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,OPPORTUNISM 9 ,!ORY & ,PRACTICE 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,ROSA ,LUXEMBURG 

,TEXT 3 

,B]N/E9'S BOOK IS ( GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ! ,G]MAN & ! 9T]NATIONAL LABOR MOVEM5T4 ,IT IS ! FIR/ ATTEMPT TO GIVE A !ORETIC BASE TO ! OPPORTUNI/ CURR5TS COMMON 9 ! ,SOCIAL-,DEMOCRACY4 

,!SE CURR5TS MAY BE SAID TO HAVE EXI/$ = A LONG TIME 9 \R MOVEM5T1 IF WE TAKE 9TO CONSID]ATION SU* SPORADIC MANIFE/ATIONS ( OPPORTUNISM AS ! QUE/ION ( SUBSIDIZATION ( /EAM]S4 ,BUT IT IS ONLY S9CE AB\T #a#h#i1 ) ! SUPPRESSION ( ! ANTI-,SOCIALI/ LAWS1 ?AT WE HAVE HAD A TR5D ( OPPORTUNISM ( A CLE>LY DEF9$ *>ACT]4 ,VOLLM>'S 0,/ATE ,SOCIALISM10 ! VOTE ON ! ,BAV>IAN BUDGET1 ! 0AGR>IAN SOCIALISM0 ( S\? ,G]MANY1 ,HE9E'S POLICY ( COMP5SATION1 ,S*IPPEL'S /& ON T>IFFS & MILIT>ISM1 >E ! HI< PO9TS 9 ! DEVELOPM5T ( \R OPPORTUNI/ PRACTICE4 

,:AT APPE>S TO *>ACT]IZE ?IS PRACTICE ABOVE ALL8 ,A C]TA9 HO/ILITY TO 0!ORY40 ,?IS IS QUITE NATURAL1 = \R 0!ORY10 ?AT IS1 ! PR9CIPLES ( SCI5TIFIC SOCIALISM1 IMPOSE CLE>LY M>K$ LIMITATIONS TO PRACTICAL ACTIVITY - 9S(> AS IT CONC]NS ! AIMS ( ?IS ACTIVITY1 ! MEANS US$ 9 ATTA9+ !SE AIMS & ! ME?OD EMPLOY$ 9 ?IS ACTIVITY4 ,IT IS QUITE NATURAL = PEOPLE :O RUN AFT] IMM$IATE 0PRACTICAL0 RESULTS TO WANT TO FREE !MSELVES FROM SU* LIMITATIONS & TO R5D] !IR PRACTICE 9DEP5D5T ( \R 0!ORY40 

,H[EV]1 ?IS \TLOOK IS REFUT$ BY EV]Y ATTEMPT TO APPLY IT 9 REALITY4 ,/ATE SOCIALISM1 AGR>IAN SOCIALISM1 ! POLICY ( COMP5SATION1 ! QUE/ION ( ! >MY1 ALL CON/ITUT$ DEFEATS TO \R OPPORTUNISM4 ,IT IS CLE> ?AT1 IF ?IS CURR5T IS TO MA9TA9 ITSELF1 IT MU/ TRY TO DE/ROY ! PR9CIPLES ( \R !ORY & ELABORATE A !ORY ( ITS [N4 ,B]N/E9'S BOOK IS PRECISELY AN EF=T 9 ?AT DIRECTION4 ,?AT IS :Y AT ,/UTTG>T ALL ! OPPORTUNI/ ELEM5TS 9 \R P>TY IMM$IATELY GR\P$ !MSELVES >\ND ,B]N/E9'S BANN]4 ,IF ! OPPORTUNI/ CURR5TS 9 ! PRACTICAL ACTIVITY ( \R P>TY >E AN 5TIRELY NATURAL PH5OM5ON :I* CAN BE EXPLA9$ 9 ! LI<T ( ! SPECIAL CONDITIONS ( \R ACTIVITY & ITS DEVELOPM5T1 ,B]N/E9'S !ORY IS NO LESS NATURAL AN ATTEMPT TO GR\P !SE CURR5TS 9TO A G5]AL !ORETIC EXPRESSION1 AN ATTEMPT TO ELABORATE ITS [N !ORETIC CONDITIONS & ! BREAK ) SCI5TIFIC SOCIALISM4 ,?AT IS :Y ! PUBLI%$ EXPRESSION ( ,B]N/E9'S IDEAS %\LD BE RECOGNIZ$ AS A !ORETIC TE/ = OPPORTUNISM & AS ITS FIR/ SCI5TIFIC LEGITIMIZATION4 

