V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v39;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

1. (SOME ASPECTS OF THE QUESTION OF THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT)

The question of the dictatorship of the proletariat

The transition from class society to non-class, classless society.

Three main groups, classes: the exploited, the exploiters, the intermediate; workers, capitalists, petty bourgeoisie.

How to make the transition? A “majority” in general from different classes?

Not class struggle, but a majority?

Continuation of the class struggle in a different form: the ruling class (the exploited; the proletariat, not the exploited in general).

The intermediate, wavering, led.

The capitalists (the exploiters), suppressed, their resistance is suppressed.

The dictatorship of the proletariat as a new form of the class struggle, of the transition (transitional stage of society) from capitalism to socialism. Two basic, further arising, questions:

α) The majority of the proletariat in the population, as a condition, i.e., the dictatorship of the proletariat is admissible only when the proletariat constitutes the majority of the population.

β) The forms of the class struggle in this, special, stage. Old forms or new? What is the newness?

* To point α. Ed.

** In the English manner? Ed.

2. SOME THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF THE QUESTION OF THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT

The dictatorship of the proletariat as the leadership of the working masses (and of the whole of society) by the proletariat.

Two main tasks (and, correspondingly, two new forms) of the class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat:

(1) Suppression of the resistance of the exploiters (and of every relapse, return to capitalism and to capitalist traditions).

(2) Systematic guiding influence (also = struggle, but of a special kind, overcoming a certain, indeed quite different, resistance and a quite different kind of overcoming) on all working people except the proletarians.

The dictatorship of the proletariat is its transformation into the ruling class. The rule of one class excludes freedom and equality.

NB:

* Uncritical. Ed.

** Truly petty-bourgeois. Ed.

*** In abstract form. Ed.

But the revolutionary proletariat needs (both in general and now especially) a concrete definition of its tasks of transition, of gradual steps from the old to the new.

Real steps towards “freedom and equality”, i.e., (sonst Phrase, lauter Phrase!)[40] towards the abolition of classes.

In one way, along one line, it is possible and necessary to abolish the class (and classes) of exploiters.

They can be “overthrown”.

It is impossible to “overthrow” non-exploiting or not directly exploiting classes (bourgeois intelligentsia; the petty bourgeoisie, which qua Eigentümerin der Produktionsmittel[41] is to that extent an exploiter in potentia et partialiter in praxi[42]).

3. THEMES ON THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT

1. The dictatorship of the proletariat is the continuation of the class struggle (in a new form).

2. The state = only an instrument in it.

3. The form of this instrument cannot be the old one. In particular, formal equality cannot be the form of the struggle for material equality, against actual inequality.

4. Two main lines (or forms or types) of the class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat:

5. A) Suppression of the exploiters. = A more ruthless war than others.

6. B) “Neutralisation” of the intermediate elements, the petty bourgeoisie, the peasantry. Neutralisation consists of persuasion, example, teaching by experience, suppression of deviations by force, etc.

7. C) Subordinating the hostile element for positive work (“specialists”).

8. [ + D) Education in a new discipline. ]

9. Dictatorship vs democracy. Dictatorship is the negation of democracy (in general). The dictatorship of the oppressed class is the negation of democracy for the oppressing class, its extension for the oppressed.

10. Democracy, concretely, =

11. α) Equality of all citizens before the law. – There can be no equality with the exploiter when he is being overthrown.

12. β) Political freedom for all citizens. – There can be no political freedom for the exploiters.

13. γ) Decision by the majority of all citizens. – No: except the exploiters and against the waverers.

14. Decision by voting, such is the essence of peaceful or pure democracy. In reality, by money under bourgeois democracy. By class struggle, civil war during liberation from capital, during the overthrow of capital.

15. One class conducts, under capitalism, the class struggle with capital. Idem during its continuation in the form of the dictatorship of the proletariat. The petty bourgeoisie – “in so far as” (cf. “The Communist Manifesto”).

