G. M.! I have had the following thought.

Electricity must be propagandised. How? Not only by word, but also by example.

What does this mean? The most important thing is to popularise it. For this, a plan must now be worked out for the electric lighting of every house in the R.S.F.S.R.

This is for a long time ahead, for we will not have enough of 20,000,000 (— 40,000,000?) bulbs or wires, etc., for a long time.

But the plan is needed immediately, even if for a number of years.

That is the first point.

And, secondly, an abridged plan must be worked out at once, and then, this is thirdly — and this is the most important thing — we must be able to arouse both competition and independent activity of the masses so that they set about the work immediately.

Could we, for this purpose, immediately work out such a plan (approximately):

1) all volosts (10—15 thousand) to be supplied with electric lighting in one year;

2) all rural settlements (1/2—1 million, probably not more than 3/4 million) in two years;

3) in the first place — the reading hut and the village soviet (2 bulbs);

4) prepare the posts immediately in such-and-such a way;

5) immediately make the insulators yourselves (the ceramic factories seem to be local and small?). Make them in such-and-such a way;

6) copper for the wires? Collect it yourselves by uyezd and volost (a subtle hint about church bells, etc.);

7) arrange instruction in electricity in such-and-such a way.

Could something of this kind be thought out, worked out and decreed?

Your Lenin

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Written in December 1920.

First published

on January 22, 1925 in the newspaper

"Ekonomicheskaya Zhizn" No. 18

Published according to the manuscript