V. I. Lenin

Novoye Vremya recently reported the final organisation of separate peasant group in the Fourth Duma. The report says
that it consists of 40 men. The group’s bureau consists of Yevseyev,
Karaulov, Ichas, Firsov and Mershchy.

“Karaulov (a Cossack),” wrote Novoye Vremya , “is said to be
one of the most vigorous men in the new group; he drew public attention by
his original definition of p arty affiliation in the form which members of
the Duma are asked to fill in by the magistrate office. In the ‘party
affiliation’ column Karaulov wrote: ‘I do not belong to any party or
faction. I am what every man who truly loves his country must be:
I am a monarchist-democrat.’”

Can we accept that such a definition of party affiliation is
“original”? Yes and no. Yes, considering that Karaulov has frankly
expressed what many are afraid to say. No, because in point of fact Deputy
Karaulov’s opinion is notoriously shared by a very considerable number of
peasants and Cossacks.

Incidentally, Deputy Karaulov believes that “every man who truly loves
his country” must be a democrat. Deputy Karaulov is clearly
mistaken. Let him look at all the Right-wing half or even the Right-wing
two-thirds of the Duma:
can he truly say that among all these “Rightists”—from “Nationalists”
to Octobrists—there is no one “who truly loves his country”?
Karaulov must concede that there probably is.

But it is quite obvious that the Rightists, and the
Nationalists, and the Octobrists (and, honestly speaking, the Cadets as
well) are not “democrats”.

They are all monarchists, that is beyond question, but they are
not democrats. They either do not at all favour a democratic
electoral law, democratic laws on the press, on association and assembly,
democratic distribution of landed property, or talk their way out of the
serious problems of democracy.

What then is to be done? Is it not clear that the landowners, for
instance, take a different view of “true love for the country”
than the peasants, although both may be monarchists?

The work of the Fourth Duma will surely make Karaulov and men like him
give serious thought to this.

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