Comrade Lenin first pointed out that the accusations of Bolshevism leveled against anarchism by the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries are without foundation.

What distinguishes socialists from anarchists? The fact that anarchists do not recognize authority, whereas socialists, including Bolsheviks, stand for authority during the transitional period between the state in which we find ourselves and socialism, toward which we are moving.

We Bolsheviks stand for firm authority, but for such authority as would be the authority of workers and peasants.

All state authority is coercion, but hitherto it has been so arranged that this authority was the authority of a minority, the authority of the landowner and capitalist against the worker and peasant.

We, on the other hand, stand for such authority as would be the firm authority of the majority of workers and peasants against capitalists and landowners.

Pointing out further that in the resolution of the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries on land, the new government is named a people's socialist government, Comrade Lenin dwelt in detail on what could cement a close bond between the Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries.

The alliance of peasants and workers is the foundation for agreement between the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries and the Bolsheviks.

This is an honest coalition, an honest alliance, but this alliance will be an honest coalition also at the top, between the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries and the Bolsheviks, if the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries more definitely declare their conviction that the revolution we are experiencing is a socialist revolution. This revolution is socialist. The abolition of private property in land, the introduction of workers' control, the nationalization of banks—all these are measures leading to socialism. This is not yet socialism, but these are measures leading us with giant strides toward socialism. We do not promise workers and peasants rivers of milk with banks of kissel immediately, but we say: a close alliance of workers and exploited peasants, firm, unwavering struggle for the power of the Soviets leads us to socialism, and every party that truly wishes to be a party of the people must clearly and decisively declare that our revolution is socialist.

And only if the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries clearly and unambiguously declare this will our alliance with them grow stronger and expand.

We are told that we are against socialization of the land and that therefore we shall not be able to come to terms with the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries.

We reply to this: yes, we are against Socialist-Revolutionary socialization of the land, but this will not prevent us from being in an honest alliance with the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries.

Today or tomorrow the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries put forward their Minister of Agriculture and, if he introduces a law on socialization, we will not vote against it. We shall abstain.

Concluding his remarks, Comrade Lenin emphasized that only through an alliance of workers and peasants is it possible to achieve land and peace.

Comrade Lenin was also asked a question: what will the Bolsheviks do in the Constituent Assembly if the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries are in the minority there and propose a law on socialization of the land—will the Bolsheviks abstain then? Of course not. The Bolsheviks will vote for this law, with the proviso that we vote for this law in order to support the peasants against their enemies.