Dossier: Internal debate on the world situation

This dossier contains contributions, the most recent at the top, to an internal debate relating to the understanding of the ICC’s concept of decomposition, to inter-imperialist tensions and the threat of war, and to the balance of forces between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.

The latest text, 'New response to Steinklopfer' is a further exploration and explanation of the ICC's theory of decomposition, in answer to ‘Steinklopfer: response to the reply of the ICC from August 2022’,  which was the third by the comrade to be published externally. 

This debate was first made public by the ICC in August 2020 when it published a text by comrade Steinklopfer in which he expressed and explained his disagreements with the resolution on the international situation of the 23rd ICC Congress. This text was accompanied by a response from the ICC (see below).

The second contribution by the comrade developed his divergencies with the resolution of the 24th Congress and elicited a further response expressing the position of the ICC (both below).

The debate was furthered by a contribution from comrade Ferdinand which also expressed his differences with the resolution of the 24th Congress and was subsequently followed by a reply from the ICC.

 

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New response to Steinklopfer: With the publication of comrade Steinklopfer’s most recent text (below), and the reply that follows here, we are continuing, after some delay, the internal debate about the world situation and its perspectives.

Steinklopfer: response to the reply of the ICC from August 2022: This article continues the debate within the ICC about the growing drive to war, its nature in the phase of decomposition, and the state of the class struggle. The long delay in its publication is mainly due to the fact that the organisation has been obliged to intervene extensively in the latest manifestation of the war drive - the barbaric conflict in the Middle East - as well as the new phase in the world class struggle. To avoid further delay we publish here without a reply, but a response is being prepared and will be published as soon as possible.

Reply to comrade Steinklopfer, August 2022:The ICC is more or less alone in considering that the collapse of the eastern imperialist bloc in 1989 marked the beginning of a new phase in the decadence of capitalism – the phase of decomposition, resulting from a historic stalemate between the two major classes in society, neither able to advance its own perspective faced with the historic crisis of the system: world war for the bourgeoisie, world revolution for the working class. 

Divergences with the Resolution on the International Situation of the 24th ICC congress (explanation of a minority position, by Ferdinand): While this text by comrade Ferdinand expresses some positions in common with those forwarded by comrade Steinklopfer, there are also different elements added to the debate.

Reply to Ferdinand: The ICC’s response to Ferdinand concentrates particularly the on questions relating to the development and role of China.

Explanation of the amendments by comrade Steinklopfer rejected by the Congress: As with the previous contribution by comrade Steinklopfer, the disagreements here with the ICCs resolution on the International Situation at its 24th Congress in 2022 relate to the understanding of our concept of decomposition, to inter-imperialist tensions and the threat of war, and to the balance of forces between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. We should point out that this contribution was written before the war in Ukraine.

Internal Debate in the ICC on the international situation: The first text by comrade Steinklopfer and the ICC's initial response.