Materials for the Third Conference of the RSDLP ("Second All-Russian"). July 21–23 (August 3–5), 1907.

1. Outline of a Speech Against the Boycott

1. I agree with Maximov's starting points{142}.

2. The disagreement lies further ahead: and after the II Duma?

"the revolution is concluded" — how the masses will understand it{143}

3. Revolutionary traditions and Marxists' attitude toward them.

(National revolutionary war.)

4. Upsurge and constitutional illusions. Continuation of the revolutionary path and a new turn toward revolution. Repetition of revolutionary traditions.

Erroneous tactics.

5. The old boycott is no more. A new one — not active, not connected with revolutionary social-democracy (Liebknecht and the Prussian Landtag).

Maximov: "center of organization of revolutionary forces"…

6. Mass strike movement in the Central Industrial Region and our attitude toward it. Transformation into the political, etc.

7. The boycott is harmful, as it clouds the eyes: transformation of the professional upsurge into the political and revolutionary. Only then can one speak of a boycott.

forgot 5bis: What arguments are there for participation?? Compare the Stockholm and London resolutions{144}.

2. Preliminary Draft of a Resolution on the Question of Participation in Elections to the III State Duma[148]

Considerants[149]:

1. Conditions for the success of the boycott and the correctness of this slogan:

α) a broad, universal, and rapid revolutionary upsurge β) the ideological task of struggle against constitutional illusions upon the convening by the old authorities of the 1st representative assembly in the revolution.

2. The duty to preserve revolutionary traditions at the same time requires analysis of the conditions for their application, rather than simple repetition of revolutionary slogans that had significance under particular circumstances.

3. Therefore there are no grounds for proclaiming a boycott of the III Duma as a result of the continuing reactionary onslaught, pending the development of a new upsurge[150].

4. The textile strike and other moments of upsurge require not the slogan of boycott (= accompanying slogan of armed insurrection), but political and revolutionary development. Otherwise the slogan of boycott is harmful, as it clouds the eyes.

Conclusions:

A) To conduct work on participation in the elections and in the III Duma, defending in full the slogans of revolutionary social-democracy in the electoral campaign and in the Duma itself.

B) To explain to the masses the connection between 3. VI. 1907 and XII. 1905 and the betrayals of the bourgeoisie, showing the insufficiency of economic struggle, transforming it into a political and revolutionary assault, which must lead to armed insurrection and only on the basis of which the slogan of boycott can acquire serious significance.

3. Outline-Plan of a Resolution as a Whole on the Question of Participation in Elections to the III State Duma

I 1) The tasks of the revolution have not been resolved, the forces have not been undermined

2) beneath the appearance of calm, accumulation of forces is occurring

3) boycottism is a revolutionary mood and a correct assessment of the counter-revolutionary character of the III Duma

– development of economic and political struggle of the proletariat and mass demonstrations.

II (1) A boycott would be correct only with universal upsurge or in the struggle against constitutional illusions (as was the case with the I and II Dumas)

(2) no essential changes have occurred since the II Duma… (3) the lesson of the II period of the Russian revolution

– (a) to participate (б) to conduct struggle both against reaction and against liberals.

4. The First and Second Points of the Justification of the Second Part of the Resolution on the Question of Participation in Elections to the III State Duma

But finding, on the other hand, (а) that the boycott tactic would be correct only given the presence of a broad, universal, and rapid revolutionary upsurge, coupled with direct assault on the old authorities, or for the purposes of struggle against widespread constitutional illusions (as was the case with the boycott of the Bulygin and Witte Duma); (б) – finding also that no essential changes have occurred in those conditions under which revolutionary social-democracy participated in the II Duma, inasmuch as the new electoral law promises only replacement of a Duma that spoke in Cadet fashion and acted in Octobrist fashion with a Duma openly Octobrist.

5. Outline-Plan of a Speech on the Question of the Professional Congress

1) "Deep contradiction," "irreconcilable contradiction" between the Stockholm and London resolutions{145}.

2) To win "recognition" through successful speeches, "mechanically"…

3) Support (London resolution). Text of the London resolution.

"signboard"

4) Viktorov's mechanical resolution{146}.

"to neutralize" or secretly discard?

5) "Neutrality" and saturation with social-democratic spirit in Russia.

6) "What is to be done" — one cannot forbid non-social-democrats.

7) Social-Revolutionaries cut across us, showing off their non-partisanship.

8) Pursuit of popularity…

9) Tasks of the party and the Central Committee at the professional congress: ideological propaganda in the spirit of the London resolution.

Written in July 1907.

First printed in 1933 in Lenin Collection XXV

Printed from manuscripts