Although a vibrant, democratic mass left wing party will be a very important step forward, it does not remove the necessity of a revolutionary Marxist organisation. The reality is that left formations can grow very rapidly, and even challenge for political power, but if they confine themselves to a reformist programme, ameliorating and softening the harshness of capitalism rather than seeking to overthrow it, they will end up in power simply operating capitalism to the detriment of the mass of the people.