CHAPTER V.
"LEFT" COMMUNISM IN GERMANY: LEADERS-PARTY-CLASSES THE MASSES.
The German Communists, of whom we shall now speak, call themselves not "left," but, if I am not mistaken, the "opposition on principle" That they fully come under the symptoms of the "infantile disorder of leftness" will be seen from what follows.
A small pamphlet headed, "The Split in the Communist Party of Germany" (the Spartacist Union) issued by "the local groups in Frankfurt-am-Main," sets forth pointedly, concisely, clearly and briefly the substance of the views of the opposition. A few quotations will suffice to acquaint the reader with the essential points: "The Communist Party is a party of the most decisive class struggle. . . ."
"Politically, this transition period (between capitalism and Socialism) is the period of the proletariat dictatorship. . . ."
"The question arises: Who should be the wielder of this dictatorship; the Communist Party or the proletarian class. . . .?"
"On principle, should we strive towards the dictatorship of the Communist Party or the dictatorship of the proletariat?!!" (Italics in the original).
Further, the E. C. of the Communist Party of Germany is accused by the author of the pamphlet of seeking a way to a coalition with the Independent Socialist Party of Germany; that "the question of accepting, as a matter of principle all political means of struggle" including parliamentarism, has been put to the forefront by E. C. only for the purpose of
