V. I. Lenin

Speech at a Joint Meeting of Representatives of The All-Russia Central Council of Trade Unions, The Central Committee of the Metalworkers’ Union and The Supreme Economic Council. April 11, 1918 {1}

From a Newspaper Report

Comrade Lenin urged the complete nationalisation of all
trustified enterprises, with the group of capitalists who sponsored the
project being enlisted in the service of the state.

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Notes:
{1}
The joint meeting was held to discuss the project for setting up a
trust (“The National Company”) proposed by a group of capitalists headed
by A. P. Meshchersky, Managing-Director of the “Sormovo-Kolomna”
Industrial Association. The Board of the Supreme Economic Council passed a
decision on April 14, 1918, to break off negotiations with Meshchersky; on
April 18, the Council of People’s Commissars turned down Meshchersky’s
project and decided to carry out the nationalisation of the works. A
resolution in favour of nationalisation was passed also by the conference
of delegates of the machine-building works held May 12-18, 1918 (see
present edition, Vol. 27, pp. 388-89 ).