Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dictatorship of Proletariat
Dictatorship of Proletariat
r-n
=0
^-.
^OFCALIFO%
AWEUNIVER%
^OFCAIIFO%
^lOSANCElfj^
T"-^
^TilJaNVSOl^
%aMINf
.^WFUNIVERS/A
vvlOSANC
uL
-^illBRARYOc^
j;^lLIBRA
'^/yajAiNn-aftv'
.^MEUNIVER%
^lOSANCfl^^
.^,0FCAIIF0%
^OFCAII
<f5lDNVS01^
%a3AINnmV
^OAavaaii#
^(?Aavaj
-^tllBRARYQ^
-j^lllBRARYOr
A\\EUNIVER5'//i
%OJnVJ-JO-^
^f^lJDNVSOl^
%M3AINI
^OFCAIIFO/?^
^^WEUNIVR5/4
vvlOSANC
^JIIVD-JO'^^
^OFCAllFOff^
^6>Aavaaii-#
,^WEUNIVER%
vvlOSANCElj>
<rjl33NVS01^
'^/Sa3AINI
^t-LIBRARYQr
^MIBRA
I LIlT 1 I
If
%ojnvDJo^
^J'iiJONVsoi^
'^AaaAiNfl^wv^
.^OFCAIIFO%
>-
CI
..
.^WEUNIVER%.
^^Aavaan#
<(3i]dnvsoi^
'%a3AiN(i-3V^
^lOSANCElf/^
-5^tlIBRARYQr
-^tUBRARY(?A
-<
^JITVJJO^
^OJUVDJO"^
%iaoNvsoi^
%a3MNn-3WV^
AWEUNIVERSy/.
^lOSMElfj^
^^;OfCAllF0%
^OFCALIFOff^
<riuoNYsoi^
"^yaaAiNn-JiW^
^^Auvaani^
'^(?Aavaan#'
^iUBRARYQ^^
^^UlBRARYQr^
.^WEl]NIVERS/A
^^
^5
^lOSANCElfx^
^aojnv3-jo'^
\mm\^
"^j^uonvsoi^
"^aJAiNflmv^
^^0FCAIIF0%
,^.OFCAllFO%
.^WEUNIVERy/A
^lOSANCElf/^
^(?Aavaan-^'^
"^(^Aavaan-^
^^^umsoi^
"^-^mhrn^
.^ElJNIVER%
vvlOSANCElfj^
-j^lLIBRARYOc.
^tUBRARYQc.
Digitized by
in
2007
tine
witli
IVIicrosoft
Internet Arcliive
funding from
Corporation
littp://www.arcliive.org/details/dictatorsliipofprOOkautiala
DEMOCRACY
AND
THE PRESS
BY
F.
HAYWARD,
H.
D.Lit..
B.Sc
and
B.
N LANGDON-DAVIES. MA.
1/6
Othtr Books
&
2/6 net.
in the I.
LP.
Library
at 8
&
London, E.C.4.
'
LP. LIBRARY
'THE
DICTATORSHIP
OF THE
PROLETARIAT
/
BY
KARL KAUTSKY
TRANSLATED BY
H.
J.
London
PRESS. LTD..
Manchester,
and Leicester*
and
STENNING
3K
EDITORS PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH
EDITION
Karl Kautsky, the author of
"The
Dictatorship of the
is
is
now
sub-
of the Continent.
Kautsky
lived
most
is
of his life in
Germany.
from 1885 to
Museum.
For more than thirty years Kautsky has served International Socialism with high literary ability, great learning,
Karl Marx.
May,
into
1918.
many European
languages,
and
have
been
an
By way
of recreation
from
his political
and
in
405575
PREFACE
vi.
in
Vienna.
Soon
of
and published
German
in
political
The Dictatorship
the Proletariat
was
issued by a Berlin publisher under the title, " Democracy
contained in
' *
of
'
or Dictatorship."
judgment upon
to pass a final
failure,
difficult task
it is
yet too
success
their
or
conclusion
that
have
accomplished
Lenin himself
achievements.
they have
they
made
mistakes.
is
the
wonderful
to admit that
first
It could not
be otherwise.
Dhave
much from
first efforts
The forms
of
community.
of
transition,
and
in
economic
suit-
and
as
the
effective
for
other
The readiness
is
best for
PREFACE
No
apology
version of
felt
vii
'
'
unless
all
shades of
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER.
i.
II.
The Problem
Power
III.
tariat
IV.
25
V. Dictatorship
42
59
VII.
70
VIII.
88
IX.
X. The
(a)
Agriculture
101
(b)
Industry
120
New Theory
136
The
CHAPTER
I.
The Problem.
The present Eussian Revolution
time in the history of the world,
made
first
a Socialist
far
more
the Socialist
proletariat,
destruction.
It is
Each
fSides.
And
sanship.
the
more
one or the
quarrel before
ments of both.
hinder us.
to
They declare
pronounce
helm.
Any
to
now
at the
it
itself.
This
is
nothing
which
is still
to
be examined,
viz., that
one of the
must encourage
We
fullest
it
and we
by following.
already
on
THE PROBLEM
democracy.
refutation
contrary
views,
but the
forcible
And we
consider
it
is still
all
the
arguments.
is
only
One
the proletariat.
CHAPTER
II.
is
able, or
To be
is
is
not
it
directed against
We
class,
out
causes
abolishing
all
cannot free
of
itself
with-
exploitation
and
all
which
constantly
grows
in
strength,
is
the one
fighting
Therefore,
from whatever
class
he
If in this struggle
production
technical
as
the
may come.
we
way
goal,
it
because
is
in
of
the
means of
attaining our
Should
object.
it
be
proved
that
then
the
most
easily
we would throw
without democracy,
Social production,
system
other
is
it
than
unthinkable.
also possible in
is
true,
democratic
is
one.
In
became
when
communism which
down to our own
in
communism
who
The most
example of a non-democratic
organisation of social work was furnished in the
eighteenth century by the Jesuit State of Paraguay.
There the Jesuits, as the ruhng class, organised
striking
It is
only possible
For
is
its
goal,
but must
it.
democracy
by Modern
unthinkable.
yM Socialism
We
understand
Accordingly, Socialism
is
for us inseparably
No
Socialism without
But
this proposition
is
not equally
reversed.
if
without Sociahsm.
equality of
exists
owned means
in privately
of production.
In any case,
it
may be
said that
democracy
is
general acceptance,
into
it
Why
is
a question
of the
conquest of political
power.
It
is
said
that
if
in
hitherto
middle-class
command
in
make use of
all
the forces
asserting itself.
Therefore,
it is
not by democracy,
political
power.
the
rising class.
realisation
of
democracy by the
subversion of democracy.
of
abandon them.
On
the contrary,
it is
rather to be
if
result.
prole-
tariat
attachment
democracy,
to
its
rights,
is
9
its
the
On
it
may
down
holding
proletariat
agrarian
is
the proletarian
still
State,
or
weak
if
in
it
movement,
numbers,
is
But
ness.
grows
liberties
the
in
an
weak,
self -conscious-
until
conquer
if
as
politically
if
it
is
political
As
a matter of fact,
Marx thought
it
possible,
said
political
^0
power
in order to
He must
labour.
^oal
'
'
to
reach
this
the case."
It
in the
power of the
whom
the rising
and evokes
desire to keep
English proletariat a
political
power.
It
it
considerable extension
of
how
11
may have on
tarian regime.
this period, in
is
in the pre-
the proletariat.
It is
CHAPTER
Democracy
III.
This is
and necessary.
Yet there is by no
pretty generally recognised.
means unanimity amongst us as regards the conditions which must be fulfilled in order to make
modern Socialism possible, should a country be
which render
ripe for
it.
question
is
to
it
possible
time
is
at
We
it
causes us
the present
are obliged to
most of us,
Socialism has ceased to be something that must be
expected in hundreds of years, as we were assured
by many at the time of the outbreak of war.
consider
matter because,
this
Socialism has
become
for
What,
then,
are
the
pre-requisites
for
the
establishment of Socialism?
will.
its
accomphshment.
