Paul Mattick

The Masses & The Vanguard

Source: Kurasje Archive; First Published: in Living Marxism vol. 4, no. 4 August 1 !" and re#rinted in Red & Black Notes $% and $&; 'ranscribed: b( And( )lunden, *or +ar,ists.org -..!; Proo*ed: and corrected b( /eo** 'raugh, 0ul( -..1.

2cono+ic and #olitical changes #roceed 3ith be3ildering ra#idit( since the close o* the 3orld 3ar. 'he old conce#tions in the labour +ove+ent have beco+e *ault( and inade4uate and the 3orking class organi5ations #resent a scene o* indecision and con*usion. 6n vie3 o* the changing econo+ic and #olitical situation it see+s that thorough rea##raise+ent o* the task o* the 3orking class beco+es necessar( in order to *ind the *or+s o* struggle and organi5ation +ost need*ul and e**ective. 'he relation o* 7the #art(,8 7organi5ation8 or 7vanguard8 to the +asses #la(s a large #art in conte+#orar( 3orking class discussion. 'hat the i+#ortance and indis#ensabilit( o* the vanguard or #art( is overe+#hasi5ed in 3orking class circles is not sur#rising, since the 3hole histor( and tradition o* the +ove+ent tends in that direction. 'he labour +ove+ent toda( is the *ruit o* econo+ic and #olitical develo#+ents that *ound *irst e,#ression in the 9hartist +ove+ent in 2ngland :1"!";1"4"<, the subse4uent develo#+ent o* trade unions *ro+ the *i*ties on3ard, and in the =asallean +ove+ent in /er+an( in the si,ties. 9orres#onding to the degree o* ca#italist develo#+ent trade unions and #olitical #arties develo#ed in the other countries o* 2uro#e and A+erica. 'he overthro3 o* *eudalis+ and the needs o* ca#italist industr( in the+selves necessitated the +arshaling o* the #roletariat and the granting o* certain de+ocratic #rivileges b( the ca#italists. 'he latter had been reorgani5ing societ( in line 3ith their needs. 'he #olitical structure o* *eudalis+ 3as re#laced b( ca#italist #arlia+entarianis+. 'he ca#italist state, the instru+ent *or ad+inistering the joint a**airs o* the ca#italist class, 3as established and adjusted to the needs o* the ne3 class. 'he botherso+e #roletariat 3hose assistance against the *eudal *orces had been necessar( no3 had to be reckoned 3ith. >nce called into action it could not be entirel( eli+inated as a #olitical *actor. )ut it could be coordinated. And this 3as done ? #artl( consciousl( 3ith cunning and #artl( b( the ver( d(na+ics o* ca#italist econo+( ? as the 3orking class adjusted itsel* and sub+itted to the ne3 order. 6t organi5ed unions 3hose li+ited objectives :better 3ages and conditions< could be reali5ed in an e,#anding ca#italist econo+(. 6t #la(ed the ga+e o* ca#italist #olitics 3ithin the ca#italist state :the #ractices and *or+s o* 3hich 3ere deter+ined #ri+aril( b( ca#italist needs< and 3ithin these li+itations, achieved a##arent successes. )ut thereb( the #roletariat ado#ted ca#italist *or+s o* organi5ation and ca#italist ideologies. 'he #arties o* the 3orkers, like those o* the ca#italists beca+e li+ited cor#orations, the ele+ental needs o* the class 3ere subordinated to #olitical e,#edienc(. @evolutionar( objectives 3ere dis#laced b( horse;trading and +ani#ulations *or #olitical #ositions. 'he #art( beca+e all;i+#ortant, its i++ediate objectives su#erseded those o* the class. Ahere revolutionar( situations set into +otion the class, 3hose tendenc( is to *ight *or the reali5ation o* the revolutionar( objective, the #arties o* the 3orkers 7re#resented8 the 3orking class and 3ere the+selves 7re#resented8 b( #arlia+entarians 3hose ver( #osition in #arlia+ent constituted resignation to their status as bargainers 3ithin a ca#italist order 3hose su#re+ac( 3as no longer challenged. 'he general coordination o* 3orkersB organi5ations to ca#italis+ sa3 the ado#tion o* the sa+e s#eciali5ation in union and #art( activities that challenged the hierarch( o* industries. Managers, su#erintendent and *ore+en sa3 their counter#arts in #residents, organi5ers and secretaries o* labour organi5ations. )oards o* directors, e,ecutive co++ittees, etc. 'he +ass o* organi5ed 3orkers like the +ass o* 3age slaves in industr( le*t the 3ork o* direction and control to their betters.

