Two years later, in the great crisis of 1923 the majority of German workers were supporting the KPD. Is it possible to show that the call to make the rich pay back in 1921 helped towards this?

Taxation of the rich is not a particularly radical proposal and is often proposed, and even occasionally implemented to some degree, by Social Democratic parties. What was novel in the Communists’ approach was the notion that workers should unite across ideological lines in a mass campaign to force through a radical version of this proposal.

In Ontario, where I live, the Social Democrats (NDP) have just secured adoption of a 2% special tax on the very rich. A big-business newspaper (Globe and Mail) comments that, in the past, such measures have not produced any additional revenue. The very rich simply escalate their tax evasion by reorganizing their holdings and faking their tax returns, the Globe tells us. If this should actually happen, Ernst Meyer’s proposal of a campaign for confiscatory taxation of capitalist material assets could be a relevant response.

Anthony Brain raises many interesting questions; I’ll limit myself to a couple of them.

He writes that “re-establishment of Revolutionary Marxism on a mass scale … could come from diverse currents in the left and wider workers’ movement.” This strikes me as correct, and I agree with his appeal for “tactical flexibility” in pursuing that goal.

Anthony asks me what I think of “permanent revolution”. This is a concept that has been used in many different ways over a period of more than 160 years. It is best to discuss it with references to specific situations and challenges. For example, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has invoked the concept of “permanent revolution,” even as many Marxists denounced him in the name of “permanent revolution.” You will find some related comments by me in the Venezuela section of this website.

I’m just reading a history of Berlin by my fave German historian-journalist Bernt Engelmann; “Berlin – Eine Stadt wie Keine Andere” and in it he refers to the efforts of pioneer aviator Otto Lilienthal. He died trying out one of his pioneering glider flights — having flown distances up to 450 metres — in 1896.

Humanity builds on the experiences of our predecessors — including the failures. But until we analyze and learn from the errors of the past — we are doomed to repeat the failures.

Ernst Meter’s role stands out in stark contrast to the other [still alive] leaders of the German left at one of those rare moments in history when genuine revolutionary change was definitely on the agenda.

Thanks John Ridell for bringing this to our attention.

PS: Tomorrow I’m on my umpteenth trans-atlantic flight back to Toronto – not least because of Otto Lilienthal!….and the treacherous betrayals of the SPD leadership of Ebert and Noske.

Trotskyists should relate to this development in the Left Party by Florian Wilde and any sectarianism would be fatal! What is Wilde’s overall politics, does he have any ism ideology?

Do you still consider yourself a Trotskyist? What do you think of Permanent Revolution? I

I saw on Russia Today Wednesday morning that the riot police were using tear gas and water cannons against in La Paz (Bolivian Capital) miners who are fighting for a 6/7% pay increase and improvement in working conditions.

Big developments in Canada with the mass student upheaval in Quebec; massive strikes; and possibility of NDP winning the next Canadian general election!

Anthony Brain