12
is
small production
is
uppermost
in
13
Where
a society,
the
He who happens
production.
to be without property
possession.
stances,
social
character
wealth in
it
receive a share.
in vogue, not
Will
first
scale industry
is
when
This
is
its
unquestioned
would be a retrograde step, if it were posbreak up large scale industry when the
workers engaged in the large industry cannot
obtain a share in the means of production unless
they take on a social form when small production,
it
sible, to
so far as
it
thereby.
In this
way
The
larger the
number
of producers, and
14
difficulty
number
material conditions
the strength
to realise
it
must
also exist.
is
l^the
number
of proletarians
interest in Socialism
i
Those
stronger than
of capitalists, that
the
number
those
and a decrease
is
a decrease as
of proletarians.
who have an
number
compared with
in the
In comparison with
may
proletariat
class in the
State.
without
proletarian
an interest
in the
This development
co-operation,
capitalists,
solely
who have
is
and
15
culture
factor
The
For
is
its
a fourth
proletariat
establishment of Socialism,
the
material
conditions for
Socialism
it
must
also
make
ready to
use of them
its
hold of v
Only then
can Socialism be realised as a permanent method of
them, and properly to employ them.
production.
To
must be added
Socialism possible.
be created by the
rent, interest
make
and
profit,
of the proletariat.
It
Under
the
fall into
16
private
in
The
property.
other
who
the
section
of
vagabonds,
ness,
When
a chance offers
expropriate the
without cohesion.
itself,
construct a
The
of
new
capitalist
this
numbers
to
social order.
method
propertyless
makes use
of vagabonds, whose
of production
class
Capitalism increases
and therefore of society.
their numbers and multiplies their strength, but it
exploits their ignorance, rawness and incapacity.
It even seeks to depress the working classes to their
level.
By overwork, monotony and dulness of
toil, labour of women and children, capitalism even
presses the working classes below the level of the
former vagabond class.
The impoverishment of
the proletariat increases in an alarming degree.
From
it,
however, the
first
striving
towards
make an end
It
of the
seemed, how-
itself.
Middle-
it,
17
about.
It is
Indians.
who would
He
"
him a Messiah.
I see a
courage he
will
the sword, to
first.
By
his
J
1
18
its
drown
and transform
(Guarantees of
the
earth
into
paradise."
It is
suppose one
is
army
man. But
itself
Sociahsm must
remain an Utopia?
In view of the fact that the proletariat has not
attained to the capacity for self-government in any
it is
concerned,
impoverishment of the
fgfce of
workers by
is
the
capitalism,
thereby demonstrated?
would appear.
Yet practice and theory
soon showed a way out. In England the industrial
proletariat first became a mass movement, there it
found some instalment of democratic rights, some
possibilities of organisation and of propaganda, and
was stirred into motion by being summoned to the
So
it
Among
first
arose, with
19
resistance
menced
offered
strikes,
'
'
Engels.
They held
this
in
common
with other
Socialists, but
recognising
this, in
The proletarian
the
masses,
presupposes
democracy.
yet
so
If
much
not
of
above
all,
democratic one.
It
T!if
20
it
Rather would
it
is
new
Owen,
organisation.
men
Fourier, to
whom
oldest
members
of
All
it.
all
is
a very
the
young
reaHsed.'*
principle of
Communism about
to
be
democracy, even
*
'
be appHed,
case,
and
all
it
is,
He
in a Socialist
must
21
have nothing of
community.
will
some of
the people."
in detail in order to
show
now
contempt for democracy, which
recommended to us as the highest wisdom, is quite
an old conception, and corresponds to a primitive
that the
is
Europe,
in
numerous
often
bloody
struggles,
i>
'
22
section
Has
And
conditions
to-day
some
the negative.
over hasty.
tion
which lends
itself
to
it is
to
Socialism too
rather
calculation
In any
test.
this question, to
me
in
not a condi-
is
statistical
by others
in discussing
much
in the
foreground.
No
doubt,
this is lacking.
It is
more
this is
when
it
State.
The simplification of the problem in this
form is, however, counteracted by the fact that the
growth of the large industry is accompanied by an
its
markets,
the
23
progress of the
and Co-operative
State, Municipalities,
modern
facilities
and
by the
Societies,
is
industrial States,
their
machinery for
The
decisive factor
is
Is
enough
to take in
quite adequate,
24
could be equal to
while
all
have
stabler.
^_
X^
,'
conditions
it
'
proletariat
is
Socialism.
We
certain.
V;
jlstrength
'j
phase
sufficiently
mature
the
for
its
development.
will
announce
their adhesion to
other hand,
is
if
climax of
It is
already
show
it
may be
when
the
Socialism.
majority
On
the
nothing of
.
it.
Iproletariat
the
soonest,
but gives
the
quickest
CHAPTER
IV.
State
within
modern
way
effective
is
comprising the
organisation
society,
power
the most
greatest
and influencing
in
as is
The
State
is
munity used
to
If
com-
organised, the
stituting itself
an absolute government.
Yet
this
The absolute
rule of bureaucracy leads to its ossification and its
[absorption into endless time-wasting formulas, and
latter condition is
nowhere
(developing,
when
lasting.
when
industrial capitalism
and
i
social
is
conditions
to
25
it
subject
constant
all
economic
and
change,
'
26
life,
thus
The absolute
rule
of bureaucracy,
therefore,
ducer
is
for
its
The absolute
relations.
them.
It
is,
then,
power of the State, for self-government in municipalities and provinces to be established, for the
power of law-making to be taken from the
bureaucracy, and put under the control of a central
assembly, freely chosen by the people, that is a
Parliament. The control of the Government is the
most important duty of Parliament, and in this it
can be replaced by no other institution.
It is conceivable, though hardly practicable, for the law-
to
27
in
modern
State,
in its
power, that
is all
except
who do
a lucrative business
the
industrial
the
capitalists,
absolute
In a greater or lesser
it
through
Every
the
this
development.
class will,
new form
ing to
its
especially
of the State in a
particular interests.
manifested
in
the
struggle
The watchword of
is
is
is
over the
Universal Suffrage.
in the franchise.
28
The
exploiters are
In capitalist society,
absurdity.
with
its
con-
be
is
consequently
organised as such
is
Class-membership
A handworkers
who,
is
always changing.
of
Many
small
tarians even
pendent producers.
monopoly of Parliament.
values.
combine
is
29
Above
all,
The most
tion.
is
its
effective
weapon
numerical strength.
itself until
it
It
of the proletariat
cannot emancipate
is
so far
The
an interest
in the fact
and
equal, but also non-discriminatory, so that men and
women, or wage earners and capitalists, do not vote
in separate sections.
Such a method would not
only involve the danger that particular sections, who
that the suffrage should not only be universal
reality,
would
the
also
outlook
historical
have the
of the
still
it,
but
proletariat.
mission consists
in
the
For
its
fact
that
great
the
its
symptom
when
its
by
class consciousness
is
30
its
understanding
only
is
made completely
clear
by
ing, but
This
action.
this
is
superiority
the
Herein
organisation
of
lies
the
the
Social
the State.
Democracy signifies
The absolute
The
opposition
everywhere
being
it
forcibly
is
its
forcible suppression of
Almost
prevent its power
guiding principle.
must do
broken.
this to
It
is
otherwise
with
Even
is
not a fixed
31
But the
power
It musti
it is
parties
which aspire to
democracy.
in a
and
It is
many
intervening
are
synonymous with a
first
and between
democracy.
last resort,
class
can govern.
in
there
actualities
factors.
class is
party
class,
is,
however,
although
it
same
class interest
may, in the
One and the
can be represented
very
in
different ways,
by various tactical methods.
According to their variety, the representatives of
the same class interests are divided into different
parties.
Above
all,
not
is
the
and parties.
Only seldom does a class dispose of so much power
that it can govern the State by itself.
If a class
attains power, and finds that it cannot keep it by its
own
strength,
forthcoming,
prevail
it
seeks for
various
allies.
opinions
If
such
and
allies
are
standpoints
claPs interests.
