NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1961 MARKIST REVIEW

VOL. XVIII (182) TORONTO, CANADA 25 CENTS

EVERYTHING FOR THE GOOD OF MAN - Leslie Morris. 3

THE BERLIN CRISIS AND DIEFENBAKER - Nelson Clarke 11

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AUTOMATION 16

AUTOMATION AND CANADIAN WORKERS - T. D. 20

THE CUBAN WORKERS AND THE REVOLUTION - Blas Roca ... 22

AFRICA'S ANCIENT CULTURES - I. Potekhin 26

THE SLANDER OF DR. BETHUNE - Stanley Linkovich .. 30

REVIEWS. 36

LETTER 43

GREETINGS TO WORLD MARXIST REVIEW. 47

THE BERLIN CRISIS AND DIEFENBAKER Page 11 Announcing the New Marxist Quarterly

In order to make possible the publication of more extensive studi'es of Canadtan and world real'ity, the publishers of MAR."XIST REVIEW have come to the conclusion that our present journal should be replaced by a Quarterly. Starting in the Spring (March), 1\962, publication will com­ mence of the new magazine.

THE MARXIST QUARTERLY Of larger format, the new journal wil'l carry creatJive articles on themes of importance in the fields of pol,itical science and economics, social conditions and history, culture and philo'sophy. We are confident that it will carry forward and enlarge on the contribution made by MARXIST REVIEW, in the battle for progressive thought ~n Canada.' It is planned that the MARXIST QUARTERLY be priced at 50 cents: a copy, $2.00 per year. Subscribers td MARXIST REVIEW will be asked to continue as subscribers to the QUARTERLY, and to agree, where there are subscrtption payments extending beyond the present final issue of MR, to have these apply toward a subscription to the Quarterly. The Editorial Board, MARXIST REVIEW ------r------SUBSCRIPTION BLAN'K I RENEWAL BLANK Enelosed please find $2.00 for a year's I Enclosed please find $2.00 to renew my subscription to MARXIST QUARTERLY. I .ub.criptioft to MARXIST QUARTERLY. Name of Sub.crlber _ . J Name of Subscrlber _ I Address . I Address , . I I ------I

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2 Everything 'for the Good of Man By LESLIE' MORRIS'

IN HIS BEAUTIFUL and sensitive book work" fot the common good becomes about pre-war flying, W~nd, Sand and the general phenomenon." !' ,' Stars, Antoine de Saint Exupery wrote: 'A year later, in reporting, to the 8th "Happiness! It is useless to seek it Congress 'Qf" Soviets, he said: ' elsewhere than in the warmth of human ,"Communism is the Soviet power relations." And: "To be a man is, plus the electrification' of the whole precisely, to ,be responsible. It is to country;" ', ::,' feel shame at the sight of what seems, For Lenin,' trutjl 'was always' con. to be unmerited misery. It is to take crete. In' ,the "new,Program of the pride in a victory won by one's com· c.P.s.U,:''the'aimis set of the ,com­ rades. It is to feel, when setting one's pletionof\ the electrification' of the stone, that, one is contributing to the U.S.S:R. '" building of the world.", ** *, The Program of the Communist Party MEN,HAVE DREAMED of a classless of the Soviet Union sets down the society in which the harsh, 'struggle: purpose of Soviet society as being for bread ,would be ended andabund­ "everything for the benefit of man". ance would ::be ;each man's ,sharl:\, be­ The broad humanism of the French cause of> the, production of: a surplus, airline pilot-author, which 'saturates over men's, daily needs, a surplus the work of all of the great dreamers, available to everybody., It. was

/ and society inscr~be upon its banners, not only in Europe, but through Asia from each according to his ability, to and Africa and has now crossed the each according to his needs." ocean to the 'Western Hemishpere, to Cuba. * * * 'The Program of the C.P.S.U. is the THE PROGRAH opens, like a sym­ supreme triumph of Marxism at work, phony Qf human pride ,and ronfidence, Marxism of the era of proletarian revo­ with the coda: lution and the victory of socialism. It "The supreme goal of the party is is Marxism-Leninism-the applied sd­ to build a communist society on whose ence of working-class emancipation. banner will be inscribed, 'From each according to his ability, to each accord­ * * ing to his needs'. The party's motto, IS IT BECAUSE it senses this that the 'Everything for the benefit of man' will Toronto Globe and Mail published the be put into effect in full ... Commun­ Program in full in its issue of August ism accomplishes the historic mission 5? Is it because this fact penetrates of delivering all man from social ine­ even his thick mental hide that Prime quality, from every form of oppression Minister Diefenbaker essays to tilt his and explOitation, from the horrors of polemical lance at the C.P.S.U. Pro­ war', and proclaims peace, labor, free­ gram, and, true Tory that he is, blinds dom, equality and happiness for all his eyes with misquotations and mis­ peoples of the earth." representations before throwing down The line ,from Marx and Engels, the gage to Nikita Khrushchov in a through Lenin" to the present Program, farcical joust? is .uirect and ascending. Those who, Be that as it may, the Program Qf like the opportunists in Germany in the C.P.S.U., ,adopted by the 22nd 1875 and others like them who have Congress after a thorough discussion, deserted the path of scientific social­ is the greatest challenge yet faced by ism, have degenerated into the 'Willi capitalism, and the most eloquent her­ Brandtsand Gaitskells of 1961, lackeys ald of the future of the working class of the imperialists. Those who, with since The Communist M.anifesto of 1848. the C.P.S.U. in the vanguard, have A word about the scope of the dis­ remained true to their scientific con­ cussion in the C.P.S.U. will be helpful victions, are growing and flourishing. in understanding the power of socialist rrhe world communist movement, and democracy. the Communist party in each rou'ntry, In the Ukraine 'alone, eight million be it large or small, whether the party people attended discussions of the Draft is in leadership of the nation or in Program, ,and over half a million spoke illegality, 'a mass party or still trying on it in meetings. More than fifteen to break out of isolation and to gain thousand letters suggesting improve­ the leadership of the working class, ments in the party's constitution were is in possession of the effective leader­ sent in by the members of the party ship of mankind. in the Ukraine. This was repeated righf Communism the world over is no through the U.S.S.R., in all the re­ longer' a movement whose success or publics. failure is in doubt. It is now only a ** * matter of time before its leadership THE FIRST PART of the Program becomes universal. The die has been describes the development and com· cast. The Spectre that haunted Europe plete victory of socialism in the in 1848 is now corporeal, and walks U.S.S.R., when the social order was 4 Marxist Review based on the principle: "From each revolutions, revolutions are quite feasi­ according to his abilities, to each ac­ ble without war. The great Objectives cording to his work." This is the social­ of the working class can be realized ist system of payment from the social without world war. .. ," fund. It marked a revolutionary depar­ Such a statement in the program of ture from capitalist society. the Communist parties was vitally ne· The decline of capitalism and the cessary precisely because the concrete threats to peace which a dying imper­ experience of two world wars:seemed ialism gives rise to; ,and the antithesis to indicate an opposite conclusion. But of this.-the world-wide revolt of the Marxis.m demands a concrete analysis peoples against imperialism, confronts of the 'relationships of forces. at each the Communist movement with the need given time. Such an analysis' today for clear tactics. Their foundations reveals the new factor: the power of were laid by Lenin in 1916, in his the socialist camp and its growing famous hook, Imperialism, the Final superiority over the imperialist camp. Stage of Capitalism. It is from Lenin's This profound change in world rela­ fundamental treatment of the tasks of tionships could not but find reflection the working-class in the period of the in Communist policy. Things were dif­ decline of imperialis.m, that the world ferent in 1914. and 1939. Communist movement takes its tactics. The first stage of this general crisis ** * of imperialism was World ,War I THIS IS THE lliEORETICAL founda· and the Russian revolution; the second tion for the peace ,policy of the Com· stage was World War II and the exten­ munists. -and the struggle to realize sion of the socialist camp, and the peaceful coexistence - a coexistence rise of the ,anti-imperialist revolution. which, 'as the Program says, is "a It may well be that a third stage is specific form of the class struggle" now opening: the victory of peaceful between capitalism 'and socialisn:t. The coexistence over the forces of imperial­ Program says: ist war and the construction of com­ "Peaceful coexistence of the socialist munism in the U.S.S.R., as well as and capitalist countries is an objective the advance of the other socialist states necessity for the development of human more or less. simultaneously to com­ society. War cannot and must not serva munism. Lenin's tactical line therefore as a means of settling interMtional required even more precise formula­ disputes. Peaceful coexistence or dis­ tions in the light of modern conditions. astrous war-su~h is the alternative 'The Moscow Declaration of 1959, and offered by history." the November, 1961 Statement of the It is true that the C.P.S.U., from Communist and Workers' Parties con­ 1917 on, has fought for peace. Lenin tained these formulations. The Program and Stalin wrote frequently about the of the C.P.S.U, puts them very suc­ necessity of peaceful coexistence as the cinctly: basis of Soviet foreign policy. But "Communists have never held that times have changed: what then was the road to revolution lies necessarily a lone fight by the 'Soviet Union has through wars between countries. So­ now become the policy of, "the ;1nighty cialist revolution is not necessarily socialist camp, the peaeeloving· non· connected with war. Although both socialist countries, the international world wars, which were started by the working class and all the forces -cham'. imperialists, culmiMted in socialist pioning peace", 'as the Program says. November-December, 1961 The immediate and best way (jffight­ for communism. There are some people ingfor peaceful coexistence is to win who are much more interested in our "general and 'complete disarmament basic program 'and our fundamental under strict international control'''. ideas, about society, than they are in This first section of the C.P.S.U. the party's proposals for immediate Program IS required reading for every reforms. So the fight for immediate Canadian Communist, especially now demands has to be properly connected, when the German crisis has brought in terms of time, place and circuin­ the threat of war to a climactic pitch stances, with our advocacy of com­ and, the organs of misinformation are munism. This is particularly so now working; night and day to portray the that the Program of the C.P.S.U. has Soviet Union as the "aggressor". We raised before the whole world the pros­ find here 'a calm, scientifically objective pect of communism as a re.ality. description of. the world today-the ."Communism is a classless social longview, the historical view, without system with one form of public owner­ which nobody can understand, the wind­ ship of the means of production and ings of, the international situation. full social equality of ,all members of Communists' must have the historical society; under it, the all-round develop- outlook in' order' to fight convincingly .ment of people will be accompanied by for the immediate objectives. the growth of the productive forces ** through continuous progress in science 'I1HE SECOND PART of the Program and technology, all sources of public answers the question: "What is Com­ wealth will gush forth abundantly and munism?" Here we should like to make the great principle. 'From each aocord· a point: in their anxiety to concentrate ing to his ability, to each according to on immediate questions ,and to get his needs,' will be implemented. Com­ unity around them, too often members munism is a highly or§anized society of olit party evade this question. rrue, of free, socially conscious. work£ng communism is. not at issue in Canada people in which public self-government as an immediate political objective. will be established, in which labor for But it is not true that it should not be the good of society' will 'become the talked about. If there is anyone sub­ prime and vital requirement for every­ ject that has aroused world-wide atten­ one, a necessity recognized by one and tion, it is precisely communism. Not all, and the ability of each person will to talk about it or to evade doing so be employed to the greatest 'benefit of in circumstances when the subject is the people." brought up out oi curiosity, or even ** hostility, .is not only to capitulate. to IF AT THIS POINT you turn back to red-baiting but to misrepresent what the quotations from Marx and Lenin at the Communist Party stands for. We the beginning of this article you will stand for communism. And who better be struck by the basic similarity of thana' Communist can explain what the definition of communism, some of communism is? Who more than he them almost a century Cl.part. What a has the' duty to do so? tribute this is to the founders of the As a matter of fact people join the science of Marxism-Leninism! Communist Party or come to support To portray theoretically a future soc­ it not only because it stands for peace ial system, and then to have it veri­ 'and independence and for action on fied ·a century later by the real pro­ housing and jobs, but because it stands cessesof history, is itself a revolution 6 Marxist Review in human consciousness. There is per­ relations will be completely freed from haps no more scintillating verification material considerations and will be of Marxist-Leninist historical science based solely on mutual love and friend­ than this. It is also in, itself 'a vindica­ ship." tion of the Marxist-'Leninist pr,inciple In Canada today there is a deep-go­ of the transforming role of conscious­ ing crisis in our educational system, ness in human history. Communism and it is rooted in the inability of cap­ was fully described when capitalism italist society to utilise the talents and was yet in its early stages. Capitalism abilities. of man. There is a moral de­ was never fully described in advance generation, too, which worries the cit­ of its appearance by even the brilliant izenry. The number of divorces in­ thinkers who fought for bourgeois creases steadily and the family as an democracy as against ,feudal stagna­ institution is in sharp conflict with mao tion; it 'arose spontaneously out of the terialconsiderations. Communism is decay of feudalism. How different it the only fundamental solution to the was with communism. crises in education, moral s.tandards 'The essential distinction between and the family. Only when the "cash town and country, and between mental nexus between man 'and man" which and manual labor, will disappear under capitalism ,forces upon people, is re­ communism, despite the moans of bour­ moved, and the alienation of man from geois intellectuals who cling to their the means of production is abolished, "mental privilege" as stubbornly as will social crisis be replaced by social any artisan to his craft. On this point harmony. the Program says: "The intelligentsia But this does not mean that contra­ will no longer be a distinct social dictions. will cease altogether. That stratum, since workers by hand will will never be ,and life would not be have risen in cultural and technological worth living if it were. There will al­ standards to the level of worikers by ways be a contradiction between social brain." Or, as Marx once said, under man's aspirations and his capacities communism there will be no painters; to achieve; between Man and Nature; there will be people who paint. between the dream and the reality. "Under communism the nations will But the destructive class and social draw closer and closer together in all antagonisms that divide society and spheres on the basis of a complete bring poverty and war in their train, identity of economic, political and will be abolished by communism. spiritual interests, of fraternal friend­ Skeptics and doubters among bour­ ship and cooperation." geois philosophers deny this. They What a day that will be, when the claim that Man will never be the soc­ "cannibalism" of national hatreds will ially ,aware ,and disciplined organism be swept away! that the communists say he will be Communist society demands a high under communism. Here the philoso­ degree of human consciousness, dis­ phers join with the religious reaction­ cipline and devotion, and this will aries who say that Man is essentially stamp the features of the communist evil ,and can not be trusted. By whom? man. one might ask. Of course, by none "Communism! is the system under other than the religious reactionaries which the talents and abilities of free and the bourgeois philosophers them­ man, his best moral qualities, blossom selves, not by Man himself. But Man and reveal themselves in full. Family does act for himseLf, leaving the pun- November-December, 1961 7 dits behind and exclaiming, no doubt, The second stage is the decade 1971­ that it was all a mistake. 80 when:- "the m(Lterial and technical basis oj ** * communism will be created and there THE ANCIENT CURSE of hard labor will be an abundance of material and will be 'a thing of the past. The Pro­ cultural benefits for the whole popula­ gram says: tion. Soviet society will come close to "Communist production demands the stage where it can introduce the high standards of organization, preci­ principle of distribution according to sion ,and discipline, which are insured needs, and there will be a gradual not by compulsion, but thanks to an transition to one form of ownership-­ understanding of public duty ... labor public ownership. Thus a communist and discipline will not be a burden to society will be, on the whole~ built in people, labor will no longer be a mere the U.S.S.R. The construction of com~ source of livelihood-it will be a gen­ munist society will be fully completed uinelycreative process and a source in the subsequent period." of happiness ..." This is the famous 20-year Plan Workers and farmers will understand which the capitalist press was compell­ this better than ,any other social group; ed to pay serious, if somewhat ignor­ better, for example, than those who, ant, 'attention to. (What is capitalism's because of the division between mental plan for the next 20 years? What is and manual labor set up under capital­ John Diefenbaker's? Good questions ism, have not worked with their hands. to stimulate one's study of the C.P.S.U, Creative labor, with the hands and Program.) head, is happiness. Technological de­ We cannot here go into detail about velopment makes possible the removal the aims which the Program sets be­ of back-'breaking, exhaustive labor and fore the people of the U.S.S.R. For frees man for creative work. that the Program must be read; there How is this society to be brought is no subbstitute for it. It speaks for into being, and when? Two st'ages are itself and no article writer can improve described in the Program. The first on it. All he can do is to give some s.tage is: of the highlights and stimulate self­ "In the current decade (1961-70) the study. Soviet Union, in creating the material But it might be useful to quote two and technical basis of communism, "codes" in the Program, one dealing will surpass the strongest and. richest with material things, the other with capitalist country, the U.S.A., In prod­ moral obligations. They could be des­ uction per head of population and the cribedas the "commandments" under­ people's standard ~f living, and the.ir taken by the C.P.S.U. in the name of cultural and techmcal standards will the Soviet people. (Unlike other well­ improve substantially everyone will l!ve known "commandments" they will be in easy circumstances; all collectlve practiced. Religious people, take note.) and state farms will become highly productive and profitable enterprises; The "material" code, to be put into the demand of the Soviet people for practice over the next 20 years, is: well-appointed housing will, in the main, -Free maintenance of children at be satisfied; hard physical labor will children's institutions and boarding disappear, the U.S.S.R. will be~ome th~ s,chools, if parents wish. country with the shortest working day. -Maintenance of disabled people. Marxist Review -Free education at all educational -Friendship ,and brotherhood among establishments. all the peoples of the U.S.S.R.; intol­ -Free medical services for 'all in­ erance of national and racial hatreds. cluding the supply of medicines' and -An uncompromising attitude to the the treatment of sick people at sani­ enemies of communism, peace and the toria. freedom of nations. -Rent-free housing; later, free -Fraternal solidarity with the work­ public services and free public trans­ ing-people of 'all countries, and with port facilities. (That will solve the car­ all peoples. traffic tangles!) *** -Free us.e of some types of com­ WITH ToHE COMPLETE victory of munal services. socialism and the transition to com­ munism changes will come about in the -Stead!' reduction of charges for, state, prior to its final "withering and partially free, use of rest homes away". and vacation boarding houses and tour­ The Program says: ist camps. "The dictatorship of the proletariat -Increasingly broad provision of has fulfilled its historic mission and benefits, privileges and scholarships. has ceased to be indispensable in the -Gradual introduction of free public U.S.S.R. from the point of view of in­ catering (mid-day meals) at enterpris­ ternal development... The party es and institutions, and for kolkhoz holds that the dictatorship of the work­ farmers at work. ing class will cease to be necessary The "moral" code is: before the state withers away. The -Devotion to the communist cause, state C:S an organization embracing love of the socialist motherland and the entire people will survive until the the other socialist countries. complete victory of communism." -Conscientious labor for the good oJ This means a vast extension of society: he who does not work, neither democracy and the gradual trans.forma­ shall he eat. tion of state organs into organs of -Concern on everyone's part for the self-government. The Soviets will be­ pres.ervation and growth of public come social organizations with the wealth. masses directly taking part in their -A high sense of public duty, intol­ work. One-third of the deputies. will be erance of actions harmful to the public newly-elected at each election. People interest. should serve as leading state officials -Collectivism and comradely mutual for no more than three terms. Stand­ assistance: one for all and 'all ,for one. ing committees will enlarge their scope -Humane relations and mutual res­ of action. r'frade unions, the Y.C.L, pect between individuals: man is to women's groups and others will draft man a fr,iend, oomrade and brother. laws and take a direct part in admin­ ~Honesty and truthfulness, moral istrative work. purity, modesty and guilelessness in A vast expansion of cultural life is social and private life. envisaged. "Art will inspire labor, -Mutual respect in the family and adorn life and ennoble man". concern for the upbringing of children. Democracy within the C.P.S.U. must -An uncompromising attitude to in­ be 'a model of self-government for all justice, parasitism, dishonesty and Soviet people. To strengthen party careerism. democracy -and collectivity of leader- November-December, 1961 9 ship a number of changes are propos­ increasing defense expenditures may ed. (They are spelled out more precise­ hold up the fulfillment of the plans ly in the Draft of the p.arty's Rules for raising the living standard of the which was published with the Draft people. An enduring normalization oj Program). These changes are in the international relations, reduction oj Jirection of providing for the constant military expenditures and, in particu­ renewal of leadership, restricting the lar, the realization of general and com­ length of service of individual Com­ plete disarmament under appropriate munists on leading bodies, starting agreement between countries, would with the Presidium. Lessons are drawn make it possible greatly to surpass the from the experience of the latter years plans for' raising the people's living of Stalin's life. The Program says: standard." "The cult of the individual and the * violations of collectivism in leadership, 'Thus, communism and peace are of inner-party democracy and socialist joined. No one realizes this so fully as legality~ arising out of it, are incom­ the Communists of the U.S.S.R. who patible with the Leninist principles of have communist society within their party life. The cult of the individual grasp. The victory of communism in belittles the role of the party and the the U.S.S.R. will be a victory for masses and hampers the development peace, democracy, and independence of the ideological life of the party and for all peoples throughout the world. the creative activity of the working In the concluding paragraphs the people." Program says: * * * "It is not through war with other WI,LL THE PROGRAM be put into countries, but by the example of a effect? Judging by the success with more perfect organization of society, which the C.P.S.U. transformed the by rapid progress in developing the 1903 and 1919 programs into realities, productive forces, the creation of all the new Program will be realized, and the conditions for the happiness and on time. All the internal conditions are well-being of man, that the ideas of present for the transition to commun­ communism win the minds and the ism. hearts of the masses." The only hindrance arises from ex­ Let us conclude with the final words ternal conditions. The Program says: of the Program-those we quoted at the "The program set forth here can be start of this article: fulfilled under conditions of peace. "The party solemnly proclaims: the Complications in the international sit­ present generation of Soviet people uation and the resultant necessity of shall live under communism."

