I am still in the middle of reading “October Song.” But my initial reaction is that Paul LeBlanc tends to underestimate the enormous challenges the Bolshevik leadership faced that led it to turn to “War Communism.” There was no possibility of a leisurely discussion regarding how best to defend the Revolution from, as Paul himself admits, an incredibly violent and brutal counterrevolutionary army assembled by the White generals with help from the imperialist powers. The single most important fact is that the revolutionary forces won the Civil War. I know of no wars — or serious strike battles — that are won without mistakes or errors.

I have no objection to learning from such errors made under Lenin and Trotsky’s leadership and certainly the entire question of the “mixed economy” is deserving of serious discussion. (In fact Lenin and Trotsky LED the process of learning from the errors of “War Communism” once there was the possibility of a “more leisurely” discussion.) But 100 years later, without the genuine pressures of imperialist invasion and ruthless civil war that the Bolsheviks had to face, it is easier to be critical.

I am reminded of a comment made by the tour guide who accompanied my Militant/Perspectiva Mundial tour group during a visit to Cuba in 1980. He said many north Americans who he met through his work were like fans at a boxing match. They cheered Cuba on but always had many criticisms that were easier to make when one was outside of the boxing ring itself. Of course such an attitude can be used to improperly discount all legitimate criticism. But all proportions guarded, he had a point.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android