32
but
one
party
working
quences from
this policy,
and
strives to conciliate
As with
if
no party
is
certain
33
of retaining
it
is
of minorities has
tection of minorities
doctrine, be
is
it
represented
is
very important.
Every new
place by minorities.
inconvenience.
be
saved
dis-
trouble an A
migh.t
pro-
gress because
minority.
If
it
is
"^
34
Ignorance
is
by practice or by
in
new
ideas,
which
Although
may
is
put forward by
the
new
Ae
spell
The suppression of
minorities.
if
may
a perverted shape.
new
refutation.
ideas of
harm
to
The world is
always bringing us against new problems, which
are not to be solved by the existing methods.
Tedious as it may be to sift the wheat from the
chaff, this is an unavoidable task if our movement
the development of the proletariat.
is
tasks before
it.
is
And what
an
indispensable
development, and no
is
Protection of minorities
condition
less
is
for
democratic
the majority.
my
35
institutions
over-estimating
its
strength, so long as
it
refrained
and
it
"
It is quite different
36
be revolutionary, that
public expression to
ings,
its
it
is
democracy ceases
to
indignation and
its
suffer-
and political
Democracy cannot remove the class
revolution.
It is quite fulse
antagonisms of
social
capitalist society,
at
movements unnecessary.
It
does
it
from
attempting tasks to which they are not equal, and it
also restrains the ruling classes from refusing concessions when they no longer have the strength to
maintain such refusal. The direction of evolution
is not thereby altered, but the pace is made more
even and steady. The coming to the front of the
proletariat in a State with some measure of
democratic government will not be marked by such
but
it
it
be exposed
to a violent overthrow.
* *
European
movement
the
in
sixties,
the
one great
Commune
37
At the
from the consequences of the Empire, which had withheld real
democratic institutions from the people, the
French proletariat had only attained to the slij^htest
degree of class-consciousness, and the revolt was
defeat, in the Paris
still
of 1871.
suffering
provoked.
The proletarian-democratic method of conducting the struggle may seem to be a slower affair
than the revolutionary period of the middle class
it is
and
striking, but
it
This
also
may
who
people
find
in
Socialism
who
an
interesting
really carry
on the
fight.
struggle,
Parliamentarism,
strikes,
means of pressure,
its
importance
in
demonstrations,
the\
will retain
"On
.'|
revolution
of the
proletariat
will
405"'--'^
assume quite
38
tliat
it
physical force, in
all
been established."
side,
and
Where
the proletariat
is
without rights,
it
can
develop
mind
demands
Undis-
is
learns
But
constantly
political
keep
to
and social
in
view
the
entire
relations.
and
interest,
Quite
inspired
differently
proletariat,
its
is
it
when
it
does
cracy
develops
immense
citizen to
mass
organisations
Demo-
involving
39
The whole
more and more
taken up with petty details, and its attention
occupied by passing events.
The mind is con-,
tracted within a narrow circle.
Ignorance and
the day, often of the most trivial kind.
is
life's
blood for
it.
On
tariat
democracy itself.
were indeed extraordinary if the possession of
freedom necessarily made men more narrow and
The more democracy
trivial than its absence.
proletariat suffers, not of
It
40
the
is
For whatever
accomplish it cannot
to
On
system.
this
antagonisms
in
And
to necessary detail.
not lacking.
from
the
become more
society
capitalist
refrains
contrary,
it
the
capitalist
way
proletariat,
detail
and taking
mind
its
off routine
and
work.
Under democracy
this
moral elevation
who
is
shared
are at the
is
no
in
by
same time
It
may
When
democracy,
there
is
less
danger
than
under
TirE
EFFECTS OF DEMOCRACY
41
When
victory
is
achieved,
successfully maintained.
it
will
And
not be
efforts.
lost,
that is better in
but
the
CHAPTER
V.
r^^
Dictatorship.
Democracx is
up a
Only under the
quered
political
about Socialism
when
intervening period
an economic sense.
it is
said that
In this
democracy
is
not
to
is
not new.
be WeitHng's.
'
This requires
DICTATORSHIP
else
than
43
revolutionary dictatorship
the
of the
^proletariat."
to specify
more
Taken
literally,
word
the
signifies the
But taken
of democracy.
literally
it
who
suspension
means
bound by
also
is
no laws.
A sovereignty which is distinguished
from a despotism by being regarded as a passing
phase, required by the circumstances of the
moment, and not a permanent institution of the
State.
The expression
tariat," that
is
'
'
Dictatorship
of
the
Prole-
Marx thought
He
speaks
in the
If
we need not
in 1875 Marx
44
dictatorship
the
pix>letariat,
it
might
well
this
War
in France.
"..The
essentially
working
class,
a government_Q-^4he
Thus
class, the
Coinmune was
the
Paris
at
length revealed.'*
Commune
was,
as
Engels
Proletariat."
It
was,
tJbie
its
" The
'
'
constituted in
Communes,
as individual suffrage
general
DICTATOBSHIP
y^faspeci ally
45
The dictatorship
Marx must
numbers of the
proletariat.
by those who
as a condition
ship as a
Dictatorship as
form of government means disarming the opposition, by taking from them the franchise, and
Hberty of the Press and combination. The question
is
whether the victorious proletariat needs to
employ these measures, and whether Socialism is
only or most easily realisable with their aid.
It must next be noted that when we speak of
dietatcH-ship as a form of government, we cannot
a
mean
sovereignty,
dictatorship
we
For, as already
If
by
but a form
comes
to
mean
of
government,
then
The problem
is
then comia
divided
46
The
Ihese parties
'
dictatorship of one of
is
The
situation
becomes
Socialist
Parties
still
more complicated
if
to
the
their
relations to non-proletarian elements, and if perchance one party attains to power by an alliance of
town proletarians and peasants, then the dictatorship becomes not merely a dictatorship of proletarians over proletarians, but of proletarians and
The
dictatorship of
What
sovereignty
of
the
Now
it
may be
is
that
the
must necessarily
incompatible with democracy?
proletariat
power when
it
indispensability, the
its
political struggles
it.
weapon
is its
Next
to
its
economic
of the proletariat in
huge numbers.
It
may
it
DICTATORSHIP
47
proletarian
ment of
that majority."
Commune. The
new revolutionary regime was an
The ballot, taken under
electors.
act of the
appeal to the
the
Commune
in
all
districts
of
were chosen,
against 21 of the Opposition, of whom 15 were
distinct reactionaries, and six Radical Republicans
Among the 65 revoluof the Gambetta school.
of French
tionaries
all
the
existing phases
Sociahsm were represented. However much they
fought against each other, no one exercised a
Paris.
Sixty-five
revolutionaries
democracy.
It
when
this
force
cracy.
employed
to
Uc^e
of
suppress demo-
But a
which
is
a powerful source
of moral authority.
dictatorship
48
in
of favourable
enables
its side,
Amongst
pohtics
a people
it.
trained in
into
for decades,
in
is
party
hardly possible.
If
now
do what
Socialist
Government,
we have
hitherto
bow
viz.,
to
resume
its
to
is
the latter
power of the
to
and
to
State with
is it
to
How
at
the
holm
J.
Two ways
or that of Bonapartism.
We
Paraguay.
enormous
DICTATORSHIP
question.
No doubt
its
mental stature
higher
is
49
until
such
workers,
time.
productive system.
acquisition
of knowledge
development of intelligence.
This section occupies a middle place between
the proletariat
and the
capitalist class.
less
is
It is
not
neverthe-
so long as
it
fate into
of
the
its
own
hands.
when
aloof from
the Labour
their attitude
capacity in
its
proletariat,
which
who
struggles.
is
The confidence
in the
is
not to be
4,
60
the
that
proletariat
acquired
has
the
itself.
The second
comes with the conviction that
in question no longer take the prolefor freedom seriously.
the Socialists
tariat's fight
instituted.
or
Socialist
in
to
the
cannot
be
opposition
production
from
it,
this
attitude
would be
In that
opponents in
this regard,
although
its
much
its
outlook iu
higher
one.