10 Marxist Review The Berlin Crisis and John Diefenbaker By NELSON CLARKE

THE DRAFT POLICY resolution which titude but one of indifference to the the National Committee of the Com­ people of that city." munist Party has submitted for dis­ This is hardly an. adequate descrip­ cussion in preparation for the party's tion of Canadian public opinion which 17th National Convention makes the is actually crystallizing into a convic­ following characterization of the ior­ tion that no international difference eign policy of the Canadian govern­ can justify thermonuclear war - ,a ment: conviction which is strengthened by "On crucial issues such as the need the growing understanding that Cana­ for complete and general disarmament, dians are 'actually being asked to die support for the struggles of the colo­ fighting in support of the same gang nial peoples, world trade, the recogni­ of German militarists, nazis, and re­ tion of People's China, the Canadian vanchists whom we were compelled to government takes its stand behind the fight against in two world wars. U.S.A. 'But the point we are making here "In spite of the fact that public opin­ is that Diefenbaker is quite conscious ion compels it to 'hedge' from time to of the widespread anxiety and critic­ time to maintain the pretense of an ism over the Western position on Ber­ independent policy, the Canadian gov­ lin ·and Germany. ernment actively supports the reaction­ * :;< * ary, provocative policies of the U.S.A." HE THEREFORE "HEDGES." He There is ample evidence to justify tries to present himself as an advocate this appraisal in the recent statements of negotiations. He said in Winnipeg: and actions of the Canadian govern­ "The West must work out ,an ·agreed ment, particularly with respect to the and flexible negotiation position. An at­ crisis in Germany which is the great titude of realism demands that gov­ source of world tensions, posing as it ernments may gradually disengage does the imminent threat of world from unnecessarily rigid positions. We wide nuclear war. must guard against the peril and This is illustrated by a number of danger of too much rigidity and in speeches made over this past period needlessly taking up dangerous and by the Prime Minister. impossible positions when what i3. at He has admitted that the government stake may be the survival of man­ is under pressure. Speaking to the kind." Canadian Bar Association in Winnipeg This statement is one which standing on Sept. 1, he said: by itself can readily be endorsed and "I have heard it contended that we welcomed by the overwhelming major­ should not take a firm stand on West ity of Canadians. Berlin because (to put it bluntly) 'But the trouble is that this state­ Canada's sacrifice in two world wars ment by the Prime Minister does not against Germany should deny any at- stand by itself. November-December, 1961 11 It is ,accompanied by other state­ ELEVEN DAYS LATER in the House ments which 'all peace-loving Cana­ of Commons he gave an indication of dians have the responsibility of exam­ the line which he thinks the Western ining in the most critical way. powers might pursue: The Prime Minister declared in "I think the time has come when Winnipeg that "The freedom of West consideration might be given - ,and Berlin, and the right of the West to the United Nations might give con­ uphold that freedom, are not negoti­ sideration thereto - to the interna­ able, but there are things that 'are. I tionalizing of the city of Berlin under would like to he free to tell what is the United Nations with its status to negotiable, but particulars cannot be continue under United Nations pre­ discussed before negotiations begin." sence. I realize that this suggestion would not receive the support of Mr. Thus, Diefenbaker says that what is Khrushchov. However, it would bring not negotiable is the "freedom" of about a step forward in the assurance West Berlin, which is actually threat­ that if negotiations failed the United ened by no one, but which provides Nations would have something to the pretext for the line of intense pro­ which it could give its attention." vocation being pursued by the U.S. 'In this statement, the Prime Min­ government and its allies in Bonn. But ister undertakes to try to deceive the the prime minister in Winnipeg not Canadian people into believing that only did not state a position on what the government of Canada has an idea might be negotiable, but bluntly inform­ which marks it off from the stand-pat ed the Canadian people that he will "hard-line" position of Washington not tell them what is in the minds, of and Bonn. Yet in the same breath he the members of his government on an admits that his proposal will not be issue which spells life and death. acceptable to the other side. What is 'This is not because he doesn't know the sens.e oJ putting forward positions that the Berlin question could be set­ for negotiations which you know in tled peacefully. In the same speech advance will be rejected - unless you he said: "There would be a peaceful are really of the opinion that you can solution if the USSR has no intention impose your will by force without ne­ to change the social order in West gotiations? Berlin; if it does not intend to cut the The reasons why the Soviet Union links between West Berlin and West and the German Democratic Republic Germany, or to attempt to impose a would reject a proposal for the "inter­ settlement in violation of fundamental­ nationalization" of the whole of Berlin democratic principles. The Soviet are quite obvious. leaders say they have no such inten~ The city of Berlin lies over 100 miles tion." within the territory of the German Democratic Republic. It was the his­ Most Canadians would think that in­ toric capital of Germany, and quite light of this information, the Canadian­ naturally was selected by the GDR as government should be insisting on the its capital. Diefenbaker's proposal is a immediate -commencement of negotia­ demand that the GDR give up its tions to establish if - the Soviet plan capital. .But more than that it is a de­ does indeed" provide the basisf6ra mand that the people -of East Berlin peaceful settlement. -- give up the socialist society which But Diefenbaker carefully refrained they have built. This is the proposal from making any such propos.al. of the same John Diefenbaker who had 12 Marxist Review just said a few days before "There The Potsdam agreement further stat­ would be a peaceful solution if the ed, "All members of the Nazi party USSR has no intention to change the who have been more than nominal par­ social order in West Berlin," which of ticipants in its activities ... shall be course there is no intention of doing. removed from public and semi-public In other words, according to Diefen­ office." baker, capitalism in 'West Berlin must Today of the 17 cabinet ministers in be protected even at the cost of nu­ the West German government 12 held clear war, but socialism in East Ber­ leading posts during the Hitler regime. lin should be destroyed. ::: ::: * The Potsdam agreement provided that "The German economy shall be THE PRIME MINISTER tries to justi­ demilitarized for the purpose of elimin­ fy his completely arrogant position by ating the present excessive concentra­ claiming that the Western powers pos­ tion of economic power as exemplified s.ess rights in West Berlin which they particularly by cartels, syndicates, do not in fact possess. trusts and other monopolist arrange­ In speaking in Winnipeg he referred ments." to the agreements at the end of the war which established zones of occupa­ Today, the trusts in West Germany tion,and also to subsequent agree­ are more powerful than ever before ments following upon the Berlin block­ and with the backing of a plenitude of ade. He then said that "These arrange­ U.S. capital are driving for the domin­ ments were arrived at in the mistaken ation through the Common Market of belief and assumption by the Western all of western Europe. (Diefenbaker allies that wartime co-operation with who complains so much about Britain the Soviet Union would continue." It joining the Common Market should give is true that all these agreements rested some more thought to the prime source upon the principles of continued co­ of the problem facing Canadian exports operation between the powers that de­ in Europe). feated Hitler, but it is a gross distor­ Insofar as the dismantling of war in­ tion of history to suggest that it was dustries is concerned, not even a se­ the Soviet Union which broke these rious beginning was made in West agreements. Germany. The London Times reported The main agreement which was to as far back as January, 1947 that out have governed post war developments of 1,554 war plants in West Germany in Germany was that signed in 1945 at only three had been dismantled. In the Potsdam by the heads of governments same period out of 733 such plants in of the United States, the Soviet Union East Germany, 676 had been dis­ and Great Britain. mantled. This agreement provided that "All * * * German, land, naval and air forces in­ THE POTSDAM AGREEMENT also cluding the general staff ... shall be provided that the four occupying allied completely and finally abolished in powers should establish a government such manner as permanently to pre­ to carry out its terms, and that that vent the revival or re-organization of government should be located in Ber­ German militarism or nazism." lin. This is how the Western powers Today of the 140 staff officers in the came to be in Berlin in the first place. present West German army 71 served According to John Diefenbaker all the as officers in Hitler's Wehrmacht, 45 other terms of the Potsdam agreement at that time in the capacity of generals. can be scrapped by his friends in November-December, 1961 13 NATO but this prOVISIOn about west­ lump' of big capital, which rules Can­ ern occupation of Berlin stands in­ ada in the interests of U.S. imperial­ violate. ism." Our Prime Minister has taken some John Diefenbaker's role as the willing difficult eases before the Saskatchewan agent of this oligarchy is pin-pointed by courts in his younger days, but he the great enthusiasm with which he never held a brief on one that was so has been tackling the job of twisting shot full of holes as that which he is and distorting the program of the arguing now. Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This then is the role of the Prime Minister of Canada. To placate public He freely compares this noble plan opinion he talks about negotiations, for the advance of the living standards but on his own admission his proposals of the Soviet people to heights never for negotiations are bound to be unac­ before attained by man, with Hitler's ceptable. At the same time, he con­ bloody plan for world conquest con­ sistently argues for and defends the tained in Mein Kampf. It is question­ untenable positions of the State Depart­ able whether even Jack Kennedy would ment. And finally, he uses the crisis care to descend to these lower depths to step up military spending, and to of ignorant slander. He is probably further his plans for the placing of U.S. glad to have Diefenbaker doing the job nuclear weapons on Canadian soil. for him. (Although here too he is compelled to Because the draft program of the hedge-to tell the Canadian Committee CPSU shows how mankind all over the for the Control of Radiation Hazards world is on the march to freedom from that Canada will have nuclear weapons colonial oppression and wage slavery, "in the event of war," and at the same John Diefenbaker undertakes to in­ time to tell curious reporters who form us that "Khrushchov" is building wanted to know how Canada would a "house for all mankind with the then get such weapons, that this is "a USSR having the only key to the pre­ matter of security.") mises." *** He judges everyone by himself. He THERE IS ANOTHER point that needs and his bosses would be only too glad to be made about John Diefenbaker to lock the people of east Berlin into and those for whom he speaks. They a capitalist prison house again and do not follow their pro-war line sim­ throwaway the key. ply because they are under pressure from Washington. While they are under This stuff is of a piece with his con­ such pressure, they also agree them­ stant declamations against Soviet selves with the position taken by Amer­ "colonialism" and his equally constant ican imperialism. silence on the real colonialists in Angola, in the Congo, in Latin Amer­ The draft policy resolution of the Communist Party seeks to define more ica in whose operations some of his best friends in Canada have a very precisely the forces for whom John active pecuniary interest. Diefenbaker seeks, and which he serves. It says: Thus the prairie lawyer who loves so "The main enemy of the Canadian much to pose as a "man of the people" people against which all the progres­ has proven himself to be a fully trust­ sive forces must unite, is the U.S.­ worthy representative of the oligarchy Canadian monopolist oligarchy, 'one which rules Canada. 14 Marxist Review AND IT MIGHT be added that he Despite any confusion he and his as­ shares the gloomy forebodings of that sociates may temporarily spread, the oligarchy. He said in Winnipeg: "Re­ Canadian people will not for very long treat in Berlin, by the sacrifice of the put up with men who make a virtue pledged word, would mean that the out of being so continuously and del­ iberately wrong. The gulf between the pledged word of the West would be U.S.-Canadian oligarchy and its agents called in question everywhere in the on the one hand, and the Canadian peo­ world with consequences impossible to ple on the other hand is steadily calculate for the future of freedom." widening. What he is really saying is that an agreement to negotiate a peaceful set­ The fight against Diefenbaker's P?l­ tlement in Germany could lead to the icy, the fight for No War Over Berlm, consolidation of peaceful co-existence for a German peace treaty, for the re­ cognition of the German Democratic in our world, and open a period of peaceful competition between capital­ Republic - this is part and parcel to­ ism and socialism. He and his kind are day of the great and developing strug­ desperately afraid of the results of gle for the independence of our coun­ that competition. try which in the words of the Commun­ ist Party's draft policy resolution would The Prime Minister in his speech to "unhinge and weaken the whole sys­ the Weekly Newspapermen in Halifax tem of state-monopoly capitalism in defined freedom in a rather peculiar Canada, and, by releasing powerful way: "Freedom to me is not the right working-class and progressive forces to do wrong. Freedom to me is the and establishing the working class right to be wrong." leadership of our country would open If this be freedom, then John Diefen­ the way for passing on the tasks of baker is certainly exercising his rights. socialist revolution."

November-December, 1961 The Significance of Automation

DiscUlSsion article prepared hy the Economics Group of the Marxist Study Centre, on the 'basis of a recent seminar. Readers' comments are invited. 'Everyone talks ahout it, but few can production process. He watches dials, explain ,it satisfactorily. Yet it is etc., and acts only when something imperative to ,realize what is new goes wrong, or when the machine set­ and different about automation in up needs changing or overhaul. This order to understand its ,impli,cations. reversal of the role of machines and Automation is not just more mechan­ men at the point of production is the ization. It is a new, Irevolutionary de­ essential new element in automation, velopment in the field of technology. compared to mechanization. Division of labor and tool special­ Hasic to the development of auto­ ization provided the technical found­ mation have been a number of scien­ ation for the first surge forward in tific and technical developments of industrialization. Mechanization, using recent years-new materials and heat­ power-driven tools and machines in resistant alloys, new adhesives, semi­ place of human muscles, was the conductors, electronics, computers, ser­ technical basis Jor the accelerated in­ vo-mechanisms and feed-back tech­ dustrial development right up to the niques, and numerical control. In the present. Now, the application of nu­ west, many oJ these technical ad­ merical control and feed-back tech­ vances have really been paid for out niques to individual machine oper­ oJ public funds, mainly by means of ations, -complexes of machines, whole cost-pIlus military -contracts and heavy processes and even entire factories tax deductions for research expend­ provides a revolutionary new technical itures; but the results have been ap- bas-is for production: j Under mechanization, man is in con­ "Automation of production consti­ trol of the machine. Power is used to tutes a logical extension and perfecUng drive the tool, but humain guidance and of complex mechanization. At the and control are essential at the point same time it marks a qualitatively of production. The operator in fact new stage in technological progress.. determines the output of the machine With mechanization, a man continues -by adjusting feed, regulating material to direct the technologicaU process as supply, etc., even on automatic screw a whole as well as individual machines machines. Under automation, man no andoperatio'ITS. With automation all longer directly controls the output of these functions as well, including the machine. This is predetermined check-up, regulation and direction, are and fed into the control mechanism, carried out by machines. With full usually on punched or magnetic tape. automation, it is esssentiaHy 'a mat­ So, in fact, the machine determines ter of machines running machines." What the operator ,on duty does. If (A. A. Leontiev-Introductory Course, everything runs smoothly, the oper­ in Political Economy. 1960) ator does not take part directly in the , 16 Marxist Review propriated by private industry. Only the production worker's skills. as we four or five years ago, automation was know them. The toolmaker's trade thought of in terms of complexes of will become as obsolete as the black­ huge transfer machines where the smith's is today. Operators become work (like a cylinder block) was mainly watchers; but this does not passed from machine to machine auto­ mean that the work is easy. The matically until the whole job was mental and nervous strain of watch­ completed. The capital investment in ing dials while remaining always on such set-ups was extremely heavy. the alert to handle emergencies will Since then enormous progress has probably turn out to be much more been made in numerical control and difficult for the human organism than in developing rel1atively less expensive, musculllJr exertion. Individual re­ versatile, tape-controlled mac h i n e s, sponsibiJlity will be greatly increased which can be used individually or in for the few workers left on the pro­ combination in machine centres, 011 duction floor. Increased maintenance short runs or long runs. and set-up forces will be needed, and Automation brings with it a com­ these will probably call for multiple pletely new approach to manufactur­ skills in the same individual, a s.ort ing. It entails a revolutionizing of of skilled worker-engineer. The tech­ product design, materials and pro­ nicaD end of planning production will duction methods. Instead of looking be farr more complex than it is today, at the production pmcess as a series calling for high technical and engineer­ of separate steps--

By T. D.

I WAS extremely interested in Andre that 75 percent of metal manufacturing Barjonet's excellent article on auto­ is in lots of 'fifty pieces or less. mation in the May-June issue! of * '" '" Marxist Review. I would like to take RECENT multi-operational machines, up a couple of points about the extent numerically controlled, have done most and growth of 'automation. complex jobs at large savings for the In the United States the United companies. They are adaptable to Electrical Workers' Union has re­ press operations, where magnetic arms cently completed a study on automa­ do the work of the operator. Such tion. Their study shows that the ap­ systems are in actual use on assembly plication of numerical control appar­ lines. atus to complex machining operations The development of APT has elim­ has taken a leap forward in the last inated the problem of the automated two years by automatic program tool­ section of a plant fitting in with the ing (APT, as it is called). non-automated sections, for the cost of re-setting up a job to. suit the pro­ 'By the use of APT and the special duction requirements is practically nil, language of 110 words, a programmer as is the cost of issuing new instruc­ describes the job to be done. This tions to meet new designs, etc. language is then converted by an H is an ilIusiion that automation is automatic machine into computer lan­ only applicable to tremendous quanti­ guage and the calculations are then ties of the same kind of goods. The made hy the computer which are the fact is that many companies are just instructions for the job. This is in the discovering this. form of a magnetic tape which is then We have a tendency to think auto­ transformed into punched tape or mated equipment costs millions of cards. dollars, when actually the needs of :APT can eliminate the toolmaker and many industries can be met with very much of the work of designing engin­ little capital outlay for such devices. eer, for through these verbal instruc­ * * * tions it can create the most complex WHAT ABOUT COSTS? Here is an­ design. other illusion, which many of us held, Numerical control is applicable to that the automation of a plant will be any kind of process or equipment prohibitive for many of the smaller which is directed by human beings, companies. Not so, says the U.E. study. and when adapted to APT it becomes 'While it is true that the big monop­ economically feasible to produce one olies will be the major benefactors of part or a million. The study points out automation-indeed they already have that authorities in the field of manu­ benefitted to the tune of several billion facturing in the United States claim dollars-surveys made among manu- 20 Marxist Review facturers reveal that the savings have This shows that a different and defi­ paid for complete automated systems nite crisis has hit the American wor­ in from six months. to three years. ker in industry. 'While it cannot be laid But besides this, it is disclosed that wholly at the door of automation it is big business has been able to rob the now clear that a good deal of serious working people in the United States by consideration must be given to the making them foot the bill to develop role automation is playing. automation. It steals the patents and Millions of workers are being per­ then tries to deny the people any of manently removed from their jobs in the benefits of automation. industry.. Millions more are scheduled Until 1942 it was the practice of all to go in the years ahead, for it now is U.S. government agencies to obtain also clear that 'automation will develop all patents and proprietary rights re­ at a pace which has largely been sulting from research at public ex­ underestimated. pense. At this time U.S. big business * * * was refusing to convert to war pro­ WHAT ABOUT the worker who is left? duction unless a number of conces­ It is argued by some that he will re­ sions were made to them, one of them quire more skill, and by others, less being the demand for patent rights. skill. I don't think it really matters. Since 1954, U.S. big business has What really matters and must be un­ been granted almost $40 billion in cost­ derstood is, that in the future these plus contracts for research and de­ workers affected by technological im­ velopment, and, in addition, tax laws provements, automatic devices for were changed that same year to per­ production and automation will no lon­ mit corporations to write off as cur­ ger be in a position to argue piece­ rent business expense any money spent work rates or production bonuses. It on research. Untold billions were paid is the machine which will determine by the working people for research be­ the output. The human element will fore 1'954. have absolutely no determination in The total effect of these concessions the production standards that can be to U.S. big business is that 75 to 100 achieved on a job which is numerically percent of all their research and de­ controlled with APT or some new velopment is ·financed by the taxpayer. device. *. *. .:* It is clear that the capitaiist system WHAT ABOUT THE WORKER? We hopes to suck from automation every have' reached a point where produc­ ounce of profit they can. They do not tion peaks, while setting new produc­ intend to give the working people any­ tion records, fail to employ those thing but their lay-off slips. To con­ capable of work. Unlike previous reo, sider the problem of automation as coveries from capitalist cri'ses,this something in the distant future would time we see new production heights be a serious blunder, and harmful to accompanied by large unemployment. the .w.orking class. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics All workers do not see so clearly show 'the following, (1947-9 equalling the difference between technologicaF 1(0): 1953, prOduction peak 143;n~mj improvements, automatic machines or' ber of workers 14 million; 1961, pro­ automation, nor do they argue whether duction peak .169, number of workers we are faced with a second industrial 11.9 million. revolution or a scientific revolution. November-December, 1961 21 What every worker in industry today same -amount or more work than was does know is that there is a lot less done a few years ago. of his fellow workers in the plant and We have to be prepared to give that a lot less people are doing the leadership on this question.

