1

Events in Moscow

Friday – Saturday – Sunday – Monday – Tuesday, October 6–7–8–9–10, 1905 (September 27, Old Style).

A strike among typesetters + bakers + the onset of a general strike.

+ Student protests.

154 This refers to an editorial note published in the Frankfurter Zeitung on October 9 (Old Style), 1905, concerning the resolution adopted by Moscow students, which called for the convocation of a constituent assembly by a provisional revolutionary government. For further discussion on this issue, see V. I. Lenin’s article “On the Death of Trubetskoy” (this volume, p. 333).

Liberal negotiations and revolutionary struggle.

[Diplomacy and War.]

The State Duma and the People

Street demonstrations. Clashes with Cossacks. [Casualties among Cossacks and police.]

Artillery deployed in the suburbs (faubourgs).

“The Heart of Russia” —

1) In 1887, Moscow huntsmen attacked students.

2) In 1901, the “Street” came to the students’ aid.

3) In 1905, the street strike escalated into armed struggle.

Immediate uprising or protracted rebellion? Strike and uprising. Tenacious, partisan warfare—its significance lies in the fact that it compensates for the lack of strength required for open, direct armed conflict, for an uprising in the strict sense of the term. It prepares the forces; it conducts revolutionary maneuvers, training and educating the people’s revolutionary army. It shakes the imperial army to its foundations and buys us time to prepare. (Bombs in Tiflis.)

This is where revolutionary detachments belong. Cf. No. 14 of Iskra, on armed demonstrations, on how to remove officials and the like, etc., etc.

We are now beginning to discern the predominant form of revolutionary struggle in Russia today: strikes combined with sporadic armed clashes, wearing down the enemy, and so forth.

The question is: will the movement come to a halt at this stage, or will it rise higher? [Will the military turn?] [Cf. news of the Manchurian Army.] [Illegal mobilization of the Cossacks.] (Ad 2[125]) We know how the movement grew: 1885–1896–1901–1903–1905.{143} We must now identify the highest stage—and what could be higher than 1905? What, then, for 1906?[126] A broader strike, coupled with a more unified and better-armed uprising. Nil aliad[127]. Armed insurrection, a revolutionary army, and a provisional revolutionary government.

If, however, 1) — then this marks the nail in the coffin of tsarist rule. And in the long run[128], it will render the existence of the Tsarist regime untenable. “Permanent Anarchy.”

Written September 27–29 (October 10–12), 1905.

First published in 1931 in Lenin’s Collection XVI.

Printed from the manuscript.

2

Political Strike and Street Struggle in Moscow

* Preachers of Appeasement. Ed.

** Confer – compare, contrast. Ed.

* What is this? Ed.

Written September 27–29 (October 10–12), 1905.

First published in 1926 in Lenin’s Collection V.

Printed from the manuscript.