V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v43;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

V. I. LENIN
2

ON CONCESSIONS AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAPITALISM
The Soviet government is inviting foreign capitalists who wish to obtain concessions in Russia.
What are concessions? An agreement between the state and a capitalist, who undertakes to set up or improve production (for example, the felling and floating of timber, the extraction of coal, oil, ore, etc.), paying the state a share of the product obtained and receiving another share as profit.
Is the Soviet government acting correctly in having driven out the Russian landowners and capitalists and now inviting foreigners? It is acting correctly, because, if the working-class revolution in other countries has been delayed, we have to make certain sacrifices in order to achieve a rapid, even immediate, improvement in the condition of the workers and peasants. The sacrifices consist in the fact that we shall give the capitalist tens of millions of poods of valuable products over a number of years, while the improvement in the condition of the workers and peasants consists in the fact that we shall immediately obtain additional quantities of oil, kerosene, salt, coal, agricultural implements, etc. We have no right to refuse an immediate improvement in the condition of the workers and peasants, for this is necessary in view of our ruin, and the sacrifices mentioned will not ruin us.
Is it not dangerous to invite the capitalists; does it not mean the development of capitalism?—Yes, it does mean the development of capitalism, but it is not dangerous, because power remains in the hands of the workers and peasants, and the property of the landowners and capitalists is not restored. A concession is a kind of lease contract. The capitalist becomes a lessee of part of the state property, under contract, for a definite period, but does not become its owner. The property remains with the state.
The Soviet government sees to it that the capitalist lessee observes the contract, that the contract is advantageous to us, and that the condition of the workers and peasants is improved. Under such conditions, the development of capitalism is not dangerous, and the gain for the workers and peasants consists in an increase of products.
April 25, 1921. N. Lenin