V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v24; en:CW/CW41;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

We warmly welcome the decision of the Workers’ International on the necessity of fully and completely clarifying the essential and fundamental differences existing in Russia between the political trends participating in the working-class movement.

Meeting the proposal of the International half-way, we, for our part, consider it necessary to outline the basic differences which, in our opinion, divide the Marxists and the liquidators into two irreconcilable camps.

We declare first of all that for every class-conscious worker the issue is not the creation of some new whole, but only the strengthening and complete restoration of the old organisation as it took shape more than fifteen years ago—with its old programme and its most important tactical decisions. The liquidators broke away from this Marxist organisation. For the restoration of unity with them in the sphere of non-Duma work the necessary conditions are:

1) Full and unconditional recognition (in practice) of the “underground”, absolute subordination to the decisions of its nuclei, and an undertaking on no account to permit any attacks upon it in the press.

2) Full and unconditional recognition that the main task of the epoch is the three basic demands advanced by the working class of Russia, the carrying on of work in this spirit, and the renunciation of the liberal-reformist preaching which calls for the abandonment of the old tasks.

3) The withdrawal of all attempts to change the programme of the Marxists (cultural-national autonomy) and unconditional recognition of the programme drawn up in 1903.

4) Full subordination, in questions connected with the strike movement, to the decisions of the Marxist-organised workers, and renunciation of the struggle against the so-called “strike fever”.

5) Recognition in practice of the independent tactics of the proletariat and renunciation of the belittling of the tasks of the working class in the interests of blocs with the liberals.

6) Recognition that in the question of work in the trade unions guidance should be sought in the decisions of the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart and the London Congress of the Russian Marxists.

7) Renunciation of the principle of building workers’ organisations on national lines. The creation of united organisations in Poland and the North-Western Territory. The fulfilment by the Bund of the decision on amalgamation in the localities, repeatedly endorsed by the Russian Marxists as a whole.

In the sphere of Duma work the conditions for unity are:

I. Recognition of the group as a body absolutely subordinate to the organised will of the Marxist whole.

II. The withdrawal of all violations of the programme (cultural-national autonomy, the admission of Yagello, etc.).

III. Condemnation of the splitting activities of the Seven, also condemned by G. V. Plekhanov in his letter to the International Socialist Bureau.

As for the groups with which it would be useful for the International Bureau to enter into communication for the purpose of arranging a general exchange of views, we demand first of all that only and exclusively representatives of the workers’ organisations existing in Russia should take part in it, and on no account émigré circles not connected with Russian work.

And we further consider that: 1) either only representatives of the two main trends contending in Russia, i.e., the Marxists and the liquidators, should be invited; 2) or, if it is desired to clarify all the differences in general among the Russian Social-Democrats and those who consider themselves Social-Democrats, then all workers’ organisations operating in Russia and considering themselves close to Social-Democracy should be invited without exception. In that case there is no reason to exclude certain Left Narodniks, as well as the Jewish groups competing with the Bund and considering themselves socialist, etc.

Finally, we express the confidence that for a correct elucidation of the differences among the Russian Social-Democrats the foreign socialist press will open its columns to responsible representatives of the Russian organisations who—unlike émigré circles and irresponsible individuals—would be able to give the foreign comrades an exact idea of the ideological and political basis of the differences in the Russian working-class movement.

*Proletarskaya Pravda* No. 9, December 17, 1913