https://iclfi.org/pubs/spart-letters/2026-ibt-response
The following letter was sent to the International Bolshevik Tendency on 23 September 2026 in response to their 31 August Letter to ICL & ISA–R "Response to Offer to Join the Spartacists".
Dear comrades,
We regret that you have rejected our offer to join the ICL as a minority with full democratic rights.
The truth is that despite your attempts to caricature our positions and artificially exaggerate our differences, on the most decisive international questions (Iran, Ukraine, Palestine, Venezuela, China, Cuba) we have essentially the same formal position. The differences we have are indeed very important, but they are mostly centred on the application of the Marxist program. Most of the left will not understand why we are two separate organisations simply by looking at the words we write on paper. As these differences manifest most clearly in practice we believe that it is through joint work that they can best be clarified.
We think your decision reflects your broader method. Your political ideas are not used as tools that can have a direct impact on a living process, but are wielded as truisms whose correctness is judged sufficient to attract people to your banner. This leads you to a sectarian practice.
For example, if, as you argue, our leadership is steering our party towards political liquidation, it should be easy to demonstrate this through common work and win over those in our ranks who are genuine in their revolutionary intentions. But instead, you admit defeat without even trying. This suggests a lack of confidence that your ideas can impact our internal process.
Apparently, you think it will be easier to influence layers which stand much further from both our programs. In pursuing this course, you will find out that you cannot skip over us. We are not going anywhere, and on every point that makes the IBT distinctive today—not least China—we offer a more forceful and visible alternative.
At a time when the forces of Marxism are so splintered and weak, we think it is highly irresponsible not to actively seek to overcome the current organisational status quo. At minimum, your response has the merit of making clear that we are not responsible for our continued organisational separation.
Comradely,
Perrault