The Cuban Workers and the Revolution

By BLAS ROCA

One of the leaders of the Cuban revolution recently replied to two questions sent by a study circle in Guanabo, one of the hundreds of such circles which are busily studying Marxism. BIas Roca's reply was specially translated for Marxist Review from the newspaper Hoy of July 8, 1961.

QUESTIONS: 1) If "politics is the emanates from the economic base and product of economics" and the peas­ corresponds to it. This superstructure antry has received the greatest bene­ in its turn acts on the economic base fit from the revolution and the prole­ and in accordance with the laws of tariat very little-how is it possible for its development modifies it, hastens the majority of the proletariat to or holds back changes in it. support and understand the revolu­ In this way it can be said that poli­ tion without having received such tics emanates from economics and in economic benefit? its turn acts on economics and modi­ 2) Is a revolution possible in Santo fies it, holds it hack or advances it, Domingo at the present time? And ex­ enriches it or destroys it. plain the reasons, whether your an· 'For example, state power is a poli­ swer is negative or positive. tical instrument. To win state power *** is a political act. But state power, used ANSWERS: 1) When you begin your in accordance with the laws of econ­ question by saying that "politics is the omic and social development, can product of economics", you simplify a change the whole economy, modify the Marxist truth to such an extent that relations of production, destroy some it becomes inapplicable to any actual forms of economic ownership and real process; in fact it becomes false. create other new forms of ownership, Marxists say that the base of society iq a word, change the economic struc-­ is its economic structure (that is, the ture ofa given society. mode of production, the degree of Economics is the father of politics development of the productive forces, but in its turn politics acts upon econ­ the relations of production), and that omicsand changes it. politics, law, art, ideology, morality, In the given question, once the sim­ etc., constitute the superstructure that plified formula "politics is the product 22 Marxist Review of economics" has been established, ,an the system of torture and assassina­ equally simplified conclusion is de­ tion and shootings, of the crimes and duced: support for the revolution must 'abuses committed by the agents of be in accordance with the amount of Batista, this, is an immediate and dir­ direct or indirect economic benefit re­ ect benefit for all. ceived by a social class. no you not think that this, even if Behind the question the following it is not economic, must determine the point is assumed: if the peasantry has support, equally, of all those social received more immediate economic strata for the revolution? benefit from the revolution, and the The elimination of the semi-colonial proletariat has received less, the pro­ U.S. domination established over our letariat must give less support to the country, the formation ofa govern­ revolution. ment not arranged by the United This is a point without any serious States, the exercise of full national base, one that reduces everything to sovereignty, this was an immediate a direct relation between dollars and moral benefit for' ,all. The expulsion of cents and political consciousness. the U.S. military mission and of the Such a relationship can exist only agents and spies of the CIA and FBI, in the case of isolated individuals, not the expropriation of the, latifundia of in the case of a social class or a con­ the United Fruit Co., the Francisco siderable group of individuals, let us Sugar Co., the nationalization of the sayan important political party. Chase Bank, of the City Bank of New Ask yourselves why considerable York, of the Cuban Telephone Co., of masses of workers, peasants, students, the Cuban Electric, of Woolworth's, of intellectuals, etc., of Latin America Sears, the mines, sugar centrals, rail­ support the Cuban revolution, fight in ways and other entrprises and com­ the streets for it, suffer repressions, panies of the U.S., constituted a bene­ imprisonment and death to maintain fit (even if not directly or immediately the right of the Cuban people to make economic) for ,all Cubans without ex­ their socialist revolution? ception, because it made them freer, According to the theory on which because it made them citizens of a your question is based, this would be real fatherland, of a sovereign, inde­ incomprehensible because the masses pendent fatherland, absolute master of of Latin America have received no im­ its destinies, its wealth, and its ter­ mediate direct economic benefit from ritory. the Cuban revolution. The only fact still in contradiction of [n addition, what you presuppose as this reality is the thorn of the Uo'S. a fact in asking your question is not naval base maintained by force at in accordance with reality. Caimanera, a thorn that Cuba will 'In the first place, both the peasantry draw out by legal and juridical meth­ and the working class and other sec­ ods that international organizations will tors of the people (professionals, intel­ some day have to consider. lectuals, small businessmen, etc.) have The reduction of rents was a direct, received direct and immediate bene­ immediate benefit to a large part of fits, economic and non-economic, from the population of the cities, among the revolution. them many workers. Workers who The suppression of the tyranny and were paying 60, 50 and 40 pesos a its regime of persecution and terror month for rent (the Cuban peso ex­ against the people, the suppression of changes at par with the U.S. dollar.- Novemoo'r-December, 1961 23 Ed.) were benefitted when these rents Two or three days ago I went to were reduced to 30, 25 and 20 pesos the Ambrosia factory, which makes which meant in fact an actual increase chocolates, biscuits, etc. I found that in income for the families of tenants the number of workers and employees (workers, professionals, employees, ar­ had grown to 649, that men ·and women tisans, small business people, etc.) of who had 18 or 20 years as temporary 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10.pesos a month. workers are now permanent, that those who used to work a half week now The elimination of racial discrimina­ work the full week. The nominal tion, the establishment of equality in wages of these workers are, with a few work, in amusement, in the social and exceptions, the same as in 1958, but political life of our country, without in the case of each one of them there regard for the color of the skin, the is an income of from one and a half thickness of the lips, the wave of the to twice as much as before. The situ­ hair, has been an enormous moral ation can be measured by this ,fact: benefit to the whole population, white in May, 1958, a total of 43,092 pesos and black, workers and non-workers.. was paid in wages ,and salaries; in It has benefitted the Negro population May of 1961, on the same basis, a total because it frees them from a situation of 109,789 pesos was paid, or 66,697 of inferiority in practice and of social pesos more, a sum that went almost depreciaton. It has benefitted the white totally into the hands of the working population because it has freed them class. from an absurd prejudice, from a Last Tuesday, on TV, Fidel gave mental torture, from a division of the the facts, on the increase in non-farm oountry that injured everyone, Negroes wages. In 1958, non-farm wages amount· and whites. ed to 723 million pesos. In 1'960 they Aside from this, the number of amounted to 1,106.7 million pesos; this employed workers has increased; those means that the working class as a who used to work two or three days whole, excluding the farm workers, a week now work the whole week; received in 1960 383 million pesos more those who were getting too low wages than they had received in 1958. got increases. The greater number of The beaches have been opened to farm workers in sugar are now co· the people. Today workers visit them operators who own the land and work in steadily increasing numbers. it, who have work the whole year, The former aristocratic clubs have who now have the chance to eat garden been converted into workers' social vegetables, meat, milk, ·and other pro­ circles. Is this not ·a benefit for the ducts that they never before ate. Many proletariat? other farm workers are members of Schools have been opened in the people's farms, with year-round wages, whole country and scholarships given with houses and villages built for them. to children to enable them to study. with electricity and running water. All Is this not a benefit to the working this represents immediate, direct bene· class to give schools and scholarships fits economic and non-economic, for to its children? the' working class ·as a whole. In addition to all this and to many To see the immediate, direct benefit other things that could be enumerated, that the working class - has received the working class in the nationalized from the revolution, one needs to do . industries has been freed from capital­ no more than visit any factory. ist exploitation, knows that now it 24 Marxis.t Review contributes through its work to the tees them fertilizer, fungicides, s.eed industrialization, the economic and cul­ and repair service. tural development of the country, to INRA (National Agrarian Reform In­ provide work for all, and has been stitute) guarantees them a sure mar­ raised to the condition of the Ieading ket and fair prices for their produc­ class in the country, with a revolu­ tion, no matter how large it may be. tionary power that represents it, and The poor peasant sees in the working executes its program and carries out class in the revolutionary government its wishes. and 'in our leader, Fidel Castro, his The working class has power. firm ·and sure friends. Its representatives are at the head of industries, of the state, of the pro­ The poor peasant already sees the vinces, of the municipalities, of the school and hospital in his region, he armed forces. sees the alphabetizers in the hut to end ignorance, he sees his children The armed forces themselves are with a future better than his life has an expression of working class power been. because they are made up of 'and are The poor peasant also sees that the led by armed workers and peasants. co-operatives 'and p~ople's f~rms that The working class is building social­ are growing near hIS land gIve better ism in our country. To build socialism yields, offer a better life, and that hE' means to create a regime without can, if he wants, or when he wants, abuses, without exploitation, without organize himself in similar co-opera hunger, without poverty, without un­ tives and take advantage of the benefits employment, without parasites. To they offer. For this reason the pea· build socialism means work for all, santry, the small farmers, support thE' well-being for all, security for all, revolution so decisively and so strongly. satisfaction for all, - and hunger, poverty and unemployment for no~e. The farm workers of the co-opera· To build socialism means to buIld tives and people's farms, who are p~rt world peace and the brotherhood of of the proletariat, give the revolutiOn man. their total support because they know, Do you not see in this enough rea­ like the rest of the working class, that sons for the working class to be the the revolution is their own. firmest, most determined, and most I think that for you it will now be complete supporter of the revolution? clear why the proletariat ("without having received suclI economic benefit" The poor peasants no less than .the as you say) understands and supp?rts working class support the revolutiOn. its revolution the socialist revolutiOn, They received land at the hands of that gives them a fatherland, rights the revolution. and dignity; that frees them from They have been freed from landlord­ exploitation and from un~mploY:nent; ism, from the storekeepers, the loan that permits them to bUIld a luster sharks and the other parasites who and better society. were sucking their me blood. For the working class political power Those who formerly paid the highest is more important than any. imme?~ate rents or had to give up a third of economic benefit, because WIth polItIcal their harvest, today pay no rent and power in its hands the working class there is no share-cropping. will be able to free itself from all ANAP (National Association of Small exploitation and build a society .which Producers) gives them credit, guaran- permits it to achieve and to gIVe to -November-December, 1961 25 all the greatest possible spiritual and patriotic, democratic and socialist reo material well-being. volution. 2) Revolution is today possible in If to win this, sacrifices have to be Santo Domingo or in any other Latin made, whether economic or of any American country for the same reasons other type, the working class will that made it possible in Cuba. (Special­ know how to make every sacrifice to ly translated by L.P. for Marxist carry forward to complete triumph its Review.)

Mrica's Ancient Cultures

By 1. POTEKH1N (Director, Institute of Africa, USSR Academy of Sciences)

