Biblioteca / 2000-2009
Dog Days. James P. Cannon vs. Max Shachtman in the Communist League of America, 1931-1933.
Nueva York: Prometheus Research Library, 2002.
xix, 715 páginas.
Los «días de perros del movimiento»-así describió el líder fundador comunista y trotskista estadounidense James P. Cannon los primeros años de la década de 1930. Este libro arroja nueva luz sobre la historia del trotskismo, al documentar la polarización fraccional que sufrió la Communist League of America (CLA) durante este periodo de estancamiento.
La lucha de 1931-33 enfrentó a Cannon y sus partidarios contra los seguidores de Max Shachtman, generalmente más jóvenes y con menos experiencia en la lucha obrera. La disputa presagió la escisión definitoria de 1939-40 en el trotskismo estadounidense. En la lucha posterior, Shachtman, cediendo a la histeria anticomunista que acompañó al pacto Hitler-Stalin, rechazó la defensa militar incondicional del primer estado obrero del mundo, la Unión Soviética. La deserción de Shachtman fue el primer paso en el camino que lo llevó, a principios de los años 60, a abrazar abiertamente al imperialismo estadounidense. León Trotsky y Cannon dirigieron la lucha de 1939-40 contra Shachtman y sus seguidores.
En 1931-33 la lucha estalló cuando Shachtman se opuso al intento de Cannon de dejar constancia de que la CLA estaba en contra del oportunismo sindical en la organización trotskista francesa, y en contra de las maniobras sin principios del aspirante a dirigente trotskista alemán, Kurt Landau. Durante esta época, Trotsky intentó separar a los auténticos revolucionarios de la Oposición de Izquierda Internacional de los elementos ultraizquierdistas, centristas y cliquistas, así como de los agentes estalinistas. Como representante de la CLA ante la OII, Shachtman mimó a muchos de los oponentes de Trotsky. Este libro incluye cartas de Trotsky a Shachtman -algunas publicadas por primera vez- sobre disputas políticas formativas en las secciones francesa, alemana y española de la OII.
Shachtman pronto capituló ante Trotsky en las cuestiones internacionales, pero la lucha en la Liga Comunista estadounidense se intensificó, alimentada por fricciones personales y agravios que se remontaban a 1929. Los temas de disputa incluían los métodos leninistas de organización del partido, el papel potencial del Ejército Rojo soviético en una ofensiva proletaria para rechazar el ascenso de Hitler al poder, y el trabajo de la CLA en el Progressive Miners of America en el sur de Illinois. Aquí aparecen documentos de ambos lados de la división fraccional, entre los que destaca «La situación en la oposición estadounidense: perspectiva y retrospectiva» de Shachtman, Martin Abern y Albert Glotzer, que insiste en muchos de los mismos temas organizativos que obsesionaron al bando de Shachtman en la disputa de 1939-40 y posteriormente.
A diferencia de 1939-40, no había divergencias programáticas bien definidas en la CLA. Trotsky intervino bruscamente en la primavera de 1933 para poner fin al destructivo estancamiento, ayudando a sentar las bases para los siguientes seis años de colaboración entre Cannon y Shachtman, cuando los trotskistas estadounidenses aprovecharon las nuevas oportunidades de crecimiento que comenzaron en 1933.