The
method)
of Paraguay
is
therefore
not
practicable in Europe.
sists in
governing by
centralised
organisation
to
the
unorganised
'
DICTATORSHIP
51
the
people,
military power,
arising
struggle.
Can
on
this
foundation ?
by
society,
mean
Socialism.
organi.^-cition, that
'
barracks.
mines
it.
its
most\
more
it
remedy by
52
which
method
is
denied them.
adjusting
of
Civil
political
war becomes
and social
JBiritagonisms.
Where complete
political
and
apathy or
social
is
armed
is
which
easily
develops
power of the
the military
all
or
needed.
foundations, even
into the country.
the
if
the
Socialist
enemy
society
to
its
Russian Socialists of
all
sections
Yet
civil
war
is
far
more harmful
much
itself,
to a Socialist
war is fought
and wastes and paralyses as
as a foreign invasion.
DICTATORSHIP
In the struggles of States
5$-
usually only a
is
it
The
if
not in amity.
and is obliged to
renounce hopes of being the Government, need not
relinquish political activity. Every party which is
reduced to a minority always retains the right to
strive to become the majority, and thereby take
over the Government.
finds
itself
in
position,
this
its
existence,
civil
wars being so
terrible.
power
is
inclined to crush
bloodiest means,
less slaughter,
and succeeds
when
in
its
opponents by the
threatened by a revolt,
repressing
it.
June,
1848,
in
54
Paris,
shown
this
Chronic
would
Socialist
sible.
its
render
and
the
the sovereign
civil
means for
from Capitalism
the
of
of
to
war or apathy,
is
to
be
SociaHsm
people confuse
icivil
therefore prepared to
inevitable in a civil war.
lethargy
organisation
alternative under
And
Many
or
apathy
the
dictatorship,
masses,
war,
excuse
be
its
the
of force
We
DICTATORSHIP
65
form of a
will, as
power
civil
war.
States in which
a certain measure of
"
"
pure
democracy, if not
democracy, has been
deeply rooted for decades, and also in which the
military are not so cut off from the people as
in
formerly.
It
it
is
achieved
represents the
'
anticipate that in
The
and
social revolution,
civil
other.
The
social xfivolutjon
is
a profound transforma-
66
social revolution
is
brought about by a
political
rapidly concluded.
Its
which
it
is
accomplished.
rules, not
merely formally,
is
be a peaceful one.
trariwise, the
prevailed
has
work-
without
the
Con-
hitherto
support
of
greater
is
form of a
civil
war.
social revolution
that
the civil
it
is
made
to serve
demo-
be adapted.
must
because beyond
Revolution, desir-
DICTATORSHIP
able as
it
may seem
67
to far-seeing individuals,
would
permanently.
But did not the Eeign of Terror of the proletariat
itself
is
the dicta-
bring with
it
Of course.
able to
is
the
It
is
better
proves in
method of the
its
own
liking,
and
to
keep control of
political
power.
In energy the Reign of Terror of 1793 cannot
be surpassed.
and,
all
finally,
it
58
it
middle-class
be
said,
after
the
example of the
synonymous with
civil
war and
thte
Revolution
Is
dictatorship, then
it
By
its
we
rule
are
on
*
CHAPTER
VI.
The
contrast between
from the
first
divided.
factor,
and
could
therefore
Socialist proletariat.
march
with
the
tionaries
the
\l
60
became more
it
to
acute.
in a Provisional
this Provisional
government of
"*of opposition
their party.
came with
Zimmerwald
no
wanted
annexations
it
as
much
on the basis of
or
indemnities.
ready,
if
by increas-
government
did not do
61
same period,
as would be
expected of a revolutionary government.
The
elections for the Constituent Assembly could not be
so rapidly completed as was desired.
It was first
necessary to renew the old official machinery, and
to create democratic town and country representation.
Enormous difficulties were met with in the
although
it
compilation of voters'
in
as
lists
the
much
in the giant
Empire,
Above
guilt
for
all,
this
may
rest,
Wherever the
the statesmen
of
the
the Bolsheviks.
^2
*\
I
j/J
'
their
were
expectations.
Was
had
If
they
to fulfil these
that possible?
The Bolshevist Revolution was based on the supit would be the starting point of a
general European Revolution, and that the bold
position that
initiative of
of
all
On
Russia would
Europe
summon
the proletariat
to rise.
it
And
68
Revolution
Socialism
removing
Socialism
economic
This was
all
was
must
Russian
inevitably unchain the European Revolution. But
what if this did not happen ?
well
founded,
granted,
provided
supposition
the
Revolution
the
that
now
betraying
This
it.
people, for
is
a complaint against
inactivity of the
European
unknown
proletariat.
is
conditions of Western
Europe
are,
however, so
When
France,
the Revolution
it
of
in
Europe lying
east of
it.
It,
was unchained
in
Russia in
however, halted at
when
the Revolution
1905,
it
provoked
^^
64
& revolution.
many
And
surprises in store.
have up
till
now been
in
if
the Bolsheviks
error in expecting a
cherished a like
have never had in mind a revolution at a specific time, and never elaborated their
tactics in such wise that the existence of the
party and the progress of the class struggle was
made to be dependent on the outbreak of the
But the
latter
Like
revolution or bankruptcy.
expectations.
sac.
all
on the
As
this
problems.
They had
to
65
ment. !T?he
and
intellectual con-
more
they felt obliged to replace what was lacking by
the exercise of naked power, by dictatorshipT"!
prhey had to do this all the more the greater th"e
opposition to them amongst the masses became. -^Jf
So it became inevitable that they should put dictaditions existed for all that they aspired to, the
ment, in order to
tion, they
were not
As
we
^^
f\'>
p*^
yj
'
66
which
Congress protesting.
People's Commissaries.**
as
taking
precedence
of People's Commissaries.
Government dissolved
the
it
of
is
recognised
the
Council
Town
was
Council of Petro-
y^
^^
On December
7,
Com-
CONSTITUEljIT
67
"^
was stated
However the electoral arrangements of a body composed of elected representa' *
it
tives
may be
to be truly democratic
will of the people,
members by
when
the electors
is
cised.
all
and
The Congress of
Assembly.
the Councils of
Work-
who
are
new
town and
On
demand
of
more than
the*
new
election."
in
accord-
But
it
is
However,
But
I
it
that
the
m
Y
elections
Therefore,
but
The
Whoever
committed
to the
conclusion that
new
7,
was
elections
Assembly
just elected
with which
he^ad shown
was not
suitable,
we
are
us that the
because
it
px ^'^V^^
f^^'^*!^^
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY ANT) SOVIET
6ff
its
consummation)
it is
SociaHsm /
It is
least
painful
form which'
transition
to
at after
left
Assembly
victory
for
with
ended
a
\Jt
the Soviets, whose dictatorship as a permanent
form of government in Russia was proclaimed./
stituent
was now
Assembly.
inevitable.
'
f^
CHAFTER
'
VII.
The
Revolution of 1905.
Revolutionaries,
members
'^
j
influenced
some
hundreds
of
thousands
of
Political
comprised
and industrial mass organisations could not be formed under the Absolutism of
the Czai\\ [The only mass organisations of the
workers which existed when the Revolution came
were those which had been brought into existence
by the capitalists themselves and related to single
trades.^ These now became mass organisations for
the struggle of the proletariat.
Each trade was
workers.
who
only
a place
tX^
70
71
organisation was
which
created,
became the most comprehensive of all because it
included all wage earners. It has made powerful
action possible, and left a deep impression in the
proletarian
When
the second
organisations
in
confined
to
single
towns.
economic and
political
spheres.
72
is
the economic
all
and
political
power of
the proletariat.
resolved that
when
and concert
all
measures
After
all
we know
mentally wrong.
strike
is
strike,
likely to
tion
spontaneous suddenness.
Its organisa-
frustration.
We,
therefore, understand
bureaucracy
tends
to
oppose
spontaneous
lutely necessary.
why
73
the proletariat.
This
not,
is
all its
preten-
tions
to
its first
the times.
By
and knowledge,
and Parliamentarians may
Trade Union
officials
here successfully
fall into
various
assist,
the hands of
countries
but the
initiative tends to
Workshop Committees.
outside
Russia,
such
as
In
in
74
and
make an organ
and described
themselves as Communists.
