2:55 p.m. Opening of the Congress by Plekhanov, on behalf of the OK of the Russian SDLP (in the name of the former "Emancipation of Labor" group)

3 p.m. Election of the bureau. Majority in favor of open election.

178 Nikolai Petrovich – one of the conditional aliases of the Petersburg Social-Democratic Committee (Iskra faction), used by the Iskra editorial board for conspiratorial purposes in correspondence with local organizations. Here, apparently, reference is made to the delegate of the Petersburg Committee at the II Congress of the party A. V. Shotman.

Chairman – par acclamation[83]

2 Chairmen – by written nomination (Lenin + Ignat)

3:40 – 4 o'clock.

Report of the OK on the convocation of the Congress.

4 p.m. SPB "Union of Struggle"…

Union of Russian Social-Democrats did not receive notification from the OK.

The Voronezh Committee requested that efforts be made: they did not receive a list of organizations. The Voronezh Committee is not present because of this{157}. I for the Voronezh Committee.

4:05 p.m.

2. Sister Akimova (from the Petersburg Union of Struggle).

The OK had no delegate from the SPB committee. (We are the real committee and there was no delegate from us.)

I was formerly a member of the Voronezh Committee. I protest energetically against the expression: "improper" polemics.

The opposition in the committee is not "personal" – I protest…

A commission was elected{158} ((4:40 p.m.))

rapporteur 1/2 (3 times, 10 minutes each)

Passed by Lenin by 24 votes (15 for Martov){159}.

7 p.m. (minus five). Lipin's order{160}:

July 31.       2nd Session.

9:30 a.m. opened.

Lenin – reply to the Bund[84].

Akimov – for the Bund.

Lipov – Lenin illuminated the question incorrectly:

not 2 lines ("prejudging")

[Lenin prejudges the question]

10:30 a.m.

11 a.m. Koltsov's report (11:30 end).

Statement from Baku (protest that they were never for "Struggle"){161}.

Recess at the request of Yuri…

12 p.m. – Martynov speaks in favor of admitting "Struggle"

Plekhanov

Akimov

3:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. Protocol of 1st Session.

4:05 p.m. – Martyn's statement: "The OK proposes to the Congress

7 p.m. Voronezh inquiry.

August 1.

Third Day

Fourth Session

9:30 a.m. opening.

9:55 a.m. Lipov's report{162}.

The concept of autonomy says nothing yet: "independence" – in what?

* To point 2. Ed.

In what respect autonomy? Can one limit it in something, enumerate?

We are centralists.

Autonomy – is decentralized.

"Statute" {163}.

§§ § 1. Follows[85].

2. Unlimited by district – (sole representative of the Jewish proletariat)

3. The Bund elects its representation to the CC, the Foreign Committee and the Congress.

4. Competence: program – the same

II complements for itself not contradicting{164}

5. Its own congresses, its own CC

6. Its own resolutions before general congresses

7. Freedom in its own affairs

8. Unobstructed publication in Yiddish and other languages

(without the consent of the Bund's CC not to address the Jews)

9. (a) Temporary agreements with revolutionary organizations (if there is no special "prohibition")

– brings to the notice of the party's CC.

((Only for practical undertakings.

(b) With special permission of the party's CC and permanent agreements

10. The party Congress has the right to overturn all decisions of the Bund's congresses, with the exception of decisions adopted on the basis of this constitution

11. Relations of the party's CC with the Bund's sections only with the consent of the Bund's CC

12. All the enumerated points – fundamental.

Changed only by mutual consent of the party's sections (local and district organizations are not considered sections).

(if by simple majority the congresses could overturn it, then this statute could be overturned each time).

11:15 a.m. Martov.

5th Session.

Saturday August 1. 3:10 p.m.

Protocol of 2nd Session.

6th Session.

9:35 a.m. Isari

Rashid-Bek

Bergman

7th Session.

9:40 a.m.

12 p.m. Martov (after recess).

8th Session.

3:20 p.m.

4:20 p.m. after recess for the Bundists, made at their request.

4:45 p.m. 1st point of the agenda concluded.

Program

5 p.m. – Martynov speaks on the program.

According to Lenin's view, there can be no question of the working class participating in the development of ideology; the proletariat spontaneously strives toward bourgeois ideology (quotes "What Is To Be Done?").

Antagonism between spontaneous movement and the intelligentsia: the antagonism of this assertion with the words of Marx and Engels.

The working class spontaneously strives toward scientific socialism, not toward bourgeois ideology.

5:52 p.m. Martynov continues speaking.

Lenin's exaggerated formulation opens doors to other errors.

