The New Czardom. (1940)

From the March 1940 issue of the Socialist Standard

The tragedy of the working class lies in its susceptibility to loud demagogy. This is due not alone to the orthodox capitalist press, but is supplemented by the Labour and Communist parties. Having been worked up to a frenzy for a few years in defence of “democracy” and against “aggression,” they were made ripe for the war against “Hitlerism ” and for “democracy.” Mass demonstrations, united-front conferences and thousands of meetings to fight Hitler were the order of the day and night. These were supplemented by meetings to save “Spain” or “Abyssinia,” “China and the Czechs,” but always the villain of the piece was Hitler. As the British Government did not seem to be in a hurry to make war on Germany, the Communist party and its satellites demanded “Chamberlain must go,” and Churchill or Eden must come in. This would be no use either as a change, unless Britain and France formed an A.R.P.—Anglo-Russian Pact.

To bring this about was the task of Litvinoff. Having failed, he was thrown on the scrap heap and new methods employed—namely, the direct visit of British representatives. In entering these negotiations Russia was playing both ends against the middle. She was prepared to support whichever side gave her the best bargain. The tragedy of it all is the term “Socialist” Russia.

To the uninitiated worker “Socialism” now stands for pillage and plunder, territorial aggrandisement and an unholy alliance with Nazi Germany. As a result, the task of teaching Socialism has become so much more difficult. More than ever must we point out the capitalist nature of Russia. In her imperialist exploits Russia has not even found new excuses, but has used the time-honoured ones of all capitalist Powers. Her excuse for the attack upon Poland (particularly Ukraine) was the need to rescue her Slav brethren—the blood-brotherhood of Nazi Aryanism. In the later attack upon Finland this gag could not work (the Finns being of Mongol stock), so the Finns became an outpost of Western capitalism—the very capitalism with which she was seeking an alliance, and with the French half of which she already had an alliance.

It is useless for Russia and her “choirboys” in Britain to point to Japan in China, Italy in Abyssinia and Albania, or Germany in Austria and Czechoslovakia, and say “What about them?” Russia claimed all along to stand for the OPPOSITE to these gangsters, and claims to be a SOCIALIST country. We are therefore entitled to judge her from the STANDARDS she HERSELF set. We always repudiated her claim to be Socialist. Socialism does not include the wages system and political suppression, but Russia does. The Red Army, representing 160 millions, shows its teeth against a four-million country, but even so the Russian Bear couldn’t squeeze them overnight. This will be Russia’s nemesis. Whilst remaining neutral, Russia was able to keep off any intending attacker. She had built up a belief outside her borders in her invulnerability, her strength (and weakness) were unknown, and she had the other Powers guessing. The Powers now are likely to take a lower view of Russia’s military strength, and will alter their attitude accordingly. Russia has therefore only piled up difficulties for herself. She cannot now rally foreign opinion to her defence on the plea of “democracy,” as her own colleagues, the League, have declared her an aggressor and kicked her out. We Socialists will continue to expose her claims to Socialism, by teaching what Socialism IS. When the workers do understand Socialism they will see through this fraud called Russia.

Lew Jones