The German-Dutch Communist Left - Libcom

But, in taking its first position, the GIC underlined very strongly the historic differences between Spain in 1936
and Russia and Germany in 1917-18. In that its position was already coming close to that of the Italian Left
around Bilan. 1051
“Spain is not a repetition of the Russian revolution.” The GIC underlined that social relations in Spain, given the
numerical weight of the proletariat, were much closer to those of Western Europe, despite the undeniable
existence of a strong agricultural sector. On the other hand, revolutionary, events in Spain unfolded in a different
context: not following a war, which had weakened the western bourgeoisie, but following the defeat of 1934 in
the Asturias. The revolution “in as much as it unfolded in Spain” (idem) – underlined the GIC, refusing to talk of
a ‘Spanish revolution’ – would certainly have “a much more proletarian communist character than in Russia”,
but it is impossible without the revolution breaking out simultaneously in the whole of Europe. From this point
of view, the ‘objective conditions’, faced with a strengthened capitalism in 1936, were much more difficult:
“... The Spanish workers have to deal, not with a Western Europe weakened by war, but with a much stronger
capitalism. The proletarian revolution in Spain is only possible as part of the revolution in the whole of Europe...
A victory of the proletariat in Spain (according to the trotskyist conception: the installation of socialism in a
single country) is out of the question as long as capital remains lord and master in the rest of the Europe, as long
the revolution does not break out everywhere.” 1052
The committees which appeared in 1936, presented as true workers’ councils, were nothing like the Russian
soviets. 1053 They were more like the workers’ councils of November 1918 in Germany under the grip of the
organisations of the left: “The committees, in reality, cannot yet be considered as the direct representation of the
workers. They are rather the result of a compromise made between the leaders of the different organisations who
have been ‘democratically’ allowed to take part in them.” 1054
It was consequently inevitable that the Spanish workers should “come into conflict with these committees or one
of their parties”. 1055
The civil war in Spain integrated into generalised war. Given that the international context did not favour the
revolution, the GIC envisaged the possibility that the war in Spain would rapidly open out into a world war,
where the Popular Front would play the role of agent of the ‘Union sacrée’: “The other possibility is that the
Spanish civil war will be the signal for international war. In this case, the battle for the domination of the
Mediterranean on Spanish soil, with troops and arms of the great enemy imperialist powers, and in the interests
of the belligerent states... In the event of war, the Spanish Popular Front will integrate itself into the front of
imperialist war.” 1056
The’tasks of the proletariat’ in Spain and Europe
The evolution of the situation in Spain, with the strengthening of the Popular Front government and the growing
intervention of the rival great powers, led the Dutch Council Communists to take more clear-cut positions, all the
more so since disagreements had appeared amongst them.
Although the reviews of the GIC were not explicit on internal dissension, it appears that two informal, minorities
opposed the GIC’s orientations.
1051 For the positions of the Italian Communist Left around Bilan, see: Ph. Bourrinet’s book: The ‘Bordigist’ Current 1919-
1999, Italy, France, Belgium, op. cit., Chapter 5.
1052 Räte-Korrespondenz, No. 18/19, August 1936, idem.
1053 Cf. Brief uit Spanje, in: PIC, No. 9, June 1937.
1054 Räte-Korrespondenz, No. 18/19, August 1936, idem.
1055 Ibid.
1056 Ibid.
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