"Interest in economic struggle weakens" (literally – about the present condition).

The movement suffers from radicalism, from detachment from the class struggle of the proletariat.

Martov. 6–12.

Nikolai Nikolaevich.

9th Session.

9:40 a.m. Protocols of the 4th Session are affirmed.

10:10 a.m.

Nikolai Nikolaevich

+ of contemporary bourgeois society

(line 9 from above){165}.

+ on the basis of the dominance of capitalist productive relations (line 12 from above)

4th paragraph: + inevitably growing improvement of technique

+ and simultaneously equally inevitable growth of social capital, making each time the previous spheres of its application tight

the level of exploitation increases not only from the fall in demand.

+ apart from the direct tendency to this, dependent on the cheapening of the production of labor-power.

10:23 Martynov replies to Martov and Nikolai Nikolaevich.

…"Haphazardly, fumbling in the dark"…

In Lenin there is no talk of opposing tendencies, there is no talk: "goes toward bourgeois ideology" [the workers' movement] does not go, but emanates.

Plekhanov: 10:40 a.m.

… Lenin did not speak of the philosophical foundations of theory, but polemicized against the "Economists" (bacillus)… (concerning the second hanging of Jesus).

(Even in this phrase (Lenin's) there is no heresy{166}.

Akimov.

Lenin's view shows through the entire program, in every line of both his book{167} and the program.

"Completely sharply" Lenin's thought diverges with Plekhanov…

The teaching of socialism grew… arose in Russia completely independently (the teaching of socialism in Russia)

– – the workers had not, and could not have, consciousness of irreconcilable opposition not only our dispute, but in Europe, Erfüllungstheorie[87]???

not only does not go parallel, but in opposite directions

– under the wing of the bourgeoisie.

and not even in a separate work of comrade Lenin… and throughout the program the "molecular movements of the proletariat" are incorrectly represented.

Theory of Impoverishment

Our party is transforming already not into a party of the proletariat, but into a party of all the toiling and exploited.

Martov.

Martynov holds the same views as Akimov on the relation of the working class to the development of socialist ideology.

12:35–12:45 Lenin and his points[88].

12:50 p.m. Plekhanov…

10th Session.

Poles and others.

Wednesday 5. VIII.

11th Session.

9:30 a.m. Report of the Bund.

Questions and discussion about it.

190 Reference is made to Martov's report on the work of the organization "Iskra".

13th Session. After dinner.

14th Session (in London).

Disputes about the order of procedure henceforth. Reading of the Polish statement (simple transition to current business).

The organizational question was raised.

11:00 a.m. My report on the statute of the party organization.

Martyn. Notes that he should not be confused with Akimov.

The editorial board should participate in the affairs of the CC (not vice versa) – that is Martyn's main idea.

(One could fear, so to speak, a "barbarian invasion" of the editorial office of the CO: the CC will fill it.)

Martyn proposes to indicate the responsibility of the Soviet before the Congress and of the centers before the Soviet. Martyn proposes the same plan, but only to begin with the Soviet, making it factually a unified and supreme Central Committee (but with his old attempt to outline certain most important functions of the CC).

Yuryev notes the individuality of Martyn's view, disagrees with him about the predominance of the editorial office in the Soviet, requires that the fifth member be not from the editorial office of the CO and not from the CC.

No place has been reserved for the editorial office of a popular organ. A place should be provided for it (the organ) and participation in the Congress.

The dissolution of organizations should be surrounded by special (important) conditions.

Lipov begins by saying that I have also "gone too far" here, and he wants to prove it by the history of the Bund. This is – "organized distrust" of local activists etc. (it is assumed that they can neither influence nor create). This is – a manifestation of decentralization (3 centers).

He is especially dissatisfied that members not be coopted into the CC without the consent of the editorial office of the CO.

It is harmful to divide ideological and practical leadership. What authority will the CC have? (Surely Iskra will not say that they did at least 1/3 without assistance from Russia.)

The statute does not assume that the CC would grow naturally.

Akimov asks a question about the procedure for the composition of local organizations.

12:10 p.m. Martov replies to Martyn.

As for the appointment of the Soviet, he disagrees with Lenin, almost agrees with Yuryev: one should not determine a preponderance in advance.

The composition of the Soviet should safeguard formal equality: 2 each and unanimously the fifth.

With Yuryev on the question of additions to the definition of CC functions.

Strike out "and CO" from § 7.

Akimov – finds the project "completely unsatisfactory" for 2 reasons:

It is completely impossible for 3 of 5 to be from the editorial office of the CO.

All leadership falls into the hands of the CO, even each individual member is guided by it, and not only each organization.

