V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v34; en:MT;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

MINUTES

Comrade Lenin states that since the beginning of September a certain indifference to the question of the uprising has been noticeable. Meanwhile this is impermissible if we seriously advance the slogan of the seizure of power by the Soviets. Therefore it is high time to pay attention to the technical side of the question. Now, apparently, much time has been lost.

Nevertheless, the question is very acute and the decisive moment is near.

The international situation is such that the initiative must be with us.

What is being hatched with the surrender of Narva and the surrender of Petrograd compels us still more to resolute action.

The political situation also works powerfully in this direction. On July 3–5, resolute action on our part would have failed because we did not have the majority. Since then our upsurge has been proceeding by giant strides.

The absenteeism and indifference of the masses can be explained by the fact that the masses are tired of words and resolutions.

The majority is now with us. Politically, the matter is fully ripe for the transfer of power.

The agrarian movement also works in this direction, for it is clear that heroic forces are needed to dampen this movement. The slogan of transferring all land has become the general slogan of the peasants. The political situation is thus ready. We must talk about the technical side. That is the whole point. Meanwhile, following the defencists, we are inclined to regard the systematic preparation of an uprising as something akin to a political sin.

To wait for the Constituent Assembly, which will clearly not be with us, is senseless, for that would mean complicating our task.

We must use the Regional Congress and the proposal from Minsk{122} to begin decisive action.

First published in 1922 in the magazine Proletarskaya Revolutsiya, No. 10

Printed from the handwritten copy of the minutes

Manuscript of V. I. Lenin’s resolution adopted at the meeting of the Central Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.) on October 10 (23), 1917