Manifesto: Towards a Free Revolutionary Art

Andre Breton and Leon Trotsky (1938)

e !an say wit"out e#a$$eration t"at never %efore "as !ivili&ation %een 'ena!ed so seriously as today( T"e )andals* wit" instru'ents w"i!" were %ar%arous* and so !o'+aratively ineffe!tive* %lotted out t"e !ulture of anti,uity in one !orner of -uro+e( But today we see world !ivili&ation* united in its "istori! destiny* reelin$ under t"e %lows of rea!tionary for!es ar'ed wit" t"e entire arsenal of 'odern te!"nolo$y( e are %y no 'eans t"inkin$ only of t"e world war t"at draws near( -ven in ti'es of .+ea!e*/ t"e +osition of art and s!ien!e "as %e!o'e a%solutely intolera%le( 0nsofar as it ori$inates wit" an individual* insofar as it %rin$s into +lay su%1e!tive talents to !reate so'et"in$ w"i!" %rin$s a%out an o%1e!tive enri!"in$ of !ulture* any +"iloso+"i!al* so!iolo$i!al* s!ientifi!* or artisti! dis!overy see's to %e t"e fruit of a +re!ious !"an!e* t"at is to say* t"e 'anifestation* 'ore or less s+ontaneous* of ne!essity( 2u!" !reations !annot %e sli$"ted* w"et"er fro' t"e stand+oint of $eneral knowled$e (w"i!" inter+rets t"e e#istin$ world)* or of revolutionary knowled$e (w"i!"* to !"an$e t"e world for t"e %etter* re,uires an e#a!t analysis of t"e laws w"i!" $overn its 'ove'ent)( 2+e!ifi!ally* we !annot re'ain indifferent to t"e intelle!tual !onditions under w"i!" !reative a!tivity take +la!e* nor s"ould we fail to +ay all res+e!t to t"ose +arti!ular laws w"i!" $overn intelle!tual !reation( 0n t"e !onte'+orary world we 'ust re!o$ni&e t"e ever 'ore wides+read destru!tion of t"ose !onditions under w"i!" intelle!tual !reation is +ossi%le( Fro' t"is follows of ne!essity an in!reasin$ly 'anifest de$radation not only of t"e work of art %ut also of t"e s+e!ifi!ally .artisti!/ +ersonality( T"e re$i'e of 3itler* now t"at it "as rid 4er'any of all t"ose artists w"ose work e#+ressed t"e sli$"test sy'+at"y for li%erty* "owever su+erfi!ial* "as redu!ed t"ose w"o still !onsent to take u+ +en or %rus" to t"e statues of do'esti! servants of t"e re$i'e* w"ose task it is to $lorify it on order* a!!ordin$ to t"e worst +ossi%le aest"eti! !onventions( 0f re+orts 'ay %e %elieved* it is t"e sa'e in t"e 2oviet 5nion* w"ere T"er'idorean rea!tion is now rea!"in$ its !li'a#( 0t $oes wit"out sayin$ t"at we do not identify ourselves wit" t"e !urrently fas"iona%le !at!"word: .6eit"er fas!is' nor !o''unis'7/ a s"i%%olet" w"i!" suits t"e te'+era'ent of t"e 8"ilistine* !onservative and fri$"tened* !lin$in$ to t"e tattered re'nants of t"e .de'o!rati!/ +ast( True art, which is not content to play variations on ready-made models but rather insists on expressing the inner needs of man and mankind in its time--true art is unable not to be revolutionary, not to aspire to a complete and radical

