> > This is _both_ a real question _and_ an aggressive (argumentative)
> > question:
> >
> > What, in this context, does "Stalinism" mean?
> >
> > Carrol
> ----------
>
> It means following the party line, right, wrong, or loathsome.
I suspected some such was meant. "Stalinism," to be a useful term, must name a particular party line, the _content_ of that line. There can be an infinite number of parties totally opposed to each other (having opposed policies) but all insisting that members follow the line of that particular party. Are they all "Stalinist"? If the answer is yes, then the label is empty of content & is merely a synonym for "I don't like it."
Cannon _rejected_ Stalin's concrete policies and established the SWP. The SWP & the CPUSA (1930 version) are both by your definition "Stalinist" parties, even though they had different policies & principles. This doesn't make sense.
Try again.
Carrol