V. I.

Lenin

A Tactical Platform for the Unity Congress of the R.S.D.L.P.

Draft Resolutions for the Unity Congress of the R.S.D.L.P.

The Trade Unions

Whereas:

(1) the Social-Democratic Party has always regarded the economic struggle as a
component of the proletarian class struggle; (2) the experience of all capitalist countries shows that the most advisable
form of organisation of the working class for the economic struggle is that
of broad trade unions; (3) at the present time a general striving is observed among the masses of the
workers in Russia to associate in trade unions; (4) the economic struggle can bring about a lasting improvement in the
conditions of the masses of the workers, and a strengthening of their truly
class organisation, only if this struggle is properly combined with the
political struggle of the proletariat; We are of the opinion, and propose that the Congress should agree:

(1) that all Party organisations must promote the formation of non-party trade
unions, and induce all Party members to join the trade unions in their
respective trades; (2) that the Party must exert every effort to educate the workers who belong to
trade unions in the spirit of a broad understanding of the class struggle and the socialist aims of the proletariat;
by its activities to win a virtually leading position in these unions; and
lastly to ensure that these unions, under certain conditions, come into direct
association with the Party—however, without at all expelling non-party
members from their ranks.

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