Left-unity

Left-unity is a slogan which calls for the unification of various left-wing political movements. Left-unity diverges in its aims, ranging from calls for limited, tactical unity between leftists in practical activities to unprincipled and opportunist stances which deny the need for splits with revisionist tendencies (e.g. between Leninism and Trotskyism, Leninism and Kautskyism, etc.).

Forms

Marxist unity

Marxist unity is a slogan circulated by nascent Marxists and outright opportunists. Many advocates of "Marxist unity" claim that because the historical splits in the communist movement took place many decades ago, they no longer hold relevance to the world proletariat. This slogan is ignorant in elementary communist history. For instance, the split between Leninists and Trotskyites took place out of fundamental disagreements with regard to party building and the role of the peasantry in building socialism. Trotskyites undermine democratic centralism and seek to build factions within the party while adopting a deeply hostile outlook towards the peasants, making them the natural enemies of communists in the imperialized countries.

Anti-revisionist unity

Main article: Anti-revisionism

Mao Zedong (leading thinker behind Maoism) and Enver Hoxha (founder of Hoxhaism).

Anti-revisionist unity is an eclectic, revisionist idea mostly prevalent among many moderate Hoxhaists, so called "anti-revisionist" Marxist-Leninists who either fail to recognize Maoism as a universal higher stage of Marxism or in the case of some of the more Hoxha leaning of them, reject Mao's contributions all together. This position is primarily an online phenomenon as it is not reflected by any existing writer, communist party, or anything like that. It is a fully eclectic idea based on a fundamental misunderstanding of revisionism, line struggle and Anti-revisionism. It only serves to avoid line struggle and principled discussion, in favor of unprincipled unity.

A large reason for the spread of this is idea is another incorrect idea, the idea that Maoism is only applicable to the backward nations of the world, this idea was addressed by Chairman Gonzalo and the Peruvian Communist Party in the following quote from On Marxism-Leninism-Maoism:

"Furthermore, we must keep well in mind that when Comrade Stalin justly and correctly stated that we had entered the stage of Leninism as the development of Marxism, there was also opposition by those who rend their garments in a supposed defense of Marxism. There were also those who said that Leninism was only applicable to the backward countries. But, in the midst of struggle, practice has consecrated Leninism as a great development of Marxism, and thus the proletarian ideology shone victoriously in the face of the world as Marxism-Leninism.
Today, Maoism faces similar situations. All new things, like Marxism, have always advanced through struggle, and similarly, Maoism will impose itself and be acknowledged.

Another reason for this approach is that many Maoists have Hoxhaist comrades who they do not wish to offend, this is a liberal approach. Mao Zedong noted this in Combat Liberalism:

"To let things slide for the sake of peace and friendship when a person has clearly gone wrong, and refrain from principled argument because he is an old acquaintance, a fellow townsman, a schoolmate, a close friend, a loved one, an old colleague or old subordinate. Or to touch on the matter lightly instead of going into it thoroughly, so as to keep on good terms. The result is that both the organization and the individual are harmed. This is one type of liberalism."

This was the main reason as to why Revolupedia retained this false principle for so long.

Anarchist unity

Anarchist unity is the notion that the various petite-bourgeois anarchist tendencies such as anarcho-communism or anarcho-syndicalism can merge into a single political movement. This movement is often known as "anarchism without adjectives". Contrary to the unworkable "Marxist unity", anarchists are generally united in their utopianism, hatred of communism, and petite-bourgeois insurrectionism.

Organizations which practice(d) left-unity

• Democratic Socialists of America
• Leftypedia

See also

• Popular front
• Mass organization
• United front

Further reading

• Self-Criticism on the Line of "Anti-Revisionist Unity", Saula Wenger