WITH M. K. VLADIMIROV AND P. I. POPOV

JULY 28, 1921
(Moscow - Kharkov)

Vladimirov: Comrade Popov, proceeding from our quotas, has found that it is possible to obtain realistically 80,000,000 poods; if one increases the yield quotas, then according to Comrade Popov's opinion, one can obtain an additional 20,000,000 poods. I consider Comrade Popov's calculation incorrect, regardless of whether the real harvest will correspond to the increase. I have already raised the quotas to the maximum extent in accordance with the condition of the districts in the political sense. I am deeply convinced that any further increase in the bandit-infested districts will lead in practice to a decrease in collections. I see the only way out in obtaining all the mill tax, which in the form of a tax can yield approximately 17,000,000 poods...

Lenin: Popov told me yesterday that he does not consider the figure of 80,000,000 poods correct, but rather 133,000,000. He promised me to communicate today the results of final negotiations with you. I have not yet received anything today from Popov, who also promised to send practical proposals regarding how to calculate the possible and necessary maximum of the food tax in Ukraine. I ask you to send today by direct line the final formulation from both you and Popov, separately on those points on which you agree, and on those on which you disagree with each other. This is necessary to obtain today, as further delays are inadmissible.

Vladimirov: Have not yet conferred with Popov. The quota increases he proposes concern chiefly the bandit-infested districts with extremely weak party apparatus, already now protesting against the established quotas. I am convinced of a negative result. In connection with a series of Rakovsky's proposals, the question is being transferred to the Politburo, to which he wants to submit a proposal, which I am preliminarily transmitting to you, namely: "Obligate the peasants of 9 provinces within a week's time to deliver 2 poods each, of which one is credited against the tax, the other—to a special fund for those affected by crop failure in Ukraine and Soviet Russia." Thus it becomes possible to rapidly increase exports and in fact gives an increase in tax of approximately 12 million poods. I request your response. In the entire situation I consider this solution the best.

Lenin: In order to render a decision immediately, we must have Popov's proposals. We have just received a direct-line message from Vladimirov and Rakovsky; it is necessary to have Popov's response proposal, whom we hope has knowledge of the direct-line message from Vladimirov and Rakovsky. I ask Popov to give his direct-line message as soon as possible.

Popov: I proposed to the Politburo to transfer a significant portion of districts to higher yield grades, proceeding from Moscow methods, which make it possible to obtain tax of more than 20-25 million poods. The Moscow method differs from the Ukrainian one in that the yield in Ukraine, calculated according to their method, is 30-45% less than the yield calculated according to the Moscow method. The Politburo, on organizational grounds (disruption of apparatus) and political grounds (banditry), rejected this proposal, because two or three days before my arrival the tax quotas had been communicated to the districts. Personally I believe that the quotas communicated to the districts have not yet reached the volosts, and therefore I would consider it possible to change the yield quotas, which, I repeat, would yield no less than 20 million poods. My second proposal—to raise the yield scale by several grades, taking into account harvests in districts of 80-90-100 poods.

There are no fewer than 25 such districts according to the yield quotas, using the Moscow method selectively, which would give an increase in tax of 4-6 million poods. The Politburo accepted the proposal, but determines yield according to its own method. This gives an increase in tax of only 3-4 districts, not 25, in total, in no case more than 1 million poods. The tax amount was determined by the Commissariat of Food Supply in estimate form in the sum of 133,000,000 poods and increased by 50,000,000 poods, i.e., by 60% owing to an exaggerated calculation of large landholding taxpayers; with the actual predominance of large landholders one can raise the tax amount by no more than 10-15% and at maximum by 20%. But, on the other hand, it is necessary to take into account a reduction in tax owing to an understatement by the taxpayers of the amount of plowland and an exaggeration of the population of the holding: the larger the landholding, the greater this effect. But according to my calculations this reduction in tax will amount to 20-30%.

The Commissariat of Food Supply does not in fact have the possibility to precisely establish in each holding the area of plowland and the amount of population. Therefore, if the calculated tax amount according to the average rate can increase by a certain amount owing to the predominance of large taxpayers, then, on the other hand, this increase is offset by a reduction in plowland of 20-30%. Thus, in reality Ukraine according to their quotas can receive

TO THE POLITBURO OF THE CC RCP(b). JULY 28, 1921

83,000,000 poods, and not 133,000,000, calculated according to their estimates. I proposed to calculate the tax that can actually be collected in the amount of 100,000,000 from the following calculation: 83 million according to their average calculation, and, secondly, from 20-25 million poods through transferring a series of districts to higher yield quotas, and, thirdly, through assigning 25 districts to yield grades of 80-90-100 and more poods, which would yield another 4-6 million poods. Furthermore, through the receipt of mill tax one can obtain 17,000,000 poods. We would thus have approximately 100-107 million poods of tax and 17,000,000 poods of mill tax, a total of 120,000,000 poods. From this we would have the possibility of giving 60 million poods to the RSFSR. Against the resolutions adopted by the Politburo I do not object; something will be obtained, but a very insignificant quantity, since real increase in tax will be obtained only through transferring a series of districts to the following yield grades. Moreover, I must add that Comrade Vladimirov has sent a telegram about delaying the announcement of yield grades for districts by 24 hours. The resolution adopted by the Politburo annuls Vladimirov's telegram. Awaiting instructions.

Lenin: We will give a final answer tomorrow afternoon; until then I ask you to take such measures as would commit to nothing, i.e., would allow tomorrow, in agreement with Comrade Popov, to adopt a decision implementing Comrade Popov's plan.

First published in 1933 in Lenin Miscellany XXIII

Printed from a typewritten text