V. I. Lenin

Characteristics of the Centre as a Trend in International Social-Democracy {9}

In Grimm:

Characteristics of the Centre as a trend in international Social-Democracy:

| + | 1. No rupture with the social-patriots of one’s own country
either on basic principles, or in organisation; hence 2. |
| --- | --- |
| + | 2. Against split. |
| (+—) | 3. Evasiveness on the question of defence of country. |
| + | 4. Recognition of Zimmerwald and Kienthal—without
a split with the I.S.B. and international social-patriotism. |
| + | 5. No break with reformism: only verbal criticism
of it (“passiver
Radikalismus” {1} ). |
| + | 6. Adoption of a wait-and-see attitude
( not active, not with initiative as the Left)
on the coming revolution (in connection with the present war). |
| + (ΣΣ) |
| (?=§ 1) | 7. ΣΣ=prettifying (and defending) social-patriotism
in varying measure and by diverse means, such is the essence (wesen) of the Centre.... |
| + | 8. No reconstruction of the present Social-Democratic parties and trade
unions, nothing like Liebknecht’s “regeneration from top to
bottom”. Deferring this question. |
| (—) | 9. Social-pacifism as programme and tactics. |
| + | 10. No systematic propaganda of revolution in connection with the present war. |
| + | 11. No preparation of organisations, etc., for such a revolution. —α) Avanti! March 6, 1916 β) Morgan in Swiss newspaper γ) social-pacifism +αα) social-patriots exclusively ββ) the young. |

Inputting Liebknecht and the Italian Socialist Party side by side, Grimm
tends to confuse the Centre and the Left.

Grimmwants to solve a revolutionary problem (struggle against war) by
reformist means (“schw\"achen”, erschweren, etc. {2}

).

Indirecttax, November 4–5, 1916.

Reformiststruggle against high cost of living (August 6,
1916).

Polemicsagainst {3} (“Sozialismus tut not” {4}

).

| Idem reform- ism | || || | Hushing up of social-patriotism in the Swiss Social-reformist Party.
Absence of struggle against it. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Idem in trade union movement (Schneeberger & D\"urr). |
| NB | [BOX END:] [[ | Question of the moment of revolutionary action is confused with that of systematic propaganda
and agitational and organisational preparation for possibility of revolutionary action in general. |

Lying,dishonest dodges with

Entwaffnung {5} (cf. his own “theses”). Idem Diensterweigerung. {6}

Dodgeson the question of was heisst “ verweigern ” die
Leipziger Volkszeitung ? Verzerrung der Frage seitens
Gr\"utli-Verein. {7}

)

NB:

Paying lip service to Zimmerwald + Kienthal and carrying on as before in fact!!

Page 13.

From the standpoint of the Centre in general it would be consistent in Switzerland to
stand for defence of the country!!! {8}

)

---
Notes:
{1} “Passive radicalism.”— Ed .

{2}
Weakening, complication, etc.— Ed .

{3}
The next word is illegible.— Ed .

{4} “Socialism is necessary.”— Ed .

{5}
Disarmament.— Ed .

{6}
Refusal to do military service.— Ed .

{7}
What does Leipziger Volkszeitung call “refusal”? Distortion of the question
onthepart of Gr\"utli-Verein.— Ed .

{8}
Here the MS. breaks off.— Ed .

{9}
This was written in connection with an article by R. Grimm, “The
Majority and the Minority on the War Question”, in Berner Tagwacht Nos. 19–23 of January 23–27 and in the magazine Neues Leben in January 1917, which defended the Centrist attitude of the
majority of the Swiss Social-Democratic Party

p. 391