Page - 337 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

the spectre of fascism 337 ing to the legacyof theRussianRevolution, theweakpositionofCommunist parties inWestern countries, and, ultimately, his fear that SocialDemocracy might lose itsmiddle-class support. Towards the end of his life, Bauer drew closertotheCommunistsonmanyissues.SomeCommunistsbelievedthatthe evolutionofhisviewsamountedtoBauer’srecognitionoftheunitedfront,yet thiswasanoversight. It is certainly thecase that, in 1937,Bauercalledonthe workingclassof theWest to support theSovietUnion in the struggle against fascism,andwasbuoyant towards theunited frontestablished in 1936.Yethe didnotgosofaras toconsider ita trueforce inthestruggleagainst fascism. It isalsonecessarytostatethatBauerdidnotemploytheterm‘popular front’ in thehope foranalliancebetweenCommunistsandSocialDemocrats, but the unitedmovement of theproletariat andmiddle classes against the common enemy.Bauerwasawarethattheconditionsforsuchamovementdidnotexist inWesternEuropeat the time.Hence,heconfinedhis advocacyof theCom- munistappeal forabilateral struggleagainst fascismtothetheoryof ‘integral socialism’,whichdidnotexceedtheexpectationsofeitherside. To reiterate, Austrian Social Democracy based its strategic premises for a working-class-led anti-fascist struggle on an inaccurate assessment of the socio-politicalsituationinthecountry.Fromtheobservationsoutlinedabove, it followsthatthisresultedintheresolutiontodefenddemocracy,andlater, in theperiodafterthedefeatoftheSocial-Democraticmovement,thesuggestion to start a revolution in isolation fromtheCommunists. In Social-Democratic hands,thismanoeuvrecouldnotprovideaneffectivemeanstocombatfascism. From1926onward, theparty leadershipdidnotengage inany radical activit- ies toprotectdemocracy.On thecontrary, it oftenbehaved inaway thatwas counterproductive to these ends. Bauer’s attempts tobroachanunderstand- ingwithbourgeois parties in 1932 came too late–pro-fascist tendencieshad alreadyalignedthemselveswiththebourgeoisbloc.AfterthedefeatoftheFeb- ruaryuprising, therallyingcries for revolutionlackedanybasis inactuality,as scarcelyanyforcesonwhichonemightbasesuchanendeavourremained.No working-classstrategyagainstfascismhadanychanceofsuccessintheAustria of the late 1920s and early 1930s. After all, theworking class under the lead- ershipof thesdaphadbeen in retreat since 1927.Meanwhile, the sectionsof theworkingandmiddleclasses thathad foundprotection in the ranksof the ChristianSocialPartysupportedtheHeimwehr,anddeclassedmembersofall classesstrengthenedtheranksofthensdap.