On Agreements with the Liberals

1) The contentious issue between Iskra and Vpered, among other things, revolved around whether agreements should be concluded on conditional or unconditional terms—this is how Iskra formulated the question in its second letter to party organizations.

2) To clarify this matter, let us recall that both sides acknowledge the possibility of entering into agreements. So what, in essence, is the real difference?

3) According to Iskra, an unconditional agreement amounts to surrendering the interests of the proletariat to the bourgeoisie.

Ergo [121] α) Iskra relies on conditions.

β) Iskra forgets about the proletariat’s struggle against the bourgeoisie.

4) According to Iskra, it is the bourgeoisie that wields the power—and this is indeed true.

# An agreement is impossible with the zemstvo members (“Scorpions”),

(“who do not recognize universal suffrage”).

An agreement is necessary with the far‑left—namely, with the radical intelligentsia.

5) But the intelligentsia is powerless; it is not up to them to determine the behavior of the bourgeoisie!!

This is the fundamental source of confusion within Iskra.

6) In our view, agreements are indeed necessary. Yet their substance does not lie in verbal stipulations, in pacts concerning the future, or in hopes pinned on the bourgeoisie—after all, we place no trust in such expectations—but rather in genuine participation in the struggle (demonstrations, insurrections, elections, etc.). We lend support not because we expect the fulfillment of certain conditions, but because we seize upon a favorable moment to strike at the enemy (the moment is favorable, since even the zemstvo members are rising up against the enemy—the Tsarist regime)—and because we choose, above all, the progressive bourgeoisie over the reactionary autocracy.

7) Can we say that we are prepared to enter into an “agreement” without conditions?

No, for our condition lies in actual participation in the struggle.

The new Iskra’s condition is the promise to stand firmly behind universal suffrage, behind the workers (“= to side with social democracy”), and so forth.

8) We support bourgeois democrats whenever they fight, however modestly, for even the smallest increment of progress.

Iskra, on the other hand, supports bourgeois democrats only when they promise substantial progress.

Which of these two tactics best serves the interests of the proletariat?

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# Cite the Second Letter.

Written in January, prior to 11 (24), 1905.

First published in 1926 in Lenin’s Collected Works, Volume V.

Printed from the manuscript.