]

 



[1] Michael Pröbsting: Guerra de Ucrania: Cámara de los horrores “Stalino-Trotskista”, Sobre una conferencia “contra la guerra” organizada por algunos “trotskistas” y partidos estalinistas rusos, 29 de junio de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/stalino-trotskyist-chamber-of-horrors/#anker_1

[2] Emergency International Anti-War Conference issues its “International Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Declaration”, by the International Socialist Center “Christian Rakovsky” and RedMed, 11 de julio de 2022, http://redmed.org/article/emergency-international-anti-war-conference-issues-its-international-anti-imperialist-and. Todas las citas son de esta declaración a menos que se indique lo contrario. Todos los discursos de esta conferencia se pueden ver en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT

[3] Michael Pröbsting: Putinistas de closet. Sobre la Guerra de Ucrania y la rivalidad interimperialista: una respuesta a una polémica del Partido Obrero (Argentina), 7 de junio de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/ukraine-war-closet-putinistas-reply-to-po-argentina/#anker_1

[4] La CCRI ha publicado numerosos documentos sobre el capitalismo en Rusia y su ascenso a potencia imperialista. Ver en esto, p. varios folletos de Michael Pröbsting: Las características peculiares del imperialismo ruso. Un estudio de los monopolios, la exportación de capital y la superexplotación de Rusia a la luz de la teoría marxista, 10 de agosto de 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-peculiar-features-of-russian-imperialism/#anker_7; por el mismo autor: 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, agosto de 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 de marzo de 2014, en: 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/ (el mismo ensayo se re-publicó por International Viewpoint, 21 de abril de 2022, 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/); Once Again on Russian Imperialism (Reply to Critics). A rebuttal of a theory which claims that Russia is not an imperialist state but would be rather “comparable to Brazil and Iran”, 30 de marzo de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/once-again-on-russian-imperialism-reply-to-critics/. Sobre el capitalismo en China y su transformación en una Gran Potencia, véase, p. el libro de Michael Pröbsting: Anti-imperialismo en la Era de la Rivalidad de las Grandes Potencias. Los factores detrás de la Rivalidad acelerada entre los E.U, China, Rusia, la U.E y Japón. Una crítica del análisis de la izquierda y una semblanza de la Perspectiva Marxista, RCIT Books, Vienna 2019, https://www.thecommunists.net/home/espa%C3%B1ol/libro-anti-imperialismo-en-la-era-de-la-rivalidad-de-las-grandes-potencias/. Véase también un ensayo del mismo autor publicado en la segunda edición de The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism (editado por Immanuel Ness y Zak Cope), Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2020, https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-91206-6_179-1; China: una potencia imperialista… ¿o todavía no? ¡Una cuestión teórica con consecuencias muy prácticas! Continuando el Debate con Esteban Mercatante y el PTS/FT sobre el carácter de clase de China y sus consecuencias para la estrategia revolucionaria, 22 de enero de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-imperialist-power-or-not-yet/#anker_12; China‘s transformation into an imperialist power. A study of the economic, political and military aspects of China as a Great Power (2012), in: Revolutionary Communism No. 4, http://www.thecommunists.net/publications/revcom-number-4; ¿Cómo es posible que algunos marxistas sigan dudando de que China se ha vuelto capitalista? (Una crítica del PTS/FT). Un análisis del carácter capitalista de las empresas estatales de China y sus consecuencias políticas, 18 de septiembre de 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/home/espa%C3%B1ol/pts-ft-y-imperialismo-chino-2/; Incapaces de ver el bosque por ver los árboles. El empirismo ecléctico y la falla del PTS/FT en reconocer el carácter imperialista de China, 13 de agosto de 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/home/espa%C3%B1ol/pts-ft-y-imperialismo-chino/; China’s Emergence as an Imperialist Power (Article in the US journal 'New Politics'), in: “New Politics”, Summer 2014 (Vol:XV-1, Whole #: 57). Vea muchos más documentos RCIT en una subpágina especial en el sitio web de la CCRI: https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-russia-as-imperialist-powers/.