'his e+asculation o* 3orkersB initiatives #roceeded ra#idl( as ca#italis+ e,tended its s3a(. Cntil the 3orld 3ar #ut an end to *urther #eace*ul and 7orderl(8 ca#italist e,#ansion. 'he risings in @ussia, Dungar( and /er+an( *ound a resurgence o* +ass action and initiative. 'he social necessities co+#elled action b( the +asses. )ut the traditions o* the old labour +ove+ent in Aestern 2uro#e and the econo+ic back3ardness o* 2astern 2uro#e *rustrated *ul*ill+ent o* labourBs historic +ission. Aestern 2uro#e sa3 the +asses de*eated and the rise o* *ascis+ l Mussolini and Ditler, 3hile @ussiaBs back3ard econo+( develo#ed the 7co++unis+8 in 3hich the di**erentiation bet3een class and vanguard, the s#eciali5ation o* *unctions and the regi+entation o* labour reached its highest #oint. 'he leadershi# #rinci#le, the idea o* the vanguard that +ust assu+e res#onsibilit( *or the #roletarian revolution is based on the #re;3ar conce#tion o* the labour +ove+ent, is unsound. 'he tasks o* the revolutionar( and the co++unist reorgani5ation o* societ( cannot be reali5ed 3ithout the 3idest and *ullest action o* the +asses the+selves. 'heirs is the task and the solution thereo*. 'he decline o* ca#italist econo+(, the #rogressive #aral(sis, the instabilit(, the +ass une+#lo(+ent, the 3age cuts and intensive #au#eri5ation o* the 3orkers ? all o* these co+#el action, in s#ite o* *ascis+ l Ditler or the disguised *ascis+ o* the AF o* =. 'he old organi5ations are either destro(ed or voluntaril( reduced to i+#otence. @eal action no3 is #ossible onl( outside the old organi5ations. 6n 6tal(, /er+an( and @ussia the Ahite and @ed *ascis+s have alread( destro(ed all old organi5ations and #laced the 3orkers directl( be*ore the #roble+ o* *inding the ne3 *or+s o* struggle. 6n 2ngland, France and A+erica the old organi5ations still +aintain a degree o* illusion a+ong 3orkers, but their successive surrender to the *orces o* reaction is under+ining the+ ra#idl(. 'he #rinci#les o* inde#endent struggle, solidarit( and co++unis+ are being *orced u#on the+ in the actual class struggle. Aith this #o3er*ul trend to3ard +ass consolidation and +ass action the theor( o* regrou#ing and realigning the +ilitant organi5ations see+s to be outdated. 'rue regrou#+ent is essential, but it cannot be a +ere +erger o* the e,isting organi5ations. 6n the ne3 conditions a revision o* *ighting *or+s is necessar(. 7First clarit( ? then unit(.8 2ven s+all grou#s recogni5ing and urging the #rinci#les o* inde#endent +ass +ove+ent are *ar +ore signi*icant than large grou#s that de#recate the #o3er o* the +asses. 'here are grou#s that #erceive the de*ects and 3eaknesses o* #arties. 'he( o*ten *urnish sound criticis+ o* the #o#ular *ront co+bination and the unions. )ut their criticis+ is li+ited. 'he( lack a co+#rehensive understanding o* the ne3 societ(. 'he tasks o* the #roletariat are not co+#leted 3ith sei5ure o* the +eans o* #roduction and the abolition o* #rivate #ro#ert(. 'he 4uestions o* social reorgani5ation +ust be #ut and ans3ered. Shall state socialis+ be rejectedE Ahat shall be the basis o* a societ( 3ithout 3age slaver(E Ahat shall deter+ine the econo+ic relations bet3een *actoriesE Ahat shall deter+ine the relations bet3een #roducers and their total #roductE 'hese 4uestions and their ans3ers are essential *or an understanding o* the *or+s o* struggle and organi5ation toda(. Dere the con*lict bet3een the leadershi# #rinci#le and the #rinci#le o* inde#endent +ass action beco+es a##arent. For a thorough understanding o* these 4uestions leads to the reali5ation that the 3idest, all;e+bracing, direct activit( o* the #roletariat as a class is necessar( to reali5e co++unis+. >* *irst i+#ortance is the abolition o* the 3age s(ste+. 'he 3ill and good 3ishes o* +en are not #otent enough to retain this s(ste+ a*ter revolution :as in @ussia< 3ithout eventuall( surrendering to the

