V. I.

Lenin

Most of the soldiers come from the peasantry. Every peasant
knows how the landowners have been oppressing the people. But
wherein lies the power of the landowners?

In the land.

The landowners have tens of millions of dessiatines of land. That is why millions of peasant families have no choice
but to enslave themselves to the landowners.

No “liberties” can help the peasants so long as the landowners
are in possession of tens of millions of dessiatines of land.

All the landed estates must be taken over by the people. All the
land in the country must become the property of the whole
people, and be disposed of by the local Soviets of Peasants’ and
Agricultural Labourers’ Deputies.

How is this to he accomplished? We must immediately set up all
over Russia, in every village without exception, Soviets of
Peasants’ and Agricultural Labourers’ Deputies modelled after
the Soviets of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies in the cities. Unless the peasants and agricultural labourers
themselves unite, unless they themselves take their fate into their own hands, no one in the world will help
them, no one will free them from their bondage to the landowners.

To enable the peasants to take over all the land from the
landowners in their own districts immediately and to dispose of
it properly, while preserving perfect order and guarding against
any damage to property, the peasants must be supported by the
soldiers.

The peasants, soldiers, and workers constitute the overwhelming
majority of the population. This majority wants all the
land to pass immediately into the hands of the Soviets of
Peasants’ Deputies. No one can stop the majority, if it
is well organised (solidly united), if it is class-conscious, if it is armed.

Soldiers! Help to unite and arm all the workers and the
peasants!

Soldiers! You, too, unite more solidly, and form closer ties
with the workers and the peasants! Do not allow your armed power
to be taken away from you!

Then, and only then, will the people get all the land, and free
themselves from their bondage to the landowners.

---
Notes: