V H. CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN BOLSHEVIK
GROUPS
27 —30 DECEMBER 1911 1

THESES OF THE REPORT ON THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE PARTY.
[December, before 27, 1911 a. Paris.]
Theses on the state of affairs in the Party.
1. Starting point: objective conditions of the counterrevolutionary epoch.
2. Plenum and "preconcliation". Liquidationism and recallism].
3. Year after the plenum "bloc of 2 strong Fractions" 3.
4. Behavior of the liquidators and recallists after the plenum.
5. "Agreement" and its 2 component parts: political and "monetary" 4.
6. XII. 10—VI. 11 5. "Forcible bringing into the C. C.".
7. "Conference of Central Committ[ee members] in Paris". Outcome: Russian conference. Bloc of 3 Fractions. "Promise)>" and fulfillment 6.
8. Two periods of the majority against the Becs from I. 10:
preconciliators -|- liquidators] (1910); preconciliators and Poles (7*1911)’.
9. R.O.C. * versus ** foreign group. "Ruins"—are they of the Bolshevik-Polish bloc?
10. "Isolation" of fore[ign lands] -J- or - ?
11. Fraction for the construction of the Party.
* Russian organizational commission for convening an all-party conference. Ed.
** versus. Ed.

1 ) Mikhail -f- Yuriy -j- Roman
2) Convocation abroad] of the plenum XII— VI
3) Conference Russian
1 About the conference of foreign Bolshevik groups, which took place on
27 — 30 December 1911 in Paris, see Lenin's Works, XV, 634, note. 171.
2 Lenin's report on the state of affairs in the party at the conference was given
in the afternoon session on December 27, 1911. The theses of the report,
undoubtedly, were written by Lenin in the days immediately preceding the conference. No special record of Lenin's report — neither secretarial nor authorial — exists except
the record of these theses in the conference protocols (IMEL archive, document JV» 1220).
8 "Bloc of two strong Factions", i.e. the bloc of Bolsheviks-"Leninists"
and Mensheviks-Party members ("Plekhanovites").
4 It concerns the agreement of the Bolshevik Fraction with the January plenum of the Central Committee in 1910 on the issue of the liquidation of Fractions (Fractional bodies
and Fractional centers). The agreement consisted, on the one hand, of the declaration of the Bolsheviks about the dissolution of their Fraction, about the termination of the Fractional organ "Proletary" and about the conditional transfer of Fractional monetary
funds to external "holders" and, on the other hand, of the decisions of the plenum on the Fractional centers and on the conditions for the return to the Bolsheviks of the "holder" sums,
in case of non-fulfillment by the Mensheviks and other Fractions of the conditions of unification, i.e. struggle against liquidationism
and recallism.
5 The period, marked by extreme dates: "December 1910 - June 1911",
is the period — starting with the application of Lenin and other representatives of the Bolsheviks on December 5, 1910 to the Foreign Bureau of the Central Committee about the convocation of a plenum of the Central Committee
to resolve the issue of the return of "holder" sums to the Bolsheviks, in
view of the non-fulfillment by the Mensheviks, *Vperedists* and others of the agreement and decisions
of the January plenum of the Central Committee, and ending with the meeting of members of the Central Committee abroad
10—17 June 1911.
6 The June meeting of the Central Committee members in 1911 represented a "bloc
of three Factions": Bolsheviks, Conciliators and Poles. The "promise" given by this "bloc" in the form of decisions of the meeting on the convocation of a plenum of the Central Committee, on the convocation of an all-party conference, on the creation and work of bodies for
convoking the conference and for current central work abroad,
was subsequently fulfilled by the Bolsheviks (together with the Mensheviks -
Party members) with resistance from the side of the "Conciliators" and Poles,
who on the very next day after the meeting waged in the Foreign Organi-
zational Commission and in the Technical Commission a struggle against fulfillment
of the decisions of the June meeting.
1 The first of the periods of "majority against the Bolsheviks" (1910 year) —
is the period after the January plenum of the Central Committee, when the practicing Central Committee members in Russia, consisting of Bolshevik-"Conciliators", unsuccessfully tried
to involve in the Russian bureau of the Central Committee the Menshevik-liqui-
dators (Isouv, Bronstein, Erkhmolaev, Zhordania, Ramishvili and others)^
and thus extremely hampered the work, playing thereby into the hands of the liquidators.

CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN BOLSHEVIK GROUPS
This period ended with the failure in Russia of four Central Committee-Concili-
ators" (Dubrovinsky, Goldenberg, Nogin and Leitenzen). The second period
(from the middle of 1911, after the June meeting) — this is the period of unification
of the "Conciliators" with the Poles in foreign centers (in the Foreign Orga-
nizational Commission and in the Technical Commission) against the Bolsh-
eviks-"Leninists".
117E3
DRAFT RESOLUTION ON THE REPORT ON THE STATE OF AFFAIRS
IN THE PARTY \
Organization of the party social-democratic forces abroad and the tasks
of the Bolsheviks.
[December, before 27, 1911 *. Paris.]
The state of the social democratic organizations abroad at the present time
is extremely abnormal.
Starting from 1908, when the social democratic publishing house began to move more and more abroad, and up to the plenum, there existed abroad in all the most important centers a complete organizational split
by virtue of the complete separation from the party of the Menshevik groups.
The plenum (January 1910) made an attempt to create unity
on the basis of an anti-liquidationist and anti-recallist line unanimously approved by it, and an especially energetic
appeal was made to establish complete unity abroad.
In fact, however, by virtue of the non-fulfillment of the conditions of the plenum by the liqui-
dators and recallists, no unification of foreign groups followed anywhere after the plenum. On the contrary, there was even
greater disintegration, for the *Vperedists* factually separated from
the Bolsheviks, the Plekhanovites from the Mensheviks. Parallel, - "first" and "second" or Menshevistic and Bolshev[ist-
ic], — groups continued to exist by tradition, in fact by no means uniting any solidaristic and capable
of conducting joint social-democratic] work elements.
At the present time, in fact, there exist abroad "fractionally separated" — connected with each other purely formally,
and often not connected at all — Bolshevik, "conciliationist", *Vperedist*,
"Golosovite" and "Plekhanovite"
* On the reverse side of the manuscript of the document there is an inscription by Lenin: "Hand this
paper to Gleb 1. Ed.

groups, completely independent of each other, pursuing different ideological lines and having separate connections with certain socialdemocratic elements in Russia.
The formation of the R.O.C. in Russia by the forces of the Bolsheviks and party Mensheviks and the energetic attack of this R.O.C. board on the convocation of an all-Party conference of the R.S.D.R.P. creates a decisive turning point in the history of the Party and points out the only possible and life-outlined way out of the state of disorganization and decay.
In fact, socialdemocratic work was really carried out after the plenum — especially amicably during 1910 — only by the Bolsheviks and party Mensheviks. The Golosovites represent absolutely nothing except from the foreign branch of the Russian liquidationist group "Delo Zhizni" and "<Nasha Zarya", which has placed itself outside the party, and the foreign group "Vpered", continuing to cover up otzovism and conduct religious propaganda through its leader Lunacharsky, is doing absolutely non-social-democratic work.
Now the R.O.C., created by Bolsheviks and party] Mensheviks and supported by almost all mestny social-democratic organizations in Russia, is actually the only and fully authorized center of socialdemocratic party work.
Uniting into a single foreign socialdemocratic organization of Bolsheviks, the conference places responsibility for the continuing split abroad on those groups that do not wish to support the Russian] center, the R.O.C., or continue the "game of agreement" of those who have broken away from Russia, thereby supporting non-socialdemocratic groups that have broken away from Russian] work.
The Bolshevik organization abroad will continue to make every effort to attract, without distinction of trends, all socialdemocrats who are ready to support the R.O.C. and conduct a party, i.e., anti-liquidationist and anti-otzovist (as well as anti-divine) line, [so that they] * join it and merge into a single party organization.
The struggle against the liquidationist] and otzovist currents], —

* In this place in the manuscript, the words “so that they” seem to be missing. This omission has been restored here. Ed.

CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN BOLSHEVIK GROUPS

the struggle against the disintegration of unprincipled foreign groups] — assistance] to the unification of all real s. d. party members and party members, especially Mensheviks — assistance to the R. O. C. — such is the practical] task [of the Bolshevik...] foreign party organization. We consider the Central Organ and Rabochaya Gazeta to be the bodies that party members should support, because the removal (of foreign) party members-Mensheviks cannot be justified by anything, and there is no change in the line corresponding to the party decisions] in the indicated bodies.
1 "Gleb" (Mantsev), a member of the bureau of the Paris circle of "Rabochaya Gazeta", which was the "organizing bureau for convening a conference of foreign Bolsheviks", was one of the secretaries of the conference at the December conference.
2 The draft of this resolution was written by Lenin, most likely, simultaneously with the theses of his report. This can be judged from the manuscript of these two documents.

PROPOSAL ON THE STATUTE OF A FOREIGN ORGANIZATION.1
[December 29, 1911. Paris.]
Choosing the Komitet of the foreign organization] to manage the affairs of the foreign] organization], the conference passes on to it a draft statute with all comments, instructing the Committee to interview groups and approve the statute definitively through such an interview.
Lenin.
1 This proposal was introduced by Lenin at the afternoon session of the conference on December 29, 1911, when the question was being decided: whether to discuss the statute of the foreign organization in detail at the conference itself or to transfer its final development to the future Committee of the Foreign Organization. Lenin's proposal was adopted by 8 votes to 1.

NOTES OF LENIN'S SPEECHES AT THE CONFERENCE *.
Session of December 27 (morning).
Comrade. Lenin opens the conference with a welcoming speech and proposes to elect a presidium.
* These notes are printed from the manuscript of the conference protocols, which were compiled by the conference secretaries. Ed.

Session of December 27 (afternoon).
Report by Comrade. Lenin "On the state of affairs in the party."
After the report, in response to a question and remark from S. N. Ravich ("Olga"): "How much have external conditions changed since the last plenum, besides psychological ones? Factional management is beyond the party's strength” — Lenin replied:
With the liquidators, who did not fulfill any of the conditions of the plenum, there is now a split. After the plenum, they came out definitively. "Nasha Zarya" came out. Plekhanov at the meeting of the International Bureau showed a letter to him from Yu. Larin: "how can you reproach us for simply destroying the party. We are destroying to build a new one."
Session of December 28 (morning).
On the submitted proposal: without opening debate on Lenin's report, to listen to the reports of N. A. Semashko ("Aleksandrov") (On the state of affairs abroad before the June conference of Central Committee members) and M.F. Vladimirsky ("Kamsky") (on the same after the June conference of Central Committee members) and then open a general debate on all three reports — Lenin proposed
open a general discussion on all questions after hearing the three reports *.
After hearing the reports of Semashko and Vladimirsky, in response to the chairman's question about holding money, Lenin
answers according to the data of 25 № Ц. 0 . 2.
Session of December 28 (afternoon).
To the proposal of "Yuri" (Bazadyan) 8 to shed more light on the current political moment before the discussion, Lenin replies:
Comrade. Yuri proposes to change the order of the day - the general discussion is before us, and it will clarify the matter.
At the close of the debate on the three reports - Lenin's concluding remarks. Three questions: 1) Faction or party organization? 2) why not... * We are a faction building a party.
Session of December 29 (morning).
At the beginning of the debate on the report of the resolution commission (on the resolution on the reports of Lenin, Semashko and Vladimirsky), after the speech of "Sergei" Lenin
proposes to open a general discussion on the resolution

* Not completed in the manuscript. Ed.

CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN BOLSHEVIK GROUPS

Speaking further in the general debate on the resolution, Lenin
finds Sergey's speech opportunistic and liquidationist. Kamsky is wrong in his presentation of the proceedings in the commission6: I
called for caution so as not to frighten Party elements
with the word Faction. Sergey suggests waiting for the Plekhanovites, and the Plekhanovites
are waiting for the liquidators.
Antonov's7 proposal is Trotskyism. There are no revolutionary Social-Democrats other than Bolsheviks. "The Left Wing" is flirting with Tyszka and Leder. What Sergey is proposing is a violation of our entire line. Russia will not engage in foreign affairs. A pleonasm: that the Bolsheviks on the ground must stand out. Abroad, we represent the entire Party. They will only come to us after our final victory in Russia.
During "Yuri's" speech, regarding his statement that "the party represents a process," the minutes recorded:
(Lenin. Zwischenruf*: Economism!)
Lenin's second speech in the general debate on the resolution:
To ask whether the conference will be all-Party – to pose the question
like that is to help our enemies. The conference can only recognize
either our line or the liquidationist one. We did not invite the Plekhanovites only because they spoke out against the ROC.

Meeting of December 29 (daytime).
After G. Zinoviev's closing remarks on the report on the resolution,
Lenin's proposal was received:
Vote on the resolutions and all amendments8.

Upon "Sergey's" amendment, in the form of a separate [additional
point], and in response to his motivation that his amendment eliminates the "tragic situation" in which "Grigory"
Zinoviev is)>, Lenin made the following remark:
The previous speaker is in a tragic situation.
In his opinion, we do not have two parties, but a Faction in a single party. It is impossible to build a Faction now because there are no
Faction members in Russia. We stand on the ground of two parties, and, wanting to resolve a particularity, we fall into contradiction with the fundamental.

After the commission's resolution was adopted as a basis, Lenin
proposes voting on Sergey's amendment9.

* exclamation during a speech; remark. Ed.

LEPPPSKY COLLECTION
On the amendment introduced by "Antonov" – to add to the operative
part to the «Central Organ, Rabochaya Gazeta» – «the December resolutions,» Lenin objects:
To order. Antonov confuses the statutory point with the declarative
part. The Presidium should refuse to vote10.

After "Antonov's" report on the statute and when the question arose
about the further procedure for working on it, Lenin made a proposal:
It is more rational to finish the meeting today. Hand over the statute to the K.Z.O. n.
In the ensuing debate on the participation of a representative
of the KZO in the editorial board of «Rabochaya Gazeta,» to the remark of one of the speakers that
this is a new amendment, Lenin stated:
To order. The interpretation is incorrect.

On the same issue, to "Antonov's" remark that «Rabochaya Gazeta» is a private publication of three people, Lenin objected:
It is ridiculous to talk about the private nature of Rabochaya Gazeta. But
introducing new members into the literary collegium will hinder things.

1 This proposal was adopted by 7 votes against 3.
2 The information mentioned here about the «holder's» money is Lenin's, Kamenev's, and Zinoviev's statement published in No. 25 of the Central Organ («Sotsialdemokrat») of December 21, 1911, «Results of the arbitration court of the 'holders'» (see Collected Works, XV, 306).
* «Yuri» («Georgy») is Begzadyan, a delegate to the conference from the 2nd
Zurich group for assisting the RSDLP.
4 Lenin's proposal was adopted.
8 «Sergey» is a delegate to the conference from the Paris circle of «Rabochaya
Gazeta.» The nickname has not been disclosed. In his speech on the draft
resolution, after Zinoviev's report from the resolutions committee, "Sergey" found
the practical conclusions of the resolution "tactless," protested against the separation of the Bolshevik organization, against ignoring the Plekhanovites, believing that the creation of a foreign organization would lead to great
friction, that the matter is being decided without the master, without Russia, that the ROC should not be put at the forefront, and stated, finally, that the resolution introduces complete
disorganization.
8 It is not clear exactly what M. Vladimirsky («Kamsky») said
about the progress of affairs in the commission for drafting the resolution. His speech is
recorded in the protocol very briefly and incompletely.
7 «Antonov» («Britman,» also known as «Svyagin») is A. Popov, a member
of the bureau of the Paris circle of «Rabochaya Gazeta» and a member of the bureau for convening the conference. In the debate on the resolution, he stated that the Bolshevik organization

* The available minutes of the conference end with this daytime
session of December 29. The minutes of the last session on December 30 have not
been preserved. Ed.