,:AT WAS ! RESULT ( ?IS TE/8 ,WE HAVE SE5 ! RESULT4 ,OPPORTUNISM IS NOT A POSITION TO ELABORATE A POSITIVE !ORY CAPABLE ( )/&+ CRITICISM4 ,ALL IT CAN DO IS TO ATTACK V>I\S ISOLAT$ !SES ( ,M>XI/ !ORY &1 JU/ BECAUSE ,M>XI/ DOCTR9E CON/ITUTES ONE SOLIDLY CON/RUCT$ $IFICE1 HOPE BY ?IS MEANS TO %AKE ! 5TIRE SY/EM FROM ! TOP TO ITS F\NDATION4 

,?IS %[S ?AT OPPORTUNI/ PRACTICE IS ESS5TIALLY IRRECONCILABLE ) ,M>XISM4 ,BUT IT ALSO PROVES ?AT OPPORTUNISM IS 9COMPATIBLE ) SOCIALISM 7! SOCIALI/ MOVEM5T7 9 G5]AL1 ?AT ITS 9T]NAL T5D5CY IS TO PU% ! LABOR MOVEM5T 9TO B\RGEOIS PA?S1 ?AT OPPORTUNISM T5DS TO P>ALYZE COMPLETELY ! PROLET>IAN CLASS /RUGGLE4 ,! LATT]1 CONSID]$ HI/ORICALLY1 HAS EVID5TLY NO?+ TO DO ) ,M>XI/ DOCTR9E4 ,=1 BE=E ,M>X & 9DEP5D5TLY FROM HIM1 !RE HAVE BE5 LABOR MOVEM5TS & V>I\S SOCIALI/ DOCTR9ES1 EA* ( :I*1 9 ITS WAY1 WAS ! !ORETIC EXPRESSION CORRESPOND+ TO ! CONDITIONS ( ! TIME1 ( ! /RUGGLE ( ! WORK+ CLASS = EMANCIPATION4 ,! !ORY ?AT CONSI/S 9 BAS+ SOCIALISM ON ! MORAL NOTION ( JU/ICE1 ON A /RUGGLE AGA9/ ! MODE ( DI/RIBUTION1 9/EAD ( BAS+ IT ON A /RUGGLE AGA9/ ! MODE ( PRODUCTION1 ! CONCEPTION ( CLASS ANTAGONISM AS AN ANTAGONISM BETWE5 ! POOR & ! RI*1 ! EF=T TO GRAFT ! 0COOP]ATIVE PR9CIPLE0 ON CAPITALI/ ECONOMY - ALL ! NICE NOTIONS F\ND 9 ,B]N/E9'S DOCTR9E - ALREADY EXI/$ BE=E HIM4 ,& !SE !ORIES W]E1 9 !IR TIME1 9 SPITE ( !IR 9SUFFICI5CY1 EFFECTIVE !ORIES ( ! PROLET>IAN CLASS /RUGGLE4 ,!Y W]E ! *ILDR5'S SEV5-LEAGUE BOOTS ?ANKS TO :I* ! PROLET>IAT LE>N$ TO WALK UPON ! SC5E ( HI/ORY4 

,BUT AFT] ! DEVELOPM5T ( ! CLASS /RUGGLE & ITS REFLEX 9 ITS SOCIAL CONDITIONS HAD L$ TO ! AB&ONM5T ( !SE !ORIES & TO ! ELABORATION ( ! PR9CIPLES ( SCI5TIFIC SOCIALISM1 !RE C\LD BE NO SOCIALISM - AT LEA/ 9 ,G]MANY - \TSIDE ( ,M>XI/ SOCIALISM & !RE C\LD BE NO SOCIALI/ CLASS /RUGGLE \TSIDE ( ! ,SOCIAL-,DEMOCRACY4 ,=M !N ON1 SOCIALISM & ,M>XISM1 ! PROLET>IAN /RUGGLE = EMANCIPATION & ! ,SOCIAL-,DEMOCRACY1 W]E ID5TICAL4 ,?AT IS :Y ! RETURN TO PRE-,M>XI/ SOCIALI/ !ORIES NO LONG] SIGNIFIES TODAY A RETURN TO ! SEV5-LEAGUE BOOTS ( ! *ILDHOOD ( ! PROLET>IAT1 BUT A RETURN TO ! PUNY WORN-\T SLIPP]S ( ! B\RGEOISIE4 

