THE RECENT Fourteenth collapse of Stalinism was World Congress of the presented on behalf of the Fourth International, held outgoing International leadin Europe, registered some ership, and there were two introductions on the class important organisational nature of the countries of gains as well as conducting Eastern Europe in the light of a series of sharp debates. the process of capitalist restoThe discussion ranged ration which is being proover the world political situmoted.
ation in the period of the col- Both presenters on this lapse of Stalinism, the class subject - Catherine Samary, nature of the countries of from the United Secretariat Eastern Europe, the class and Stefan Peikarczyk from struggle in Latin America, the Polish Revolutionary Left and the way forward for the Current - argued against a international itself. few delegates who insisted Organisationally and nu- that restoration was commerically the Fourth Interna- pleted. tional, which has sections and They insisted that despite sympathising groups in the clear intentions of the nearly 50 countries, was bigvarious regimes, and with the ger than at its previous Con- exception of the former East gress in 1991.
Germany that capitalism has New sections or sympa- not yet been restored in any thising groups were estab- of the countries involved. lished in Mauritius, Equador, Peikarczyk argued that in PoSpain, Australia and Puerto land it is not just the near Rico. The Sri Lankan NSSP, absence of the market which with an important base in that rules out capitalism as the country, became a section of dominant mode of producthe Fourth International only tion, but the lack of capital after the last Congress, so was itself: effectively a new organisa- "The new private sector is tion at this one. incapable of keeping itself Guests from a number of alive without huge state suporganisations outside the port, let alone financing furFourth International also at- ther privatisation itself. The tended the Congress. The harriers to western investBelgian Gauche Unies, the ment are increasing all the French organisation Lutte time and the effects of the Ouvriere, Solidarity of the 1991\3 recession are still opUSA, the Australian Demo- erative. There is little financratic Socialist Party, the ZU- cial infrastructure at a time TIK from Euzkadi, the PADS when the globalisation of the from Senegal, the Brazilian economy has diverted funds Workers' Party (PT), and elsewhere. three revolutionary organisa- "The only remaining tions from the Philippines all source of capital is the one that sent representatives. has been used up to now: the Russia state. "Yet no more can be Greetings were also ex- squeezed out of this source tended to the Congress by Al- without another major attack exander Buzgalin, a leader of of the jobs and the living the Party of Labour in Russia. standards of the workers.
In his opening political ad- 'This fact means that the dress to the Congress, veteran limits of peaceful restoration Fourth International leader are being reached. Any qualiErnest Mandel stressed that tative advance in capitalist there is currently a stalemate restoration would involve a between the ruling class and new massive onslaught on the the working class internation- working class." ally, but that this would be for A minority current in the a relatively short period, and Congress, which included that major class battles lie delegates from Britain, ahead. France, Poland, Ireland, There were three strands to Greece, Hong Kong, India the debates on the world politi- and the USA presented an alcal situation. The French ternative platform in most of economist Maxime Durand in- the debates. The exceptions troduced a paper on the world were on the world economy, economic situation and the glo- on which there was broad balisation of the world econ- agreement in the Congress, omy. and on Latin America, on A paper on the world po- which the minority did not litical situation after the semi- have a common view These delegates argued that the conclusions drawn by the Congress on the effects of the semi-collapse of Stalinism - that it had thrown the working class and its allies massively on to the defensive world wide - were too negative and that although the current situation was defensive this was of a temporary nature.
Some delegates argued that the loss of the Soviet bloc had directly strengthened the role of imperialism whilst others insisted that the fall of Stalinism, itself a wholly counterrevolutionary force, had been a much more contradictory event.
It had also opened up the political situation for genuine forces of the left.
In fact it has been the longstanding and widespread illusions in the Stalinist bloc which have been the basis of the demoralisation and retreat of the vanguard in some instances.
On the way forward for the Fourth International, the task agreed by the Congress was one of regroupment.
It was argued that the most important function of the Fourth International at this stage was to be a focus of the regroupment of left and revolutionary forces world wide, particularly groupings and fragments emerging from the wreckage of the Stalinist Parties - like Rifondazione Communista in Italy for example.
At the same time it was agreed that it was important for the far left to organise in militant left parties like the PT in Brazil for example -where a major current sympathises with the Fourth International.
Brazil was also central to the debate on Latin America, where it is clear that the left, on a continental scale, has been shaken by the failure of Workers Party leader Lula to win the recent elections.
A special meeting was held on the Zapatistas from Chiapas in Mexico, a debate on which was also a strand in the Latin America debate.
A speaker from the mass socialist party PADS in Senegal also gave greetings during this session, speaking of the impact of third-world debt on the African continent as well as Latin America, and paying tribute to the work the Fourth International has been able to do on the issue.
On Europe the debate was both on regroupment and on the current state of the workers' movement - both the trade unions and the social democratic parties.
The minority argued that whilst regroupment was the right thing to do when the opportunity arises, the main focus of the sections should be based around workers' movement, particularly the trade unions, and key campaigns around social issues -against cuts and austerity and against the far right and the racists.
A meeting on Bosnia was held during the Congress, which underlined a common view on support for the national rights of the Bosnian people, the defence of a multi-ethnic Bosnia and for the withdrawal of foreign troops and the lifting of the arms embargo.
A statement was adopted fully supporting International Workers Aid to Bosnia and calling for all European sections to become involved in it. IWA has been for the past two years the principal European-wide campaign in which the sections of the Fourth International have been involved.
This campaign, which developed strongly in a number of European countries, continues to strengthen and continues to take aid directly, as an act of international working class solidarity, to the trade unions in the Tuzla region.
The Congress also adopted a resolution on youth work (see box).
An appeal was made for the international youth summer camp, which is being held in France this year and which in one of the major annual international activities of the Fourth International.
A report was given on the Fourth International's residential school in Amsterdam which is holding a series of courses throughout the year and which is its principal focus of educational activity.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No 87, July 15 1995, Page 9.