[5] Christian Rakovski Balkan Socialist Centre and RedMed: Final program of the Emergency International Anti-War Conference drawn up: New names added, junio 24, 2022, http://redmed.org/article/final-program-emergency-international-anti-war-conference-drawn-new-names-added

[6] El discurso de Artem Kirpichenok (IMT Russia) se puede ver en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLEIJoswV4&list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT&index=4. Su discurso comienza en el minuto 1:17:30.

[7] Ver en esto, p. Michael Probsting: 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 Russia’s imperialist character, 2 de marzo de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/the-imt-and-the-ukraine-war-a-shameful-betrayal/; nuevo prefacio de la traducción al ruso: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/the-imt-and-the-ukraine-war-a-shameful-betrayal/#anker_3; por el mismo autor: NATO-Russia Conflict: The Anglo-Saxon ‘Marxist’ Tendency. On the IMT’s confusion about the role of Russian imperialism, 31 de enero de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/nato-russia-conflict-the-anglo-saxon-marxist-tendency/

[8] Ver, p. A critique to the decisions of the Executive Bureau of the Fourth International concerning the war in Ukraine, Central Committee of OKDE-Spartakos, 2022-04-19, https://www.okde.org/index.php/en/announcements/86-anakoinwseis/969-a-critique-to-the-decisions-of-the-executive-bureau-of-the-fourth-international-concerning-the-war-in-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR09X9XwqkMckMcxiSGmK5V7yeG4v-oxskg_OuX6OQdaVOcOdFVjmXWAn7s; ver también: Let us build an international movement against the imperialist war! No to the intervention of NATO, the USA and the EU! Russian troops out of Ukraine! Declaration of the Tendency for a Revolutionary International (TRI), public tendency of the Fourth International, 14 de marzo de 2022, https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7641

[9] El discurso de Christos Nomidis (OKDE-Spartakos en Grecia) se puede ver en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLEIJoswV4&list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT&index=4. Su discurso inicia en el minuto 1:41:52.

[10] Ver, p. Michael Pröbsting: El significado fundamental de la guerra de Ucrania. Los acontecimientos actuales son una prueba clave para la estrategia revolucionaria en el próximo período, 25 de mayo de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/fundamental-meaning-of-ukraine-war/#anker_1; por el mismo autor: ¡Boicotear la resistencia ucraniana no es ni internacionalista ni socialista! Sobre la “Alternativa Socialista Internacional” y su negativa a apoyar la guerra de defensa de Ucrania contra el imperialismo ruso, 10 de junio de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/isa-boycotts-the-ukrainian-resistance/#anker_2; ¿No al boicot obrero contra Rusia, pero sí al boicot a Ucrania? Sobre el apoyo del PTS/FT a las acciones de boicot contra los envíos de armas a Ucrania, 26 de marzo de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/pts-ft-workers-sanctions-against-ukraine/#anker_3

[11] Remitimos a los lectores a una página especial en nuestro sitio web donde se compilan casi 100 documentos de la CCRI sobre el conflicto actual entre la OTAN y Rusia y la Guerra de Ucrania: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/compilation-of-documents-on-nato-russia-conflict/. Los documentos más importantes son: Manifiesto de la CCRI: Guerra de Ucrania: un punto de inflexión de importancia histórica mundial. Los socialistas deben combinar la defensa revolucionaria de Ucrania contra la invasión de Putin con la lucha internacionalista contra el imperialismo ruso, la OTAN y la UE, 1 de marzo de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/manifesto-ukraine-war-a-turning-point-of-world-historic-significance/#anker_3; Declaración Conjunta de Corriente Socialista (Rusia) y la CCRI: ¡Defender al pueblo ucraniano contra la invasión de Putin! ¡Abajo el imperialismo ruso y de la OTAN!, 4 de junio de 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/joint-statement-with-ct-russia-on-ukraine-war-4-6-2022/#anker_2

Война в Украине: итоги сталинско-"троцкистской" конференции

Об официальной декларации конференции в поддержку российского империализма и о некоторых участниках-"троцкистах" (IMT, OKDE Spartakos).