A!FRICA'S PkST? If ,we are to believe historian, M. Delafos'se, who admits that the scholarly apologists of colonialism, if, under such conditions as these "the the peoples of Aifrica have no past, no peoples were albIe, relying solely on history of their own; they are un-his­ their own strength, to organize states, torical. build and maintain cultural centres such This reactionary conception is refuted as Timbuktu; to produce from among by historical facts known to scholars, them statesmen such as Gongo~Moussa many of whom have attempted to trace or A!skia Mohammed, or conquerors and recount the true history of the such as Osmandan-Fodio or al-Radji African peoples. Take, for example, Omar or scholars and writers, who, our compatriot, the art historian V. I. without the aid of a dictionary or a Matvei (Vladimir 'Markov), who wrote kindred language, mastered Arabic suf­ in 1914: ficiently to understand it easily and "Until lately, the idea persisted that write it 'Correctly; to create languages Africa, with the sole exception of Egypt, whose richness, suppleness and exacti­ is poor in artistic antiquities, that she tude amaze all who study them; to has no history, no legends, no mys­ work out in full detail, as this was done teries; is poorer, in fact, than fantasy about 'a century ago by the Vai tribe can conceive ... that she has no past on the Grain Coast, and more recently and therefore is deprived of poetic by the Bamoum tribe in the Oameroons, charm. ... This opinion one may now a viable system of written language­ regard ,with misturst. ... Studying the then, it must be acknowledged that findings of various expeditions leaves this could only be done by people who, us 'amazed at the legends, monuments, if they are to be judged by their intel­ and antiquities, discovered among the lect, do not deserve to be treated as tribes of Africa. It appears that these inferiors." people too, had a past-rich, powerful, legendary." (My emphasis.--lI.P.) * ** I shall permit myself yet another NOTWITHSTmDING, an unscientific, quotation from the work of a French reactionary 'conception of the absence 26 Marxist Review of the iAfrican people's history has that here a highly developed civilization gained a footing on a widespread scale. once existed, the civilization known in This ,was the soci'al injunction of the literature as the "Zimbabwe culture," colonizers. They had to justify their which for some unknown reason perish­ domination over the Africans, impress ed. The history of mankind has wit­ upon public opinion their version of nessed many such instances. their own dvilizing mission, prove that Many scholars have undertaken the African history begins with the appear­ study of the Zimbabwe culture, but ance of Europeans on the :t\!frican con­ hardly anyone of them has cared to tinent, that the culture founded by the acknowledge that it was created by th~ Africans themselves was primitive and African peoples. undeserving of attention. On the contrary, its creation has been At school young Africans studied the attributed to Persians, Indians, Greeks, history of England or FI'ance, but not Jews, Arabs, even to Malays-anyone of their own peoples, were obliged to but the Africans. The conviction, which sing European songs, their own being was practically general, prevailed that forbidden, and so on. Africans could not have created a Still, the contradiction between asser­ civilization such as this. tions such as the above and the his­ In the West African state of Benin torical facts had to be accounted for marvellous specimens of bronze-casting somehow. were found by Europeans, and the best It remained only to .falsify history were exhibited in all the largest muse­ itself. I have no intention of accusing ums of Europe and America. here 'any of the Western European The question arose: to whom did this schoIars Qfconscious falsification of splendid art belong? It iWould appear historical facts; the "spirit of the times" simple enough to reply-it was created prevailed over their minds. by the people of Benin. The question is not one of good or But then this admi'ssion would entail bad intentions; the fact is that Aofrican the undermining of an entire historical history has been falsified. Let us hear conception, formed under the influence what a well-known spokesman of Afri­ of the policy and ideology of colonialism. can culture, Alioune Diop, General Sec­ It was suggested at first that Benin retary of the Society of Mrican Culture, bronze-casting owed its origin to the, has to say: Portuguese, the first Qf the European "History, as written by the West, not nations to appear on the coast of West only abounds in errors, but contains, Africa, but this version lost ground. we affirm, a great deal of falsification." when it was discovered that so highly Here are a .few instances. In the developed an art of 'bronze-casting was country between the Zambezi and the unknown in Europe at that time. Limpopo Europeans discovered magni­ Other sources had to be found: some ficent and extensive structures of great scholars attributed the art to India, antiquity; these number over three others to the Roman cities of North hundred in Southern Rhodesia alone. Africa, still others to the Arabs, and On this vast territory they frequently so on. came upon disused mines, remains of In the east of the continent the first furnaces for smelting metal, a variety European travellers "discovered" a of objects made of iron, bronze, copper, few small but highly organized states. tin and gold, clay moulds for the casting Speke,Stanley, and subsequently Jun­ of copper coins; tr-a'ces of artificial ter­ ker, the first Europeans to vist Bul­ races, wells 'and canals. It is irrefutable ganda, were amazed at the splendor ~ove~ber~L>ecennber,1961 27 of the court of its ruler, the Kabaka, their 'active historical role ,was attribr the efficient organiz,ation 0If government, uted to their Hamitic blood. the existence of an army and a fleet, Ancient Egypt was one of the cradles the good state of the roads, the devel­ of the ,world's 'civilization, and none opment of trade. would venture to deny that the Egyp­ European travellers and scholars tians Oif antiquity enriched mankind could not conceive that all this had by some of the greatest scientific dis­ been created by the Africans them­ coveries. selves without the aid of non-Africans. Egypt is an African country and her It was then that the Hamitic theory inhabitants in 'ancient times were au­ made its appearance. tochthonic Africans. Aocording to this, the Hamites were Perhaps one of the mos.t curious supposedly African Aryans. Viewed conclusions recorded by scholars of from this standpoint, Africa had once the world's history is that Egypt was been peopled by uncivilized, primitive, Asian and not :African. inactive agricultural tribes. Then Ha­ Beginning from the 19th century she mitic cattle-breeders migrated here ceased to be regarded as part of the from Asia, bringing with them a highly African continent and her history and developed culture, subjugating the abo­ culture as 'a part of Aifrica's history rigines, forcing the new civilization and culture. upon them and founding st'ates. Arnold Toyn'bee, a British historian, considered Egyptian civilization as Hence, all 'cultural values of which "white," or European. Africans might boast were created un­ der Hamitic influence. Ruling positions * * * were held by Hamites in every African PROFESSOR DU BOIS writes: "The state. white race was pictured as 'pure' and superior; the black race as dirty, * stupid, and inevitably inferior. ... llHE :AFRICAN peoples had created Everything great, everything fine, ev­ nothing on their own initiative and erything really. successful in human possessed nothing. If those elements culture, was white. of culture that according to the prota­ "In order to prove this, even black gonists of this theory, had been created people in India and Africa were labelled by the Hamites were gradually taken as 'white' if they showed any trace of away from the African, he would be progress, and, on the other hand, any left naked. progress by colored people was attrib· No historian can deny that the Zulus uted to some intermixture, ancient or played an important part in this history modern, of white blood or some influ­ of East and South Africa; they founded ence of 'white' civilization," their own state, subjugated a number The conception of the Aifrioans' un­ of other peoples, and offered a more historicity had 'become. deeply rooted determined resistance to British inva­ among the nations -of the world. It had sion than the British' encountered else­ been persistently propagated for several where in South alld Equatorial Africa. generations. But it is -impossible to' reconcile this And when the first peals ofthe thun-' with the conception of the inactiveness del' of national revolution were' heard­ and unhistoricity of the Africans. over the African oontinent, people who A solution was. found, however: the had not studied its history were as­ Zulus were named semiJHamites, and tounded: this could in no wise be 28 Marxist Review reconciled with the ideas about Africans the myth of the unhistoricity of the inculcated by school books and his· African peoples. tories. The Frenchman Suret-Canal, the pre­ * * * sent Director of the National Institute A CHA'RACTBRiISTIC feature of most of Research and Documentation of the of the present-day Mrican historians Republic of Guinea, is one of these is the passionate desire to put an end scholars. His book on Africa's pre·colonial past to the misrepresentation of Africa's will shortly appear in Russian. Then history and to tell their people the there is Basil Davidson, an Englishman, truth about their own past. author of Old Africa Rediscovered. In his report The Tasks of the African Of great interest, too, is An Atlas Historian at the Second Congress of of African History, by J. D. Fage, an African Writers and Culturoal Leaders English professor at Ghana University. held in Rome in 1959, Saburi Bio'ba'ku Soviet scholars 'are endeavoring to said that until recently Africa's history re-establish the truth about the past was looked upon as merely the history and present OIf !Africa's. peoples. of European activity in Africa. A special institute has been opened History allegedly began with the for the study of Africa's history, econ­ arrival of explorer missionaries and omy and culture, and chairs of African European merchants. ... Gradually history are being founded in the higher the myth that Afrioa had no history educational estahlishments. ' of her own gained ground. ... And The noble task of dispelling the myth now it is up to the African historian of the unhistoricity of the A,frican to dispel this myth. peoples undertaken by African scholars The progressive scholars and publi. is lauded by their Soviet colleagues cists of Western Europe are joining who are ready to contribute their share in the great and noble work of exposing to the common cause. (Abridged.)

A Stagnant Economy

G.N.P. G.N.P. mid-y.ear G.N.P. Per Person Year At market prices In 1949 aollars population At market prices In 1949 dollars (billions) (millions) 1955 27.1 21.9 15.7 $1,725 $1,395 1956 30.6 23.8 16.1 1,900 1,479 1957 31.9 23.8 16.6 1,920 1,435 1958 32.9 24.1 17.0 1,935 1,418 1959 34.9 24.9 17.4 2,005 1,430 1960 36.0 25.4 17.8 2,100 1,425 Note: The above table, prepared by a Canadian Marxist economist, gives the real picture of the Canadian economy. When corrected for price increases, ,and linked with the increase of population, the Gross National Product per person is seen to be stagnant over the past six year. November.J)ecember, 1961 29 The Slander of Dr. Norman Bethune By STANLEY LINKOVICH

