The origin of Bolshevism is inseparably connected with the struggle against so-called "Economism"{144} (opportunism, which denied the political struggle of the working class and its leading role) waged by revolutionary social-democracy in 1897–1902. "Economism," supported by the Bund, was defeated and displaced by the well-known campaign of the old "Iskra" (Munich, London, and Geneva 1900–1903){145}, which restored the social-democratic party on the basis of Marxism and revolutionary social-democratic principles (founded in 1898, but subsequently destroyed by arrests). At the II Congress of the RSDLP (August 1903){146} the Iskra supporters split: the majority of them stood for the principles and tactics of the old "Iskra," while the minority turned toward opportunism, receiving support from the former enemies of "Iskra"—the "Economists" and Bundists. Hence the names: Bolshevism and Menshevism (Bolsheviks and Mensheviks). In 1903–1904, the main subject of struggle was the opportunism of the Mensheviks on organizational questions. From the end of 1904, the differences in tactics became paramount. The "Plan for a Zemstvo Campaign" (autumn 1904) of the new "Iskra," which had passed to the Mensheviks,{147} took a stand in defense of the tactic of "not intimidating the liberals".{148} The year 1905 finally defined the tactical disagreements (the Bolshevik Congress, the III Congress of the RSDLP in May 1905 in London{149} and at the same time the Menshevik "conference" in Geneva{150}). The Mensheviks adapted the tactics of the working class to liberalism. The Bolsheviks set as the goal of the working class in the bourgeois-democratic revolution: to carry it through to completion, to lead the democratic peasantry behind them, despite the betrayals of liberalism. The principal divergences of both currents in practice—autumn 1905: the Bolsheviks for a boycott of the Bulygin Duma, the Mensheviks for participation. Spring 1906—the same regarding the Witte Duma. The First Duma: the Mensheviks for supporting the slogan of a Duma (Cadet) ministry, the Bolsheviks for the slogan of an executive committee of the left (social-democrats and Trudoviks) for organizing the direct struggle of the masses, etc. A more detailed exposition is possible only in the foreign press. At the Stockholm Congress (1906),{151} the Mensheviks triumphed; at the London Congress (1907),{152} the Bolsheviks. In 1908–1909, the "Otzovists" split off from the Bolsheviks (Machism{153} in philosophy and "Otzovism"{154} or a boycott of the Third Duma in politics: Bogdanov, Alexinsky, Lunacharsky, and others). In 1909–1911, while waging a struggle against them (see V. Ilyich "Materialism and Empirio-Criticism," Moscow, 1909{35}), as well as against the Liquidators (Mensheviks, who denied the illegal party), Bolshevism drew closer to the party Mensheviks (Plekhanov and others), who declared decisive struggle against Liquidationism. Organs of the Bolsheviks: "Vperyod"{155} and "Proletariy" (Geneva, 1905),{156} "Novaya Zhizn" (St. Petersburg, 1905),{157} "Volna",{158} "Ekho"{159} and others (St. Petersburg, 1906), "Proletariy" in Finland (1906–1907), in Geneva (1908) and Paris (1909), "Sotsial-Demokrat" in Paris (1909–1912). A collection of some of the principal works of Bolshevism in V. Ilyich's "For 12 Years," St. Petersburg, 1908; there is also a more detailed bibliography. The principal Bolshevik writers: G. Zinovyev, V. Ilyich, Yu. Kamenev, P. Orlovsky, and others. In recent years the Bolsheviks were the main contributors to the newspapers: "Zvezda" (1910–1912), "Pravda" (1912) in St. Petersburg and the journals: "Mysl" (1910) in Moscow,{160} "Prosveshchenie" (1911–1913) in St. Petersburg.

Written in January, before the 12th (25th), 1913.

Published in 1913 in the book: N. A. Rubakin. "Among Books," vol. II, 2nd edn., Moscow

Printed according to the text of the book