Page - 19 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

otto bauer andhis time 19 firstarticlehewroteuponhisreturntoAustriaon10October1917: ‘DieRussis- cheRevolutionunddasEuropäischeProletariat’ (‘TheRussianRevolutionand theEuropeanProletariat’) reflectedonthecourseandmeaningof therevolu- tion. Uponreturning toVienna,Bauer resumedpartyactivity.His stay inRussia had radicalisedhispolitical views.Hechangedhis evaluationof thewarand adjustedhisperspectiveontheroleoftheworkers’partyinthecapitaliststate. Concurrently,hemitigatedhis stanceonthedictatorshipof theproletariat. It wasalsoatthistimethathenolongerhopedthattheAustro-HungarianEmpire wouldbesalvaged.Henowexpected itsdemise, theemergenceofnewstates in Europe, and the potential eruption of a proletarian revolution inAustria. A cycle of articles inDerKampf expressed these sentiments.52His positions prompted strongobjections fromRenner – itwas the first time their friend- shipwas in jeopardy. Inhiswartimeworks,ÖsterreichsErneuerung (Austria’s Renewal, 1916)andMarxismus,KriegundInternationale(Marxism,Warandthe International,1917),Rennersoughttoprovethenecessityinpreservingvasteco- nomicterritoriesandcastdoubtonthepossibilityofanautonomousexistence for the statesofAustria-Hungary.Heargued that theGerman-Austrianwork- ingclassshouldresistpotentialSlavicrevolutionstodefenditsowneconomic andpoliticalinterests.In1917,Bauerjoinedtheleftwingoftheparty,whichhad vigorouslyreprimandedthepro-wardispositionsofthepartyright.Hiscritique hadnoinfluenceuponthepoliciesofthesdapandthegovernment.Later, the so-called ‘DeclarationoftheLeft’wasdraftedunderBauer’sauthority.53Apro- grammethatdenouncedthepoliticsofcompromisewithbourgeoisparties, it urged theparty leadership toardentlywork toend thewar.The introduction of theprogrammeassured its readers that the left didnotwish to jeopardise theunityoftheparty,buthopedtomakeitmoredemocraticandideologically tolerant. Theprogrammewasmoreof awish list than a real proposal for an alternativepolitics. Several factors provided a fertile breeding ground for increased anti-war sentiments inAustria-Hungary: the prolongedwar, the defeat of theAustro- Hungarianarmyonthefront,newsabouttheoutbreakofrevolutioninRussia passedonbysoldiers,andapoorsupplyof foodandmedication inthecrown lands.ThismoodwasapparentattheViennaworkers’anti-wardemonstration p.11.VictorAdlerwelcomedhimbackwithgreatjoy.ItwasatthetimehesawBauerashis successor.Seeletter fromVictorAdlertoKarlKautsky, 14November1917. 52 SeeBauer1918. 53 Atthetime,FriedrichAdlerwasinprisonforhisassassinationofPrimeMinisterKarlvon Stürgkh.