V. I. Lenin

Note {2}

Dialogue Between an Osvobozhdeniye Man

[DOUBLE SQUIGLY.] and a Social-Democrat

[DOUBLE SQUIGLY.]

Pp.

| 1) impossibility of an up rising after the Potemkin . | &—The impossible becomes (werden) possible. |
| --- | --- |
| 2) reappraisal of the forces. | &—“you are
wretched, [1] and you are rich.” {3} |
| 3) K. Kautsky on a provisional revolutionary government. | &—the uprising is connected with a provisional revolutionary
government. Recognition of the uprising by the government=martial law. |
| 4) unwisdom of the idea of boycott: failure to use the instruments. | &—Once again learn from your enemies, if you don’t believe sour
friends. The government’s fear of a boycott. |
| 5) the uprising and “elderly” workers. Trade unionism. “A
class party.” | &—“ non-combatants .” Indeed, it is correct to use them for trade
unionism, but they will provide a rear guard . |
| 6) parliamentary rule: support neighbours, other wise you will help Moskovskiye Vedomosti . | &—indeed, in parliament we shall support you against Moskovskiye
Vedomosti , when such is the choice, but that is not the point just now. The
struggle is not in parliament, but over a parliament. You are
not fighters. |

---
Notes:
[1]
Total “wretchedness” from the standpoint of military technique, etc. But
have a look at the movement and its spontaneous growth:
January 9&—Riga&—Poland&—1.5-million-strong strike&—Odessa&—Caucasus&—Moscow. September 1905.
&— Lenin

{2}
This is a critique of the tactical line followed by the bourgeois
liberals who, in the magazine Osvobozhdeniye (Emancipation) and
other periodicals, sharply opposed the idea of an armed uprising, rejected
the idea of boycotting the Bulygin Duma and called for participation in it.

Lenin criticised Kautsky’s stand on the provisional revolutionary
government (point 3 of the “Note”) in his article “Two Tactics of
Social-Democracy in the Democratic Revolution” (see present edition, Vol. 9, pp. 108–09).

The question of making use of “elderly” workers (point 5 of the
“Note”) was elaborated in Lenin’s letter to S. I. Gusev of September 30
(October 13), 1905 (see present edition, Vol. 34, pp. 358–59).

Lenin elaborated the question of the Social-Democratic attitude to
parliament (point 6 of the “Note”) in his letter to A. V. Lunacharsky of
September 28 (October 11), 1905 (see present edition, Vol. 34, pp. 352–53).

p. 175

{3}
A quotation from N. A. Nekrasov’s poem Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia ; the whole stanza says:

Mother Rus! You are wretched, You are rich, You are powerful, You are powerless !

p. 175