Page - 244 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

244 chapter 5 tionshehadof theSovietUnion.Throughout thetrials,hisattituderemained cautiousandreserved.AccordingtoLöw,thiswasbecausehesawnoalternat- ivetoStalin’sdictatorshipinlightof theimminentconfrontationwithfascism anddefeatoftheworkers’movementinthewest.174Thecriminalnatureofthis dictatorshipescapedBauer’sattention. Bauer’s positive assessment of the political changes in the ussr proved devoidofanybasis in realitywhentheconsequencesofpolitical terror (para- lysis ofmass activism) and collectivisation (famine andmillions of deaths) became public. Although details of the effects of Stalin’s policies – such as the full extentof repression–wereunavailable in theWest, the general situ- ation in theussrwaswell knowndue to reports fromtheRussiandiaspora, SocialRevolutionaries, Social-Democratic trade-unionactivists, andAustrian Communistswhowere in touchwith theComintern. Bauer felt betrayedby Stalin’s politics – in 1937, he expressed his disappointmentwhen admitting thattheRussianCommunistswereincapableofgoverningdemocraticallydes- pitetheuncompromisingthreatofwar.175OnemightaskwhyBauerattempted tominimise the gap between the reformist and revolutionary wings of the workers’movement instead of radically dissociating himself fromCommun- ist politics like other Social Democrats. Aside from the aforementioned first rationale– fearof fascism–another factormotivatedhim:after thedefeatof the revolution in theWest and the ebbingof support for aworld revolution, theussrremainedtheonlycountryinwhichclassicalMarxiantheorywasput topracticaluse.Bauerwasnot theonlyWestern theorist to justify forceasan instrument of historical progress. One can find similar views in thewritings of Lukács.176Noneof these thinkers recognised the autonomousmechanism of political terror for what it was, nor its immanent tendency to subject all classes,socialgroups,andaspectsoflifetototalitarianrule.OnlyoneofBauer’s prognoseswas confirmed: the power of dictatorship is based not on formal institutions, but on the ability to influence themasses ideologically. Totalit- arianismas a formof rule is impossible to reconcilewith the humandesire for freedom.Astateof total indoctrinationofsociety is impossible toachieve, andthemomentwhenpeopledemandtheirfreedombackisinevitable. Itwas inBauer’s analysesandstatements regarding theSovietUnionthatadeterm- TheCommunistpress inAustriaharshlyattackedBauer’s articleon theMoscowtrials– compareRundschauof3September1936:‘OttoBauerimChorderAntisowjethetzer’(‘Otto BauerJoinstheChoirofAnti-SovietAgitators’). 174 SeeLöw1980,p.61. 175 SeeBauer1937,p. 107. 176 SeeLukács1971,pp.502–3.