Leon Trotsky: How to Help the Centrists

November 26, 1929

[Writings of Leon Trotsky. Vol 1, 1929, New York 1975, p. 397 f.]

I received a short letter from a comrade who, it appears, is in a pre-capitulationist frame of mind. He, of course, projects these sentiments onto the majority in exile. His philosophy is “to go to the aid of centrism.” Beneath this abstract, indistinct, liberal sounding formula there hides, in fact, a rejection of Marxism. There are two ways of helping centrism in a period when it moves to the left: one may either dissolve oneself into it or make a bloc with it — formally or informally, explicitly or in an unobtrusive way within the framework of a unified party governed by discipline, party statutes, etc. Only the second course is permissible for a Marxist. Rakovsky’s declaration is an expression of the second course. It went a long way to meet the centrists, with formulations dealing with virtually nothing else but those things which unite or can unite the Opposition with them at the present moment. Is a bloc permissible on such a basis? In certain periods it is. In the name of immediate tactical goals, the Opposition can temporarily put aside questions of strategy, reserving the right and the duty to advance them with full force when the circumstances demand, even at the price of breaking the bloc with the centrists. There is no opportunism in such conduct. It is quite legitimate. And this is precisely why the centrists have not accepted the declaration. They have demanded that the Opposition renounce its theoretical principles. The centrists do not need the tactical assistance of the Opposition so much as its strategic self-disarmament In this they remain totally true to their own strategic line. Only traitors can buy a bloc with them at the price of renouncing and condemning their own platform. Although such a betrayal is in general being committed under the slogan of “helping centrism,” in fact it is helping centrism not against the Right but against the Left-and only the Left. Of what use to the Stalinists are Pyatakov, Radek, and the others in the struggle against the Bukharinists? None. However, they can be of considerable use in the struggle against the Left Opposition. By contrast, an ideologically irreconcilable Opposition remains the best aid to centrists in the struggle against the Right. We have explained this in principled terms more than once. There can be no doubt that every week “the master” threatens his Klims [Voroshilovs] with the words: “We can’t deviate to the right just now — that is just what the Trotskyists are waiting for.” If the Opposition were to disappear, the Voroshilovs and their cronies would tomorrow climb into the saddle on the backs of the left centrists. But this, of course, is not the main criterion for us; there are other things a little more important. But that argument is decisive against the deserters who are betraying Marxism, renouncing it, and abusing it in order to help the master against Baloven or Klim. We have nothing to discuss with such weather-vanes

Let there remain in exile not three hundred and fifty who are true to our banner, but thirty-five or even three; the banner will remain, the strategic line will remain, and the future will remain.

Greetings to those who are steadfast and only to them.

Yours,

L.T.