What is opportunism? Understanding

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

Opportunism is a term actively used in politics and economics. It came into use thanks to the ideas of Marxism.

The word has French roots. In translation, it means "convenient, profitable." In Latin there is a word consonant with the French Opportunitas. In Latin it means "chance", "opportunity".

Etymology of the word

Opportunism was actively developed in the second half of the 19th century. This was caused by the development of revolutionary movements. But what is opportunism? The interpretation of the concept depends on, so to speak, the point of view.

If we talk about the labor movement, then here opportunism is the acceptance of a situation that is contrary to the interests of individual groups / parties, pushing the figures on the path that is beneficial to the ruling class. Someone's personal interests lead to such a phenomenon.

If we take politics, here opportunism is seen as a profitable case, which is used by the ruling class or an individual / political party to the detriment of the existing ideology in society.

Someone considers opportunism as an adaptation of the socialists to the interests of the bourgeoisie. The gradual rejection of the ideology and politics of the labor movement, which ultimately leads to the acceptance of the judgments of the ruling class and the refusal to fight for socialist interests.

Some sources do not consider opportunism in terms of politics and economics. They give such an interpretation to the word: it is human unscrupulousness, behind which lies the desire to achieve the set goals or material gain without effort, at minimal cost.

Historical background

Answering the question of what opportunism is, it is impossible not to say about the history of the emergence of this term. The year of his birth is 1864. It was within the framework of the work of the first international organization of the proletariat, known to all under the sonorous name of the International, that Karl Mark and Friedrich Engels criticized the concepts of Ferdinand Lassalle and Eduard Bernstein. These two renounced socialism and sided with the bourgeoisie, for which they received the stigma of opportunists.

Marx and Engels also criticized the adventurist proposals of Mikhail Bakunin and Auguste Blanc. They offered the workers to give up their ideals and accept the authorities. These ideas were considered by Marxists as a betrayal and automatically elevated their adherents to the rank of opportunists.

Thus, the basis of opportunism is an explosive mixture of ideas of socialism, anarchism and liberal reformism. And it is also closely related to the concept of political economy.

From diplomacy tohouseholds

If you answer the question, what is opportunism from the point of view of the economy, then the definition of the word will sound like this: it is following one's interests, including fraudulently with the help of lies, theft, fraud, but hardly limited to them. Much more often, this concept implies more subtle forms of deception, which can take an active and passive form. The main goal of the economic opportunist is material gain. This definition was formulated by American economist Oliver Williamson.

One of the most striking examples of opportunism in the economy are sanctions, when the state prohibits controlled firms from selling goods and services to the market of an unfriendly country.

"Right" and "Left"

Answering the question of what opportunism is, it should be noted that it can be of two types: left and right.

Right is characterized by liberalism and lack of struggle for socialism. Its representatives are the bourgeoisie, which can exist under both socialist and capitalist societies. Her main task is to be friends with the authorities.

Right opportunism originates from Bernsteinianism - a social democratic trend. Its adherents demanded a revision of the basic ideas of Marxism due to their inconsistency with reality.

Right opportunism is typical for a “quiet” time, when there are no strong revolutionary unrest in society. His heyday is considered the period from 1871 to 1914. It is in thistime it became the ideology for many parties of the Second International, which caused a split in the working society.

Adherents of the ideology of left opportunism categorically reject liberal methods of struggle, calling for decisive action and radical deeds. Its supporters are the lower representatives of the ruling class. Not bureaucrats and the cream of the working society, but people strangled by poverty and poverty.

Left opportunism absorbed the ideas of anarchism. The development of this movement is characteristic of a revolutionary-minded society. The prominent representatives of the movement were the "Trotsky Opposition" and the "Left Communists".

However, all opportunists, both left and right, are the brakes on the revolutionary machine. Some call on society to adventure, while others - to accept everything as it is.