d(na+ics engendered b( it. 6t is not enough to sei5e the +eans o* #roduction and abolish #rivate #ro#ert(. 6t is necessar( to abolish the basic condition o* +odern e,#loitation, 3age slaver(, and that act brings on the succeeding +easures o* reorgani5ation that 3ould never be invoked 3ithout the *irst ste#. /rou#s that do not #ut these 4uestions, no +atter ho3 sound their criticis+ other3ise, lack the +ost i+#ortant ele+ents in the *or+ation o* sound revolutionar( #olic(. 'he abolition o* the 3ages s(ste+ +ust be care*ull( investigated in its relation to #olitics and econo+ics. Ae 3ill here take u# so+e o* the #olitical i+#lications. First is the 4uestion o* the sei5ure o* #o3er b( the 3orkers. 'he #rinci#le o* the +asses :not #art( or vanguard< retaining #o3er +ust be e+#hasi5ed. 9o++unis+ cannot be introduced or reali5ed b( a #art(. >nl( the #roletariat as a 3hole can do that. 9o++unis+ +eans that the 3orkers have taken their destin( into their o3n hands; that the( have abolished 3ages; that the( have, 3ith the su##ression o* the bureaucratic a##aratus, co+bined the legislative and e,ecutive #o3ers. 'he unit( o* the 3orkers lies not in the sacrosanct +erger o* #arties or trade unions, but in the si+ilarit( o* their needs and in the e,#ression o* needs in +ass action. All the #roble+s o* the 3orkers +ust there*ore be vie3ed in relation to the develo#ing sel*;action o* the +asses. 'o sa( that the non;co+bative s#irit o* the #olitical #arties is due to the +alice or re*or+is+ o* the leaders is 3rong. 'he #olitical #arties are i+#otent. 'he( 3ill do nothing, because the( can do nothing. )ecause o* its econo+ic 3eakness, ca#italis+ has organi5ed *or su##ression and terror and is at #resent #oliticall( ver( strong, *or it is *orced to e,ert all its e**ort to +aintain itsel*. 'he accu+ulation o* ca#ital, enor+ous throughout the 3orld, has shrunk the (ield o* #ro*it ? a *act 3hich, in the e,ternal #olicies, +ani*ests itsel* through the contradictions bet3een nations; and in internal #olicies, through 7devaluation8 and the attendant #artial e,#ro#riation o* the +iddle class and the lo3ering o* the subsistence level o* the 3orkers; and in general b( the centrali5ation o* the #o3er o* big ca#ital units in the hands o* the state. Against this centrali5ed #o3er little +ove+ents can to nothing. 'he +asses alone can co+bat it, *or onl( the( can destro( the #o3er o* the state and beco+e a #olitical *orce. For that reason the *ight based on the cra*t organi5ations beco+es objectivel( obsolete, and the large +ass +ove+ents, unrestricted b( the li+itations o* such organi5ations, +ust necessaril( re#lace the+. Such is the ne3 situation *acing 3orkers. )ut *ro+ it s#rings an actual 3eakness. Since the old +ethod o* struggle b( +eans o* elections and li+ited trade union activit( has beco+e 4uite *utile, a ne3 +ethod, it is true, has instinctivel( develo#ed, but that +ethod has not (et been conscientiousl(, and there*ore not e**ectivel(, a##lied. Ahere their #arties and unions are i+#otent, the +asses alread( begin to e,#ress their +ilitanc( through 3ildcat strikes. 6n A+erica, 2ngland, France, )elgiu+, Dolland, S#ain, Poland ? 3ildcat strikes develo#, and through the+ the +asses #resent a+#le #roo* that their old organi5ations are no longer *it *or struggle. 'he 3ildcat strikes are not, ho3ever, disorgani5ed, as the na+e i+#lies. 'he( are denounced as such b( union bureaucrats, because the( are strikes *or+ed outside the o**icial organi5ations. 'he strikers the+selves organi5e the strike, *or it is an old truth that onl( as an organi5ed +ass can 3orkers struggle and con4uer. 'he( *or+ #icket lines, #rovide *or the re#ulsion o* strike; breakers, organi5e strike relie*, create relations 3ith other *actories. ? 6n a 3ord, the( the+selves assu+e the leadershi# o* their o3n strike, and the( organi5e it on a *actor( basis. 6t is in these ver( +ove+ents that the strikers *ind their unit( o* struggle. 6t is then that the( take their destin( into their o3n hands and unite 7the legislative and e,ecutive #o3er8 b( eli+inating unions and #arties, as illustrated b( several strikes in )elgiu+ and Dolland.

