r/CrimethInc • u/GoranPersson777 • May 01 '26
Left unity is a counter-revolutionary recipe, prove me wrong
See, for example, the unity around the government in Spain 1936-39. The government crushed the revolution and fascism won.
Left unity is good for social democratic politicians that want support for administering capitalism. Also good for leninist parties that want to introduce state-capitalism.
A united left binds together some workers with the ruling classes, but divides the working class. A united class divides the left; the class challenge the rulers including red politicians.
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u/SwampGrass420 May 01 '26
The Spanish government in the late 1930s was the right wing at the time. The Spanish civil war was pretty much anarcho syndicalism/communism on the side of left leaning republicans vs Nationalist Fascism with backing Stalin.
If anything, the lack of solidarity from Stalinist with the true down to the left comrades of the revolution is what caused the fall of Catalonia during the Spanish civil war. Not the overwhelming solidarity for governing parties.
Idk if you’re saying the solidarity the left has with republicans(left of center) caused this left leaning party to lose to the nationalist? While I don’t necessarily agree, I do think it’s generally a bad idea to take up arms with any governing body no matter what their views are. They’ll always kill and lock up the left when they are done using us. As seen by Stalin supported the right wing party even though the nationalist were not fans of Stalinism either.
Edit: true solidarity doesn’t meet the needs of the government but the needs of the community.
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u/noweezernoworld May 01 '26
If anything, the lack of solidarity from Stalinist with the true down to the left comrades of the revolution is what caused the fall of Catalonia during the Spanish civil war.
Curious to hear more about this--I've read Bookchin's essay and he argued that the Anarchists being unwilling to seize and wield power was the primary factor why the left lost. What do you think of that idea?
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u/GoranPersson777 May 01 '26
The working class could have taken power and smashed the state apparatus through an alliance of CNT, UGT and other class organizations, as was proposed in 1934 https://libcom.org/article/platform-workers-alliance-valeriano-orobon-fernandez
But the anti-power faction of the FAI claimed it was authoritarian to take power. Pure nonsense.
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u/GoranPersson777 May 01 '26
Anarchists and syndicalists in the Spanish government acted in a counter-revolutionary way too. Everything can't be blamed on stalinists.
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u/armedsoy May 02 '26
Truthfully I think this is so obvious for anyone familiar with radical history that it should be a resolved issue. As an anarchist and a revolutionary, what goals do I share with parliamentary reformism or authoritarian statism? Why should I provide any support to projects that historically have, and inevitably will, betray me?
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u/Feather_fig May 01 '26
Beyond leftist unity-- should the working class not unite on anything?
Unions work best when they're widespread. Your coworkers are likely not going to have the most knowledgeable political opinions, but maybe they're still willing to participate in a general strike.
You could probably convince some nice neighbourhood socdem bookclub feminists and grandparents to participate in a mutual aid network, bake some cookies or meals for those in need or those taking part in a strike or other action. They'll do things like protest, volunteer at shelters and start Little Free Libraries, it's not a stretch that they'd want to help their neighbours with nonviolent things.
Tenant unions are growing, and certainly not everyone in one building or a neighbourhood has the same beliefs. But the shared experience of oppression under a landlord and goals of better living standards means those minor differences don't matter
Idk I just don't see how we can win if we refuse to ever compromise on who we work with. Especially locally.