Social-chauvinism – opportunistic current in the labor movement, the carriers of which act in support of the aggressive policy of the bourgeoisie, in defense of the fatherland in the imperialist war.
“By social-chauvinism we mean acceptance of the idea of the defence of the fatherland in the present imperialist war, justification of an alliance between socialists and the bourgeoisie and the governments of their “own” countries in this war, a refusal to propagate and support proletarian revolutionary action against one’s “own” bourgeoisie, etc.” – Vladimir Lenin.
From the first days of the war, the leaders of the Second International and the leaders of the majority of the Social Democratic parties, who betrayed the cause of proletarian internationalism, went over to the positions of social chauvinism. Under the flag of “defense of the fatherland”, the social-chauvinists of the 2nd International, acting in unity with the reactionary bourgeois parties, the bourgeois state and the general staffs of their countries, criminally set the workers of various countries against each other in the name of the victory of their imperialist bourgeoisie, the imperialist redivision of the world, plunder of colonial and backward countries.
The social-chauvinists called on the working class to “class peace” with the bourgeoisie, to keep “civic peace” during the imperialist war, openly coming out as opponents of the class struggle of the proletariat and the proletarian revolution.