Leon Trotsky: Letter to the IS

March 20, 1934

[Writing of Leon Trotsky, Vol. 14, New York 1979, p. 467 f., title: “The Proposal to Fuse the CLA and the AWP”]

The attempt at unification is extremely interesting and symptomatic. It shows that the case of the SAP and the OSP was not and is not accidental but rather part of the course of the further development of the revolutionary workers’ movement. It was, is, and will be necessary to go through such attempts and experiments in all countries, in most countries several times.

The American Workers Party hardly stands on a higher political level than the SAP. The dangers that immediate unification entails are clear. But the American comrades have not closed their eyes to this either, as can be seen from Comrade Swabeck’s letters. They correctly understand that they are dealing with a centrist party that is moving toward the left. Comrade Solow, a friend of the League, writes me that Muste is the member of the AWP leadership most capable of developing (moreover he is a former minister). The arguments in favor of unification presented by Comrade Swabeck on behalf of the leadership are substantial. Our comrades are more numerous, better educated theoretically, and have no illusions about the difficulties they will face in working together with the AWP. It is very difficult to reach a decision from here without knowing all the elements of the situation, including the personal ones. But then this is not the question. Our American friends must make the decision themselves. It is enough for us to express our confidence in them in this matter. At most, the following points might be projected as desirable:

a. A discussion period of at least two months’ duration in which our comrades speak at the meetings of the AWP and the Muste people speak at our meetings. Also joint discussion evenings.

b. Conferences of both organizations with mutual representation to precede formal unification so that we can get a good clear picture of the groupings within the AWP.

c. A good editorial committee for the theoretical organ so that educational work will be carried out in a true Marxist spirit.

d. The establishment of a solid, regularly published internal bulletin where all pending questions are clarified.

e. Appropriate forms must be found for joint education of the youth.

f. It is desirable that the joint platform approve the Declaration of Four.

These are, more or less, the points that, in my opinion, can be projected as desirable from here. What will the international relations of the united party be like? Either it can join the International Secretariat directly or, if for the time being the AWP is not particularly inclined toward this, the united party can directly join the so-called Bloc of Four, which will thus become the Bloc of Five and open up new possibilities for us even in the event of further passive sabotage on the part of the SAP and the OSP. The united party could join the IS and the Bloc of Four at the same time.