V. I.

Lenin

66

To:   S. G. SHAHUMYAN

May 19, 1914 [2]

Dear Suren, I have received your letter of April 17. I hope you will reply when you
have read the end of the article on self-determination of nations (I am
writing it just now) in
Prosveshcheniye . [1]

Regarding your pamphlet against An, be sure to send a
Selbstanzeige , or exposition, to
Prosveshcheniye , [3] .

I propose the following plan to you in addition. In order to combat the
stupidity of the “cultural-national autonomists”, it is necessary for the
Russian Social-Democratic Labour group to bring in a Bill in the Duma for
the equality of nations and the defence of the rights of national
minorities.

Let’s draft such a
Bill. [4] The general principles of equality—the division of the
country into autonomous and self-governing territorial units according to,
among other things, nationality (the local population indicates the
boundaries, the State Parliament endorses them)—the limits of powers of
autonomous regions and areas, as well as of self-governing local
units—illegality of any departure from the equality of nations in the
decisions of the autonomous regions, Zemstvos, etc.; common school
councils, democratically elected, etc., freedom and equality of
language—choice of languages by municipal institutions, etc.— defence
of minorities: the right to a proportional share of expenditure, to school premises (free) for pupils of “alien”
nationalities, to have “alien” teachers, “alien” departments in museums
and libraries, theatres, etc.—the right of every citizen to seek
cancellation (by the courts) of every departure from equality in respect of
any “infringement” of the rights of national minorities (five-year
censuses of the population in mixed regions, ten-year censuses in the state
as a whole), etc.

I have a feeling that by this means we could give a popular explanation
of the stupidity of cultural-national autonomy and kill the
supporters of this stupidity for good.

The Bill might be drafted by the Marxists of all , or of very
many, nations of Russia.

Write immediately whether you agree to help in this. In general, write
more frequently , not less than once a week. It is unforgivable to
put off replying for a long time: have this in mind, especially now!!

All the best, Yours,

V.I.