)ut inde#endent class action is still 3eak. 'hat the strikers, instead o* continuing their inde#endent action to3ard 3idening their +ove+ent, call u#on the unions to join the+, is an indication that under e,isting conditions their +ove+ent cannot gro3 larger, and *or that reason cannot (et beco+e a #olitical *orce ca#able o* *ighting concentrated ca#ital. )ut it is a beginning. >ccasionall( though, the inde#endent struggle takes a big lea# *or3ard, as 3ith the Asturian +inersB strikes in 1 !4, the )elgiu+ +iners in 1 !1, the strikes in France, )elgiu+ and A+erica in 1 !%, and the 9atalonian revolution in 1 !%. 'hese outbreaks are evidence that a ne3 social *orce is surging a+ong the 3orkers, is *inding 3orkersB leadershi#, is subjecting social institutions to the +asses, and is alread( on the +arch. Strikes are no longer +ere interru#tions in #ro*it;+aking or si+#le econo+ic disturbances. 'he inde#endent strike derives its signi*icance *ro+ the action o* 3orkers as an organi5ed class. Aith a s(ste+ o* *actor( co++ittees and 3orkersB councils e,tending over 3ide areas the #roletariat creates the organs 3hich regulate #roduction, distribution, and all the other *unctions o* social li*e. 6n other 3ords, the civil ad+inistrative a##aratus is de#rived o* all #o3er, and the #roletarian dictatorshi# establishes itsel*. 'hus, class organi5ation in the ver( struggle *or #o3er is at the sa+e ti+e organi5ation, control, and +anage+ent o* the #roductive *orces o* the entire societ(. 6t is the basis o* the association o* *ree and e4ual #roducers, and consu+ers. 'his, then, is the danger that the inde#endent class +ove+ent #resents to the ca#italist societ(. Aildcat strikes, though a##arentl( o* little i+#ortance 3hether on a s+all or large scale, are e+br(onic co++unis+. A s+all 3ildcat strike, directed as it is b( 3orkers and in the interest o* 3orkers, illustrates on a s+all scale the character o* the *uture #roletarian #o3er. A regrou#ing o* +ilitants +ust be actuated b( the kno3ledge that the conditions o* struggle +ake it necessar( to unite the 7legislative and e,ecutive #o3ers8 in the hands o* the *actor( 3orkers. 'he( +ust not co+#ro+ise on this #osition: All #o3er to the co++ittees o* action and the 3orkersB councils. 'his is the class *ront. 'his is the road to co++unis+. 'o render 3orkers conscious o* the unit( o* organi5ational *or+s o* struggle, o* class dictatorshi#, and o* the econo+ic *ra+e o* co++unis+, 3ith its abolition o* 3ages ? is the task o* the +ilitants. 'he +ilitants 3ho call the+selves the 7Fanguard8 have toda( the sa+e 3eakness that characteri5es the +asses at #resent. 'he( still believe that the unions or the one or the other #art( +ust direct the class struggle, though 3ith revolutionar( +ethods. )ut i* it be true that decisive struggles are nearing, it is not enough to state that the labour leaders are traitors. 6t is necessar(, es#eciall( *or toda(, to *or+ulate a #lan *or the *or+ation o* the class *ront and the *or+s o* its organi5ations. 'o this end the control o* #arties and unions +ust be unconditionall( *ought. 'his is the crucial #oint in the struggle *or #o3er.