Indeed,
entirely.
they
In his
democracy
speech of April 28, Lenin des-
did
not
repudiate
The
sections privi-
it,
transition to Socialism
to be
who
is
made
done by depriving of
This
universal
suffrage?
are
-capitalists
making of
Now
in
less
because
capitalists
the
the
the
laws.
and
How
handful.
painful
Obviously,
this
is
make
contrary,
Suppose the
an insignificant
tion to Socialism
them
possible.
Why
the
75
On
under universal suffrage?
suffrage would reveal
universal
as an insignificant minority,
and consequently
fate than
behind
it
however, the
rights.
capitalists
What
is
In reality,
cannot be deprived of
possessor.
Even
in a
is
so
/
/
76
trade, that
is,
amounted
to
something
17,000,000
against
party
could
over
very
when
35,000,000,
as
therefore
industry and
three
have
well
it
On
the
of their opponents.
By
obliging
them
to fight their
them
common
foes, universal
up their ranks
sooner than if the political struggle were confined
to the Soviets, from which the opponents are
excluded, and in which the political struggle of a
Socialist party takes the form of attacking another
suffrage
causes
Socialist Party.
I
Instead of class-consciousness,
sectarian fanaticism
Now
for
capitalists
close
to
is
thereby induced.
Suppose the
is
well able, in
section.
their
But
in
supporters
The
may be
very
Socialists,
numerous.
It
77
lists
for capitalism.
is
Who
he thinks
in
capitalism,
even
Even
of those
to capitahsm,
modern sense
if
all,
be
for
backward
many
at
if
sections,
who
are opposed
number
indirectly
large.
who directly or
capitalism may be very
would protect
if
They would
more energetically oppose the measures of
the new tyrannical regime. By universal suffrage
in a real democracy all classes and interests are
represented in the governing body according to
their strength.
Every section and party may
exercise the fullest criticism upon each Bill, show
up all its weaknesses, and also make known the
stren^h of the opposition which exists amongst
they were deprived of political rights.
all
the
the people.
In the Soviet
all
j^
come
The opposition which they
first
instance.
is
78
laws
been obliged, by
supplements and lax administration, to let in by
the backdoor elements that it solemnly threw out;
case of very important
laws,
Not
tariat
is
less
very
much
doubtful
is
in doubt.
certainly.
Dictatorship,
towns, as in 1905.
79
a considerable part.
who comprise
What
people.
is
if it
were
logically carried
is
is
effected
when
it is
On May
28,
It
**
The
Soviet
representation
democratic representation.
citizens full
and equal
rights,
It
and
superior
to
concedes to
all
is
all
classes in the
80
land enjoy the full possibility of securing representation in the Soviets, exactly corresponding to
cracy,
tions."
may be
very contented
who want
general suffrage.
dictatorship continues
Are they
really
not so disposed?
Has our
isolated
Soviet?
**
:
It
81
considers obnoxious.
Meanwhile,
it
Soviets,
drafted
not
work.
Republic.
constitution
fThis
lays
to the Soviets.
'
Russian
the
down
Russian
it
of
that
All those
may
not
Empire,
Soviet
all
but
the
only
to elect deputies
vote
**
who procure
work."
by
? This is
What is
useful and productive work
a very elastic term. Not less elastic is the definition of those who are excluded from the franchise.
They include any who employ wage labourers for
profit.
A home worker or small master, with an
useful or productive
their sustenainie
'
'
'
'
apprentice,
may
live
and
tarian,
tarians
may become
Even more
prole-
82
franchise
How
property.
how he
asked
.\
" That
there are
One
is
all capitalists
sees
how
little
who own
it
**
the workers
little
house."
The
which opens the door to the greatest arbitrariness, is due to the subject of this definition, and not
to
its
tariat,
framers.
which
be had.
shall
is
not to
98
of a specific
the
following
in
connection
with
(1)
the
Socialist
'
th^i
may
whims.
^hitrary-action, and
make
it
tection
to
the
regional
in
Soviet
an
indirect^
*J
84
The "
least
painful
transition
"
Socialism
to
opposition
all
So on June 14, 1918, the All-Russian Central Committee passed this resolution
and
criticism.
'
The representatives of the Social Revolutionary Party (the right wing and the centre) are
excluded, and at the same time all Soviets of
'
Workers',
Peasants'
Soldiers',
and
Cossacks'
all
acts.
Anyone offending
would
existing order
at
in this
way
against the
no word
Republic
all
who
proletarians,
take
their stand
Russian
of the
Repubhc determines
working
SociaTisfTeHeral
cl^
as
\*
XA^Jhe,
whole the
Soviet RepuBlic^
may
85
laws.
Yet even
rights.
this
was not
sufficient to
ensure
Wing
Right
itself
the circle of
political
rights, upon
becomes evei
those
who
whom
jmaller.
participate
in
ship,
is
from
this.
86
The Populaire of
on July 6, 191 8,
reported an interview which Longuet had with
Litvinoff,
the London Bolshevik Ambassador.
Among other things Longuet remarked
*'
You know, citizen Litvinoff, that even the
comrades in the West, who have the strongest
sympathy for your movement, are pained by the
Paris,
saw you
last
in
January.
my own
Do you
account,
had
when
I
in
made on you,
"
you ought at any rate to hold new elections?
To which Litvinoff replied
" This is not possible at the moment in view of
the present situation.
Democracy expressed m
the form of the Soviets
a more precise expression of the will of the masses
is the sole form of
:
Besides those
time.
who
last
Soviet elections,
majority."
If
of
Comrade
this,
Litvinoff
why do
elections.
and
If these
were held
it
87
can win as a
methods of
election
critics
with
full force.
Why
renounce
this
enormous advantage
so sure of a majority?
is
one
is
only the
Soviet
organisation
meets
its
require-
be proved r^t
indeed understandable when one remembers
if
that every
this assertion
v/
the country,
it is
One
thing
can
present situation
is
certainly
be
t.
The
graiited.
At
the time when the elections to the first Assembly
were prepared and completed a certain amount of
To-day all
peace still prevailed in the interior.
Does, however, this
Russia is torn by civil war.
record of nine months of the Soviet Republic furtion of elections to a Constituent
Assembly.
most suitable
to Russia,
is
the
least
CHAPTER Vm.
The Object Lesson.
The
method
now be
it
It
furnishes a striking
cannou
accomplish
many
proletariat,
which cannot be
of dictator-
contrasted with
last
it is
argument obviously
sideration
able to
This
rests
gained.
knows
its
in its favour, is
We
reach our
power of the
State,
Its
mouth
defect that
of old Weitling.
it
It
89
The opponents of the method of dictatorship conassumption that Sociahst production can
test the
by
brought about
be
minority without
the
it
certainly
is
an
If
object lesson,
People
lesson,
thoughtless worshippers of
relations,
mere suc-
inquire from
what causes
would
seek
not
unfavourable
Socialism
is
for
it
unripe
or
explanation
the
conditions,
They
the
in
but
in
itself,
realisable
How
has
it
We may
popularly
all.
why
This
is
they rally to
than bread.
it.
Even
Freedom
is
have
90
sell-determination,
is
food.
Hitherto
Democracy
Social
the masses of
who were
the
represent
did
to
tireless
oppressed,
women, persecuted
religions
it
has
won
By
Now,
power,
so soon as Social
Democracy
The
of an opposite character.
in
the
attains to
be replaced by one
step consists
first
if
dictatorship
is
this
by
small shopkeepers,
home workers,
As regards
peasants
who
deprives
changed
at
them of
they
rights,
their
so far as
Thus
they
all
are
this
are not
those
who
the freedom of
all
91
proletarian dictatorship.
It
who
is
not already
Socialism.
