V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:LS/v38; en:MT;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

PLAN OF THE “PROPOSAL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE R.S.D.L.P. TO THE SECOND SOCIALIST CONFERENCE”¹

[End of February—March 1916]

Themes:
1. What is war and peace in general?
2. Objectively, the imperialist war can lead either to an imperialist and only such peace, or to the transformation of this war into civil war.
3. The objective revolutionary situation and reformist phrases.
4. The “peace programme” and its real significance.
5. Annexations.
6. Connection with the revolutionary struggle.
7. Parliamentary action.
8. Split.

This document is one of the variants of the plan of the “Proposal of the Central Committee of the R.S.D.L.P. to the Second Socialist Conference”, which was written by V. I. Lenin in reply to the I.S.C. appeal “To All Affiliated Parties and Groups” (see Collected Works, Vol. 27, pp. 282–293). A preliminary variant of the plan was published in the *Lenin Miscellany* XVII, p. 163.
The Second International Socialist Conference was held on April 24–30 (new style), 1916, in Kienthal (Switzerland).
V. I. Lenin carried on extensive preparatory work for the conference. His “Proposal of the Central Committee of the R.S.D.L.P. to the Second Socialist Conference” was sent to the foreign sections of the Bolsheviks and to Left Social-Democrats in France, Germany, England, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Norway, Sweden and other countries. In a number of letters of this period Lenin pointed out the necessity for the Bureau of the Zimmerwald Left to prepare a report and theses for the conference, and to hold a series of meetings of the Left before and during the conference.
As a result of the work of Lenin and the Bolsheviks before the conference, the Left wing at it proved stronger than at Zimmerwald.
V. I. Lenin also took an active part in the work of the conference: he was a member of the commission on the question of convening the International Socialist Bureau, spoke several times at the conference, conversed with delegates, and carried on correspondence with them at the sittings.
This document and those published below, together with those already known, reflect this work of V. I. Lenin.