THE EFFECTS of this backwardness coud not be avercome simply by adopting the label and formal political positions of Trotskyism. HistorIcal materialism does not stop at the door of the revelutionary organisarion with everything inside determined purely by thoary and ideology. Tounders of the British Troeskylst movement undoubiedly came to their positions not merely hecanse of MILsi bur also international, developrents of Scalin's policies. (8) Nevertheless how Lielle had heen absorbed of Lenin's conclusions on how to build a revclutionary party can be seen by this excraordinary estimate by one of the founders of British Trotskrism of the relation belween the "Balham Group'. Tounders of the Trotskyist movement in this country, and international Trotskyisu:
Instead of clearine away polirical lumber and its jargon, the proopuncements of the International Lett Opposition (LO) merely added to it... As the Betish section LO we were invited to send sameone to an entarped meeting of the LO Jaternational Socretariet, lo be held trom 4 to 5 February 1933, in Paris. On 30 January, Hider had been appoinced Chancelior of Germany by President Hindenburg, and it was Lelt thar we ougat to send somsone lo tbe meetirg. A reluccan delegate, I travelied to Paris, and sat theougb complex, henvily jarganised discussions in French and Gorman, with spmeone whispering occasional explanalions in English... Thai evening, walking through the streers of Parls with ar aching bead and iaded snitire. T Mess Oope a ic Baut fabe bimdond LefOgoeo International over its betragal of the Brirish Cieneral Strike and the Chinese Revolucion, and was lailer to reject the iden of a split in the American Socialis Workers Pany even over the issue of ibe class character of che Sovier stare itself, Bellish Trotskrism