"Left Wing" Opportunism Wolfgang Eggers - 2020

"Left Wing" Opportunism

MANUAL

Collection of Comintern (SH) writings on the struggle against the "left"

Opportunism compiled by

Wolfgang Eggers published by the

Comintern (SH)

This handbook was published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Lenin's

writings:

Left-wing radicalism, the childhood disease of communism

1920 - 2020

In April and May 1920, Lenin wrote the famous book "Left-Wing Radicalism, the Infantile Disorder

of Communism".

The importance of this famous book was recognised in the "Brief outline of his life and work"

[published by Verlag für fremdsprachige Literatur, Moscow 1947 (page 325 f)]:

Lenin called his book an "attempt at a generally understandable discussion of Marxist strategy and

tactics." And it really is the best guide to the strategy and tactics of Leninism.

In this book the science of leading the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat has been set out, the

experiences of the great revolutions have been generalised.

For the revolution, Lenin wrote, it is not enough for the exploited and oppressed masses to have

recognised the impossibility of continuing to live in the old way and to demand changes. For the

revolution it is necessary that the exploiters can no longer live and rule in the old way. The

revolution is impossible without a crisis affecting the whole nation (both the exploited and the

exploiters).

And secondly: for the entire working class, the broad masses of labourers, to step forward to the

revolution, propaganda and agitation alone are not enough. This requires the masses' own political

experience.

Lenin relentlessly criticises "left-wing" doctrinarism, the dogmatic, stereotyped approach to

revolutionary tasks, the reluctance to work among the broad masses.

Above all, the vanguard must be won over to communism, Lenin taught, but you cannot win with

the vanguard alone. The revolutionary vanguard of the proletariat, the communist parties, must win

over the majority of the working class, the labouring masses. One must know how to lead the

masses to revolution by skilfully educating them on the basis of their own political experience,

taking into account national and national differences.

The strategy and tactics of the communist parties must be highly elastic. The party must master all

means and methods of struggle:

the art of armed insurrection and the revolutionary exploitation of the reactionary trade unions and

parliaments.

It must skilfully combine illegal and legal work.

She must attack boldly and fearlessly and retreat in a calm and organised manner, "even if it is with

the devil and his grandmother".

It must know how to exploit any and all frictions, conflicts, disputes and differences of opinion in