APPENDIX I.
THE SPLIT OF THE GERMAN COMMUNIST PARTY.
The split of the German Communists has become an accomplished fact. The "Left" or "Opposition in principle" has established a separate "Communist Labor Party" in contradistinction to the "Communist Party." There is evidence that Italy is also approaching a similar split. I make this statement subject to correction, as I only possess the additional numbers—numbers 7 and 8—of the "Left" paper, Il Soviet, which openly deals with the possibility and the inevitably of a split. There are also discussions concerning a forthcoming conference of the "Abstentionist" group (in other words, of the group of boycottists or opponents of participation in Parliament) a group that was, hitherto, part of the Italian Socialist Party.
There is reason to apprehend that the split with the "Left" anti-parliamentarians, and partly also with the anti-politicals (who are in opposition to the political parties and Trade Union activity), will become an international phenomenon, similar to the split with the "Centrists" (i.e., Kautskians, the Longuetists, the Independents, and so forth.) Be it so. A split is, at all events, preferable to a muddle, which is a hindrance both to ideological, theoretical and revolutionary growth; a hindrance to the maturing of the party and to its organized work of practical preparation for the dictatorship of the proletariat.
Let the "Left" make an attempt to prepare (and then to realize) on a national and international scale, the dictatorship of the proletariat; let them attempt to do this without a strictly centralized, disciplined, party, capable of leading and managing every branch, every sphere, every variety of political and cultural work. Practical experience will soon make them wiser.
