I have to perfectly honest, once one steps into the realm of being a political figure one loses all individual sympathy or human qualities. One willingly becomes a symbol representing a certain type of politics and certain interests, based on one’s statements and actions and associates. To clearly define and label these political figures into their historical tendencies is not only permissible, it’s essential to navigating and understanding politics. “Campism” is often thrown as an insult at Marxists who understand history and see reoccurring patterns and types. The reason we study old revolutions and read Lenin is to be able to recognize the new Lenin when we see them, and the reason we learn about Kautsky and his ilk is to recognize them when they appear.

I recognize a Kautskyite opportunist and I say so. He can change if he doesn’t want to be what he is, but he should be labeled clearly