V. I. Lenin

Meeting of the Central Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.)
October 16 (29), 1917

1

Report
Minutes

Comrade Lenin read the resolution adopted by the Central
Committee at the previous meeting. He stated that the resolution
had been adopted with two dissenting votes. If the dissident
comrades wished to make a statement, a discussion could be held;
meanwhile he continued with the motives of the resolution.

If the Menshevik and Socialist-Revolutionary parties were to
break with their policy of conciliation, a compromise with them
could be proposed. The proposal had been made, but those parties
had obviously rejected the compromise. On the other hand, by
that time it had become definitely clear that the masses were
following the Bolsheviks. That had been before the Korniloy
revolt. Lenin cited election returns from Petrograd and Moscow
as evidence. The Kornilov revolt had pushed the masses still
more decisively to the side of the Bolsheviks. The alignment of
forces at the Democratic Conference. The position was clear—either Kornilov's dictatorship or the dictatorship of
the proletariat and the poorer strata of the peasantry. The
Party could not be guided by the temper of the masses because it
was changeable and incalculable; the Party must be guided by an
objective analysis and an appraisal of the revolution. The
masses had put their trust in the Bolsheviks and demanded deeds
from them and not words, a decisive policy both in the struggle
against the war and in the struggle against economic ruin. If
the political analysis of the revolution were taken as the
basis, it would be perfectly clear that even anarchic outbursts
confirmed that.

Lenin went on to analyse the situation in Europe and showed that
revolution would be even more difficult in Europe than in
Russia; if matters had gone as far as a revolt in the navy in
such a country as Germany, there too they must already have gone
very far. Certain objective data on the international situation
showed that by acting at that moment the Bolsheviks would have
all proletarian Europe on their side; he showed that the
bourgeoisie wanted to surrender Petrograd. That could only be
prevented by the Bolsheviks taking over Petrograd. The obvious
conclusion from all this was—the armed uprising was on the
order of the day as was stated in the resolution of the Central
Committee.

It would be better to draw practical conclusions from the
resolution after hearing the reports of representatives from the
centres.

From a political analysis of the class struggle in Russia and in
Europe there emerged the necessity to pursue the most determined
and most active policy, which could be only the armed uprising.

2
Speeches In Discussion
Minutes

I

Comrade Lenin argued against Milyutin and Schotmann and showed that it was not a matter of armed forces, that it was
not a question of fighting against the troops but of one part of
the army fighting against another. He could see no pessimism in
what had been said there. He demonstrated that the forces on the
side of the bourgeoisie were small. The facts showed that ours
were superior to the enemy. Why could the Central Committee not
begin? There was no reason that derived from the facts. To reject
the resolution of the Central Committee it would have to be proved
that there was no economic ruin and that the international
situation would not lead to complications. If trade union leaders
were in favour of full power they knew very well what they
wanted. Objective conditions showed that the peasantry must be
led; they would follow the proletariat.

Some were afraid that Bolsheviks would not be able to maintain
power, but at that moment there was a better chance than ever
that they would be able to.

Lenin expressed the wish that the debate be confined to the
substance of the resolution.

2

If all resolutions were defeated in that manner nothing better
could be wished for. Zinoviev was saying: do away with the
"Power to the Soviets" slogan and bring pressure to bear on the
government. When it was said that the time was ripe for
insurrection there could be no question of conspiracy. Since an
insurrection was inevitable politically, it must be regarded as
an art. Politically, an insurrection was due.

Because there was only enough bread for a day the Party could
not wait for the Constituent Assembly. Comrade Lenin proposed
that the resolution be approved, that energetic preparations be
begun and that it be left to the Central Committee and the
Soviet to decide when.

3

Comrade Lenin opposed Zinoviev, saying that the revolution could
not be contrasted to the February revolution. He proposed a
resolution straight to the point.

3

Resolution

The meeting fully welcomes and fully supports the resolution of
the Central Committee and calls upon all organisations and on
workers and soldiers to make all-round, energetic preparations
for an armed uprising and to support the centre set up for that
purpose by the Central Committee; the meeting expresses its
complete confidence that the Central Committee and the Soviet
will indicate in good time the favourable moment and the most
appropriate methods of attack.