Михаэль Прёбстинг, международный секретарь Революционного коммунистического интернационала (РКИТ), 13 июля 2022 года, www.thecommunists.net

 

Как мы сообщали две недели назад, позорный альянс сталинистских и псевдо-троцкистских партий организовал 25/26 июня международную конференцию с призывом поддержать Россию в войне на Украине. Поскольку в своей статье мы показали пророссийскую социал-империалистическую природу организаторов этой конференции, нет необходимости повторять наши аргументы. [1]

В этой статье мы сосредоточимся на двух вещах: во-первых, на официальной декларации этой конференции, опубликованной два дня назад, и, во-вторых, на некоторых "троцкистских" участниках этой конференции.

 

Социал-империалистическая декларация

 

Официальная декларация полностью подтверждает нашу характеристику конференции как путинистского фестиваля. Конечно, в заявлении есть критические слова в адрес режима и реставрации капитализма в целом. Однако декларация даже не осмеливается выступить за революцию против бонапартистского режима. Она скорее призывает к реформам "при активном участии масс". Такая скромная формулировка, конечно, не пугает великорусских социал-патриотов! "Необходима радикальная смена ориентации при активном участии самих масс: новый революционный поворот от реставрации капитализма на путь социализма". [2]

Как мы уже показали в нашей прошлой статье об этой конференции, "троцкистские" соорганизаторы (в основном EEK в Греции и DIP в Турции, которые исторически связаны с аргентинской Partido Obrero [3]) утверждают, что процесс реставрации капитализма в странах бывшего СССР еще не завершен. Такое абсурдное утверждение удобно служит им оправданием для отрицания марксистского анализа, который показывает, что Россия и Китай стали империалистическими державами.      [4] "Заявления о "российском империализме" в 2022 году не только пусты, но и повторяют военную пропаганду реально существующего западного империализма".

Неудивительно, что в центре внимания декларации конференции находится призыв к международной поддержке российской армии в ее войне против так называемых "натовских нацистов" в Украине. Сама война характеризуется как "прокси-война, спровоцированная НАТО": "Правда в том, что это спровоцированная НАТО прокси-война, в которой украинский народ используется как пушечное мясо для достижения цели американского империализма - раздробить и колонизировать бывшее советское пространство и подчинить себе страны, которые он официально считает своими главными международными "стратегическими антагонистами" - Россию и Китай".

Из этого следует, как утверждает декларация, что нельзя быть нейтральными в этой войне, а нужно встать на сторону России: "Поражение империалистической войны под руководством США/НАТО является главной, необходимой и неотложной задачей для всех сил, борющихся за освобождение от капиталистического рабства и империалистической кабалы, и прежде всего для международного рабочего класса и его революционного авангарда. Ни один коммунист, ни один социалист, ни один боец антиимпериалистической борьбы не может быть "нейтральным" или "равно отстранившимся" в продолжающемся военном пожаре, который начался в Украине".

По сути, конференция провозглашает, что победа России станет "стратегическим поражением мирового империализма", которое "обеспечит продвижение мировой борьбы против капитализма и империализма"! "Без какой-либо поддержки реставрационных режимов, олигархов или Бонапартов, международный рабочий класс и его авангард должны не оставаться нейтральными перед лицом империалистической агрессии, а бороться за ее поражение. Военная победа империализма во главе с США/НАТО над Россией сегодня (и Китаем завтра) будет катастрофой не только для народов России, Украины и всего евразийского региона, превращенных в раздробленные полуколонии, но и для всего человечества. Решительное стратегическое поражение мирового империализма, напротив, не только продвинет вперед мировую борьбу против капитализма и империализма, но и создаст наилучшие условия для победы над реставрацией капитализма".

Все это является убедительной демонстрацией того, что самопровозглашение партий "коммунистическими", "марксистско-ленинскими" или "троцкистскими" не имеет никакого значения. Каждая организация должна быть проверена своей конкретной позицией в ключевых событиях мировой политики и международной классовой борьбы. Те, кто выступает против угнетателей и поддерживает борьбу угнетенных - это наши друзья. Те, кто служит империалистам - наши враги!