JUST OVER two years ago a new the Strategic Air Command, NATO, novel, The Watch that Ends the Night, bacteriological warfare and the Polaris was published by Canadian 'author Missile. The cold war pressed in on Hugh MacLennan. The jacket of a us like a dense and deadly fog and we recent paper.:back edition says the book huddled up within ourselves. reflects the "hungry passions, frantic True, the war had enriched our con­ emotions and fiery politics of the gen­ tinent materiaIly. We strove to acquire eration that was young in the 'thir­ neat little homes in the subul'bs, auto­ ties." mobiles, TV sets. and all the other As the haunting sirens of Greek my­ pleasant and comfortable attributes of thology calI the homesick sailor, so economic weIl-being. But we also sought the 'thirties will never cease to attract to bury ourselves within our own little Canadians:, to cause them to review circles. mentally 'and emotionaIly the stormy "In the thirties all of us who were period that had such a profound effect young had been united by anger and on their lives and ideas. Like a sharp the obviousness of our plight," writes and violent chisel those years helped MacLennan in his novel; "in the war shape the profile of our present Cana­ we had been united by the fear of the dian consciousness. They were years of obviousness of the danger. But now, militant struggle for the working class prosperous under the bomb, we all and the lessons of those days pene­ seemed to have become atomized. trated deeply. They are a reservoir to Wherever I looked I saw people trying be drawn from in the future. to live private lives for thems.elves Almost three decades have passed and their families. Nobody asked the since then. The black;booted murderers big questions any more. Why think, of fascist Germany ripped ·and tore when the thing to be thought about is Europe into bloody shreds. They de­ so huge it is impossiWe to think about vised the ga51 chambers and furnaces it? Why ask where you are going, that put the terriWe word "genocide" when you know you can't stop even if on the horrified lips of every decent you wish? Why ask why, when it does human being 'and nation. These mur­ no good to know. Why?" derers were thrashed into oblivion, then Isolation, the rejection of class ties, resurrected again by the hankers and the urge to forget, to acquire wealth generals' of the "free world" who count and comfort-these were the aims that their profits in human lives. dominated the inteIlectual life of Cana­ The bleeding, festering wounds of the da during the hardest years of the cold Second World War had hardly begun war. to heal when the "cold war" began. *** The atom bomb gave way to the hydro­ BUT TIMES changed and the world gen bomb and the newspapers began changed with them. Asia was on the to frighten us with the "red threat", move. People's China was born. The 3'0 Marxist Review peoples of Africa tasted not only the around him - unemployment, exploi· bitter, harsh realities of the struggle tation, communism, fascism, war, for independence, but the first delicate Spain, Russia. Swept into the lap of the sweetness of victory as well. There was communist movement itself, Martell a revolution in Cuba. finany deserts his wife and child to be­ In Canada, too, there was evidence of come a medical volunteer in Spain. change. The uneasy shadow of unem­ George Stewart had loved Catherine ployment fell over an the signs of opu­ since childhood, but she was cursed lence and wen-being. People began to with a rheumatic heart and Stewart ask questions again - not yet widely lacked the courage to press his love enough, not yet penetratingly enough, to fruition. Marten is the one who mar­ not yet decisively enough, but never­ ries her and begets her child. theless a beginning was made. After Spain and after the fascist war All this had happened or was happen­ Catherine received official notice of ing when MacLennan produced his Marten's death. In the 'fifties, Catherine Governor General's award-winning and George Stewart were married and novel. except for the threat of Catherine's Stated in another way, what this heart they lived normal post-war lives. means is that the decades that have These are the dominant characters of passed since the thirties have compress­ a story developed through the inter­ ed into themselves a tremendous twining of events, past and present. amount of historical experience which The drama is one of spiritual trans­ the writer must take into account if formation, mainly for Jerome Marten, he is serious. The far-reaching and but in a lesser degree also for George fundamental changes that have taken Stewart and Catherine. For Marten it place in the world present the writer is a spiritual evolution from communist with new and exciting possibilities for sympathies to rejection of an class ties estimates that are more profound, for and to a self-burial which comes close analyses that go deeper, for the crea­ to existentialism. Enlightenment begins tion of literary images that are closer in Spain, where he becomes convinced to life and reality. the communists are selling out the * ** Spanish Loyalists for their own narrow MACLENNAN'S NOVEL is set in Mont­ purposes. The Marten who returns to real in the fifties. It is the personal nar­ Montreal after having suffered nazi rative of George Stewart, a very suc­ torture in a concentration camp in cessful CBC political commentator who, France, after serving as a doctor in during the thirties, had been a strug­ the post-war "slave camps" of Russia, gling teacher in a sman-town private after seeing the hungry Chinese masses school. Stewart has just received a at first-hand, has undergone a deep phone can from an old acquaintance, a moral transformation. As Christ was friend of the thirties whom he had bodily resurrected, so Marten has been thought to be dead. The old friend is spiritually resurrected. He has learned Jerome Martell, a gifted and talented "to live his own death." Montreal surgeon who was sucked into * * * the vortex of political movements by THE DOMINANT ideas of The Watch the swirling tides of the thirties. In that Ends the Night, the ideas of the those days, Marten had been a social rejection of class ties and spiritual sal­ lion whose passions were inflamed by vation (although not in the dogmatic the discussions of the intellectuals and established church sense) are a November.;[)ecember, 1961 31 specific kind of'reaction of the author istic" writer being one who considers to the cold war. In this sense, the novel that literature, like science is a spe­ is a cold war novel, or the essence of cific form of the examination of objec­ the cold war wrapped up in a novel. It tive laws and phenomenon of human is the retreat of an intellectual in the behaviour) "is that he cannot hold face of the cold war and in the face consistently to his principles without of the most profound changes that have ceasing to be an artist and becoming taken place in the world since the end a statistician, for an artist is by defi­ of the war. It is the inability to grasp nition interested in uniqueness. There the essence of these changes - the can no more be -an art about the weakening and gradual crumbling of common man than there can be a the all-powerful monopoly capitalist medicine about the uncommon man." system, the rise of a new socialist In everyday life we are constantly world, the rise of a whole group of bombarded with and convinced of the "neutral" states struggling for full in­ "truth" of this proposition by the news­ dependence - and to understand them. psper headlines and articles whose In this preliminary study, I would stock- in- trade is sensationalism. We like to deal with one aspect of Mac­ are spoon-fed a steady diet of Holly­ Lennan's novel - that is the author's wood's celluloid culture which must slander of Dr. Norman Bethune for rely on the unique and exceptional there can be no doubt that in cr~ating to get out of dealing with the real Jerome Martell, MacLennan had Beth­ problems that face man and society. une in mind. -The other line of thought is best * * * expressed by the Russian realist critics HOW DOES a writer create his char­ -and writers of the nineteenth century acters, his heroes, his literary images? and later. The revolutionary democrats Where does he get his material? If from Belinsky on, including Cherni­ his material is taken from life, shevsky, Dobrolyubov and Pisarev, set how does he pick and choose? How before themselves the task of organ­ does he select what is valid in the izing a popular revolutionary struggle creation of his art and discard what -against feudal tsarism, a revolutionary is invalid? struggle based on the peasants. 'Generally speaking, there are two In 1861, Pisarev spoke for the finest opposing lines of thought on this ques­ representatives of Russian revolution­ tion. We propose to leave out entirely ary intellectualism when he wrote, the school that says this question is ". .. to discover the characteristics not even a subject for discussion, since and needs of our people is the urgent literary images are created out of task of our time." the writer's own mind. Because they were revolutionaries Most western critics of the 20th cen­ who based themselves neither on the tury declare that only the exceptional court nobility, nor on the rising city and unique have validity in literature bourgeoisie in their struggle to over­ and art. This point of view is forth­ throw feudalism, but on the peasant rightly stated by W. H. Auden, dis­ masses, they demanded that the cre­ tinguished British poet and essayist, ative art and literature of their time in his introduction to the operas Caval­ reflect two things, "narodnost" and Ie ria Rustioana and I Pagliacci. "typicality". "The difficulty for the naturalistic There is no word for "narodnost" writer," says Auden, (the "natural- in English. Applied to literature it 32 Marxist Review could be translated as meaning "litera­ gestures, beliefs. methods of speaking, ture of the people", but what it actually etc., if he abstracts them and unites meant was "the people in literature", them into one store-keeper, bureaucr·at or the fact that literature should re­ or worker, then the writer creates a flect the common people, their lives, 'type' and this is art." their characteristics, their strivings *** and hopes and that literature should USED CREATIVELY in the study of serve the people and educate them. the history of development of art and They felt that literature and art, if literature, the Marxist world outlook it is to have validity, must deal with was thus able to explain how it was what is typical rather than with what a writer, consciously or unconsciously, is unique and exceptional. Pisarev abstratced what was typical for a whole express.ed this latter idea very well group, class, or even for a given in his sharp and cutting criticism of a period and how he was able to con­ collection of short stories called Street cretize this into one individual, an Types, which held up to ridicule and incident or series of incidents, a given laughter the common Russian man, or situation. It is this typic.ality that jus­ "muzhik." tifies the literary or artistic image. "Things that are completely unreal­ "Breadth of observation," explained istic sometimes happen in real life," Gorky, "the wealth of life experience, wrote Pisarev; "but we will not be­ often armed the artist with a power lieve an artist if he presents. these that overcame his own subjective atti­ accidents or exceptions to us in his tude to facts, his own subjectivity. artistic pictures, because an excep­ Balzac subjectively supported capitalist tional situation does not supply mater­ society, but in his novels he reflected ial for a type and can only be explain­ the banality and bas.eness of petty­ ed to some extent by the accidental bourgeoisie life with a striking and and mysterious confluence of circum­ merciless clarity." stances." MacLennan is a serious writer who This concept of typicality in litera­ strives to reflect Canadian life and ture was further explained and devol­ reality. In his work we find types that oped by the proletarian writer, Maxim are valid in literature. George Stewart, Gorky, in the following words: for example, is a valid literary type. "The ,art of creating by means of One might even suspect that in the words, the art of creating characters creation of Stewart, MacLennan's art­ and 'types', demands imagination, con­ istic talent deceives his intention, for jecture, invention. By describing ·a in spite of the fact that MacLennan's store-keeper, ·a bureaucrat or a worker approach to Stewart is sympathetic he knows, the writer will create a and positive, there emerges little that photograph, one that is more-or-less is praiseworthy or noble in him. He accurate, but has no social-educational is the mathematical average, the most significance and gives absolutely no­ ordinary, self-centred, narrow, self-in­ thing in the way of widening our terested Canadian intellectual. His understanding of man and life. world is formed in concentric circles "But if the writer is able to abstract around his own person and those near­ from each of twenty, fifty, or a hun­ est and dearest to him. dred store-keepers, bureaucrats, work­ Arthur Lazenby is a type distasteful ers, what is most characteristic, the even to MacLennan. Lazenby achieved class characteristics, habits, tastes, a position in the Department of Exter- November-December, 1961 33 nal Affairs by confessing he had been the pains would pass, the agony and a member of the Communist Party. ugliness were necessary and always He is an example of moral depravity, would be necessary to birth. Knowing of intellectual opportunism. He joined this, then, what could he say truthfully the party with big hopes for what he about this woman as she lies there? could get out of it. He maintained no Is she not ugly? Yes. Is she not beau­ principled position ,and moved smooth­ tiful? Yes. Is she not pitiful, ludicrous, ly and easily into new, more "reward­ grotesque and absurd? Yes! Is she ing" fields of ,activity when opportunity not magnificent and sublime? Yes! beckoned. Having been a communist, And all these things would be true. he now hated communism with a blind "Now, R.ussia is going through her and rabid fury. There were Lazenby delivery and the midwives and obstet­ types in the 'thirties and the cold war ricians have been so busy keeping the produced more of them. These are the baby alive that they haven't got around "lumpen proletariat" of intellectual­ as yet to cleaning up the mess, which ism. affronts the eyes and elev,ates the But it is impossible to justify Jerome noses of those timid male and female Martell as a literary type. virgins suffering from sterility of the * * * soul, who lack the imagination to see LET US EXAMINE for a moment the behind the blood and significance of man he is suppos,ed to portray. Dr. birth. Norman Bethune was a brilliant Mont­ "Creation is not and never has been real surgeon who threw himself pas­ a genteel gesture. It is rude, violent sionately into the political discussions and revolutionary. But to those cour­ and events of the day and eventually ageous hearts who believe in the un­ organized a medical centre in Spain. limited future of man, in the devine In 1935 Dr. Bethune attended an destiny which lies in his own hands to International Physiological Congress in make of what he will - to these Russia Leningrad and on his return to Canada presents today the most exciting spec­ delivered a report to the members of tacle of the evolutionary, emergent and the medical profession at a meeting heroic spirit of man which has appear­ sponsored by the Medico-Chirurgical ed on this earth since the Reformation. Society of Montreal. His report was To deny this is to deny our faith in concluded in these words: man - and that is the unforgivable sin, "Isadora Duncan, in the story of her the final apostasy." life, describes her confinement ... 'There I lay', she wrote, 'a fountain ** * of spouting blood, milk and tears.' DR. NORMAN BE11HUNE went into What would a person think, watching the working class movement of Mont­ for the first time a woman in labor real during the 'thirties ,and sought to and not knowing what was happening understand it. He became a part of it to her? 'Would he not be appalled at because he grasped and understood the blood, the agony, the apparent what is fundamental - that the strug­ cruelty of the attendants, the whole gle to build a new society is a class revolting technique of delivery? He struggle, is a struggle for the achieve­ would cry: 'Stop this! Do something! ment of state power by the working Police! Murder! ' class,a revolutionary struggle. This is "Then tell him he was seeing a new what brought the great Canadian sur­ life brought into the world and that geon into the Communist Party. 