"^But we saw
whom
the
Communist
=^
dictatorship robbed of
freedom.
who
are con-
will lead
tically, or
Only
this prosperity
must
really
object lesson
How
is
necessity
is
this
for
the
if
to be effective.
prosperity to be attained?
dictatorship
pre-supposes
The
that
a
,
power of the
State.
minority com-
and
in
normal times
conquering the
forms the majority.
lines,
it
political
As
a minority
it
it
can only
92
and impoverished.
helpless
development of the productive forces which capitalism brings into existence, and with the aid of the
enormous riches which it creates and concentrates
in the hands of the capitalist class.
A State which
by a foolish pohcy or by unsuccessful war has dissipated these riches,
is
by
its
nature condemned to
demo-
it
resources
is
wasted by
anarchy.
In
tion
fine,
is
destruction of capitalism
capitalist
is
of
The
Where
all.
not Socialism.
it
must go on
as before,
otherwise the process of production will be interrupted, and that hardship for the masses will ensue
93
in the
it
government,
in trade unions,
the
new methods7\
In a country
wmch
is
so
little
developed economi-
forms a minority,
proletariat
is
not to
be
expected.
It
may
all
places
of the question
that
dictatorship
all,
and
manner
in this
people
W'ho
are
thereby
deprived
of
political
rights.
As a matter
of
fact,
we
Soviet
how
is
k^
obliged to explain
94
We
Theses respecting
have lying before us
the Sociahst Revolution and the tasks of the proletariat during its dictatorship in Russia," which
A passage
emanates from the Bolshevist side.
deals with " the difficulties of the position."
* *
"28.
under
The
work
The internal
difficulties.
The wearing out and enormous
gieatest
the
are
difficulties
after
the
"
Anarchy,'
to create a middle-class
tion; the
(italicised in original),
middle
class,
class,
is all
very true.
But
it
And
does
it
lines of Socialism
05
is,
arguments
theoretical
which
Will
is
it
is
be
set
it
necessary for
out
why
that
who have
convert those
Socialism,
its
be shown
to
to
hitherto opposed
to be convinced
by
practical success ?
difficulties.
It
come up against
wrong to lay the
will
is
conviction of the
justice
Only then
regime.
will
tonists.
We
must here again repudiate the method of dictatorship, which substitutes compulsory object lessons
for conviction.
This
is
may avail
On the
96
medium
The various
States of
of dictatorship.
the
its
labour, the
is its
times repress
State
is,
its
the indispensable
proletariat.
more democratic a
organised
is its
riches, the
it
it is
proletariat to attain
revolution.
is
a conflict
between the
more a country
is
democracy, the greater is the prospect of the proletariat, m such a conflict, of not merely gaining
X
Where
proletariat,
under
it
such
it.
conditions,
it
it
97
numerous
intellectuals,
will
demand
that
gressive
become
Thus,
countries,
irresistible in countries
not so advanced as to
^Uow
And we need
In a
future.
State,
number
of industrial
States the
these
enacted there
now
is,
What
is
V"
being
middle
Europe.
98
'\
' *
accelerated,
Marx
recognised by
edition of
be
pace
the
nations,
development may
this
of
social
was already
first
'
Capital
'
movement
it
its
friends
seem
is
nothing but a
it
is
ing
its
method
shortening and
birth-pangs."'
But
'
'
if
we
for the
lessen-
are to continue in
tion,
and thereby
child incapable of
may
as a rule, a
is,
life.
99
which one
Socialism is, however,
afford anothei".
To be
sure,
capitalist
competition everywhere
that
those
threatened by
is
so painful a
its
operation
The Socialist
by all means.
method of production would therefore find in existence a number of processes which are technically
obsolete; for example, in agriculture, where largescale production has made little progress, and in
strive
to
places
is
avert
it
even receding.
Socialist
Socialist agriculture
organised
men
is
substituted
for
wage labour,
100
may
tive
methods, when
that
the
society furnishes
way
for Socialism
to
try
to
convince
theoretical superiority
of
Only the
Socialism.
more
The
effective
is,
agriculture and
its
try, is sharply
agriculture,
to society generally.
The most
Revolution
PMuard David.
Revolution
That
is
its
its
peculiar direction
in
this
it
respect.
imparts.
CHAPTER
IX.
(a)
Dictatorship
is
its
actions,
itself
and
Its
in
the
event of
its
not maintaining
it
will leave
on one
side,
way much
behind much
and that
it
has
established.
based on the
many
others,
is
French
who
stigmatise as
The observation
is
The
latter
panies
it
is
what accom-
However high
the dictatorship
101
may be
raised above
102
all
upon one
of
of society.
them
that
is
it is
always dependent
will of
The
strongest driving
destruction of
large
This they
properties.
But they
destroyed only more thoroughly than has happened
succeeded
in
present dictatorship
intentions,
desires
and
of
take
the
Soviets
account
measures,
but
of
will
their
of
the
fire
AGRICULTURE
in the present situation.
tedious pedantry
is
But
it is
103
which
is
Marx.
which
is
A man who
culture.
sixths of
By
it
its
inhabitants.
live four-fifths,
perhaps even
five-
104
had
to
The average
granted to him.
holding
size of a peasant's
Europe.
Before
the
Revolution
in
Western
peasants'
the
holdings of less than five hectares in Russig, comprised only 10.6 per cent, of the total, whereas in
primitive appli-
it
produce*
in Russia only
28.2 pud.
(Massloff
the Russian
Agrarian Question.)
after his
eman-
He became
To avoid
star-
from
progress,
vation, he
was obliged
engaged
for wages.
in large-scale agriculture, to
work
AGEICULTUEE
105
Now
found an
kept as
outlet,
little
that he
So every year of
as possible back.
Bought.
By nobles
By merchants
By peasants
The land of
the
peasants
...
1,459
318
335
...
135
93
...
increased
still,
although
as
peasant,
Sold.
821
the
total
holdings
of
the
'
106
time,
but
prosperous,
the
others
Individuals were
were
the
more
impoverished.
to the
land-owners,
through
the
towns.
The
revolutionary
Socialists
of
the
intellectuals
of
Eussia were
agreed
was
as
two sections.
little
as other countries,
'*
that
could clear
by leaps or
AGRICULTUKE
107
<
c2.
-X
^
\'
^^
^
J^
'
in
Jjij
the
(^
^^
distinctly
estates
It
was
peasant
population,
although
there
was by no
methods of carrying
Various solutions were conceivable.
this out.
From the Socialist standpoint, the most rational
would have been to transform the large estate*
into State property, and have them worked on a
means agreement
as to the
\j
108
co-operative
basis
by
the
peasants,
them
who had
as wage-earners.
realisation of Socialism.
strove
In
the
interests
of the
peasants themselves,
it
But
this
to wait.
The
peasantfl
AGEICULTUEE
109
destroyed.
commune
to their
property
(1) Private
in
land
forthwith
rs
The property of
with
the
the
appurtenances,
church property,
with
together
landlords,
all
cloisters,
live-stock
and
and
The
reference
remained a dead
the
to
letter.
Constituent
Assembly
estates.
This
necessarily
between rich
excluded
localities,
any
containing
equalisation
many
substan-
and poor neighbourhoods containing none but small peasants. Within the individual
communes no record was made of those who
tial
peasants,
110
obtained the
dominated,
Where
land.
by
either
their
No
the
rich
numbers
Hon share
peasants
or
their
of the big
was
it
fre-
that
was
parti-
tioned.
