Dictatorship vs. Democracy (Terrorism and Communism): a reply to Karl Kantsky — Kant — John Shaqi
Dictatorship vs. Democracy (Terrorism and Communism): a reply to Karl Kantsky
Kant · en
The black-and-yellow crew of social-patriotism (Austerlitz, Leitner,
etc.) hurled at Adler the terrorist all the abuse of which the
cowardly sentiments were capable.
But when the acute period was passed, and the prodigal son returned
from his convict prison into his father's house with the halo of a
martyr, he proved to be doubly and trebly valuable in that form for
the Austrian Social-Democracy. The golden halo of the terrorist was
transformed by the experienced counterfeiters of the party into the
sounding coin of the demagogue. Friedrich Adler became a trusted
surety for the Austerlitzes and Renners in face of the masses.
Happily, the Austrian workers are coming less and less to distinguish
the sentimental lyrical prostration of Friedrich Adler from the
pompous shallowness of Renner, the erudite impotence of Max Adler, or
the analytical self-satisfaction of Otto Bauer.
The cowardice in thought of the theoreticians of the Austro-Marxian
school has completely and wholly been revealed when faced with the
great problems of a revolutionary epoch. In his immortal attempt to
include the Soviet system in the Ebert-Noske Constitution, Hilferding
gave voice not only to his own spirit but to the spirit of the whole
Austro-Marxian school, which, with the approach of the revolutionary
epoch, made an attempt to become exactly as much more Left than
Kautsky as before the revolution it was more Right. From this point of
view, Max Adler's view of the Soviet system is extremely instructive.
The Viennese eclectic philosopher admits the significance of the
Soviets. His courage goes so far that he adopts them. He even
proclaims them the apparatus of the Social Revolution. Max Adler, of
course, is for a social revolution. But not for a stormy, barricaded,
terrorist, bloody revolution, but for a sane, economically balanced,
legally canonized, and philosophically approved revolution.