Comrade Peter Mertens,

As a Marxist-Leninist of the Anti-Revisionist tradition, how do you explain the drastic, and almost immediate changes of the Stalinist Comintern tactical principles, beginning with the early period of quasi-ultra-leftism, which blatantly designated the European social-democracy as the left-wing of fascism; followed by the period of United Frontism, which now strangely sought a type of alliance with social-democracy; and finally, the inauguration of the Popular Front slogan for a collective anti-fascist alliance, encompassing even the temporarily progressive elements of the European bourgeoisdom? Without dwelling into abstract and unnecessary justifications of these very distinct periods of anti-fascist struggle, how do you explain this which is seen by so many as a clear example of Stalinist schematic inconsistency?


A question from down-under.

Kangaroo,

I'm sure you have heard of the term "dialectic materialism", the basis of Marxist philosophy. That's the answer to your question: a true Marxist always re-evaluates earlier decisions, and adjusts where needed, a true Marxist knows that society is not stable, fixed, but the result of many interactions and evolutions. A good decision today can be a wrong one tomorrow. That is the main difference with other philosophies like meta-physical materialism or idealism.

An other explanation is pure tactics: sometimes you have to bond with an enemy in order to fight an other, stronger enemy.