Opportunism

A political term first popularized in France in the 19th century, originally describing political parties or politicians who had no fixed political opinions and adapted to changes at will, but later it came to refer exclusively to the currents of thought, points of view, and actions within the workers' movement or proletarian political parties that violated the fundamental principles or the correct line of Marxism and sought only immediate and temporary partial interests at the expense of the fundamental interests of the proletariat. It is a reflection of bourgeois or petty-bourgeois thought.

Opportunism has two manifestations, namely “Left” opportunism and Right opportunism, which can transform into each other under certain conditions. The main forms of opportunism that have appeared in history were Proudhonism, Bakuninism, trade unionism, Lassalleanism and so forth. Marx and Engels criticized all forms of opportunism at that time and made great contributions to the international communist movement.