Contents
Editorial Note
Introduction by the Prometheus Research Library
I – Shachtman in the International
The April Conference: A Disappointment in All Respects / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 16 April 1930
Where Is the International Secretariat? / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 18 August 1930
Shachtman to Be Part of International Bureau / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 17 November 1930
Crisis in the French Ligue / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 25 November 1930
We Must Endeavor to Collaborate With Naville and Rosmer / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 17 December 1930
Landau Has Proven to Be a Very Unreliable Fellow / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 6 January 1931
The Fight Against Landau and Naville Is Too Sharp / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 4 March 1931
What Is Your Position on the German Crisis? / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 4 April 1931
On Landau, Prometeo, and Weisbord / Max Shachtman to the International Secretariat, [Early May 1931]
I Sought to Avoid a Premature Split in the German Section / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 2 May 1931
You Bear Some Responsibility for Landau’s Course / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 23 May 1931
Naville Plays With Ideas / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 2 August 1931
Get the Secretariat’s Cart Out of the Mud / Jan Frankel to Max Shachtman, 14 November 1931
Molinier Is Far From Correct / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 1 December 1931
Who Then Should Lead the Ligue? / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 11 December 1931
You Were Never on Our Side / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 25 December 1931
Shachtman’s Personal and Journalistic Sympathies / Leon Trotsky to the CLA National Committee, 25 December 1931
Too Much the Journalist / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 31 December 1931
Why Did the Militant Print Felix’s Article? / Leon Trotsky to the CLA National Committee, 5 January 1932
I Do Not Agree With Shachtman / Albert Glotzer to Leon Trotsky, 21 January 1932
Shachtman Acted on His Own Authority / Arne Swabeck to Leon Trotsky, 22 January 1932
We Should Have Informed Trotsky of American Problems / Albert Glotzer to Maurice Spector, 3 February 1932
You Must Remain at Your Post / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 10 February 1932
II – The Fight
Uphold Our Revolutionary Classics! / Arne Swabeck, published 5 March 1932
Statement on «Uphold Our Revolutionary Classics!» / Max Shachtman, 12 March 1932
A Bad Situation in the American League / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 13 March 1932
Statement on the Situation in the International Left Opposition / James P. Cannon, 15 March 1932
Draft Statement on International Questions / Albert Glotzer, 15 March 1932
Draft Statement on the ILO / Martin Abern, 15 March 1932
A Definite Conflict of Views / Arne Swabeck to the International Secretariat and Leon Trotsky, 2 April 1932
On the Motion for a Plenary Session of the NC / Max Shachtman, 4 April 1932
Statement on Holding Plenum / James P. Cannon, 4 April 1932
The Real Basis of Our Differences / Albert Glotzer to Leon Trotsky, 5 April 1932
Report on National Tour / Albert Glotzer, 11 April 1932
Cannon and Swabeck Have Rightist Tendencies / John Edwards to Max Shachtman, 16 April 1932
The Organizational Status of the CLA / Arne Swabeck, 18 April 1932
The Coal Drivers in Minneapolis / Carl Skoglund to the National Committee, 18 April 1932
Personal Combinations vs. Revolutionary Politics / Leon Trotsky to Albert Glotzer, 1 May 1932
You Must Take Us Into Your Confidence / Maurice Spector to Max Shachtman, 10 May 1932
On Weisbord and International Questions / Leon Trotsky to the CLA National Committee, 19 May 1932
I Prefer Weisbord’s Methods to Shachtman’s / Leon Trotsky to Albert Glotzer, 3 June 1932
I Am Not an American Naville / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 4 June 1932
The Situation in the American Opposition: Prospect and Retrospect / Martin Abern, Albert Glotzer, and Max Shachtman, 4 June 1932
Minutes of the Plenum / CLA National Committee, 10-13 June 1932
Some Considerations on the Results of the National Committee Plenum / [Shachtman Group], 16 June 1932
Draft Statement to the Membership on the National Committee Plenum / James P. Cannon, 25 June 1932
Statement of the National Committee (Minority): The Results of the Plenum of the National Committee / Martin Abern, Albert Glotzer, and Max Shachtman, 29 June 1932
What Position Will You Take? / Max Shachtman to John Edwards, 3 July 1932
A Great Relief / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 4 July 1932
Reply of the National Committee to the Minority Statement / James P. Cannon, 14 July 1932
Molinier’s Personality Is Not the Issue / Max Shachtman to Andres Nin, 19 July 1932
A Reply on Field and Weisbord / Leon Trotsky to the CLA National Committee, 20 October 1932
Cannon Is Prepared to Break With the ILO / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 31 October 1932
Developments in Light of the Failed Co-optations / Max Shachtman to a Comrade, 26 November 1932
Mobilize Against Swabeck’s Trip to Europe / Max Shachtman to a Comrade, 2 December 1932
