Bensaïd provides a chronological account of the period from WWII to the split in 52-53, the reunification process in 63, the 9th world congress, and considerations on the 11th world congress. FI started as a prognosis on the WWII and its results. Trotsky thought that this war would have the same effects as the WWI and trigger a series of revolutions. A strong internationalist revolutionary vanguard was necessary. After WWII, the perspective of Trotsky was to be maintained closely. Bensaïd gives example from the 46 Document, where a general problem of building sections in Western Europe was raised to prepare for a new wave of revolutionary movements around Europe. Bensaïd outlines general characteristics of the period from 48-49 to the 53 split: Firstly, the international reacted correctly to the one of the major outcomes of the war, which was how to interpret and understand the new revolutions that happen. It was a problem to understand these movements. Secondly, and this lead to the split, the global perspective was not changed because there was no understanding of what were the social and economical conditions after the war. With the colonial revolution and its weakening impact on imperialism, it was believed that the third world war, which would be an international civil war, would break out, and in this situation there was no time to build mass organisations or parties.
Download audio