Tomás Ó Flatharta

A debate, which is only the latest round in a longer and wider debate (itself a tributary of an even older debate),  is being fought in various publications and websites.  It is about Lenin, the Bolsheviks and what kind of party the Bolshevik organisation was (or even if it was a separate party for most of the time).

The new round has centred on the first volume of the most influential political biography of Lenin in these parts, Tony Cliff’s’  Lenin, Volume 1: Building the Party (London: Pluto Press, 1975).  Some of the heavyweights are there: Pham Binh, Paul Le Blanc and Lars Ti Lih.

It is a debate of close relevance to the matter of how revolutionary marxists should organise today, to what type of parties we should be building, and therefore should be of great interest to Tomás’ readers.

As is often the case the easiest place to follow it is the Links Australian/International web journal. Links have gathered all the contributions together and put them into a single clearly followable page. It began, or reached prominence (as is also often the case) on Louis Proyect’s Unrepentant Marxist site.

Put a pot of coffee on or open a can and enjoy; you will learn too of course.