No. 70 | (Summer 2006)
This issue of Eszmélet addresses two major and historically relevant topics: the popular front, of which actuality is given by the anniversary of the Spanish civil war, and the second is the so-called organisational issue that is unresolved internationally as we entered into the new era of globalisation. In order to contribute to raise the level of intellectual debates of the political left in Hungary, it is important to sum up the relevant aspects of the oeuvre of Lenin concerning this topic.
In Hungary, so far no unbiased analysis was made on the international support to the forces of the Spanish Republic, the division and reasons of the split in the Spanish left, the role of anarchists, the weight of Soviet help in the civil war etc. Conclusions from the articles published can be relevant to restore unity of the present left. The Leninist experience on the organisational issue can also be linked to this question. What are the traps to be avoided by the present left? What were the profoundly different structural features of party development before and after 1917? Have we faced the progressive heritage of pre-Stalinist Marxism? Have we wasted 18 years since the system change? On historically and theoretically analysing the past probably we have not but concerning lessons to be learned – certainly yes.
Table of contents
- Harsányi Iván : Popular front – looking back over 70 years
- Farkas Miklós : When World War II began? The military coup against the Second Spanish Republic broke out 70 years ago
- Mezei Bálint : Soviet officers in the Spanish Civil War
- Konok Péter : Is the enemy of my enemy my friend? The failure of the Spanish popular front in May 1937
- Zolcsák Attila : Anarchist federalism and Spanish regionalism
- Ana Bazac : Present-day popular fronts
- Bánki Éva : Europe − for cartoon heroes On Aleš Debeljak: Europe without Europeans
- Joaquín Bustelo : Critical remarks to the idea of “democratic centrism”
- Michael A. Lebowitz : The politics of assumption, the assumption of politics
- Krausz Tamás : Lenin and the “organisation question” – historical reconstruction
Popular front – looking back over 70 years
The new political thinking and practice, on which the idea and practice of the popular front was built, essentially opposed the general political thinking of its time. The Seventh World Congress of Comintern did not discuss ready-made thought-blocks and distilled ideas – it had to face the failure of the final-target oriented policy of communist parties in the political and social situation had developed by the 1930's. The antifascist popular front was both necessary political practice and a result of theoretical considerations.
When World War II began? The military coup against the Second Spanish Republic broke out 70 years ago
The comprehensive study thoroughly analyses the history of the Spanish Civil War, circumstances of its outbreak and its political and social structure. The author gives special attention to military history considerations and connections to global politics.
Soviet officers in the Spanish Civil War
As it is known, during the Spanish Civil War, the Republic received relevant state support only from the Soviet Union. The article reviews careers of some Soviet military advisers arrived to the Spanish front.
Is the enemy of my enemy my friend? The failure of the Spanish popular front in May 1937
During Barcelona May Days, clashes broke out between troops of the popular-front government and radical revolutionary forces in May 1937. By analysing the events of the uprising and the following retaliation, the article values the chances of the popular front policy in a special historic constellation – during the revolutionary upheaval.