16. Decision by voting, i.e., by formal expression of will while preserving the capitalist determinants (motivations) of will = bourgeois democracy. Decision by class struggle and civil war against the exploiters = proletarian democracy. The proletariat, by its struggle, revolutionary struggle, destroys capitalist property relations, ergo, the capitalist determinants (and motivations) of will and decision for the waverers.

17. Decision by voting = all are equal, “not counting” money, capital, private property. Decision by class struggle and civil war: first destroy the yoke of money, capital, private property, then let the non-exploiters vote. In proportion to the first – the second. In connection with the successes of the first – the second.

18. Decision by voting to the end would be possible under universal conscientiousness (ergo, already in a classless society), in the absence of resistance from the exploiters. = Utopia of reformism.

19. Democracy under the dictatorship of the proletariat: congresses, meetings, local self-government, decision by the will of the working people, religion, women, oppressed nations: “Heaven and earth”. Teaching the working people to do without the capitalists = democracy under the dictatorship of the proletariat.

20. Deception of the working people by formal equality while preserving the oppression, yoke, slavery of capitalism = bourgeois democracy.

21. The dictatorship of the proletariat is the teaching by one class, the proletariat, of all working people, idem leadership. To lead. The ruling class = the proletariat, alone. Rule excludes freedom and equality.

22. The peasantry as working people = ally; as owners and speculators = enemy. “In so far as”. This is not a matter of voting, but of the course of the revolution, the course of the civil war, its lessons, its outcome.

23. The proletariat not in general, not in abstracto, but in the 20th century, after the imperialist war. A split with the upper strata is inevitable. Evasion of the concrete, deception by abstractions. (Dialectics vs eclecticism.)

24. Engels 1852 on England. 1852–1892. Cf. 1914–1919. Dictatorship of the proletariat = overthrow of its opportunist upper strata, transition from the aristocracy of the working class to the mass, “struggle for influence”. Not without a split.

25. Soviets = proletarian democracy = dictatorship of the proletariat. Workers and peasants in the Soviet Constitution. “Equality of labour democracy”. § 23 of the Constitution. “Dictatorship of one party”.

26. The resistance of the exploiters begins before their overthrow and is intensified by the overthrow. Intensification of the struggle on both sides or evasion of the struggle (Kautsky).

27. There was a time (etwa 1871–1914) when it was necessary to develop the backward by universal suffrage, without revolution (+ strikes, etc.). – The time of revolutions has come (1917–), when the course of the revolution of the proletariat develops its civil war.

28. The developed proletariat and the “moderne Barbaren”[43]. Experience of the revolution. To carry away and direct. Authority of the revolutionary proletariat among the working people.

29. The waverers and the weary vs the proletariat.

30. Imperialism = coarsening of capitalism, its decay, military rule over the backward. (Cf. Hobson and my “Imperialism”.)

31. Transformation of the imperialist war into civil war. Marx 1870: will teach how to handle weapons. Cf. Kautsky 1914–1918.

32. “Majority”? 51 % (αα) of the proletariat is less than 20 % (ββ) of the proletariat, if in αα there is more imperialist infection and resistance of the petty bourgeoisie.

33. “One reactionary mass”.

NB Engels 1875. Relating to the Commune and to the dictatorship of the proletariat in general.

Four main sections (A, B, C, D); ABC – general; D – “Russian”.

D. Dictatorship of the proletariat and the Soviet Constitution (25.

§ 9. Dictatorship vs democracy (“Pure democracy”).

Allgemeines[44]

10. (α) Equality (11).

11. (β) Political freedom (12)

12. (γ) and freedom in general.

13. (δ) Decision by majority (13)

by voting.

14. Its conditions equality

15. conscientiousness

16. deception

17. bureaucracy.

18. Dictatorship of the bourgeoisie[45].

19. Decision by struggle in the most acute forms (16).

20. Majority and force (32).

21. Successes of democratism (19).

Manuscript of V. I. Lenin’s “Plan of a Pamphlet on the Dictatorship of the Proletariat”. – 1919.

4. NB PLAN OF A PAMPHLET ON THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT

Written in September–October 1919

First published in 1925 in the Lenin Miscellany III

Printed from the manuscripts