The Soviet leader Zinoviev argued that “the leading sections of German social democracy are nothing but a fraction of German fascism with a “ ‘socialist’ phraseology.”70 In fact, a significant reason for the “social fascist” turn was Stalin’s need to fend off Zinoviev and Trotsky to his right in the ongoing struggle for power in the U.S.S.R.71 Moscow politics often influenced continental anti-fascist strategy more than Italian or German realities.
