6
The Theory of the Equality of Rights.
Even amongst the more hopeful section of the old International, the opinion was very prevalent that the Communist Party on the one hand, and the Industrial Unions on the other hand, were organisations of equal value—having the same rights—organisations which collaborate on important questions of all kinds, like two contracting parties: The Socialist Party should control the political side, whilst the Industrial Unions controlled the economic side. Thus, for example: the German Social-Democrats passed a resolution, supported even by August Bebel, stating that if it should ever be necessary to employ the weapon of the general strike, this question could only be decided by a conference between the Executive of the Party and the general committee of the Trade Unions.
From the Communist viewpoint this opinion cannot be recognised. The equality of rights[1] theory has always been disputed by the revolutionary Marxians.
From the revolutionary Marxian viewpoint, the Communist Party is the ultimate re-union of all phases of the struggle of the working-class for freedom from the capitalist yoke. The Communist Party makes use of a whole arsenal of arms to win this fight. The political struggle is indissolubly bound up with the economic struggle. The Communist
- ↑ In Britain the theory that the political and industrial organisations of the workers should together decide the question of a general strike, as bodies possessing an equal right to decide is not that generally held. It is usually contended in this country that the industrial bodies alone must decide such an issue. This is a comfortable theory for those who do not wish to accept the responsibitity of organising for action. The German developments are another proof that the industrial organisations do not take the initiative when it is a question of revolutionary action.