34 Marxist Review -Bethune never tried to escape the And before leaving for Spain, he consequences of his understanding. asks passionately, "But how can any­ After Spain he went to China, where, one live a private life now? All the true to the working class to the last, hatred and killing has started again he gave his life in the struggle for the and this time it's a thousand percent liberation of the Chinese people. Beth­ worse because the killers understand une was the ·finest example of the hon­ what they're doing. Anything to break est intellectual who, through his assoc­ the system that causes these things, iation with and understanding of the George. Anything!" working class, ·finds his way to com­ A man who understood these things, munism. This is what is essential in and their basic truth applies to to­ him. This is what links him with and day's world as well as it did to the what is typical in A. E. Smith, Theodore 'thirties, could not now reject these Dreiser, Rom3in Rolland, Joliot Curie ideas, reject communism and the class and others. struggle and remain honest with him­ The hero of MacLennan's novel, the self. As soon as he does, he becomes gifted Montreal surgeon J eorme Mar­ either a renegade to the working tell, also flings himself into the class or a false unsubstantiated, arti­ struggles and ideas of the working ficial creation of the writer's own class during the thirties. At one point mind. in the novel he exclaims: * ** THE BASIC truth is that renegades to "Try to understand this. The fascists the working class, no matter what their have brought back torture and torture particular flavor or stripe, have suc­ calls for martyrs. And what else is cumbed to self-interest as opposed to fascism but the logical product of the the recognition of class ties and social capitalist system?" responsibility. To retreat from a work­ "What do you mean ... torture calls ing class position means to adopt an­ for martyrs?" other class position and there is only "Simply this. Unless a man is able one that can be adopted - that of the to stand up and look the torturer in bourgeoisie. There is no fence to be the eye ·and say, 'I'm not afraid,' tor­ straddled in the middle and no position ture becomes the way of the world. above classes. It's as simple as that." The objective laws of development of "Is it really as simple as. that?" history and society are real laws which "No. No, because underneath it all do not depend on the opinions, whims is the plain economic exploitation of and desires of men. Rather, men's de­ the rotten world. The communists are sires and opinions are shaped by the the only people who understand economic and subsequently the social that ..." realities of life surrounding them, by Later, explaining how he got wound the relations of production. Denying up with the communists, Martell says, the existence of these laws, searching "Meanwhile, in the hospital, this young out something above and beyond them Jew Aronson talked to me about Marx does not annihilate them and does and socialism and the causes of war, not influence their actions in any way. and it all added up and made sense. The fact is that MacLennan does Wars are the inevitable products of not understand the working class. For the capitalist system. We're all com· him, workers were simply "the un­ pelled by the capitalist system to be­ employed trudging the sidewalks." come murderers .. ." There is not a single, life-and-blood November~December,1961 35 worker in his novel, nor is there a the utmost respect, with some Key­ single communist. All his "commun­ nesian arguments. He uses Newfound­ ists" are merely crude carricatures. land (he was an adviser to the New­ Thus, MacLennan is forced to invent foundland Royal Commission on the the reasons why Martell dropped like Revision of the Financial Terms of a ripe plum into the "clutches" of the Union) as an example of his theses communists and became a medical vol­ on capital formation. To many readers unteer in Spain-the murder of his the short section in which Professor mother, the wild ride down the river Keirstead describes with sympathy the to the sea, an evangelical upbringing, living conditions of the people of New­ the first world war, his passionate na­ foundland will be an arresting remind­ ture, the spirit that raged within him. er of the existence of a semi-colonial In the main, these reasons are sub­ economy within Canada. jective and have nothing to do with * ** the objective realities of life, with the KEIRSTEAD, professor of economics class struggle. at the University of Toronto, is well Jerome Martell is an accident of cir­ known as a CBC commentator, and as cumstance. He is a cheap literary one of the all-too-few academic people parody of a great Canadian figure who maintained an interest in the de­ and, as such, his creation does Mac­ fense of civil liberties during the cold Lennan little honor. war. But in spite of the author's wide experience, and broad approach to problems, he drives one to wonder at his extraordinarily muddled, anti-histo­ rical method, his apparent determina­ tion to avoid the use of Marxist cate­ Reviews gories, and his, as it were, defiant search for new explanations of pheno­ mena to which Marxism has already given answers that command respect CAPITAL, INTEREST AND PRO­ from non-Marxist and Marxists alike. FITS, by B. S. Keirstead. The Macmil­ Professor Keirstead is fully entitled lan Company of Canada Limited, Tor­ to seek new solutions for old prob­ onto. 1959. 180 pp. $3.75. lems, but one would expect him to display an awareness of what has gone By F. W. P. before, and to show why his answers IN HIS BOOK published in late 1959, are superior. And it is not merely Professor B. S. Keirstead undertook that he disregards Marx as that the to deal with big problems, a point disregard takes the form of casually very much in his favor. He has not attributing to Marx ideas that Marx limited himself, as many of his col­ never held. This intellectual careless­ leagues have done, to a consideration ness, to use a mild term, towards of narrow, technical points. On the con­ Marx, has been a characteristic of trary, he has grappled with a major many academic writers who in other problem, the nature of economic pro­ fields are meticulous in their scholar­ gress, why some nations advance and ship; one had hoped that Professor others do not. Keirstead would not have,fallen vic­ He also discusses how inflation and tim to it. unemployment can occur at the same For Keirstead the world is divided, time, and takes issue, although with and this division is applicable to all 36 Marxist Review historical periods, into conventional so­ Progress begins, argues Professor cieties on the one hand, those in Keirstead, when the conventional SO" which the process of production does ciety receives an external shock that not change or else changes impercep­ leads some of its members to see the tibly and in which there is no capital need for more and better tools. So formation, and on the other hand, pro­ some form of social abstinence is im­ gressive, capital-forming, capital-using posed by "someone with authority to societies. command", people are diverted from Professor Keirstead appears a little hunting to tool-making, - and pro­ unsure whether he is dealing with gress can begin. historical realities or with Robinson Shock is variously defined - as Crusoe type assumptions, but he does war, conquest, discovery, trade, and insist that most real primitive socie­ finally as simple "contact" with differ­ ties have approximated his concept of ing societies; the contact stimulates a conventional society; as examples he change in a conventional society even cites Egypt "for most of its recent if the contact is with another conven­ history", the Aztec economy, the Inca tional society. economy, feudal Christendom, Russia But this theory of progress through "until late in the XIX Century", J a­ mutual shock effectually conceals what pan until 1853, Newfoundland at the actually happened in history, the tran­ time of union with Canada in 1949. sition from one form of society to an­ As can be seen, the category is elas­ other, and the real progress of the tic. primitive accumulation of capital, the study of which caused Marx to declare How then, asks Professor Keirstead, that capital comes into the world does a conventional society, operating "dripping from head to foot, from by definition at a subsistence level, in every pore, with blood". which land is important but is physi­ In a semi-confirmation of Marx and cally possessed by a "leader class", exposure of his own theory, Profes­ in which there is no change in the sor Keirstead cites the contact of XII­ tools used and no capital formation, XIV Century Europe with India and a society in which the masses "pa­ the East as one· cause of the great tiently endure", how does this society economic revolution-in Europe. It become progressive and begin to form does not occur to him that the people capital, that is, make new tools? of India might be unable to distin­ ** * guish between contact and plunder. UP TO THIS POINT Professor Keir­ Having begun with external shock stead has been having it both ways; as the cause of progress, Professor his conventional society functions at Keirstead goes on to take other fac­ a subsistence level, the problem of tors into account: the availability of a a food surplus is acute, yet at the food surplus, the existence of a strong sam~ time he has postulated a "leader and determined political authority, class", a very few who "spend os­ some degree of social flexibility (the tentatiously" and constitute a "small opportunity for new classes to arise), very wealthy elite". He has not stopped the· influence ·of natural environment, to explain· how. this elite· came into. some degree of intellectual awakening. existence, and whether the patiently. -An -immediate comment is that· in enduring masses (a pleasant myth of adding' these factors, he has come the economist) 'are working ,as slaves, some distance from anything that can as serfs or for wages. be called a theory of shock. And the November-December, 1961 37 distance becomes greater as we see more than buildings, machinery, raw what Professor Keirstead means by materials and labor power; it is all the influence of natural environment on these things in motion, under certain progress. Climate and geographic situa­ defined conditions. tion he considers irrelevant, the posses­ Marx insisted that capital was above sion or non-possession of rich natural all "a definite social relationship", "a resources is of doubtful importance. definite social system resting on the But there is a natural quality that existence of labor in the form of is relevant - it is a maritime situa­ wage-labor", "the governing power tion. Sea-faring people, Professor Keir­ over labor and its products". Tools stead feels, are versatile and auda­ and other instruments of production cious, have initiative, have inquiring are vital for the production process, minds, are ready to learn, and have but for an understanding of production the best of opportunities to learn. it is essential to know who owns the ::: :;: ::: tools and plant, and the kind of social ONCE MOUNTED and in full gallop relationships under which production on his horse, Professor Keirstead finds is taking place. the existence of progress in non-mari­ time societies like China, Russia and * * * the United States as unconvincing ar­ MARX, BASING himself on a strict guments against his thesis. Japan be­ historical approach, argued that instru­ comes an example of progress due to ments of labor do not become capital a maritime situation, but nothing is until the capitalist mode of produc­ said, for example, of Java, Madagas­ tion is introduced, but Professor Keir­ car, Newfoundland, or pre-1959 Cuba. stead has resolutely adopted a good­ Imperialism and colonialism have been for-all-time definition of capital that left out of th~ view of history. leaves out the conditions under which After discussing with enthusiasm his capital comes into being, and has theory of a maritime situation as an closed his mind to the idea that rela­ important factor making for progress, tions of production could be a mean­ Professor Keirstead abruptly drops it. ingful category. He has assumed at He summarizes his explanation by re­ all times the existence of an "author­ verting to three necessary conditions ity" but never considers what ~ind of for progress: shock, potential food sur­ authority, how it arose, or in whose plus, authority, to which he at once interests it acts. Ownership is left out adds a fourth, hope of reward. The of the picture. sea-farers, the flexibility, and the intel­ In all this Professor Keirstead has lectual awakening are all overlooked. adopted, surprisingly, a profoundly un­ The deficiencies and lack of clarity democratic theory of history. In his in this whole approach are numerous. thinking it is not the people who make There is an unhistorical search for history or influence economic policy. universal categories equally applicable In his conventional societies the peo­ to primitive communism, slavery, feu­ ple patiently endure. The transition to dalism, capitalism, and socialism. Thus a progressive society comes as the capital is defined as a stock of tools, result of a decision by a headman or without distinguishing between, say the from the wishes of a group of leaders. canoe of a primitive society, and the The peoples' struggles against exploita­ plants of the Ford Motor Company. tion and the revolutionary transition Now capital is more than the in­ from one form of society to a higher struments of production. It is also one are not considered relevant. 38 Marxist Review The references to Marx are slipshod unique and incalculable and since and mistaken. In discussing exploita­ every case is a once-for-all decision, tion (which he confuses with accu­ there are no odds. mulation) Professor Keirstead states There is no discussion of what de­ firmly that Marx "denied" that "ex­ termines how great a reward should ploitation was connnected with a long­ be in relation to what degree of un­ run process of material advance". A certainty, and the explanation explains glance ·at The Communist Manifesto nothing. It is without relevance to would have reminded Professor Keir­ the real world of monopoly capital in stead of the importance that Marx which actual decisions are being taken and Engels attached to the revolu­ by groups of capitalists who are able tionary role of the bourgeoisie in over­ to influence events and induce results throwing feudalism, and to the tre­ favorable to them. The point is that mendous development of the productive in the world of monopoly capital the forces that took place under capital­ monopolists do riot even take risks, ism. The difference is that Marx and let alone face uncertainty in Professor Engels saw capitalism historically, as Keirstead's sense. having a beginning and an end; Pro­ A reference to one of the big Cana­ fessor Keirstead considers the use of dian development projects of recent capital as common to all societies­ years illustrates this point. A group for him progress and the growth of of Cleveland financiers, headed by the capital (and hence, apparently of capi­ man who later became Eisenhower's talism) are indissolubly linked. Secretary of the Treasury, and their Professor Keirstead also refers to Canadian tycoon allies, J. Y. Murdoch the fact, in his view, that Marx laid and J. R. Timmins (vice-presidents of down that the interests of capitalists two banks), decided to develop the iron (financiers) and entrepreneurs (indus­ ore of the Labrador Trough so as to trialists) are "identical". In fact Marx provide a supply of cheaper ore for pointed out that although all members the steel mills controlled by the U.S. of the modern bourgeoisie have a group. The ore was there, the market common class interest as against an­ was assured, the group was able to other class, they have antagonistic mobilize the needed financial resources. interests when they face each other. What had to be done first (and very The same point is made by Marx in little money had to be put up before relation to the division of surplus value this was achieved) was to form alli­ between finance capitalists and indus­ ances, get the necessary concessions trial capitalists. confirmed, and reach 'agreements with * * * governments, Canadian, U.S., Quebec, PROFIT, IN Professor Keirstead's Newfoundland. language, is "the reward for success­ It was a high-level operation re­ ful uncertainty bearing" (the author quiring the right touch, one that could claims that a distinguishing attribute only be applied by a financial group of a genuinely dynamic society is the with the right connections. The group uncertainty that attends all major in­ had those connections. But once the vestment decisions). Uncertainty is not difficult preparatory moves had been the same thing as risk; the latter is made and the terms of payment set­ something that can be calculated and tled, the actual building of the railway insured against since the odds are and extraction and shipping of the ore known (the risk that your house may became a technical problem, tough burn down), while uncertainty is but not uncertain. Financially the re- Novembet-December, 1961 39 sults were a sure thing. The inner unemployment in, say two sectors, group has made large profits; no one while at the same time there is price can seriously argue that the profits rigidity and even inflation in the bear any relation to the successful others. (An example for him of the al­ endurance of uncertainty. And other most complete immobility of labor in examples could be given. Canada was the opposition of Nova Concerned by the failure of Key­ Scotian miners to the "economically nesian economics to explain how in­ sound" suggestion by the Gordon flation and unemployment can exist Commission that the Nova Scotia side by side, Professor Keirstead seeks mines be closed down and the miners assistance from the experience of Co­ moved to other jobs elsewhere in Ca­ lombo Plan aid in southern Asia. nada). (Presumably the reference is to India, Professor Keirstead dismisses some­ although this is not stated, and there what lightly the idea that a useful is no comparison with the experience division of the economy for the pur­ of China). pose of his analysis might be into * * * production of means of production TO ILLUSTRATE the problem he and production of means of consump­ makes use of an economic model based tion, the classical Department I and on a traditional town-village relation­ Department II of Marxian economics. ship. From its surplus food produc­ He feels that such a division is inap­ tion the village supplies the town propriate for Canada where a high with food, and with the proceeds of proportion of investment (producer) the sale of food buys clothing made goods is imported. in the town. Over the years an equili­ He therefore offers a four-sector brium has been achieved in this ex­ division of the Canadian economy into change. As a result of Colombo Plan the production of non-food staples for activities (shock), health conditions export, secondary manufacturing for improve, mortality declines, there are domestic use, agricultural production more mouths to feed in the village, for export, and agricultural production and hence less money with which to for domestic use, a division that in buy the town-produced clothing. his view has the further advantage of In the town, clothing workers are corresponding to the geographical di­ laid off because of the decreased de­ vision of Canada into regions. mand for clothing, while food prices The striking fact about this whole rise because the supply has gone down. line of reasoning and the models con­ Thus, on the assumptions of the model, structed upon it is the omission of ele­ the problem has been explained. ments essential to the answer. Professor Keirstead sees the crucial The Asian example is based on the assumptions to centre around rigidity inflow of foreign investment, but an _ the village maintains its diet, the investment that does not develop in­ demand for food does not vary much, dustry, that is limited by and does "factors" do not move from one sec­ not seek to alter the already existing tor to another. relations of production. From the He then goes on to argue that there Asian model used by Professor Keir­ is also rigidity and lack of mobility stead, the landlord, the money-lender, in the four sectors into which he divi­ the owner of the clothing factory have des the Canadian economy, and it is been omitted. The rigidity in the so­ in the existence of these rigidities that ciety is real, but it is based in the he finds the explanation for Canada of kind of political-economic control ex- 40 Marxist Review ercised by the native ruling class, for him apparently no improvements and in the accommodation between the in living conditions have taken place. Colombo Plan and this ruling class. Perhaps in the three years that have This is the rigidity that has to be passed since the book was prepared analyzed, and ended - and against for publication, he has acquired con­ which the peoples' struggle is directed. temporary information on this subject. So in Canada one would expect Pro­ Professor Keirstead's book has an fessor Keirstead to examine the role index, notable both for inaccuracy and of foreign (mainly U.S.) capital and for the delicate sense of political bal­ to discuss whether some of the rigid­ ance displayed by the indexer. This ity he finds in the Canadian economy is something for which The Macmillan is not the result of the distorted struc­ Company of Canada must be held ac­ ture of growth and distorted pattern countable. of trade imposed by outside capital. The indexer has been unable to dis­ In Asia and in Canada the discussion tinguish between '''Marx, K." and has ignored relations of production; ",Marxism"; the same seven entries the result is that the models simply appear under both. 