reconstruction of society. T"is it 'ust do* were it only to deliver intelle!tual !reation fro' t"e !"ains w"i!" %ind it* and to allow all 'ankind to raise itself to t"ose "ei$"ts w"i!" only isolated $eniuses "ave a!"ieved in t"e +ast( e re!o$ni&e t"at only t"e so!ial revolution !an swee+ !lear t"e +at" for a new !ulture( 0f* "owever* we re1e!t all solidarity wit" t"e %ureau!ra!y now in !ontrol of t"e 2oviet 5nion* it is +re!isely %e!ause* in our eyes* it re+resents not !o''unis' %ut its 'ost trea!"erous and dan$erous ene'y( T"e totalitarian re$i'e of t"e 5(2(2(R(* workin$ t"rou$" t"e so9!alled .!ultural/ or$ani&ations it !ontrols in ot"er !ountries* "as s+read over t"e entire world a dee+ twili$"t "ostile to ever sort of s+iritual value( A twili$"t of filt" and %lood in w"i!"* dis$uised as intelle!tuals and artists* t"ose 'en stee+ t"e'selves w"o "ave 'ade servility a !areer* of lyin$ for +ay a !usto'* and of t"e +alliation of !ri'e a sour!e of +leasure( T"e offi!ial art of 2talinis' 'irrors wit" a %latan!y une#a'+led in "istory t"eir efforts to +ut a $ood fa!e on t"eir 'er!enary +rofession( T"e re+u$nan!e w"i!" t"is s"a'eful ne$ation of t"e +rin!i+les of art ins+ires in t"e artisti! world99a ne$ation w"i!" even slave states "ave never dared !arry so far99s"ould $ive rise to an a!tive* un!o'+ro'isin$ !onde'nation( T"e o++osition of writers and artists is one of t"e for!es w"i!" !an usefully !ontri%ute to t"e dis!reditin$ and overt"row of re$i'es w"i!" are destroyin$* alon$ wit" t"e ri$"t of t"e +roletariat to as+ire to a %etter world* every senti'ent of no%ility and even "u'an di$nity( T"e !o''unist revolution is not afraid of art( 0t reali&es t"at t"e role of t"e artist in a de!adent !a+italist so!iety is deter'ined %y t"e !onfli!t %etween t"e individual and various so!ial for's w"i!" are "ostile to "i'( T"is fa!t alone* insofar as "e is !ons!ious of it* 'akes t"e artist t"e natural ally of revolution( T"e +ro!ess of su%li'ation* w"i!" "ere !o'es into +lay* and w"i!" +sy!"oanalysis "as analy&ed* tries to restore t"e %roken e,uili%riu' %etween t"e inte$ral .e$o/ and t"e outside ele'ents it re1e!ts( T"is restoration works to t"e advanta$e of t"e .ideal of self*/ w"i!" 'ars"als a$ainst t"e un%eara%le +resent reality all t"ose +owers of t"e interior world* of t"e .self*/ w"i!" are !o''on to all 'en and w"i!" are !onstantly flowerin$ and develo+in$( T"e need for e'an!i+ation felt %y t"e individual s+irit "as only to follow its natural !ourse to %e led to 'in$le its strea' wit" t"is +ri'eval ne!essity: t"e need for t"e e'an!i+ation of 'an( T"e !on!e+tion of t"e writer:s fun!tion w"i!" t"e youn$ Mar# worked out is wort" re!allin$( .T"e writer*/ "e de!lared* .naturally 'ust take 'oney in order to live and write* %ut "e s"ould not under any !ir!u'stan!es live and write in order to 'ake 'oney( T"e writer %y no 'eans looks at "is work as a 'eans( 0t is an end in itself and so little a 'eans in t"e eyes of "i'self and of ot"ers t"at if ne!essary "e sa!rifi!es "is e#isten!e to t"e e#isten!e of "is work((((T"e first !ondition of t"e freedo' of t"e +ress is t"at it is not a %usiness a!tivity(/ 0t is 'ore t"an ever fittin$ to use t"is state'ent a$ainst t"ose w"o would re$i'ent intelle!tual a!tivity in t"e

