Introduction

Summary

Not to repeat past mistakes: the sudden resurgence of a sympathetic interest in social democracy is a response to the urgent need to draw lessons from the history of the socialist movement. After several decades of analyses worthy of an ostrich, some rudimentary facts are being finally admitted. Social democracy has been the prevalent manner of organization of workers under democratic capitalism. Reformist parties have enjoyed the support of workers. Perhaps even more: for better or worse social democracy is the only political force of the Left that can demonstrate a record of reforms in favor of workers.

Is there anything to be learned from the social democratic experience? The answer is by no means apparent as years of a tout court rejection testify. One may reject, as the revolutionary Left of various shades has done during one hundred years, the electoral alternative. But if insurrection by a minority is rejected – either because it is unfeasible or because it does not lead to socialism – then social democracy is the only historical laboratory where lessons can be sought. The cost of repeating past mistakes cannot be ignored: we continue to live under capitalism.

But what is a “mistake”? The very possibility of committing mistakes presupposes simultaneously a political project, some choice among strategies, and objective conditions that are independent with regard to the particular movement.