THESES FOR DISCUSSION

42. Struggle already in direction.
ЪЗ. Discussion in the "Metallarbeiter Zeitung".
№. Grimm's theses, § 9 at the end.
T ill. 4o. Practical steps?
46. All?----Platform
Speakers
Union (cf. in...* Mandl
Publishing house.
47. Only the Swiss themselves can decide this and judge this. Only unleash the discussion.
48. Too fast?
cf. Liebknecht. What is his greatness?
In the Swiss metalworkers' newspaper ("Metallarbeiter Zeitung") on September 16 and 30, 1916, two notes were published, signed I. N. E. Th., directed against the imperialist war. The editor's note indicates that trade unions should not deal with the issue of war or think about any political actions. See pp. 25^и 27 for more details.
At the same time, Grimm, in the ninth paragraph of his theses, says that in case of war, the party must organize mass strikes in conjunction with trade union bodies (see p. 51).
^ ’} See p. 29.
10 The eighth point of Grimm's theses, containing practical proposals for combating the danger of war, is divided into two parts: I) International tasks and 2) national tasks (see pp. 49–51).
11 This refers to a note published in the "Grütlianer" w25 July 1916 regarding Grimm's theses on the war question (see p. 31).
* MATERIALS FOR THE THESES: "TASKS OF THE LEFT ZIMMERWALDISTS IN THE SWISS S. D. PARTY".
DECEMBER 1916
The four documents printed below represent materials for the theses "Tasks of the Left Zimmerwaldists in the Swiss S. D. Party" (see Works, vol. XIX, pp. 355–342).
The initial plan (document "a") is written in ink in two columns on the last sheet of the notebook following the entry "Grimm's Theses." Additional remarks (document "b") to this plan are written partly in pencil, partly in ink on the same sheet on the upper left edge and between the two columns. Since the additional remarks are not connected to the main text of the plan in terms of their location, we have separated them into a separate document. The final plan (document "c") is written entirely in ink on the reverse side of the first sheet of the notebook after the entry "Main points of the Zurich Parteitag" (see p. 54). All points of the "Final Plan" except //, /9, 23, 25, 26 and 29 are crossed out. The "Summary to the Final Plan" (document "g"), written on the reverse side of the last sheet of the notebook after documents "a" and "b", represents a breakdown of the plan's points into chapters. This breakdown corresponds exactly to the individual chapters of the theses text.
a.
* INITIAL PLAN OF THE THESES.
1. Defense of the Fatherland in this imperialist war = bourgeois deception.
2. Distrust of the bourgeois government of Switzerland
(a) alliance with the imperialist bourgeoisie (b) political reaction.
(c) war party.
3. In case of Switzerland's participation in the war, reject the defense of the Fatherland.
4. No war credits either in peacetime or in wartime.
5. Call for the revolutionary struggle of the masses not on paper
(a) support for the struggle under democracy (b) studying and disseminating the experience of each demonstration
(c) work in the army (d) among rural workers and the poorest peasants
6. The task of the socialist revolution must be posed concretely (as an answer to the high cost of living)
(a) confiscation of large landed estates, factories, plants, etc.
(b) reorganization of Switzerland on socialist principles
(c) state ownership of water power, etc.
(g) *repudiation of war debts/
7. Keine indirekte Steuern (Grimms Zusatz) ** abolition
8. Using universal suffrage. Full women's equality
9. Struggle against the social-patriotic direction along the entire line, as well as against the opposition. (Keine Vertuschung).***
10. Principled struggle with Grütlianer**** as
(a) with opportunists and reformists (b) with chauvinists
sozial-patriotisch, reformistisch, Adler *****!
11. Support for the revolutionary struggle of workers in neighboring countries
(a) dissemination of literature from their countries (b) contraband.
12. Break with the International Socialist Bureau (Kienthal decision)
13. Full equality of foreign workers economic, legal, state Zwangseinbiirgerung *******

* repudiation of war debts. Ed.
** No indirect taxes (Grimm's addition). Ed.
*** - No cover-up. Ed.
**** - with the Grütlians. Ed.
***** - social-patriotic, reformist; Adler. Ed.
*“ **' - forced naturalization of foreigners. Ed.

TASKS OF THE LEFT IN THE SWISS S. D. PARTY
O.
* ADDITIONAL REMARKS TO THE INITIAL PLAN OF THE THESES.*
Do not wait for other parties, but go ahead, taking advantage of the freedom and advantageous position of Switzerland 29**-
nicht Dienstverweigerung, sondern Besitzergreifung der Gewalt **
16**2 Flugblattverteilung:**
12(6)**2 Was ist Masse?***
15’*- Work in broad circles (and broad workers' unions); all kinds of "removal from posts"
Preparation for each congress and conference should proceed on platforms (similar to the present one)
idem elections to the Nationalrat ***** in 1917/*
Propaganda should not be only reformist, but invariably put in the first place in all speeches etc. the task of preparing forces for the socialist revolution
maximum — 6000 frs salary!
Rapprochement and merger with the war of the French (Welsch) s. d. for Zimmerwald against the chauvinists. Sigg against the Zimmerwaldists in Geneva.
* The arrangement of the material of the remarks corresponds to the order of arrangement in the manuscript. Ed.
** - later addition in pencil. Ed.
*** - not refusal of military service, but seizure of power. 16 distribution of leaflets. 12(6) - What is the mass. Ed.
**** The first five additions are crossed out in pencil. Ed.
***** - also elections to the National Council. Ed.