,B]N/E9'S !ORY WAS ! FIR/1 & AT ! SAME TIME1 ! LA/ ATTEMPT TO GIVE A !ORETIC BASE TO OPPORTUNISM4 ,IT IS ! LA/1 BECAUSE 9 ,B]N/E9'S SY/EM1 OPPORTUNISM HAS GONE - NEGATIVELY ?R\< ITS R5UNCIATION ( SCI5TIFIC SOCIALISM1 POSITIVELY ?R\< ITS M>%AL+ ( EV]Y BIT ( !ORETIC CONFUSION POSSIBLE - AS F> AS IT CAN4 ,9 ,B]N/E9'S BOOK1 OPPORTUNISM HAS CR[N$ ITS !ORETIC DEVELOPM5T 7JU/ AS IT COMPLET$ ITS PRACTICAL DEVELOPM5T 9 ! POSITION TAK5 BY ,S*IPPEL ON ! QUE/ION ( MILIT>ISM71 & HAS REA*$ ITS ULTIMATE CONCLUSION4 

,M>XI/ DOCTR9E CAN NOT ONLY REFUTE OPPORTUNISM !ORETICALLY4 ,IT ALONE CAN EXPLA9 OPPORTUNISM AS AN HI/ORIC PH5OM5ON 9 ! DEVELOPM5T ( ! P>TY4 ,! =W>D M>* ( ! PROLET>IAT1 ON A WORLD HI/ORIC SCALE1 TO ITS F9AL VICTORY IS NOT1 9DE$1 0SO SIMPLE A ?+40 ,! PECULI> *>ACT] ( ?IS MOVEM5T RESIDES PRECISELY 9 ! FACT ?AT H]E1 = ! FIR/ TIME 9 HI/ORY1 ! POPUL> MASSES !MSELVES1 9 OPPOSITION TO ! RUL+ CLASSES1 >E TO IMPOSE !IR WILL BUT !Y MU/ EFFECT ?IS \TSIDE ( ! PRES5T SOCIETY1 BEYOND ! EXI/+ SOCIETY4 ,?IS WILL ! MASSES CAN ONLY =M 9 A CON/ANT /RUGGLE AGA9/ ! EXI/+ ORD]4 ,! UNION ( ! BROAD POPUL> MASSES ) AN AIM REA*+ BEYOND ! EXI/+ SOCIAL ORD]1 ! UNION ( ! DAILY /RUGGLE ) ! GREAT WORLD TRANS=MATION1 ?AT IS ! TASK ( ! ,SOCIAL-,DEMOCRATIC MOVEM5T1 :I* MU/ LOGICALLY GROPE ON ITS ROAD ( DEVELOPM5T BETWE5 ! FOLL[+ TWO ROCKS3 AB&ON+ ! MASS *>ACT] ( ! P>TY OR AB&ON+ ITS F9AL AIM FALL+ 9TO B\RGEOIS RE=MISM OR 9TO SECT>IANISM1 AN>*ISM OR OPPORTUNISM4 

,9 ITS !ORETIC >S5AL1 ,M>XI/ DOCTR9E FURNI%$1 MORE ?AN HALF A C5TURY AGO1 >MS ?AT >E EFFECTIVE AGA9/ BO? ( !SE TWO EXTREMES4 ,BUT BECAUSE \R MOVEM5T IS A MASS MOVEM5T & BECAUSE ! DANG]S M5AC+ IT >E NOT D]IV$ FROM ! HUMAN BRA9 BUT FROM SOCIAL CONDITIONS1 ,M>XI/ DOCTR9E C\LD NOT ASSURE US1 9 ADVANCE & ONCE = ALWAYS1 AGA9/ ! AN>*I/ & OPPORTUNI/ T5D5CIES4 ,! LATT] CAN BE OV]COME ONLY AS WE PASS FROM ! DOMA9 ( !ORY TO ! DOMA9 ( PRACTICE BUT ONLY ) ! HELP ( ! >MS FURNI%$ US BY ,M>X4 