It is cei':tain
peasant
is
Socialist agrarian
very likely
in
the minority in
reform
This peasant
many
villages,
But
medium
and
any case he still forms a very
the
in
prosperous
By
this partition of
would have
interfere even slightly
it
to
It
AGKICULTUBE
111
away from
the rich
To carry
even
if
And
by year.
in
he would produce
This is one of
only the indispensable minimum.
his
needs,
many
of
effect
is
Socialism
between
economic
an
adjustment
112
production to
increase
produce
the
tribute
the
maximum, and
accordance
in
with
dis-
social
On
the
surplus,
whether
it
leads
be done
the
to
ruin
production,
of
in the interests of
an Oriental
Of
thought
desirable
urgency,
this
may
as
it
may some-
It is
the reverse
not happen, as
times be necessary to do
this.
may be
measure of
a temporary
new cause
it
only introduces a
war
into the
Moreover,
if
the
is
and
dictatorship of the
it
AGEICULTURE
in
113
suffice to give
enough land
to
As
quoted from
'
:
'
An
To
make
try to
all rich,
production
there
is
classes.
is,
equality
poverty
in
already
many
countries, an
and any
can inspire no
existing,
not realisable,
is
permit
all
to peasant
little
land to
The endeavour
is
also reactionary.**
social
It
cultural population,
114
small agriculture
If
the
capitalist
developed
is
the rule.
necessary
conditions
intensive
agriculture
in
for
Russia,
it
is
do not
exist there,
as they
made
Large-scale pro-
pay by technical
appliances, the application of science, the most
complete equipment of machinery, and the use of
up-to-date methods, accompanied by a considerTherefore, new methods
able division of labour.
of production can only be introduced and become
permanent in places where advantages can be
derived, either in the form of an increased product
duction can only be
to
appliances
In view of the
it is
the
hopeless to introduce
To be sure, in Bolshevist
made from time to time of the
large-scale agriculture.
circles,
mention
is
AGEICULTUKE
tasks of the proletariat during
115
dictatorship in
its
mentioned.
general good.
estates, association of
com-
munes),"
This which was said to be the task
is,
unfor-
Collective agi'iculture
Russia condemned to
is,
remain on paper.
Nowhere, and
at
no time, are
Associations
include
all
The Peasants'
possible
branches
of
agriculture
cultivating
the
necessarily
land.
Thus
it
has happened in Europe and America, and the process repeats itself throughout the world.
Is the
law ?
Whoever
man
rest of
116
it
to
economy can be
be an
built
that
illusion
up on the
basis of
remains of feudalism
more
it
jL
It
has
now made
peasants,
of the
in
the
is,
the
It
has
of
production
it
may be
disturbed or
is,
their
own
now,
made
property
all
AGKICULTUKE
therefore he
fostered
is
117
and pampered by
the-
The
interest
therefore
property
dwindles so
is
secured.
beyond
will
this.
With
allies,
his,
it
above
all,
to the workers,
middle
greatest
classes,
interest
necessaries of hfe.
in
prices of
the
118
German
War
tlie
time of
Peasants'
of
Switzerland.
The
all at
in
democratic republics
like
War
in
Even
revolutions.
programme which
will
class struggle
but, in practice,
growmg
opposition
is
tariat,
who
are
themselves
proletarians, that
is,
AGRICULTUEE
who do not
live
by the
119
by the
a protracted process,
by
accomplished
town and
increase
the
removal of industries
the
which
of
is
slowly
large-scale
agriculture,
time,
a process
to the country.
At the same
victory
proletarian
industrial
The
lation.
latter
is
forward.
population
suffers
not only
absolute decrease.
In the
but
an
German Empire
the
relative,
In 1910
or 40 per cent.
smaller
the
first
still
it
The
is,
population
is
When
agricultural population
was
still
In 1907
it
120
On
Empire.
grown
certainly
still
German
1907, the
comprised more
it
has
off
the
Since then,
more, and
is
not far
The conditions
whelming
We
character.
is
made
The
revolution.
character
middle-class
the
to
more
it
is
is,
it
also
of
the
and
completed
the
more secure
is made, the
ground be prepared, on the one side
for capitalist agriculture, and on the other for a
growing opposition between the peasant and
proletariat.
The economic tendencies working in_j
more
will the
this
direction
are
all-powerful
in
present-day
not
avail
to
counteract them.
Eather
will
it
The
its
Industry.
industry of Eussia
agriculture.
is
many
it,
just
INDUSTRY
because of
its
121
growth,
recent
shows
most
its
the
same
the
interest in
German workers
conditions.
is
only conceivable
Socialism
if
means
that
5),
is
'*
a speech of Lenin's
just to
hand, which
The workers
retain
The saying
**
The
factories to the
'
'
workers and
social
122
Social
democracy demanded
and
The individual
peasant can, in case of need, work his property
without any connection with other producers. The
modern factory, on the other hand, stands in a
network of social connections, and its isolation is
inconceivable.
It is not enough for the workers
land should belong to society.
if
it
properly.
from other
*^
Social
trans-
is,
and
ship
this is
the
of
means
of
production.
TEven
the
INDUSTRY
128
insufficient
share of land
means
is,
means of
How
far
is
closed.
case,
it
is,
in
any
are
tunately,
w^e
There
indeed,
still
completely in
the
dark.
the
is,
decrees
is
absent.
Socialist
production
is
124
verification.
This
is
Where freedom
suits
Whether or not
it.
information.
is
placed on their
It is
spread
which
is
contradictory, and
we
are obliged to
What
all.
results
Socialist
cannot,
appioximately.
something in
lost,
it
Is
it
possible for
this respect,
which
it
to
will
accomphsh
not again be
the Soviet
to retain ite
power ?
That
it
accepted by no one.
It
INDUSTRY
capitalist property,
125
is
capitalists
So
far as
it
and must
will
this, capi-
Probably
arise.
become
intellectuals
become
always skim
will
will
enter proletarians
capitalists.
off the
cream, and
or
These people
remain on
will
Government which is
and brings order out of chaos.
now
last
on the
The Soviet Government has already been constrained to make various compromises with capital.
On
"
If
we
of
capital
are to
The organisation of
much behind
is
notoriously
masses of capital."
126
it
in
capital,
German
Red
capital
cause the Soviet Republic to recoil and recognise its claims. How far the capital of the Entente
will
To
is still
questionable.
all
tariat
Russia
to
will
persist,
even
if
the Soviet
This
is all
the
movement which
more probable,
as
it is
part of a
even
if
is
going on in
needs of peace
will
ensure
its
continuance.
INDUSTEY
power
as
IS
little
suffer
-.oxc* xic
power
Hfe do not
his
127
fit
him for
the rule
this.
of
[But he will no longer
'
Like
siderable
the peasants.
Even
it is
beasants.
128
is
in
its
products
this
means lower
*~j
'**^
'^
antagonism which
Y'
^^c>vv,*>^
ithe
^ ^hat
Ee volution./
Much
^0^-N^
V ^X
i/"
the
[undergoes.
^^'\^"
"^^ '^
jT
greater
will
v^^
;^ V"
of
the necessary
is
them,
as certainly
v^
antagonisms
and
raises
it
Yet
it is
intensifies
them
to
of
all
their
highest point.
The famine has not been created by the dictatorship, but by the mismanagement of Czarism and the
war.
following peace
Nj
is
tion,
Yell
INDUSTKY
129
it
to
is
to tliem.
estates
among
the peasants
Precisely
130
will
If
it.
cease,
especially
Siberia
if
also
The prices
country.
Now
this
is
the
condition
in
wnicn,
under
In
agricultural
produce,
industry
which
countries
the
export
largely
opposition
between
much
strength.
To
was,
during
the
Ee volution,
the
most
INDUSTEY
important
task
representatives
the
of
Nothing
Russian proletariat.
131
else
of
task
freedom,
of
which
the
is
the
proletarian
struggle
this.
for
not less
is,
in contrast to
The peasants,
class,
like
all
demand democracy.
They may
them-
find
shown
the
in
But
seldom
political
interests
of
the
peasant
with
the
proletarian,
industrial
whose
also
become
his
act.
enthusiastic for an
Napoleon the
First.
The Russian peasant would oppose any
return of the Czarist regime, which in his eyes
was connected with the return of the old, deadlyhated landlords. But a dictator, who secured him
interest,
in his
is
him
132
class,
which
and, as
Lenin himself has stated, can become the dictatorship of a single person.
he said
*
The
closer
we approach
^he
struggle against
by forc^
recognise
If
the
we
are
necessity
forcible transition
it
no anarchists, we must~^
of
State,
from Capitalism
to
that
is
Socialism.
The kind
of the
Therefore
no
essential
contradiction
can
exist
all
is
'
INDUSTEY
form
133
of
dictatorship of a party
is its
destruction.
power
is
Dictator-
in possession
of
to maintain
because
proletariat
it
its fall
democracy.
