Andreas Babler wore his rebel heart all too clearly on his sleeve when he dubbed himself a “Marxist” on Pulse 4. The excitement was certain. Peter Kostelka, SPÖ veteran, is appalled by this statement. Marxism no longer has any place in social democracy. The juvenile urge probably got the better of Babler here. Other Reds declined to comment.
Politics professor and SPÖ expert Anton Pelinka sees a problem with Austro-Marxists in the party – who distance themselves from Stalinism, but not from Leninism. And who worship Che Guevara. “In addition, there is a remnant of anti-Americanism in the SPÖ.” This became apparent when more than half of the 40 SPÖ MPs stayed away from the Ukrainian President’s speech in parliament. The US is Ukraine’s main supporter in its fight against Russia. But what is Austro-Marxism? About the “liberation struggle of the working class” On November 3, 1926, the Social Democratic Workers’ Party in Linz decided on a new party program. Worked out by Otto Bauer, Max Adler and Karl Renner, among others, it was considered the central document of Austro-Marxism. In the introduction it says: “The Social Democratic Workers’ Party (…) is leading the liberation struggle of the working class and sets its goal of overcoming the capitalist, building the socialist social order.” This order never existed. (Austro-)Marxism disappeared in 1934 in the fight against the Austro-Fascist Christian Socials, who equated their opponents with Bolshevism and the “Red Tide”. Images that never completely disappeared. Political advisor Thomas Hofer also sees Babler’s “Outing” as a mistake. “That didn’t do him any good and was a setback.” It may be that Marxism is not viewed as critically by the party base as it is by the majority of the population, but Babler played into the hands of competitor Hans Peter Doskozil. Rendi-Wagner withdraws completely Pamela Rendi-Wagner can not care. After her defeat in the member survey, the outgoing SPÖ leader will also give up her seat in the National Council. By the end of June at the latest. She makes an “honest cut”.