'In fact there is lack point. no reference to Marxism, and only * * four to Marx. PROFESSOR KEIRSTEAD does come, ** * somewhat gloomily, to the conclusion IN DISCUSSING the hope of reward that neither in Newfoundland nor in for which people work, Professor Keir­ southern Asia is the simple import of stead commented on the "nauseating capital "enough to guarantee a pro­ effects of American television pro­ gressive economy". Here he teeters grams" which, he felt, are "not dis­ on the verge of wisdom, but cannot similar" to programs in the U.S.S.R. decide whether the failure of capital where viewers instead of being urged imports is because not enough capital to spend ,are continually urged "to has been brought in, or perhaps be. abstinence". No doubt Professor Keir­ cause the wrong kind of capital was stead knows something about U.S. imported. A discussion of the latter television, though it can be doubted point, not enlarged on, could have that he has the same first-hand knowl­ been important, since it would involve edge of Soviet TV. However, having discussion of the need to invest in criticized the one he felt duty-bound industry as well as the question of to criticize the other, a fact of which who is to control the industry and the the happy indexer took full advantage. line of growth of the country. Thus the remark is solemnly repro­ Professor Keirstead's views on the duced in the index under "United U.S.S.R. have a 1930 flavor. For him States, television, nauseating in", the Soviet peoples are being forced again under "USSR, television, nause­ to live in abstinence, continually urged ating in," and finally under "Televi­ to greater efforts by hopes of pie in sion, nauseating effects of, in USA the sky that are never realized. If and U.S.S.R.". (The indexer missed Professor Keirstead had wanted to the chance to include an entry under argue that the people of the Soviet "Nausea, produced by television in Union have made sacrifices to build U.S.A. 'and U.S.S.R.".) socialism, no one would quarrel with Where Professor Keirstead has ne­ him; in fact he argues that promised glected to include a balanced criticism, rewards have been "ephemeral" and the indexer has sought to remedy the November-December, 1961 41 default. The author referred to slavery and towards the national minorities in the southern states of the U.S., which are found in the U.S.A. Typical, thereby giving rise to an index entry: is the vile distortion of the history, "U.S.A., slavery in". TIle indexer hast­ customs, and the national heroes and . ened to balance this with "U.S.S:R., heroines of past and present. This is . slavery in, See Kulaks". The success accomplished through the mass media of the balance is marred by the fact of T.V., Hollywood films, comic books, that Professor Keirstead's reference to the educational system, and the daily Kulaks makes no mention, express or newspapers to name only a few. implied, of slavery. A point raised in There are many valuable lessons in the text, whether American workers this book for Canadians in our struggle are being reduced to debt peonage for national freedom. These include the through the operations of the -finance necessity for us firstly, to study the corporations, seems to have heen too experience and the democratic tradi­ embarrassing to index at all. Nor tion of Latin America to help us wage could the indexer bring himself to our joint struggle against U.S. imperial­ include such concepts as Classes, Big ism and secondly, to build bonds of Corporations, Imperialism or even fraternal solidarity with our comrades Wages, all referred to in the text, but and brothers throughout the Americas. not included in the Index. Colon dipping into his rich experience Asa final comment it is safe to say of over 40 years as a passionate fighter that the Ievel of Canadian scholarship for the American working class and in economics, or rather, the relevance at the same time for the aspirations of of the findings of Canadian economists his people, shares his life long exper­ to Canadian problems, will decline so iences in the Communist movement with long as economists are not prepared the reader. to grapple in realistic terms with questions of ownership and control Written in a very popular style it under monopoly capitalism, or look contains some fundamental Marxist objectively at the relation between the positions. An example of this is, in failure of the Canadian economy to writing about a deceased comrade, develop in all sectors and the growth "WeB, I think that he would have read in control by U.S. capital. and pondered all these questions after he came back tired from picketing or distributing leaflets somewhere. He A Puerto Rican in New York And would, I am sure have participated in Other Sketches by Jesus Colon, Main­ any discussions organized around these stream Publishers, New York, paper: questions wherever he had an oppor­ $2.00, cloth: '$3.00. tunity to express an opinion. But he would keep up his activities, his con­ By OSMO LAHTI tributions and confidence in the work­ ing class. For Marcelino knew that it THIS IS A BOOK of sketches about the is in the practice of what thousands life, traditions and the contribution of like him do every day to -advance the Puerto Ricans to democracy and so­ interests of the people, that the correct cialism in America. theory for solving of many problems It is first and foremost a revealing that confront us will be discovered. indictment of American imperialism, When you are busy in the working with its "ignorance and arrogance", class, you hardly find time and inclin­ towards the Latin American nations ation to become disilIusioned". 42 Marxist Review It is in this spirit of humanism and I should like to try to correct some unshakeable confidence in the working of the falsehoods, half truths and class that the author writes about ra­ "slanted" writing which make Mackay's cial discrimination, political struggles, letter sound like a Time magazine womens' fight for equality, art, the editorial. struggle for a working class press, and Is Combat anti-clerical? just the ordinary life of people. The clergy (Roman Catholic) in Que­ The historic role of the Communist bec are acting in fields which belong Party as the leading, organized van­ to the public domain, the temporal guard of the working class is not pre­ world, as they say, in addition to the sented in a dry lifeless form as is the spiritual world. 'When things go wrong case in too much of our literature, but in the domain of the spirits, of heaven rather as an integral part of the life or purgatory, we are in no position to and struggle of the people with all criticize. That is strictly their affair. the obstacles and successes that arise. But when questions of public educa­ tion, hospital administration, labor le­ "And after all, it is the working class gislation and organization, etc., are and the people who will write the final concerned and things go wrong then report". The confidence with J eusus it is not anti-clericalism for Combat to Colon expresses in this sentence is speak of these things. contained in every page of this valu­ Camille Dionne's ·article in July-Aug. able addition to the arsenal of Marx­ Marxist Review points out clearly that ist writings in the U.S.A. because in 1837-38 the bourgeoisie did not completely win the revolution, one of their demands, separation of church and state was not won. Thus, today, the church is responsible for education, and the job it is doing in that regard Letter is, in 1961, wholly inadequate. I have heard many Catholics complain that there aren't enough schools, not enough teachers (40 and 50 children in a class­ TO mE EDITOR: room), too much catechism (religious The impression seems to have gotten instruction), not enough science, maths, around that the letter signed by Mack French language, etc. An education Mackay in the Sept.-Oct. Marxist Re­ system which may have been adequate view was printed with the blessings of for ·an agricultural economy is not M.R.'s editors. 'I hope this is not true, adequate for an industrial economy, as Mackay's article is a distortion of particularly as we stand on the thresh­ Camille -Dionne's article in the July­ old of an era of automation. Aug. Marxist Review, and a distortion 'Boards of education are not elected of the line in Combat. It f.alsely implies in Quebec as they are in other pro­ that our party is sitting back waiting vinces, their workings are not subject for people to come to our centr·ally to the public scrutiny, and in view of Iocatedbookshop (which we were for­ the plethora of scandals reported in tunate in obtaining) and it attempts the press in the last year, one wonders an opportunistic revision of Marxism­ what may yet be uncovered in the Leninism in regards to our attitude school commissions. b)wards the church, among other Mack Mackay assures us that both things. church and government leaders are November-December, 1961 43 publicly supporting educational re­ ation of the true historical and econ­ forms.. Need they "support" reforms? omic roots of religious obscurantism. Would it not be better if they were Our propaganda necessarily includes to simply carry them out? May one the propaganda of atheism; the publi­ hope that they are not merely paying cation of .appropriate scientific litera­ lip service to reforming the educational ture, which the feudal-autocratic gov­ system in the hope that the public ernment has hitherto strictly prohibited outcry will subside? and persecuted, must now constitute IWhat kind of reforms are proposed one of the branches of our party work." by government and church leaders? And further on he warns against Do they intend to allow democracy in falling "into the abstract and idealist the choice of school boards? Will they error of arguing the religious question allow secular education for those who from the standpoint of 'reason', apart desire it, using some of the public from the class struggle - as is not funds, now funnelled into th€ hands of infrequently done by 'bourgeois radical the religious authorities. in order to democrats." provide facilities for secular education? In the past short period in Montreal And in the pamphlet The Attitude of we have seen severe criticism of Cath­ the Workers' Party Towards Religion, olic hospitals on the grounds of mis­ written in 1909, from which Mack Mac­ appropriation of funds and maladmin­ gay evidently obtained his "quotation", istration. Should Combat remain silent he not only failed to notice that Lenin when other French language newspa­ was quoting Engels, hut didn't read pers speak of these matters? further on where Lenin explains the It should be obvious to one who background to that statement, Le., that claims to be a Marxist, that the atti­ the ·anarchists and Blanquists had car­ tudes and actions of such a potent force ried revolutionary phrasemongering in in our society, the Roman Catholic the struggle against religion to a ne church, its social doctrine, must be plus ultra, that the European Social discussed 'and ·analyzed in a Communist Democrats went to the other extreme paper. It is vitally necessary that Com­ and he then refers to the conditions munists and their friends should know in the Western European countries our party's stand on these matters. which gave rise to an opportunistic position in regards to religion in the Regarding Mack Mackay's quotation Social Democratic parties. of Lenin that to proclaim war on reli­ gion is just anarchistic phrasemonger­ Lenin then explains about Russia. ing, (Lenin quoting Engels referring "Conditions ·are entirely different in to the exiled Blanquists in London), Russia. The proletariat is the leader may I say that neither Combat nor of the bourgeois-democratic revolution. Camille Dionne have issued a procla­ Its party must be the ideological leader mation. in the fight 'against every form of mediaevalism, including the old official Lenin had much more than that to religion and every attempt to renovate say on the subject. For example, in it or provide it with a new and differ­ a pamphlet called Socialism and Reli­ ent base, etc." gion (written 1905) among other things he says, "Our program is entirely based Further in the same pamphlet refer­ on the scientific that is, the materialist ring to deputy Surkov's speech in the world outlook. The explanation of our Duma, Lenin says, "The second duty­ program, therefore, includes ·an explan- and perhaps the most important for 44 Marxist Review Social Democrats-namely, to explain indeed, we are building it, and if Mack the class role of the church and the Mackay had a hand in building it he clergy in supporting the Black Hundred would know that. I(b) It is not a bad • government and the bourgeoisie in its thing to have a centrally located hook­ fight against the working class has, shop, as many people can testify, and been discharged with honor. Of course, the Ifact that more people come there very much more might be said on this than when it was at the far end of the subject, and the Social Democrats in city is also a good thing, besides which their future utterances will know how it is more spacious than the old lo­ to amplify comrade Surkov's speech; cation. (c) I don't understand Mackay's but still his speech was excellent, and reference to "petty-bourgeoisie intri­ its dissemination by all Party organiza­ gues," it's simply ridiculous. (d) The tions. is the direct duty of our Party." charge that the Party is moribund here !It is evident to me that either Mack can hardly explain some of the recent Mackay didn't read Lenin fully on the public activities which elicited a rea­ subject, or else he deliberately quotes sonable response under the circumstan­ out of context in order to mislead ces. The report of our death is highly people. exaggerated. The general tone of Mackay's refer­ Does Mackay believe we 'are in a ences to the Catholic church might lead revolutionary period here? He does not one to believe (if one did not know point to any speci'fic evidence to sup­ better) that the church is a force for port his claim. Or did he not make progress. Are Abbes Dion and O'Neill any such claim, but merely wants to for democracy? Except where it con­ quibble? cerns Communists or other progressive Mackay suggests that incorrect tac­ ideas, perhaps.. What does Mackay tics are the real cause of progressive mean by "socially conscious" Domini­ stagnation in Quebec, but he does not can priests? Is not their "social con­ give us a hint of what the incorrect sciousness' developed in order to equip t'actics are (apart Jrom supposed anti­ them to better fight communism and clericalism) nor does he suggest what other progressive ideas? correct tactics might be employed. Mackay quarrels with Camille Di­ I find it hard to understand how onne's. remark that we are not in a Mackay could become so muddled up revolutionary period, -and in doing so when he refers to Camille Dionne's suggests (a) that the Quebec party argumentation on the Quebec national is waiting for the world situation to movements, unless he does it deliber­ build our movement; (h) that the party ately. waits Jor people to come to it and its For example, Camille Dionne made centrally-located bookshop; (c) that a passing reference to the victory of COmJbat is mixed up in petty bourgeois the Cuban people. Mackay picks this intrigues surrounding the separatist up and gives us 'a lecture on how there movement, and finally (d) as if the has been no urgent demand for land foregoing is not enough, that the P,arty reform in Quebec. As if we didn't is. moribund in the province of Quebec. know! But how many French Canadians I reject these accusations as outright have told me: "We need a Fidel Castro slanders of good comrades who are here!" These French Canadian work­ doing their best in difficult circumstan­ ers obviously have no need of land ces. (a) We are not waiting for the reform, but they know that the Cuban world situation to build our movement, revolution nationalized American mon- November-December, 1961 45 opolies and has established Cuban to task for his use of the term "bour­ national independence. geois democratic" as though the term Another example of this muddle is had no legitimate use. Does not Lenin regarding the separatists. If I had only refer time and again to bourgeois de­ Mackay's letter in front of me, I would mocracy, which we know is not the get the impression that Camille Dionne the same ,as workers' democracy, but had inflated the importance of the also is not the same 'as' the open dic­ Quebec separatist movements and was tatorship of the bourgeoisie, and there himself advocating separatism. Fortun­ are more or less, democratic bourgeois ately, I also have comr·ade Dionne's states. For example, because separa­ article in which 'I see that while he tion of church 'and state was not won refers to the separatist movements, he in 1837-38 we suffer from that fact today also speaks oJ other national thought in the failings of our public education. in French Canada, ,and in particular Thus our Party today proposes in its refers to a group within the New Party Program things which can be done­ who; in a letter to Le Devoir, say under capitalism and don't necessarily among other things, that they would require passing to socialism.. consider separation only if it became r might say also that our Party has: impossible to make Confederation work. fought ',for more democracy since its Mackay views separatism and (pre­ birth, and its successful fight to defeat sumably) separatist ideas as "another the padlock law was won only a short unfortunate diversion" "at this stage time ago. Mackay's sneers about the of the U.S. imperialist threat to our party being "confused in its bourgeois nation." Here again I believe he is democratic manoeuvrings" are quite. muddled up. One of the strongly-held out of place. ideas of the separatists and other na­ I wonder that the Marxist· Review tionalists is that French Canada has editorial board saw fit to publish Mac­ the right to re.fuse to be dragged inta kay's letter at least without any com­ a war against its wishes. At this stage ment when one consi