TASKS OF THE LEFT IN THE SWISS S. D. PARTY

Create the International.
Trade unions cf. Schneeberger (Huber).
Teuerjung put on the agenda of the 1917 congress. The struggle against Teuerjung is not only through reforms, but also through propaganda not of mediocre socialism/

Seiten wöchentlich im Volks-Recht dazu. Tägliche Zeitungen per 2 S. S. wöch[entlich andere 2 S. S. monatlich/*
up to


1 % up to
5 Fr. — 0.05
10%

— 0.50
20%

— 2.00
25%

— 5.00 income property
25.000
50.000
7 „
10%
50.000
100.000
7*
40%
100.000
200.000
V*
50%
Wettbewerb of sections (and Nationalrate).***
Youths: freedom and encouragement, criticism of their weakness
including in the Nationalrat.
The struggle of directions should not be seen as Krakeel,**** not as weakness, not as "guilt," but as a modern (caused by the imperialist era) struggle for the socialist education of workers
cf. Name und «Lieblings» Theorie.*****
* This is a later addition in pencil. Ed.

Pages weekly in the "Volksrecht" [to this. Daily newspapers at 2 pp. per week; others at 2.15 pp. per month. Ed.
*** - Competition of sections and members of the National Council. Ed.
**** - Squabble of leaders. Ed.
***** - theory about "favorites." Ed.

v.
* DRAFT PLAN OF THESES.
1. Defense of the Fatherland = bourgeois deception in the present imperialist war and in the new wars being prepared [for in alliance with an imperialist coalition, and not against all imperialist powers].
2. Complete distrust of the bourgeois government (and the bourgeois parties of Switzerland)
(a) deals with the imperialist bourgeoisie and subservience
(b) political reaction.
(c) auf den Knieen* before the war party.
2 bis. The people for the budget.
3. Complete possibility of selling the people to one or another imperialist power or coalition.
4. In case of war:
4a) reject the defense of the fatherland, as a bourgeois deception
4b) respond with revolution and systematic revolutionary work.
4c) reject military credits unconditionally both in peacetime and wartime.
4d) respond not with Dienstverweigerung**, but with mass revolutionary actions, also within the army; military actions.
Ergreifen die Gewalt*** ie) illegal organization in response to the slightest attempts to constrain or limit freedom.
5. = 4 and
6. High cost of living. Intolerable situation of the masses.
Revolutionary mass struggle (Aarau) not in words, not only on paper.
((Skandalistische Bereicherung der Reichen)) *****
* — on one's knees. Ed.
** — refusal of military service. Ed.
*** The words: "Ergreifen die Gewalt" ("Resort to violence") are written on the side in pencil. Ed.
**** — High cost of living. Ed.
***** — Scandalous enrichment of the rich. Ed.

TASKS OF THE LEFT IN THE SWISS SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
7. Financial reform. No indirect taxes under any circumstances.
Repeal of the Social Democrats' decision in Aarau (1915) and Zurich (1916)
8. Income and property Bundessteuer:*
9. Compulsory expropriation of landholdings based on wage labor, to increase agricultural productivity and provide the poor with cheap bread.
10. Immediate and unconditional compulsory expropriation of all Wasserkräfte.**
11. Annullierung von Staatschulden.***
12. Expanding work on the masses, i.e. on the majority of the population, in need and impoverished.
13. On the army. Before conscription and during service.
14. On rural workers and poor peasants.
15. On unions of workers of all kinds (Arbeitertage)****
["remove from posts"]
16. Flugblätter for this mass and Wettbewerb of sections and Nationalräte*****
17. Compulsory expropriation of factories and plants.
18. Maximum salary of 6000 and prohibition of cumulations.
19. Youth organizations: freedom of political organizations: support (criticism of the lack of a clear line in them).
20. Both directions within the party along the entire line.
21. Principled struggle against the Griitli-Verein.
* — All-Swiss tax. Ed.
** — Compulsory expropriation. Ed.
*** — Compulsory expropriation of all water power. Ed.
**** — Annulment of state debts. Ed.
***** — Workers' meetings. Ed.
****** — Flyers for this mass and competition of sections and members of the National Council. Ed.

