V. I.

Lenin

Note to M. Borisov’s Article “On the Trade Union Movement and the Tasks of Social-Democracy” [1]

Itis with pleasure that we publish this article by a comrade engaged in
practical work in Russia, since an all- round discussion of the trade union
question is now on the order of the day. Only the experience of the whole Party,
constantly illuminated by the theory of Marxism, can help work out the forms of
Social-Democratic trade unions most suited to Russian conditions. It is likewise
necessary to learn from the lessons given us by our enemies. The bourgeoisie of
the whole world was jubilant over the “craft union” tendencies of
the Cologne Congress, hoping to divert the workers from socialism to
“pure”, i.e., bourgeois, trade- unionism. In Russia, even
Moskovskiye Vedomosti has learned to sing this tune. And once the
bourgeoisie begins to praise any one of us for having “seen the
light” or for “zeal” in respect of a “rational” trade union movement, it is a sure sign that there are shortcomings in our
work. This is just how Comrade M. Borisov puts the question, namely, that we
should fulfil our socialist duty in every respect, and by no means allow such
shortcomings.

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Notes:
[1]
The article signed M. Borisov was first published in Proletary , and then republished in the St. Petersburg Bolshevik
newspaper Novaya Zhizn ( New Life ), No. 7 of November 8 (21),
1905.