 

Позорные "троцкистские" участники

 

Как мы указывали в нашей прошлой статье, в программе конференции было заявлено участие представителя российской секции ИМТ Алана Вудса - Артема Кирпиченка. [5] И действительно, Кирпиченок выступал на конференции более 10 минут. Примечательно, что сталинско-"троцкистский" председатель конференции представил его как "очень хорошего друга". На деле же он оказался "очень хорошим другом" социал-империалистических организаторов конференции, поскольку все время говорил только о роли Израиля в российской и украинской политике. [6]

Конечно, это интересная тема сама по себе. Но в то время, когда российская армия вторглась в Украину и истребляет тысячи людей, высший долг каждого социалиста - и в особенности каждого российского социалиста! - осудить российский империализм и его варварскую внешнюю политику!!! И тем более это относится к конференции, посвященной войне в Украине! Но, как это ни позорно, представитель российской ИМТ не произнес ни слова осуждения путинской агрессии против Украины! Он просто выступил в качестве "конструктивного" участника этого сталинско-"троцкистского" мероприятия - и именно поэтому его пригласили выступить!

Этот скандал еще раз показывает фактическую пророссийскую позицию руководства ИМТ в украинской войне. Как мы указывали в других документах, Алан Вудс и его клика отрицают империалистическую природу России. Следовательно, ИМТ всегда строго отказывалась поддерживать оборонительную войну украинцев против вторжения Путина. Вот почему представитель ИМТ в России не видит никаких проблем в участии в такой путинистской конференции в качестве докладчика! [7]

К сожалению, был еще один докладчик, который определенно не должен был участвовать в этом позорном мероприятии: Кристос Номидис из греческой организации OKDE-Spartakos. Правда, по сравнению с жалким представителем ИМТ, товарищ Номидис произвел гораздо лучшее впечатление - не то чтобы планка была установлена очень высоко! Но в отличие от отвратительного Кирпиченка, товарищ из Греции хотя бы смог сказать, что Россия и Китай - империалистические державы, и что Путин ведет империалистическую агрессию в Украине!

Тем не менее, нельзя не упомянуть, что товарищ из OKDE-Spartakos повторил совершенно неверную позицию своей организации - и их друзей в "левой оппозиции" в рамках манделистского "Четвертого интернационала". [8] Он сказал, что война в Украине "является межимпериалистической войной" и что "нет стороны, которую революционеры могли бы поддержать, так как обе борются за свои капиталистическо-империалистические интересы". [9] Мы отсылаем тех, кто заинтересован в критике такой абстенционистской позиции, к нашим соответствующим документам. [10]

Мы повторяем, что социалистам, интернационалистам, и антиимпериалистам недопустимо оказывать какое-либо доверие такому позорному путинистскому мероприятию, участвуя в нем в качестве докладчиков! Социалисты скорее должны выступить в знак солидарности с национально-освободительной войной Украины против путинского вторжения, выступая против как российского, так и западного империализма! [11]

 

1) Michael Pröbsting: Ukraine War: Stalino-“Trotskyist” Chamber of Horrors. On a recently held “anti-war” conference organised by some “Trotskyists” as well as Russian Stalinist parties, 29 June 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/stalino-trotskyist-chamber-of-horrors/

2) Emergency International Anti-War Conference issues its “International Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Declaration”, by the International Socialist Center “Christian Rakovsky” and RedMed, July 11, 2022, http://redmed.org/article/emergency-international-anti-war-conference-issues-its-international-anti-imperialist-and. All quotes are from this declaration if not indicated otherwise. All speeches of this conference can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT

3) See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: Closet Putinistas. On the Ukraine War and the inter-imperialist rivalry: a reply to a polemic of the Partido Obrero (Argentina), 7 June 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/ukraine-war-closet-putinistas-reply-to-po-argentina/

