Comintern: Revolutionary Internationalism in Lenin's Time
Comintern: Revolutionary Internationalism in Lenin's Time
Comintern: Revolutionary Internationalism in Lenin's Time
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
4<br />
1915 (see “From Zimmerwald to Moscow,” page 3). That current<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded the leaders of the revolution that brought Russian workers<br />
and peasants to power <strong>in</strong> October 1917.<br />
The Communist International or “<strong>Com<strong>in</strong>tern</strong>” was founded <strong>in</strong><br />
March 1919 on the <strong>in</strong>itiative of the Bolshevik Party of Russia. It<br />
united revolutionary opponents of capitalism from diverse orig<strong>in</strong>s<br />
and with a wide range of viewpo<strong>in</strong>ts: Marxists of different hues,<br />
revolutionary anarchists, pioneer fighters aga<strong>in</strong>st colonial dom<strong>in</strong>ation.<br />
Len<strong>in</strong> declared that the <strong>Com<strong>in</strong>tern</strong>’s foundation “heralds the<br />
<strong>in</strong>ternational republic of soviets, the <strong>in</strong>ternational victory of communism.”<br />
These hopes were not realized. The upsurge of workers’ struggles<br />
follow<strong>in</strong>g the First World War was defeated everywhere outside<br />
Russia. In Russia itself, the Bolshevik Party and <strong>Com<strong>in</strong>tern</strong> soon<br />
fell <strong>in</strong>to the grip of a bureaucratic faction headed by Joseph Stal<strong>in</strong>.<br />
The <strong>Com<strong>in</strong>tern</strong> ceased to be a revolutionary force. Most of the <strong>Com<strong>in</strong>tern</strong>’s<br />
found<strong>in</strong>g leaders <strong>in</strong> Soviet territory fell victim to Stal<strong>in</strong>’s<br />
murderous purges. The International was dissolved <strong>in</strong> 1943.<br />
However, dur<strong>in</strong>g its first five years, while still led by Len<strong>in</strong> and<br />
his closest collaborators, the Communist International elaborated a<br />
program and strategy that <strong>in</strong>corporate the lessons of the revolutionary<br />
era whose climax was the Russian revolution.<br />
The purpose of this pamphlet is to <strong>in</strong>troduce that program.<br />
—John Riddell, December 2007