V. I.

Lenin

Thedetermined stand taken by the Smolensk Municipal Council has been held up by
Proletary , in issue No.

15, [1]

as an instance of what might be called “revolutionary self-government” (which Iskra confuses with
the slogan of a popular uprising). The Council declared the billeting of the
Cossacks contrary to law, stopped all payments to them, organised a city
militia to protect the population, and appealed to the soldiers to refrain from
violence against citizens.

Toillustrate the workings of the same idea and to characterise the moment we
are living through, we shall quote from l’Humanité a resolution passed
by the Kerch Municipal Council in connection with the recent pogrom in that
city.

The Council decreed: 1) that sympathy be expressed to the Jewish inhabitants on
the casualties (killed and injured) and the material losses incurred; 2) that
two scholarships be established at the local Gymnasium in memory of pupils
killed during the disturbances; 3) inasmuch as the local authorities proved
incapable and little disposed to protect the lives and property of the
population, that payments for the upkeep of the police be discontinued from
local funds; 4) that a sum of 1,500 rubles be distributed among the poorer Jews
who had suffered most during the disturbances; 5) that the harbour-master be
commended as the only local official who had energetically and humanely
prevented the further spread of the mass manhandling; 6) that the Minister for
the Interior be informed of the authorities’ unlawful behaviour during the
disturbances, and a Senate investigation be demanded.

Inthe measure that the Kerch Municipal Council has, of its own free will,
extended the scope of the powers it is entitled to by law, and in the measure
that it is participating in the revolutionary life of the whole country, it is
embarking upon really “revolutionary self-government”. But where are
the guarantees that that self-government will turn into one by the
people? And should we Social-Democrats emphasise this “piece of
revolution” as the main slogan of agitation, or speak of a complete and
decisive victory of the revolution, which is impossible without an uprising?

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Notes:
[1]
See pp. 221-22 of this volume.— Ed .