>Reply-To: "stachkom ICQ#42743890" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "stachkom ICQ#42743890" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >A.A. Razlatzky Replies to Shein > >What a curious "discussion" we have seen since >Isaev spoke out against Shein. It has allowed me to >reinforce some ideas. > >1. For any true fighter for the workers cause, the >prestige of Isaev remains indisputable. Because, in >the course of the struggle, he has never sought any >reward or cushy position, but has, and this is proven >by the facts, been interested, above all, in the >success of the cause. There are few enough, even >among the true fighters, who have been so selfless in >the struggle, who have had their very freedom taken >from them by the authorities. Isaev, for those who >don't know, was, in 1981, for speaking out for >workers' organization (this was officially called >anti-soviet agitation and propaganda), sentenced to 6 >years close confinement and a further 5 of internal >exile. > >Further, the prestige of Isaev is synonymous with the >organization, under his initiative together with that of >Viktor Kotel'nikov, of numerous strikes in their own >factory (ZIM), starting immediately after his release in >1987. Though for the moment such things are not >happening, administrative fines and jail time are very >familiar to Grigorii. And the fact that for the last two >years there have been no strikes at ZIM is not from >any weakness, but is a credit to Isaev. For it was >precisely under the pressure of these workers' >actions that the authorities have inclined to a >conciliatory stance and so the workers' economic >situation at the enterprise has noticeably improved. >The authorities are quite simply frightened to hold up >wages! And they conduct any layoffs with extreme >caution, and with full payment of all applicable >severance pay, so that, Lord willing, they won't >aggravate the situation. And for the moment, it has >not been aggravated. So, if Shein is willing to take >the risk of trying to undermine the prestige of Isaev, >this means that he very worried about his personal >position among the workers leaders. He is simply >fighting for authority! And in this struggle he >considers all methods to be suitable. In these times, >this is not unusual. > >2. The second idea is a continuation of the first. As >is well known, true fighters for the workers cause >never strove hard for electoral positions within such >authorities as were ripe to be overthrown. It cannot be >said that work in parliaments should never be >conducted anywhere or at any time. But it was not >the most outstanding leaders who were delegated >there, but rather people of the middle rank, who could >not be entrusted with more important work. For they >were merely delegates. And it was others who >determined the general line of work. For God's sake, >don't take this as a hint about Shein. Here we have >quite a different case. He has pretensions to >leadership and is undoubtedly convinced that work in >the Duma is the most important path to realize them. >The fact that he went off to the Duma, by itself, >convinces me of this. > >3. It is well known that Shein, besides his position as >a deputy, still remains a union activist. The >contradiction between party and union work has long >been known. At some point, this must become >serious and interfere with the cause. It turns out, >clearly, that now is such a point. Of course, for the >workers cause, party and strike work is vastly more >important. (Though not just any strike. And not just >any party.) But this, in no way applies to the unions. >The point here is in the very definition. The aim of a >union is to defend the workers from the arbitrariness >of the authorities. And on this level the work of Shein >is altogether productive and useful. The aim of the >party and the workers movement is to overthrow the >current system and establish the authority of the >workers. And in this sphere the work of Shein is >unusually harmful. And this is why Isaev spoke out >against him. Although, with intelligent and subtle >handling, the Shein affair may yet be turned to the >workers advantage. But we shouldn't delude >ourselves. This is like the NEP in the years of Soviet >power. While they were useful they had a place, later, >when the NEP-men began to organize themselves >as a class, their livelihood was shut down even >though it was the authorities themselves who had >created it. > >Alexei A. Razlatzky > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >______________________________________________ >FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com >Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup > > >KARL MARX "The emancipation of the working class must be conquered by the >working class itself ... it is also the emancipation of all human beings >without distinction of race or sex." > >E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ#42743890 >http://proletarism.org/ >http://stachkom.org/ > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
