Page - 91 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

a contribution to the theory of imperialism 91 GermanSocialDemocracy, insteadgivingwaytoargumentsconcerningques- tions ofmilitarism and attitudes towardswar. The scarce interest in further discussionresultednotleastfromthefactthatmanyformeradvocatesofMarx- istorthodoxy,KautskyandCunowamongthem,hadnowadoptedrevisionist positions.ThesituationinAustriawasdifferent.IntheworksofAustrianSocial Democracy –with the exceptionof those ofHilferding – the rationale of an inevitablebreakdownofcapitalismlivedonuntil thedemiseof themonarchy andtheadventofeconomicdecline.Forthesakeofaccuracy,itisworthadding thatHenrykGrossmanclaimedas lateas 1929that the lawofcapitalistbreak- downwas‘thefundamental lawthatgovernsandsupportstheentirestructure ofMarx’s thought’.12 This does notmean that it is impossible to find posit- ive remarks about capitalism’s endurance and ability to reform in theworks ofAustrian socialists from 1908–18. Bauer’swritings, for instance, offermany descriptions of the self-defencemechanisms that capitalismhaddeveloped. Nevertheless, the Austromarxists dogmatically clung to the theory of capit- alist breakdownupuntil 1918, which served the purpose ofmaintaining the faithof theworking class in the imminent victoryof socialist revolution. Let usdrawattentiontoanothersignificantdifferencebetweenGermanandAus- trianSocialDemocracy,bothofwhichparticipatedinthebreakdowndebate.In Germany,thepositionsweresharplydividedbetweenresolutecriticsandapo- logists.TheAustrianMarxists,meanwhile,combinedelementsofbothaffirm- ation and denial of capitalist imperialism. One expression of this was their argument that the capitalistmodeofproductionhad set the foundations for asocialist economy.Thisnotion,which theAustriansocialistsmadeaneffort tohighlight, evenprovidedthebasicoutline forHilferding’s theoryof imperi- alism.ItalsodefinedBauer’sunderstandingofthedevelopmenttendenciesof thecapitalisteconomy.13 Bauer’s point of departure for his theory of imperialismwas the analysis of thedevelopmentof capitalist formation.14 It beganwitha reference to the 12 Grossman1992,p. 127. 13 Bauer had alreadydealtwith the formation anddevelopment ofmodern capitalism in his firstmajorwork,TheQuestionofNationalitiesandSocialDemocracy (seeBauer 1996). Hededicatedmanyarticles thatwerepublished in thepagesofDieNeueZeit to specific problems, i.e. colonial,military, customs, and inflationpolicies. Foracollectionof these articles, seeBauer1979,pp.758–1048. 14 Christian Butterwegge does not sharemy view: ‘Impressed by Hilferding’s reflections, Bauer took the market behaviour of cartels, syndicates and trusts – rather than the conditionsunderwhichtheyarose–asastartingpoint’ (our translation)–Butterwegge 1990,p.86.