Why We Defend the Soviet Union was written by Albert Goldman in the aftermath of a destructive faction fight within the Socialist Workers Party over the nature of the Soviet Union. The Party’s programmatic position shared by Trotsky and the majority of Fourth Internationalists of unconditional defense of the Soviet Union against imperialism and internal counter-revolution was challenged by a large minority of the SWP, and a majority of the YPSL, in the late 1930s. In the aftermath 1939’s Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and Soviet invasion of Finland, the debate intensified with Max Shachtman, James Burnham and other historic leaders of the Communist Party and SWP viewing the Soviet Union as a ‘bureaucratic collectivist’ state unworthy of support and defense. Around 40% of the Party would split and form the Workers Party in April, 1940. Many of those now referred to as “Trotskyists” in fact come from this tradition, and its later echoes, which broke from Trotsky and the Fourth International during Trotsky’s lifetime.

Why We Defend the Soviet Union by Albert Goldman. Pioneer Publishers, New York. April, 1940.

Contents: Forward, Revolutionary Roots of the Soviet Union, Reactionary Roots of Bourgeois Finland, Is Anything Left of the Russian Revolution?, Democratic Soviets to Bureaucracy, Political Revolution in the Soviet Union, Distinction Between Stalin and U.S.S.R., Bureaucracy and Nationalized Property, Who Was “Aggressor” Doesn’t Decide Question, Finland an Outpost of Imperialism, Imperialists Seek the Defeat of the USSR, Why We Irreconcilably Struggle Against Stalin, The Main Enemy Is World Imperialism!, A Revolutionary Policy for the Finnish Workers, The Red Army’s Victory Is a Lesser Evil!, Stalin’s Greatest Crime Was in Spain, Why His Alliances Are Crimes Against the Workers, We Predicted The Stalin-Hitler Pact, Gains from Invasions Outweighed by Damage, We Defend Unions Despite False Leaders, Stalin’s Overthrow Is Task of the Workers, Lenin’s Definition of Imperialism, Imperialism Is the Main Enemy!, Why Stalin Has Nationalized Property, Invasion Reactionary – In What Sense, “Democratic” Arguments for Support of Finland, The Soviet Union Represents the Future!, Helping Mannerheim by “Working Class” Methods, A “Radical” Version of Anti-Sovietism, We Remain True to Our Program. 32 pages.

Pioneer Publishers was the publishing house established by the Communist League of America (Opposition) in 1930. It later served the Socialist Workers Party and was superseded by Merit Publishers in 1965, and later by Pathfinder Press in 1969.

PDF of full pamphlet: http://www.marxists.info/history/etol/writers/goldman/1940/1940-why%20we%20defend%20the%20soviet%20union.pdf