We Want More Direct Contact / Arne Swabeck to the International Secretariat and Leon Trotsky, 16 December 1932
Cannon Overreaches Himself / Maurice Spector to Max Shachtman, 29 December 1932
Results of the Postplenum Discussion / Martin Abern and Max Shachtman, 3 January 1933
Cannon’s Regime Is on a Par With Landau’s / Max Shachtman to Maurice Spector, 3 January 1933
Cannon’s Suave Calumny / Max Shachtman to Albert Glotzer, 8 January 1933
Against Cannon as National Secretary / Martin Abern and Max Shachtman, 9 January 1933
For Cannon as National Secretary / Arne Swabeck and Hugo Oehler, 10 January 1933
On Assuming the Post of National Secretary / James P. Cannon, 10 January 1933
No Financial Sabotage / Martin Abern and Max Shachtman, 23 January 1933
Cannon a New Man in Chicago / Albert Glotzer to Martin Abern and Max Shachtman, 6 February 1933
Resolution on the Proletarianization of the New York Branch / National Committee [Cannon Group], [Early February 1933]
Reject the Proposal on the Proletarianization of the New York Branch / NY Executive Committee [Shachtman Group], [Early February 1933]
Motion on the Situation in Germany and the Role of the Red Army / Max Shachtman, 20 February 1933
The Red Army and the German Revolution / James P. Cannon, 24 February 1933
Motion on the Illinois Mining Campaign / Max Shachtman, 24 February 1933
Statement on the Dispute over the Red Army and the German Situation / Max Shachtman, 12 March 1933
Note on Shachtmans Statement / James P. Cannon, published 18 March 1933
Motion on April Gillespie Conference / James P. Cannon, 29 March 1933
Motion on CLA Delegate at Gillespie / Max Shachtman, 29 March 1933
III – The International Intervenes
Resolution on the Situation in the American Section International Preconference of the ILO, 4-8 February 1933
The International Must Apply the Brakes / Discussion Between Leon Trotsky and Arne Swabeck, 27 February 1933
On the Situation in the American League / Leon Trotsky to the International Secretariat, 7 March 1933
The Majority Has No Right to Impatience / Leon Trotsky to Arne Swabeck, 7 March 1933
I Accept Your Criticisms / Arne Swabeck to Leon Trotsky, 8 March 1933
You Were Wrong to Campaign Against Swabeck’s Trip / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 8 March 1933
Trotsky Expects More of Us / Arne Swabeck to James P. Cannon, 8 March 1933
A Split Would Be a Catastrophe / Leon Trotsky to Albeit Glotzer, 14 March 1933
Germany and the USSR / Leon Trotsky, 17 March 1933
We Have Made Some Errors / James P. Cannon to Comrades, 27 March 1933
Resolution on the Situation in the American League / International Secretariat, [April 1933]
Concession on Organizational Questions / James P. Cannon, 5 April 1933
Response on Organizational Questions / Max Shachtman, 7 April 1933
Request for Advice on Allard / James P. Cannon to Leon Trotsky, 14 April 1933
We Don’t Want a Split / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 15 April 1933
Setting a Date for the Conference / Arne Swabeck to James P. Cannon, 16 April 1933
An Offensive for Unity / Arne Swabeck to James P. Cannon, 16 April 1933
I Am Not More Favorable to the Minority / Leon Trotsky to the International Secretariat, 17 April 1933
Shachtman Flounders Between Scholasticism and Softness on Stalinism / Arne Swabeck to James P. Cannon, 17 April 1933
We Will Not Suspend Our Fight / Max Shachtman to Albert Glotzer, 17 April 1933
Allard Must Take a Stand Against Redbaiting / James P. Cannon, 19 April 1933
Allard Discredits Left Opposition / Martin Abern and Max Shachtman, 19 April 1933
A Cold Douche / Maurice Spector to Max Shachtman, 24 April 1933
Our Group Must Not Dissolve / Max Shachtman to Albert Glotzer, 1 May 1933
The European Sections Will Not Support You / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 1 May 1933
International Consultation Is Key / Arne Swabeck to James P. Cannon, 12 May 1933
Resolution on the American Question / Plenum of the International Left Opposition, 13-16 May 1933
Foolish and Petty Actions Did Not Help Us / Albert Glotzer to Max Shachtman, 23 May 1933
Peace Treaty / Communist League of America National Committee published 29 June 1933
We Must Call a Retreat / Max Shachtman to Comrades, 9 June 1933
Report from Prinkipo / Max Shachtman to Martin Abern, 6 July 1933
The «Master’s» Ways / Martin Abern to Albeit Glotzer, 6 July 1933
A Possible Leap Forward / Arne Swabeck to the International Secretariat and Leon Trotsky, 10 July 1933
A Radical Change Is Necessary / Leon Trotsky to Albert Glotzer, 12 July 1933
I Won’t Make an Issue of Chicago Move / Max Shachtman to Martin Abern, 13 July 1933
Action Program of the Communist League / National Committee, [August 1933]
Implementing the Action Program / Max Shachtman to Albert Glotzer, 7 September 1933
A Big Mistake / Max Shachtman to Albert Glotzer, 19 September 1933
Trade-Union Problems in America / Leon Trotsky, 23 September 1933
Cannon Is Reneging / Max Shachtman to Leon Trotsky, 5 October 1933
The News Is Disquieting / Leon Trotsky to Arne Swabeck, 20 November 1933
A Turn for the Worse / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 25 November 1933
Reasons to Postpone the Move / Arne Swabeck to Leon Trotsky, 20 December 1933
As Opportunities Grow, Internal Struggle Will Diminish / Leon Trotsky to Max Shachtman, 30 January 1934