Resolution Adopted by the Tenth Plenum of the IEC on the French Section

Published English text: Towards a History of the Fourth International, Part 4, vol. 2: Struggle in the Fourth International — International Secretariat Documents 1951-1954, Volume 2 of 4 volumes (Education for Socialists, Socialist Workers Party, New York, March 1974), pp. 52 · International Executive Committee (10th Plenum, February 1952). Read from the scan and corrected against the page image. Reproduced with the permission of Pathfinder Press.

The majority of the Parti Communiste Internationaliste, the French section of the Fourth International resisted the instruction that they make "entryism sui generis" into the French Communist Party the central axis of all party work. They proposed a more modest entry tactic. The International Secretariat responded by suspending the leadership of the French section from their posts for "indiscipline." This move was opposed at the time by Ernest Germain, Livio Maitan, Peng Shu-tse, and others. As a result of this opposition, Pablo agreed to a compromise in which the two factions of the PCI would have parity on a new political bureau. Germain (under the pseudonym of Albert) was to represent the International Secretariat on this body with a deciding vote. However, Pablo maneuvered to force the French majority out of the Fourth International, using their opposition to his tactical proposals as a pretext. Many of the forces which later supported the International Committee faction still had considerable confidence in Pablo. Since these forces (such as the fraternal sympathizers of the Fourth International in the leadership of the SWP, and Gerry Healy) were not convinced that Pablo was on a revisionist course, they thought the French refusal to carry out the "deep entry" tactic reflected a sectarian bent. Therefore, they made no objection at the time to Pablo's moves and even supported them. The SWP leadership, however, was disturbed by the supercentralist implications of Pablo's actions. The materials in this section are reprinted from "Documents on the Crisis in the PCI (French Section of the Fourth International)," SWP *International Information Bulletin*, November 1952.

The Tenth Plenum of the IEC takes cognizance of the declaration of the representatives of the majority of the French section according to which they are ready to apply the decisions of this plenum regarding the tactical application of the line of the Third World Congress for France.

The IEC decides the following in order to resolve the organizational crisis of the French Section:

1. Until the next congress of the PCI the Political Bureau will be composed of the following comrades: Bleibtreu, Lambert, Renard, Garrive, for the majority; Frank, Privas, Michele Mestre for the minority, Albert representative of the IS designated by the IEC. The IS representative will have a decisive vote in case of a tie and will remain responsible for the work in France to the IS and the IEC during the three months following the congress of the PCI.

2. The congress of the party will take place toward the end of May 1952.

3. Preparatory discussion for this congress is based on the decisions of the Tenth Plenum of the IEC so far as the application of the line of the Third World Congress in France is concerned. The framework of the discussion will be fixed by a document emanating from the Political Bureau at the conclusion of the session of the IEC. The Political Bureau will contribute to the discussion, besides the documents of the World Congress and of the IEC, one or several documents of concrete application of this line in the essential spheres of party activity.

4. Within the framework of preparation for the congress, every member of the party — including every member of the Political Bureau — will have the right to express himself on all questions in discussion for this congress and to write whatever he believes necessary to defend his position, without prejudice to the capacity of the representative of the IS designated by the IEC to express the line of the IEC. The discussion will be carried on in an organized form and under the control of the Political Bureau.

5. The Secretariat of the party will be composed of four members: Comrades Bleibtreu and Lambert for the majority, Frank for the minority, Albert as representative for the IS with a decisive vote. Comrade Frank will be the political secretary; Comrade Lambert organization secretary, a comrade of the minority will be responsible for work in Stalinist front organizations; the other functions of leadership (the paper, trade union work, youth work) will continue to be carried on by comrades who are now in charge of it.

6. The members of the Central Committee who have been suspended will resume their positions with full rights. The Central Committee may be convened before the Congress if the Political Bureau deems it necessary.

7. Both tendencies on the central committee will make declarations relating to their acceptance of the present agreement. They will be brought to the attention of the International simultaneously with this agreement. Adopted unanimously.