0,B\RGEOIS REVOLUTIONS10 WROTE ,M>X A HALF C5TURY AGO1 0LIKE ?OSE ( ! EI<TE5? C5TURY1 RU% ONW>D RAPIDLY FROM SUCCESS TO SUCCESS1 !IR /AGE EFFECTS \TBID ONE ANO!R1 M5 & ?+S SEEMS TO BE SET 9 FLAM+ BRILLIANTS1 EC/ASY IS ! PREVAIL+ SPIRIT2 BUT !Y >E %ORT-LIV$1 !Y REA* !IR CLIMAX SPE$ILY & !N SOCIETY RELAPSES 9TO A LONG FIT ( N]V\S REACTION BE=E IT LE>NS H[ TO APPROPRIATE ! FRUITS ( ITS P]IOD ( FEV]I% EXCITEM5T4 ,PROLET>IAN REVOLUTIONS1 ON ! CONTR>Y1 SU* AS ?OSE ( ! N9ETE5? C5TURY1 CRITICIZE !MSELVES CON/ANTLY2 CON/ANTLY 9T]RUPT !MSELVES 9 !IR [N C\RSE2 COME BACK TO :AT SEEMS TO HAVE BE5 ACCOMPLI%$1 9 ORD] TO />T ANEW2 SCORN ) CRUEL ?OR\<NESS ! HALF-MEASURES1 WEAKNESS & MEANNESS ( !IR FIR/ ATTEMPTS2 SEEM TO ?R[ D[N !IR ADV]S>Y ONLY TO 5ABLE HIM TO DRAW FRE% /R5G? FROM ! E>? & AGA9 TO RISE UP AGA9/ !M 9 MORE GIGANTIC /ATURE2 CON/ANTLY RECOIL 9 FE> BE=E ! UNDEF9$ MON/] MAGNITUDE ( !IR [N OBJECTS - UNTIL F9ALLY ?AT SITUATION IS CREAT$ :I* R5D]S ALL RETREATS IMPOSSIBLE & CONDITIONS !MSELVES CRY \T3 @&_?#a#d#e2,HIC ,RHODUS1 HIC SALTA6' ,H]E IS ! ROSE4 ,& H]E WE MU/ DANCE60 .<,EI<TE5? ,BRUMAIRE.> 

,?IS HAS REMA9$ TRUE EV5 AFT] ! ELABORATION ( ! DOCTR9E ( SCI5TIFIC SOCIALISM4 ,! PROLET>IAN MOVEM5T HAS NOT AS YET1 ALL AT ONCE1 BECOME SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC1 EV5 9 ,G]MANY4 ,BUT IT IS BECOM+ MORE SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC1 SURM\NT+ CONT9U\SLY ! EXTREME DEVIATIONS ( AN>*ISM & OPPORTUNISM1 BO? ( :I* >E ONLY DET]M9+ PHASES ( ! DEVELOPM5T ( ! ,SOCIAL-,DEMOCRACY1 CONSID]$ AS A PROCESS4 

,= !SE REASONS1 WE MU/ SAY ?AT ! SURPRIS+ ?+ H]E IS NOT ! APPE>ANCE ( AN OPPORTUNI/ CURR5T BUT RA!R ITS FEEBL5ESS4 ,AS LONG AS IT %[$ ITSELF 9 ISOLAT$ CASES ( ! PRACTICAL ACTIVITY ( ! P>TY1 ONE C\LD SUPPOSE ?AT IT HAD A S]I\S POLITICAL BASE4 ,BUT N[ ?AT IT HAS %[N ITS FACE 9 ,B]N/E9'S BOOK1 ONE CANNOT HELP EXCLAIM ) A/ONI%M5T3 0,:AT8 ,IS ?AT ALL Y\ HAVE TO SAY80 ,NOT ! %AD[ ( AN ORIG9AL ?\<T6 ,NOT A S+LE IDEA ?AT WAS NOT REFUT$1 CRU%$1 R$UC$ 9TO DU/ BY ,M>XISM SEV]AL DECADES AGO6 

,IT WAS 5\< = OPPORTUNISM TO SPEAK \T TO PROVE IT HAD NO?+ TO SAY4 ,9 ! HI/ORY ( \R P>TY ?AT IS ! ONLY IMPORTANCE ( ,B]N/E9'S BOOK4 

,?US SAY+ GOOD-BYE TO ! MODE ( ?\<T ( ! REVOLUTION>Y PROLET>IAT1 TO DIALECTICS & TO ! MAT]IALI/ CONCEPTION ( HI/ORY1 ,B]N/E9 CAN ?ANK !M = ! ATT5UAT+ CIRCUM/ANCES !Y PROVIDE = HIS CONV]SION4 ,= ONLY DIALECTICS & ! MAT]IALI/ CONCEPTION ( HI/ORY1 MAGNANIM\S AS !Y >E1 C\LD MAKE ,B]N/E9 APPE> AS AN UNCONSCI\S PR$E/9$ 9/RUM5T1 BY MEANS ( :I* ! RIS+ WORK+ CLASS EXPRESSES ITS MOM5T>Y WEAKNESS BUT :I*1 UPON CLOS] 9SPECTION1 IT ?R[S ASIDE CONTEMPTU\SLY & ) PRIDE4 

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
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