Page - 102 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

102 chapter 3 pauperisation inaphysical sensebut inasocial sense: it increases thedispar- itybetweentheconsumption levelsof thepropertiedclassesandworkers.As oneof the fewSecond International theorists, hewasaware that an increase intheconsumptionof labourpower–theresultofanintensificationof labour linkedtotechnologicalprogress–requiresanincreaseinthemeansofsubsist- enceforitssocialreproduction.Thisadditionallydepressesthelivingstandard of theworkingmasses. InDieTeuerung (Inflation, 1910),he furthermorewrote aboutthesocio-economicconsequencesofcartelisationandthedisruptionof balancebetween industrial andagricultural production, arguing that it leads toanupsurge in foodpricesandthegrowing impoverishmentof theworking class. As Pfabigannoted, Bauerwas convinced that the capitalist order can- not solve the problemof price hikes – it only disappears under socialism.48 That iswhy, as early as 1911, Bauer issued a call demanding that the struggle against price hikes be linked to the revolutionary struggle, bearing inmind that this slogan only had propagandistic value, whichwas surely his inten- tion. Inthis stageofhis life,Bauerhadnotmappedoutavisionforrevolution yet.49 3 TheQuestionofCrisesintheCapitalistEconomy Whenanalysing imperialism,Bauerwaspreoccupiedwith thecapitalist eco- nomy’ssusceptibilitytocrises.Crucially,thefollowingquestionsrelatedtothis problem: – Is the cyclical return of crises an objective economic law, i.e. a feature of capitalismthat is inherentandinevitable? – What economic and social consequences do crises leave in their wake, especially fortheworkingclass? – What is the role of crises in creating the foundations of the new social order?Doesthe imperialist stageofcapitalistdevelopment itselfcreatethe conditions for it tobereplacedwithsocialism?If so, should theproletariat wait forthathistoricmoment,andifnot,whattasksfortheproletariatdoes thenewsituationpose? 48 In1911,amassivedemonstrationagainstunacceptablepricerisestookplaceinVienna. It wassuppressedbythepolice inabloodyfashion, leadingtofourdeathsandhundredsof injuries.Threehundredparticipantswerearrested. 49 SeePfabigan1985,p.41.