Lessons of the CWI split in the Spanish State

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La Brecha was first created in 2014 as the magazine of Socialismo Revolucionario (SR). Previously we had produced a series of magazines going back to 2010 when we first formed our organisation in the Spanish state. Our intention has always been to be a part of creating an International, non sectarian, combat revolutionary party.

We believed we were part of a broader process of pulling genuine revolutionary forces together to create a pole of attraction for the working class of the Spanish state. The international banner of the CWI was also an integral part of this process.

In 2017 we were approached by an important group of revolutionaries in Izquierda Revolucionaria (IR) who lead the Sindicato de Estudiantes (Students Union) and Libres y Combativas (Free and Combative) both in the Spanish state. After a short unification process we merged with this group in Spain and internationally. From 2017 to 2019 we stopped producing La Brecha. 

In this unification our SR members early on had different experiences. In Barcelona our members were rapidly turned off IR and indeed were not happy with the unification process led by IR and the CWI IS. In other areas the first experiences were not as negative  but over a longer period of time problems also started to emerge. 

In November 2019 a major conflict took place in the leading international body of the CWI (see Declaration of CWI majority) and this conflict not only speeded up the degeneration of the old CWI leadership but quickly exposed the sectarian and top down nature of IR. 

We have learnt a lot in the last few years and we believe it is our duty to the revolutionary workers movement to explain our experiences and draw out lessons to the best of our ability. 

We do this through this La Brecha special edition. In sections we polemicise against our former allies in the CWI and IR. We do not do this to simply score points but to appeal to the ranks of these organisations to consider the ideas we raise in a comradely way and to consider transforming their organisations accordingly. Unfortunately some of the leaders of these groups find democratic debate difficult. (see The Generation of austerity and the need for a democratic revolutionary party).

The fundamental task of Marxists today is link our program to the masses and win them to the idea of socialist change. How we develop our program in a transitional way and develop our strategy is critical in the struggle to theoretically and organisationally prepare our class for its historic task of ending capitalism (see – For a 21st century transitional programme).

We do not see what we print here to be the complete story but a genuine contribution to a very rich heritage of discussion on the revolutionary left. This La Brecha is part 1. In the 2nd special La brecha we will develop in more detail our programme, the national question in the Spanish state and a detailed report of the forthcoming world congress of the CWI Majority. For Marxists perspectives and analysis are central to developing theory and we start this La Brecha with our most recent perspectives article. We will develop these points in future material (see New government but instability and polarisation continues).

We welcome discussion, dialogue and collaboration with all genuine revolutionaries. We do not think we have all the answers and see this as a contribution to the debate of how to build a united struggle to end capitalism and for the socialist transformation of society.