social democracy

A Critique of the German Social Democratic Program - Bakunin

Bakunin makes an early and powerful critique of the statist, reformist, class-collaborationist and counter-revolutionary tendencies of emerging social democracy.

Bakunin's essay refutes the claims made by some Marxists, then and now, that early social democracy played a largely progressive role within the working class movement. In this particular case, Bakunin's comments are also far more radical than anything Marx and Engels were willing to say publicly at the time on the subject.

In the Freest State in the World - Ret Marut (B. Traven)

A satirical text about German democracy and the Munich Soviet Republic of 1919, in which Ret Marut (who later became B. Traven) participated.

Read our "anti-biography" of B. Traven here

The "Renegade" Kautsky and his Disciple Lenin - Gilles Dauvé

Dauvé traces the development of Lenin's ideas from Karl Kautsky and situates them within both the historical context and the Second International.

Publication Details

This article originally formed an afterword to an article by Karl Kautsky "Les trois sources du Marxisme" (The three sources of Marxism) which was reprinted in French in April 1977 by editions Spartacus. (serie B No.78).

The Revolution Is Not A Party Affair - Otto Rühle

Otto Rühle. "Parliamentarism appeared with the domination of the bourgeoisie. Political parties appeared with parliament."

In parliaments the bourgeois epoch found the historical arena of its first contentions with the crown and nobility. It organised itself politically and gave legislation a form corresponding to the needs of capitalism. But capitalism is not something homogeneous. The various strata and interest groups within the bourgeoisie each developed demands with differing natures.

news

UK: One in four will live in fuel poverty
Over 14 million people could find themselves in fuel poverty in the near future, if new figures from gas giant Centrica predicting a 70% rise in gas prices prove accurate - nearly a quarter of the population.

articles

The Russian Revolution and the Communist Party - Alex Berkman
Alexander Berkman analyses the role of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution, written June 1921 in Moscow.

1968

1952-1973: Radical perspectives in the Caribbean
The experiences of Fundi, Carribean Situationist. " From the start we saw through the fraud of the "independent" unions ... We decided that the union bureaucracy must stop; that there should not be any mediation between us and the boss for this has been responsible for suppressing confidence in ourselves to take up the total task of ending capitalism. ... We developed the capacity for instant strike action. We had meetings on the factory compound and the farms during work hours against the wishes of the boss and traditional unionism. ... Such actions are the bedrock of direct participation which stands in truth against the lies of centralized leadership."

Tea Break

Tea Break July 2008
First issue of an irregular workers' bulletin put together by users of the website, libcom.org. This issue focuses on the 2008 pay dispute over sub-inflation pay offers.