Where
in
power,
democracy
in alliance
will
it is
most short-
politics
of the
134
It
would destroy
is
struggle.
whether
problematical
proletariat has
acquisitions
through the
real
decrees
Hussian
the
and
practical
Soviet
of the
of
it
predominated.
But
^llepublic collapses
likely to fall
Had
than
colour
it
is
those
certain that
many
along with
in
of
its
the
if
Soviets,
the Soviet
achievements are
it.
Assembly succeeded in
strengthening democracy, then, at the same time,
all the advantages which the industrial proletariat
might have acquired by its agency would have been
consolidated.
To-day we rest our expectations
that the Russian proletariat will not be cheated of
all the fruit of the Revolution only on the supposithe
Constituent
and
civil
Not
in dictatorship,
but
in
democracy,
lies
the
CHAPTEK
X.
We
Russian
conditions;
that of the
nevertheless,
it
is
The
light
light against
^^
^J^
circumstances.
Accordingly, the
s trug gle
against
The operation of
We
135
'
136
which awakens an
and greater objects
I
interest
side
for
wider
by side with
relations
its
constant
theoretical
interest.
There
is
to-day,
desires and
Social
class one.
Then
to
the
And
at
the
The
rule devolved
in
State,
workers
the
^govern^ They
137
is
able itself to
immediate peace,
at
them
The masses of
coming of Socialism, viz., the conquest of polipower by the proletariat? In truth, economic
tical
theory
discountenanced
that
idea
the
Socialist
it
the
proletariat,
of
free
territory.
of
behave as
to
The
peasants
put
as
regards
no obstacle
the
in
for the
first
become
land,
the
State,
on
its
peasants
the
liked
it
own
way
and the
way of the
None the less,
138
a glorious event.
proceed to do
so, and,
way
all
which
must
at
once
It
power
in conflict
it.
with the
so quickly
new
quite a
is
It
This
must
countries
to
imitation,
are
still
and
in opposition,
provoke
them
but
to
Revolution.
boldness
No wonder
is
at length
going to be
139
The
reality
of victory
is
still
And
that consciousness
It is
Consequently,
tion that
and
we have
of Western Europe as
it is
is
in Russia,
and, on the
Europe.
the
Army had
been-
that
had been
taken.
All this
encouraging.
conceivable
explain
very understandable,
is
if
not exactly
their
measures on the
ground of the
them in the
circumstances
j,
140
left
no choice
dictatorship, however,
is
Marxism. Their
in contradiction to the
development by a jump, or by
How
is it
legal
enactment.
their proceedings?
the
dictatorship
Marx used
he had,
the
proletariat,"
indeed,
political condition y
Now
of
this expression
only
intended
to
which
In so doing
describe
Now
certain
if
circumstances
things
said that
under
might come to a
141
we must adapt
This interpretation
is
ourselves.
V
i
142
"
I
I
/lall
The
class
less
meaning of force
the
difficult
of
situation
143
Revolution
the
Russia
in
freedom
happen
is
now
the
after
of
the
proletariat
deeply
a
where
rooted,
has
all
And
only
not
who
stranger
amongst
the
half
people
frequent
in
earnestness.
support
the
in
already
for
existed
century
have
bloody revolutions.
in
it
is
asserts this
still
it
workers
finds
of
still
Yet
something
understandable
is
stranger
to
still
and
even
less
come.
complete democracy
is
to
be found nowhere,
144
an agitation for the extension of the legispowers of the people, for proportional
representation and for woman suffrage.
In
America the power and mode of selection of the
there
is
lative
long as
we
minority.
we only want
so
As soon
as
we have become
the
organisation, etc.
Socialist Eevolution
dom
145
Consequently, the
free-
organisations.
(18) "
Now we
attack on capital, the direct overthrow and destruction of the imperialist robber State,
direct suppression of the middle class.
and the
It is there-
freedom
(that: is
*'
The
latter
as
the
active
They even
Supported by former
officers
scene
as
the
most energetic
various conspiracies.
is
their deadly
enemy.
The
organisations
for
proletariat dictatorship
manner.
(20) "As regards the working class and the poor
peasants, these possess the fullest freedom."
Do they really possess the fullest freedom?
The *' Social Traitors '* are proletarians and
dealt with in a corresponding
146
iSocialists, too,
Would
opposition.
class
we
liveliest
all
not
the
display
our strength
in
opposition?
we should have
Certainly
efforts
to
do
so,
but our
result
if
the
How
often
democratic pretensions.
Now the
Liberals
demands.
does
this,
They
The authors
honourable;
whether
they
are
wiser
doubted.
of the
maxim one
of the
if
more
may be
wisdom
they openly
or that they
147
have no democratic principles at all; that democracy is merely a ladder for them, up which to
climb to governmental omnipotence, a ladder they
will
will
revolutionaries
method of
the
dictatorship,
in
if
it
is
they adopt
order
to
gain
This
it.
quite obvious.
is
On
of
it is
less
obvious
why some
Instead of
this theory.
demned
in
the
method of
dictatorship,
and the
at the
most
is
go out of
their
way
to praise
German
this
method as ;i
Democracy
Social
is
ally accepted,
it
it
If gener-
to the
utmost,
for,
with
148
the
exception
of
of
proletariat
handful
small
German,
the entire
fanatics,
world,
the
would
angrily
\ beginning
la
new
'every
its
to
the
pThe proletariat
every
repudiate
the whole
attached
is
of sectarian
as also
thought
of
disfranchised
suggestion
class.
would repudiate
It
coupling
of
its
demand
for
for
And
itself.
it
repudiate the
its
\
is
as understandable as the
Bakunin.
But
we should
to
understand
recognise
it;
we
not reveal
itself as
former anarchism of
it
does not
mean
that
The
dictatorship does
its
strength,
in
progress
assists.
it
149
is
not
It
vould be so only
;he
eplaced
if
dictatorship
is
opportunely
by democracy.
Printed by the
30,
RUckTriars Street,
29916
^{.^
jf.*.''
^^
^'^o-mmn'0
"^(^Aavaan-i^
aWEUNIVEW/a
^mmms-^
.^WEUNIVER5/A
<D130NV'S01^'
^lllBRi
-<
%a3AIN(l-3WV^
^(SfOjnvDJO'^
v^lOSANCElfj>
^^cOFCAllF0%
^<!/ojn\(
A^OFCAIJ
i
^^oxHm
"^AaaAiNn-awv
^5^iLIBRARYQ^
ii
^WEUNIVERS//^
^.ffOJIlVDJO^
^.TilJONVSOl^
^OFCAIIFO%
^^WEUNIVERS/^
%avaaiH^
"^^Aavaan-^
%W3NVS01^
'%a3Al^
^^WUNIVERS'/^
^IMCElfx^
-^ILIBRARYGr
^>MLIbr;
^<!/0JnV3JO'^
^.OFCALIFO%
<
i^i
iiarl
%a3Alli
i^=D^i s^^l^
,UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
llHllHl'lll
AA
Ml
i^OAHvaan^ i
,^WEUNIVER5/A
M mm i^i
000115 933
<f3l3DNVS0V"<^
^^lOSA,ICElfy.
n
>
o
%a3AiNa]WV^
^WEUNIVEBVa
vvlOSANCElfT*
ir-'
%a3AINn]WV^
4^lL!BRARY0^
^<!/0JnV3JO^
^0FCAIIF0%
^OF-CAIIFOR^
^<?Aava8ni^
'^^Aavaan#'
aWEUNIVERJ/a
^lOSANCEl^x
"
^TilJQNVSOl^
^/^a3AINfl]WV
-^lllBRARYQ^
-^^ILIBRARYQr^
o
^AOJIIVDJO'^
'^<tfOJIlV3JO'^
^OfCAllFO/?^
^OFCAtim/?^
"^/^ajAiNfiawv
AWEUNIVERi"//)
^lOSMELfx^
*^OAav88n#
*>&Aav}iani'^
<f?ii3NYSoi^
"^aaAiNn-JvW^
.^MEUNIVERVa
vvlOSMFlfj>
^^ILIBRARY<?/:.
-^^tUBRARYOc>*
i^^l
Ira::!