Akimov for Yulia: to coopt the fifth.

Trotsky.

Boris Nikolaevich.

Akimov. The result will be the immediate separation from the party of certain organizations and the Bund in particular.

15th Session (after dinner).

Isari.

Dmitriev. 3:27

Grinberg. 3:29

[ "Barracks," not centralization.]

Lipov. 3:48

Yuryev 4:15

Rapporteur of the Program Commission.

To the Program Commission{168}

State insurance of workers – for the aged, as well as those who have lost the ability to work due to accidents or harmful working conditions, at the expense of a special fund, constituted by means of a special tax on employers and placed at the disposal of workers' organizations.

…in cases of old age, as well as full or partial loss of the ability to work due to…

16th Session:

"Languages"{169}.

17th Session (after dinner).

Reading of protocols of 7th and 8th Sessions.

August 13, '03.

18th Session.

Statement by Mikhail Ivanovich.

§ 9 of the program.

Lipov's amendment (militia) was rejected.

§ 10.

§ 11. Trotsky's amendment.

19th Session.

End of the workers' section.

4:15 p.m.

Agrarian Program.

Martynov.

de facto "Correction of historical injustice"

Sirotinin.

"Hope for the cut-off lands forcibly holds in an anti-proletarian atmosphere…" (ideology)

* Unclear. Ed.

Alias[89]: practical agitation partition is more popular (can't beat the record)

"cut-off lands" – are they a cause?

(land shortage).

Lipov. "Paltry nature of the demand."

Not to limit oneself to the elimination of remnants of serfdom.

Lipov wants a whole series of radical reforms or: "outline the main line" or: make it concrete.

Trotsky.

Lenin[90].

Sirotinin. I did not reply to him.

This is not the best way (cut-off lands).

To which I did not reply:

Even if cut-off lands are the cause, – is it the best means to destroy them?

Martynov. Feudalism must be taken as it is, not as it was?

Paltry because we proceed from a "paltry" principle

George. Should we say that private property is inviolable? (if they will be taking all the land).

Plekhanov. "Louis XVI and 18…"

Lipov.

Mitsov.

Martov.

Lebedev – defends the program by reference to its socialist part.

Plekhanov.

George. The peasants will say: we need land. What

Dmitriev. In the northwest there are no cut-off lands, but countless bondage. 

One should not be bewitched: cannot have mass significance.

Yuryev. What divides me from the editorial office? Lack of enthusiasm, which has seized upon peasant movement.

We forget about Western Europe.

Chimera – to hope for greater success of the socialist movement in our peasantry.

Mitsov.

20th Session.

Isari for the agrarian program.

Special demands for Georgia against enslavement.

Trotsky.

Lenin[91].

Sirotinin. If comrade Lenin proves to me that my method is not good (transition to capitalism through lease, through small lease), then I join his method, to the cut-off lands (transition through small property). (3rd method: through capitalist lease.)

21st Session.

Lipov.

22nd Session:

Statute Commission.

Dispute about "membership."

23rd Session:

Disputes about "membership" in the party.

24th (Sunday evening).

Monday:

25th Session (morning).

26th – " – (evening).

Question of cooptation at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday

27th Session.

(Cooptation was rejected).

The Bund left at the 27th Session[92].

August 19.

29th Session (morning, Wednesday).

30th Session.

Ruben.

31st Session {Thursday, August 20}.

Morning – elections to the CO and to the CC.

31st Session (August 20, Thursday morning).

{{Limitation of recognition of "Iskra"

{ the political significance of this act is clear.

None of the four comrades agreed to enter the editorial office.

It has political, not personal character.

{They cast a stain on all my political reputation.

All this took place.

An act of struggle for influence over the CC in Russia.

"State of siege in the party"…

– exceptional laws against separate groups and persons.

{Plan of record post factum:}{170}

194 Reference is made to the voting on the proposal of B. M. Knunyants to select three persons to the editorial board of the Central Organ by secret ballot.

195 This voting is not reflected in the protocols of the Congress.

196 Reference is made to the results of the voting on Zhordania's (Kostrov's) proposal: "The Congress elects one member of the editorial board, who coopts the rest" ("Second Congress of the RSDLP," 1959, p. 375).

32nd Session (Thursday, after dinner).

Election of the 5th member of the Party Soviet.

Concluded at 5:30 p.m.

* Consequently. Ed.

Ergo the (private) gathering of August 18 took place after the 28th Session{171}.

Written July 17 (30) – August 7 (20), 1903.

First published in 1927 in Lenin Collection VI

Printed from the manuscript