Resolution of the Political Bureau on the Framework of the Preparatory Discussion for the Congress

Political Bureau of the PCI (as constituted by the Tenth Plenum) · March 31, 1952 · 373 words

From 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. 53. Reproduced with the permission of Pathfinder Press. Scan: Encyclopedia of Trotskyism On-Line.

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 has opened the discussion in the PCI for its May 1952 congress. According to the statutes of the International and the meaning of democratic centralism on an international scale which is at the foundation of our world party this discussion in its essence should be based on the application for France of the decisions of the World Congress. The general meaning of this application is set forth by the political report adopted by the Tenth Plenum of the IEC.

In the following resolution the Political Bureau wants to set forth to all members of the party those problems which it deems necessary to consider resolved by the Third World Congress and the Tenth Plenum of the IEC and those problems which are now posed at the center of the discussion.

The Third World Congress and the Tenth Plenum of the IEC have set forth the following questions which are no longer in the realm of discussions for the party congress:

7. The orientation of the PC I should be entirely determined by the will to fuse shoulder to shoulder with the explosive revolutionary forces which are gathering within the Stalinist organizations with the aim of participating in organic fashion tied to these forces in the revolutionary risings of tomorrow which will allow the breaking of the hold of the Kremlin on the workers' movement. Therein is the profound meaning of the formula: To orient toward the communist workers. The concrete form of this orientation can only be a combination of independent work and of entrist work within the Stalinist organizations or organizations in the control of the Stalinists. (CGT, UJRF, UFF, Henry Martin Committee, Peace Committee, United Trade Union Federations, United Trade Union Local, CPF, etc.) There is no question whatever of liquidating Trotskyism as an independent tendency in the workers political movement; on the contrary, a correct understanding of the situation can permit us to play an important role in the months to come. But what is involved is to understand that the independent organization should above all aid the entrist work by speaking in a language addressed essentially to the communist workers, and that the entrist work will broaden in scope as the war approaches.