Lenin's brochure "The Zemstvo Campaign and the 'Iskra' Plan'" (Coll.
vol. VII, pp. 4-20) evoked a response from the editors of "Iskra" in the form of a "Letter to Party Organizations," dated
December 1904. Simultaneously with criticism of Lenin's brochure and
defense of "Iskra," Plekhanov published the brochure "On Our Tactics in Relation to the Struggle of the Liberal Bourgeoisie Against Tsarism."
(Letter to the C.C. Publishing House R.S.-D.R.I. Geneva, 1905.) Lenin's reply to the "Letter" of the editors of "Iskra" is given in his article "Working-Class and
Bourgeois Democracy." (See below, pp. 64-65.) In the surviving manuscript of the article there is (in a footnote) a note, not
included, however, in the text printed in "Vperyod." This
note reads: "It is extremely instructive to compare this
response of the entire editorial board with Plekhanov's 'conspiratorial brochure:
'On Our Tactics in Relation to the Struggle of the Liberal Bourgeoisie
Against Tsarism.' (Geneva 1905. Letter to the C.C. only for party members.) We hope to return to both of these works." Apparently, Vladimir Ilyich was also going to respond to Plekhanov, but a corresponding article did not appear in print. In
Lenin's papers, however, a sheet of paper with a printed draft of
the theses of the intended response to Plekhanov has been preserved.

2.
HOW DO THEY DEFEND THEMSELVES?
[January 1905]

1)
Two responses to Lenin's brochure on the "Zemstvo Campaign
and the Iskra Plan" — from the editorial board and Plekhanov. This is also strange
and (Plekhanov is listed on the editorial board), but the difference between these responses is extremely interesting.

Plekhanov defends the incorrect position extremely cautiously and cleverly. The editorial board - unwisely.

Plekhanov does not say a word: 1) neither about the resolution of
Starover [A. N. Potresov] and its connection with the "plan" of Iskra,
2) nor about the "higher type of mobilization" *). Ergo 2), Pl[ekha-
no]v precisely avoids the essence of the error of Iskra (the beginning of the error -
its starting point is the resolution of Starover. The final] point - the arguments about the "higher" type).

The editorial board precisely emphasizes the connection of its position with the res[o-
lutio]n of Starover and defends the idea of the "higher type."

Both the ed[itorial board] and Plekhanov defend very weakly (retreating and backing down clearly) Phrases about panic.

Plekhanov constantly revolves around the contradiction between the old
and new Lenin, proving that the ed[itorial board] of Iskra acted according to the old Lenin 3).

Plekhanov portrays the matter as if Lenin is now against demonstrations in front of the zemstvo members and against dictating to them a "positive] program of action" 4). This is nonsense, distortion.

What were my theses against Iskra?
1) Phrases about panic are inappropriate and vulgar.
Response? the Tambov people at Plekhanov's (Ha-ha!) 5) ] The ed[itorial board] are almost
anarchists 6)
»
(where?)
} is embellished:
"obstruction" by the editorial board] j "superfluous."
2) "Agreements" with liberals should be determined by the fact-
ual jointness of the struggle, and not by "promises."
*Nil 7) - Plekhanov].
3) The conditions of Starover have been rejected. (The ed[itorial board] defends itself
very weakly, essentially admitting it.)
4) "New type."
The ed[itorial board] - schwach 8).
Plekhanov - nihil.

On the question of the uprising, see N° 62 of Iskra. Leading 9)
a "Purely utopian views" on the preparation of the upri-
sing.
"Begin to manifest"... 10).

*) See Lenin's article "The Zemstvo Campaign and the 'Iskra' Plan'"
(Coll. vol. VII, pp. 1-20) for an analysis of Starover's resolution and a critique of the new-Iskra plan
on the "higher type of mobilization" and on "not producing panic fear"
among the liberals.
2) Ergo - consequently.
3) Plekhanov wrote in the brochure "On Our Tactics"
(pp.
8-9):
"... The old Lenin advised the Social Democrats to 'go into all classes' of the population," "to send detachments of their army in all directions," and the new Lenin
cruelly contradicts him..." See G. V. Plekhanov. Works, vol. XIII, p. 172.
4) The words "Dictate a positive program of actions" - in "What Is to Be Done?" (Coll. vol. IV, p. 427).
5) The chairman of the Tambov provincial assembly resorted to the help
of the police to protect the assembly from the "public."
In Plekhanov's brochure "On Our Tactics" (p. 17), in connection with the Tambov incident, it is said: "By the way, about panic. The recent Tambov
HOW DO THEY DEFEND THEMSELVES?
events are perhaps capable of suggesting to some opponents of absolutism
the idea that the "Moscow Gazette" is right, threatening the liberals
with a nationwide uprising against constitutionalism. But after all, the editors
of "Iskra," in their letter, had in mind, among other things, such panic"
(G. V. Plekhanov, Works, vol. XIII, p. 178).
6) "If people belonging to the so-called 'society' and
gathering together in order to protest in one way or another against absolutism, ascribed anarchist tactics to us, then every appearance of ours in their midst, or even only near them, could
only frighten them, because who knows what kind of trick the Messrs. anarchists are capable of pulling! We should remind them that we are not anarchists, and that we ourselves condemn anarchist tactics. This is required by the
obvious interests of our cause. But to remind them of this means to take measures so as not to frighten the 'liberals'." (Ibid.,
p. 180.)
7) Nil, nihil - nothing.
8) Schwach - bad, weak.
9) Leading - editorial. Lenin is referring to L. Martov's editorial
"Are We Preparing Ourselves This Way" in "Iskra" No. 62 of March 28 (15), 1904.
10) In the above-mentioned (see note 9) article by Martov it is said:
"And what kind of "preparation for a performance" can generally be spoken of in our party? It is with regret that we have to state that among our
comrades a purely utopian view on this issue is beginning to manifest itself noticeably, threatening to lead them very far away from the course of the class
struggle of the proletariat."