V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v49; en:MT;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

Half a year passes. Nick. Iv. studies economics. He does not engage in politics.

And now, on the question of self-determination, he serves us the same rubbish. Evg. Bosh + Yuri sign it!! (Take their “theses” from N. Iv. and my reply to him. 245)
And it is an important question. A vital question. Inseparably connected with the question of annexations—a most burning question.

The people have not thought. Have not read. Have not studied. They listened to Radek two or three times (he has the old “Polish” disease: he got tangled up here)—and signed.

This is a scandal. This is a disgrace. These are not editors. The people must be refuted, exposed, given time to learn and think, and not be hurriedly gratified: here are editorial rights for you, carry your nonsense to the workers!!

If things go on like this, they will bring matters to a polemic in the press; and then I shall be compelled to call them “imperialist economists”, to show their utter emptiness, their utter frivolity and lack of thought. A polemic in the press will repel them for many years.

But if we discontinue “Kommunist” now, they will think and drop the nonsense; they will read and be convinced. Come, my dear friends, write a serious pamphlet if you proclaim “differences” on policy (which you have never engaged in, never studied), let’s have it!

They will think and will not produce it. And in a few months it will “drop off”.

That has happened before. That will happen again.

On the question of annexations (and of self-determination) our position (the 1913 resolution)*
has been fully confirmed by the war. And this question has become a burning one. While Radek + the Dutch (Gorter and Pannekoek) have clearly got tangled up here. In “Sbornik Sotsial-Demokrata” we shall explain the matter again and again.

We must steer things so that:

(1) “Kommunist” is discontinued;

(2) in the publication of the symposium on the Jews 246 Yuri + Evg. Bosh are given as many concessions, rights and privileges as possible

* See Works, 5th ed., Vol. 24, pp. 57-59. Ed.

(this is harmless to the cause here). Detailed conditions in a written agreement;

(3) likewise—regarding their transport group (take their rules and our amendments to them);

(4) we shall bring out “Sbornik Sotsial-Demokrata” under the editorship of the “Editorial Board of Sotsial-Demokrat”.

We shall invite them as contributors. We shall tell them: there are differences? Prepare a serious pamphlet! We shall undertake to print it. (They will not write it, for they have not even begun to think seriously about the question; they have not even studied it!!)
That will be businesslike policy.

Evg. Bosh was all for going to Russia; there she could be useful; here she has no work, she will invent it.

Do you know this calamity of being abroad: “inventing” work for those sitting abroad? A terrible calamity.

Well, I shall stop for now. Collect all the documents and inform yourselves. We shall talk again and again.

Yours,
Lenin

P.S. I enclose a copy of my reply to N. I. Bukharin on the significance of the new “differences”.