4) 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 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/ (the same essay has been republished by International Viewpoint, 21. April 2022, https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7618); Once Again on Russian Imperialism (Reply to Critics). A rebuttal of a theory which claims that Russia is not an imperialist state but would be rather “comparable to Brazil and Iran”, 30 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/once-again-on-russian-imperialism-reply-to-critics/. On capitalism in China and its transformation into a Great Power, see e.g. 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 by the same author an essay published in the second edition of The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism (edited by Immanuel Ness and Zak Cope), Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2020, https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-91206-6_179-1; China: An Imperialist Power … Or Not Yet? A Theoretical Question with Very Practical Consequences! Continuing the Debate with Esteban Mercatante and the PTS/FT on China’s class character and consequences for the revolutionary strategy, 22 January 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-imperialist-power-or-not-yet/; China‘s transformation into an imperialist power. A study of the economic, political and military aspects of China as a Great Power (2012), in: Revolutionary Communism No. 4, http://www.thecommunists.net/publications/revcom-number-4; How is it possible that some Marxists still Doubt that China has Become Capitalist? (A Critique of the PTS/FT), An analysis of the capitalist character of China’s State-Owned Enterprises and its political consequences, 18 September 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/pts-ft-and-chinese-imperialism-2/; Unable to See the Wood for the Trees (PTS/FT and China). Eclectic empiricism and the failure of the PTS/FT to recognize the imperialist character of China, 13 August 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/pts-ft-and-chinese-imperialism/; China’s Emergence as an Imperialist Power (Article in the US journal 'New Politics'), in: “New Politics”, Summer 2014 (Vol:XV-1, Whole #: 57). See many more RCIT documents at a special sub-page on the RCIT’s website: https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/china-russia-as-imperialist-powers/.

5) Christian Rakovski Balkan Socialist Centre and RedMed: Final program of the Emergency International Anti-War Conference drawn up: New names added, June 24, 2022, http://redmed.org/article/final-program-emergency-international-anti-war-conference-drawn-new-names-added

6) he speech of Artem Kirpichenok (IMT Russia) can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLEIJoswV4&list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT&index=4. His speech starts at minute 1:17:30.

7) See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: 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 Russia’s imperialist character, 2 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/the-imt-and-the-ukraine-war-a-shameful-betrayal/; new preface to the Russian translation: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/the-imt-and-the-ukraine-war-a-shameful-betrayal/#anker_3; 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/

8) See e.g. A critique to the decisions of the Executive Bureau of the Fourth International concerning the war in Ukraine, Central Committee of OKDE-Spartakos, 2022-04-19, https://www.okde.org/index.php/en/announcements/86-anakoinwseis/969-a-critique-to-the-decisions-of-the-executive-bureau-of-the-fourth-international-concerning-the-war-in-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR09X9XwqkMckMcxiSGmK5V7yeG4v-oxskg_OuX6OQdaVOcOdFVjmXWAn7s; see also: Let us build an international movement against the imperialist war! No to the intervention of NATO, the USA and the EU! Russian troops out of Ukraine! Declaration of the Tendency for a Revolutionary International (TRI), public tendency of the Fourth International, March 14th, 2022, https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7641

9) The speech of Christos Nomidis (OKDE-Spartakos in Greece) can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLEIJoswV4&list=PLk18xZNeINUtwJH4JGOlAZDa5azs2i_OT&index=4. His speech starts at minute 1:41:52.

10) See e.g. Michael Pröbsting: The Fundamental Meaning of the Ukraine War. The current events are a key test for revolutionary strategy in the coming period, 25 May 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/fundamental-meaning-of-ukraine-war/; by the same author: Boycotting the Ukrainian Resistance Is Neither Internationalist Nor Socialist! On the “International Socialist Alternative” and its refusal to support the Ukraine’s war of defence against Russian imperialism, 10 June 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/isa-boycotts-the-ukrainian-resistance/; No to Workers Boycott against Russia but Yes to Boycotting the Ukraine? On the support of the PTS/FT for boycott actions against arms shipments for the Ukraine, 26 March 2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/pts-ft-workers-sanctions-against-ukraine/

11) We refer readers to a special page on our website where nearly 100 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/. The most important documents are: 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/; Joint Statement of Socialist Tendency (Russia) and RCIT: Defend the Ukrainian People against Putin’s Invasion! Down with Russian and NATO Imperialism! 4.6.2022, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/joint-statement-with-ct-russia-on-ukraine-war-4-6-2022/