Page:Resolutions and Theses of the Fourth Congress of the Communist International (1922).djvu/38

 The existence of independent Communist parties and their complete freedom of propaganda against the bourgeoisie and the counter-revolutionary social-democracy is the most important historical conquest of the proletariat, and one which the Communists should not give up under any circumstances. The Communist parties are the only fighters for the interests of the proletariat as a whole.

The tactics of the United Front should by no means imply the forming of "electoral combinations" of leaders for the pursuit of certain parliamentary aims. The tactic of the United Front is the call for the united struggle of Communists and of all other workers, either belonging to other parties and groups, or belonging to no party whatever, for the defence of the elementary and vital interests of the working class against the bourgeoisie. Every struggle, even for the most trifling everyday demand, is a source of revolutionary education and revolutionary training; for the experiences of the struggle will convince the workers of the inevitability of revolution and of the importance of Communism.

A specially important task in carrying out the United Front is to achieve not only agitational but also organisational results. No opportunity should be omitted of creating organisational points of support within the working masses themselves (industrial councils, controlling committees composed of workers of all parties, or belonging to no party, committees of action, etc.).

The most important thing in the tactics of the United Front is and remains the agitational and organisational unification of the working masses. The real success of the United Front tactics is to come from "below," from the depth of the working masses themselves. At the same time, the Communists should not decline, under given circumstances, to negotiate with the leaders of the workers' parties in opposition to us. But the masses must be constantly and completely kept informed of the course of these negotiations. Even during such negotiations the Communist Party should not in any way circumscribe the independence of its agitation.

It stands to reason that the tactics of the United Front should be applied in the different countries in various forms, in accordance with actual circumstances.. But in the most important capitalist countries, where the objective circumstances are ripe for the social revolution, and where the social-democratic parties—led by counter-revolutionary leaders are deliberately working for the splitting of the workers' ranks, the tactics of the United Front may be the starting-point for a new phase of the movement.

'''XI. The Workers' Government.'''

As a propagandist watchword the workers' government (and eventually of the workers' and peasants' government) is to-be generally applied. But as an actual political watchword