46 Marxist Review Birthday Greetings to World Marxist Review

"The international communist movement h'Q.S in truth become the mind, the honor and the conscience of our epoch." These words appeared in the lead article of the first number of. World Marxist Review-Pro'blems of Peace and Socialism, September, 1958. The editors have upheld the truth of that creed as a guiding principle of the journal of the international communist movement. World MarXlist Review was launched at a conference held in Prague in March, 1958. At this conference the representatives of certain Com­ munist and Workers~ Parties participating decided upon joint publica­ tion by their Central Committees of the journal to be called Problems of Peace and Socialism. The jolirnal was to be an international tribune! for the exchange of opinions and experience between fraternal parties. The main task of the journal was set as the propagation and further elaboration of Marxist-Leninist theory. Basing itself on the 1957 Declara­ tion of the Conference of Representatives of the Communist and Work­ ers' Parties of the socialist countries the journal set itself the aim of pro­ pagating and developing the ideas of this document. The great historical changes taking place in the world outlined in this Declaration, and further developed in the 1960 Statement of the 81 parties required elucidation and elaboration from the standpoint of Marxist-Leninist theory and practice. This the journal does with marked success. Of paramount importance to the world communist movement is the struggle against all expressions of bourgeois ideology. From its very first days. World Marxist Review set itself the task of fighting implacably first of all against revisionism, the main danger to the world communist movement in present-day conditions, and at the same time of fighting against dogmatism and sectarianism which may also represent, the main danger at particular stages of the development of one party or another. The journal gives a special place in its columns to the problems of the struggle for peace and friendship between all peoples, for the ques­ tion of peace or war is the burning issue of our times. The journal places in the forefront of all its work the task of strengthening the unity of all peace-loving and, democratic forces, to develop contacts and cooperation between Communist and socialist parties; propagating the principles of proletarian internationalism which November-December, 1961 ' 47 the advanced workers of all countries hold sacred, the principles of friendship and cooperation between peoples. World Marxist Review teaches that the unbreakable unity of the world communist movement is the decisive element in the world-wide struggle for peace and peaceful coexistence, for the democratic advance of the liberation struggle, for the transition of non-socialist countries to socialism and the building of communist society. The Marxist Review greets World Marxist Review - Pro'blems 01 Peace and Socialism on the occasion of its third birthday. May it continue for many years to serve the cause of the world communist movement - the cause of proletarian internationalism.

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VOLUME 38 COLLECTED WORKS OF V.I. LENIN contains his philosophical notebooks Previously appeared Vol. 1 - 1893-18'94. Who are the "Friends of the People" Vol. 2 - 1895-1897. The fight against the "Narodniks". Vol. 3 - The development of capitalism in Russia. Vol. 4 - 1898. Work in Agriculture. Vol. 6 - 1902-1903. A program for the Russian social-democrats. Each of these volumes contains some hitherto unpublished material. PRICE PER VOLUME $1.50 You can secure them at $1.00 each by subscribing to the whole set of 30 volumes. Send in a deposit of $3.00 for the last 3 volumes to be published. All others will be shipped to you C.O.D. as they appear.

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