dire!tion of end forei$n to itself* and +res!ri%e* in t"e $uise of so9!alled .reasons of 2tate*/ t"e t"e'es of art( T"e free !"oi!e of t"ese t"e'es and t"e a%sen!e of all restri!tions on t"e ran$e of "is e#+lorations99t"ese are +ossessions w"i!" t"e artist "as a ri$"t to !lai' as inaliena%le( 0n t"e real' of artisti! !reation* t"e i'a$ination 'ust es!a+e fro' all !onstraint and 'ust* under no +rete#t* allow itself to %e +la!ed under %onds( To t"ose w"o would ur$e us* w"et"er for today or for to'orrow* to !onsent t"at art s"ould su%'it to a dis!i+line w"i!" we "old to %e radi!ally in!o'+ati%le wit" its nature* we $ive a flat refusal* and we re+eat our deli%erate intention of standin$ %y t"e for'ula: !o'+lete freedo' for art( e re!o$ni&e* of !ourse* t"at t"e revolutionary 2tate "as t"e ri$"t to defend itself a$ainst t"e !ounteratta!k of t"e %our$eoisie* even w"en t"is dra+es itself in t"e fla$ of s!ien!e or art( But t"ere is an a%yss %etween t"ese enfor!ed and te'+orary 'easures of revolutionary self9defense and t"e +retension to lay !o''ands on intelle!tual !reation( 0f* for t"e %etter develo+'ent of t"e for!es of 'aterial +rodu!tion* t"e revolution 'ust %uild a so!ialist re$i'e wit" !entrali&ed !ontrol* to develo+ intelle!tual !reation an anar!"ist re$i'e of individual li%erty s"ould fro' t"e first %e esta%lis"ed( 6o aut"ority* no di!tation* not t"e least tra!e of orders fro' a%ove7 ;nly on a %ase of friendly !oo+eration* wit"out t"e !onstraint fro' t"e outside* will it %e +ossi%le for s!"olars and artists to !arry out t"eir tasks* w"i!" will %e 'ore far9rea!"in$ t"an ever %efore in "istory( 0t s"ould %e !lear %y now t"at in defendin$ freedo' of t"ou$"t we "ave no intention of 1ustifyin$ +oliti!al indifferen!e* and t"at it is far fro' our wis" to revive a so9!alled .+ure/ art w"i!" $enerally serves t"e e#tre'ely i'+ure ends of rea!tion( 6o* our !on!e+tion of t"e role of art is too "i$" to refuse it an influen!e on t"e fate of so!iety( e %elieve t"at t"e su+re'e task of art in our e+o!" is to take +art a!tively and !ons!iously in t"e +re+aration of t"e revolution( But t"e artist !annot serve t"e stru$$le for freedo' unless "e su%1e!tively assi'ilates its so!ial !ontent* unless "e feels in "is very nerves its 'eanin$ and dra'a and freely seeks to $ive "is own inner world in!arnation in "is art( 0n t"e +resent +eriod of t"e deat" a$ony of !a+italis'* de'o!rati! as well as fas!ist* t"e artist sees "i'self t"reatened wit" t"e loss of "is ri$"t to live and !ontinue workin$( 3e sees all avenues of !o''uni!ation !"oked wit" t"e de%ris of !a+italist !olla+se( ;nly naturally* "e turns to t"e 2talinist or$ani&ations* w"i!" "old out t"e +ossi%ility of es!a+in$ fro' "is isolation( But if "e is to avoid !o'+lete de'orali&ation* "e !annot re'ain t"ere* %e!ause of t"e i'+ossi%ility of deliverin$ "is own 'essa$e and t"e de$radin$ servility w"i!" t"ese or$ani&ations e#a!t fro' "i' in e#!"an$e for !ertain 'aterial advanta$es( 3e 'ust understand t"at "is +la!e is elsew"ere* not a'on$ t"ose w"o %etray t"e !ause of t"e revolution and of 'ankind* %ut a'on$ t"ose w"o wit" uns"aken fidelity %ear witness to t"is revolution* a'on$ t"ose w"o* for t"is reason* are alone a%le to %rin$ it to fruition* and alon$ wit" it t"e ulti'ate free e#+ression of all for's of "u'an $enius(

T"e ai' of t"is a++eal is to find a !o''on $round on w"i!" 'ay %e reunited all revolutionary writers and artists* t"e %etter to serve t"e revolution %y t"eir art and to defend t"e li%erty of t"at art itself a$ainst t"e usur+ers of t"e revolution( e %elieve t"at aest"eti!* +"iloso+"i!al* and +oliti!al tenden!ies of t"e 'ost varied sort !an find "ere a !o''on $round( Mar#ists !an 'ar!" "ere "and in "and wit" anar!"ists* +rovided %ot" +arties un!o'+ro'isin$ly re1e!t t"e rea!tionary +oli!e9+atrol s+irit re+resented %y <ose+" 2talin and %y "is "en!"'an* 4ar!ia ;liver( e know very well t"at t"ousands of isolated t"inkers and artists are today s!attered t"rou$"out t"e world* t"eir voi!es drowned out %y t"e loud !"oruses of well9dis!i+lined liars( 3undreds of s'all lo!al 'a$a&ines are tryin$ to $at"er yout"ful for!es a%out t"e'* seekin$ new +at"s and not su%sidies( -very +ro$ressive tenden!y in art is destroyed %y fas!is' as .de$enerate(/ -very free !reation is !alled .fas!ist/ %y t"e 2talinists( 0nde+endent revolutionary art 'ust now $at"er its for!es for t"e stru$$le a$ainst rea!tionary +erse!ution( 0t 'ust +ro!lai' aloud its ri$"t to e#ist( 2u!" a union of for!es is t"e ai' of t"e 0nternational Federation of 0nde+endent Revolutionary Art w"i!" we %elieve it is now ne!essary to for'( e %y no 'eans insist on every idea +ut fort" in t"is 'anifesto* w"i!" we ourselves !onsider only a first ste+ in t"e new dire!tion( e ur$e every friend and defender of art* w"o !annot %ut reali&e t"e ne!essity for t"is a++eal* to 'ake "i'self "eard at on!e( e address t"e sa'e a++eal to all t"ose +u%li!ations of t"e left9win$ w"i!" are ready to +arti!i+ate in t"e !reation of t"e 0nternational Federation and to !onsider its task and 'et"ods of a!tion( "en a +reli'inary international !ontra!t "as %een esta%lis"ed t"rou$" t"e +ress and %y !orres+onden!e* we will +ro!eed to t"e or$ani&ation of lo!al and national !on$resses on a 'odest s!ale( t"e final ste+ will %e t"e asse'%lin$ of a world !on$ress w"i!" will offi!ially 'ark t"e foundation of t"e 0nternational Federation( ;ur ai's: T"e inde+enden!e of art99for t"e revolution= T"e revolution99for t"e !o'+lete li%eration of art7