Thank you to the group of friends for their greetings. The main thing now is to immediately improve the situation of workers and peasants. Everything now depends on the energy and ability of workers on the ground: the food tax, the development of exchange between agriculture and industry, the development of small-scale industry. Capitalism is not frightening to us, inasmuch as the proletariat firmly holds state power, transport, and large-scale industry in its own hands and will be able through its control to direct it into the channel of state capitalism. Under these conditions, capitalism will help in the struggle against bureaucratism and the fragmentation of small producers. We know what we want, therefore we shall be victorious.

V. I. Lenin

Written June 27, 1921

First published in 1932 in Lenin Miscellany XX

Printed from the typewritten text signed by V. I. Lenin