V. I.

Lenin

Theforeign branch of the Iskra organisation has united with the
Sotsial-Demokrat revolutionary organisation abroad, and has formed
with it a single organisation under the name of the League of Russian
Revolutionary Social-Democracy

Abroad. [1]

As will be seen from its published declaration, the new organisation
proposes to issue a number of propaganda and agitational pamphlets. The
League is the representative of Iskra abroad. Thus, the
organisation of revolutionary Social-Democrats abroad, led by the
Emancipation of Labour group, has finally merged with the organisation
grouped round our paper. As before, the Emancipation of Labour group will
participate directly in editing and managing our publications.

Theunification of the Russian revolutionary Social- Democratic
organisations abroad was accomplished after their attempt to combine with
the Union of Russian Social-Democrats Abroad (which issues Rabocheye Dyelo ) had failed. Early in summer, a conference of representatives
of the three organisations drafted an agreement. The basis of the
agreement was provided by a number of resolutions on matters of principle,
according to which the Union Abroad would put an end to all flirting with
Economism and Bernsteinism, and recognise the principles of revolutionary
Social-Democracy. There was reason to hope that unity would be
accomplished; for until then the only obstacle to a rapprochement
was the vacillation of the Union Abroad and of its organ, Rabocheye Dyelo , with regard to questions of principle. These hopes were not
justified, since the recently published No. 10 of Rabocheye Dyelo
contained editorial articles openly directed against the resolutions that had been drawn up at the conference with the
participation of the delegation of the Union Abroad. Apparently, the Union
Abroad again swerved towards the Bight Wing of our movement. In fact, at
the conference of the three organisations, the Union Abroad proposed
“amendments” to the above-mentioned resolutions, which clearly
showed that it was reverting to its previous deviations. The other
organisations felt obliged to leave the conference, and in fact did
so. Apparently, our comrades of the Union Abroad are not yet sufficiently
aware of the danger of the intermediary position their organisation
occupies between revolutionary socialism and the opportunism that plays
into the hands of the liberals. We hope that time and bitter experience
will convince them of the error of their tactics. The effort observed
throughout the Party, not only to work for the expansion of our movement,
but also to raise its qualitative level, is the best guarantee that the
much- desired unification of all our forces will be accomplished under the
banner of revolutionary Social-Democracy, which our paper serves.