The history of the socialist and communist world movement is best understood by analyzing the fusion of Marxism with the workers’ movement in specific periods and throughout the movement in general. The constitution of Marxism, and the fusion process, have been characterized by advances and retreats from revolutionary practice from the very beginning. The reasons for these advances and retreats, their objective and subjective bases, are important because they provide us with the necessary political and theoretical lessons for rectifying their American manifestations. This is why we have spent over twenty weeks studying the history of this global totality of which we are but one aspect. This week we will attempt to synthesize our separate sessions into a unified understanding of where the world movement has come from, so as to be able to direct its present course into channels more appropriate to the demands of communist practice. To facilitate our objective, it is suggested that comrades go back and review the draft study plan and questions from various past sessions. While there are no assigned readings, this session requires the same degree of preparation and' thought as have all the others, if not more. We must, therefore, approach this discussion with the seriousness it deserves and. make the important lessons and examples of the world, movement a coherent whole that can aid us in our future struggles.
1. How did the socialist movement historically develop? What was the character of the early socialist movement? What was the significance of the contributions of Marx and Engels to this movement and their affects upon it?
2. What was the state of fusion during the period of the Second International? How was this an advance and how was it not?
3. How and why did the Third International develop? What were its historic advances in relation to previous attempts at fusion and why did it degenerate?
4. What was the role and character of Marxist theory in both the Second and Third Internationals?
5. Both the Chinese and the Euro-communists have attempted to break with Soviet Marxism in the recent past. How has each attempted this, successfully or not, and how does this reflect on the entire history of the world movement and the place of theory within that movement’s practice?