V. I.

Lenin

M. Lyadov’s Letter to Proletary [1]

We gladly give space to Comrade Lyadov’s public statement,
and have only the following to say to him:

To observe the traditions of Bolshevism—the orthodox Marxist trend in
the R. S. D. L. P.—is of course splendid, Comrade Lyadov. But to observe
this tradition means, for one thing, protecting Bolshevism from its
caricature. But the contortions of otzovism and god-building—as we have
proved at length in a number of articles, and as has now been officially
recognised by the Bolshevik section—are nothing more than a caricature of
Bolshevism.

As regards the “revolutionary ethics” to which Comrade Lyadov
appeals, we may calmly leave him to square this account with his own
conscience—hut as for his “standpoint in principle”, it is high time
that Comrade Lyadov and those who share his views should state it openly to
the whole Party, because, so far, we have only their word for it that they
have something more to offer than otzovism and god-building.

In conclusion we express the confident hope that Comrade Lyadov, who
has worked for so many years in the ranks of revolutionary
Social-Democracy, will not stay very long with the new faction of
god-building otzovists, or, as they are called for short, “the godly
otzovists”, but will return to the Bolshevik ranks.

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Notes:
[1]
This comment was published in the form of a note to
M. N. Lyadov’s letter to Proletary in which he expressed
disagreement with the decisions of the conference of the extended editorial
board of Proletary .