22. Elections to the Nationalrat in 1917 and to the Congress in 1917 and to the Presskommission,* etc. only on the platform.
23. Pages 2 and 4. Beilage** in 3 languages.
24. Compulsory naturalization of foreigners to Swiss citizenship.***
25. Support for the revolution in neighboring countries
a) three directions
b) leaflets
c) contribution.
26. Bruch with the International Socialist Bureau,****
27. Women's full equality.
28. Use parliamentary and other struggle not reformistically.
29. Go ahead of other parties along the path of the Zimmerwald Left, and not wait.
30. Initiative and referendum for the propaganda and preparation of socialist transformations — not bourgeois reforms.
31. Resolute struggle against the argument of "impracticality".
g.
* SUMMARY TO THE DRAFT PLAN OF THESES.
1. Attitude towards war and the bourgeois government in general
1 — 5
II. Attitude towards the high cost of living and the intolerable economic situation.
6 — 11 (4-17 + 18)
* — press commission. Ed.
** — annexes. Ed.
*** — compulsory transition of foreigners to Swiss citizenship. Ed.
**** — Break with the International Socialist Bureau. Ed.

TASKS OF THE LEFT IN THE SWISS SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

III. Democratic transformations and the use of politics;
28.30.31.
IV. Intra-party tasks, propaganda, agitation and organization.
12 — 16. 19 — 20. 21. 22. 23.
V. International tasks
25. 23.
26. 29.
NB|| All these §§ do not abolish the minimum program, but only abolish that in it which contradicts these §§, but supplement the remaining points of the minimum program.
NB Insert defense of the socialist Fatherland.
The decision of the Kienthal Conference on the attitude towards the MCI> see Works, vol. XIX, 432 - 433 and 458.
The number 29 and the numbers for the following points indicate that these additions are used in point 29 and other corresponding points of the final theses.
3 The upper table is a draft for taxing those using boarding houses, and the lower one is a draft of property and income tax. In the final text of the theses: "Tasks of the Left Zimmerwaldists in the Swiss Social Democratic Party" Lenin slightly changed the second table (see Works, vol. XIX, p. 336).
4 On G. Greulich's speech with the theory of "favorites" on Naine's speech at the Zurich Parteitag, see p. 35, note 2 and Works, vol. XIX, p. 340.
The question of the defense of the socialist Fatherland was included in the fourth point of the theses (Works, vol. XIX, p. 334).

The article "Prinzipielles zur Militarfrage" was written by Lenin, apparently, during the development of the "Theses on the Attitude of the Swiss Party to the War" (see pp. 42-47) and intended for one of the
PRINZIPIELLES ZUR MILITARFRAGE.*
[December 1916. Zurich.]
Die Linken Sozialdemokraten in der Schweiz sind darüber einig, dass man die Landesverteidigung eben im Zusammenhange mit dem gegenwärtigen Kriege ablehnen muss. Die Stimmung der Arbeiterschaft oder mindestens der besten Elementen davon, ist auch für Ablehnung der Landesverteidigung.
Es scheint also, als ob in Bezug auf die brennendste Frage des heutigen Sozialismus überhaupt und der schweizerischen sozialistischen Partei im besonderen die nötige Einigkeit schon da wäre. Will man aber die Sache näher betrachten, so kommt man unvermeidlich zum Schlusse, dass es eben nur Schein ist.
Man ist nämlich gar nicht klar — geschweige denn einig — darüber, dass die Proklamierung der Ablehnung der Vaterlandsverteidigung von selbst schon eine Sache darstellt, die ungemein hohe Anforderungen an revolutionäres Bewusstsein, sowie auch an revolutionäre Tatkraft der Partei stellt, die solche Sache proklamiert, natürlich unter Voraussetzung, dass diese Proklamierung nicht zur hohlen Phrase herabsinkt. Proklamiert man die Ablehnung der Landesverteidigung so ganz einfach, so ohne Weiteres, d. h. ohne sich dieser Anforderungen bewusst zu sein, ohne sich darüber Rechenschaft zu geben, ohne die gesammte Propaganda, Agitation, Organisation, kurz: die gesammte Tätigkeit der Partei, von Grund aus zu ändern, zu «regenerieren» (um den Ausdruck von Karl Liebknecht zu gebrauchen), den höchsten revolutionären Aufgaben anzupassen, — dann verwandelt sich eben diese Proklamierung zu blosser Phrase.
Man möge in der That aufmerksamer bedenken, was eigentlich die Ablehnung der Landesverteidigung bedeutet, wenn wir es als eine ernst zu nehmende, wirklich durchzuführende politische Lösung betrachten.
Erstens. Wir schlagen vor den Proletariern und den Ausgebeuteten in allen kriegführenden und allen kriegsbedrohten Ländern die Landesverteidigung abzulehnen. Wir wissen jetzt schon ganz

* On the side, Lenin wrote "Draft (not sent)". Ed.