Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 08:12:43 -0500
Subject: Re: AUT: The term "left-wing"



Although the notions of left and right date to the French Revolution, the 
more modern use, at least for the "left" is based on the divergences in the 
Second International, and particularly the SPD: Bernstein as the right, 
Kautsky as the centre and Luxemburg as the left. Of course the reality was 
much more complex, but these divisions were carried into the revolutionary 
wave  during and following the war.

The Bolsheviks were considered left because they had an internationalist 
position on the war, but in many ways they were still Kautskyians. The 
groups which exited from the Communist International in the twenties such 
as the Dutch-German and Italian "lefts" because they were opposed to one or 
other aspect of  Bolshevik practice or policy, were baptized "ultra-left."

I often use the term "ultra-left" as a positive term, although I realize it 
is based on a period in the workers' movement that no longer exists. I 
understand that the IBRP are no longer using the term Italian left to 
describe themselves - please correct me if I am mistaken Mauro.

Loren Goldner talks about this point in his article on Bordgia. Other 
groups such as the ICC regularly denounce the "left" as the "left wing of 
capital."

CGs

Neil / Red & Black notes

http://ca.geocities.com/red_black_ca 


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