[Second half of February 1921]

Secret
Letter to the Baku  comrades (On the question of concessions)
Preliminaryplan :
1. Disagreements on an extremely important question are beginning to arise.
(Decision of the Councilof People ' s Commissars .
1921, text of it 2).
*
V.I. Lenin crossed out point 1 and wrote "Krasin's" at the top.

2. Concessions in Baku? An example and the core of all disagreements,
the "focus" of them.
3—8. Counter-arguments (A1—a6).
+
8 bis.
9. Analysis and refutation of them.
10. The economic essence of the question.
11. A gigantic political error.
12. The principled essence of the question.
13. Draft agreement.
14. Conclusion.
I W
T a I Main stages of the main]'
II "arguments" (and main errors)
III of the opponent
IV "retreat" of the opponent "
V "line of trenches, behind which preju id
VI dice demands to hide" J.
3. (al) "They will not want to work for capitalists, when
they work for themselves next door."
4. (a ll) "Bogdatyan 3 stands behind Krasin."
Deception of specialists
Krasin: what is the general principled content of disputes about Krasin's personality?
Simply a "bourgeois specialist"!

a. "Bourgeois specialist"? Out!
One must be able to use, to be able to ask a "bourgeois
specialist," to be able to understand what his "strength" consists of
(the question of the significance of specialists and attitudes towards them).
4b. "Well-intentioned communist musicians," who somewhat overcharge, but do not
touch intoxicating drink.
5. (aIII) "Private capitalism is a predator, only state
power (nationalization) is capable of rationally conducting affairs."
6. (alV) "It is not proven that we ourselves cannot obtain equipment"
(= we will manage ourselves).
7. (aV) Cannot control foreigners.
8. (aVI) Our specialists say: "problematic"
(what exactly is problematic and what one should be able to ask
a specialist about)
7*

8 bis (aVII)
(Baku : catastrophe.

\Grozny . Variant. /
*/4 of industries, equipment, etc. — the "rear" of advanced capitalism *.
10. [Economic question: is advanced capitalism currently
superior to us in technology (and organization)?
10a. Can we set ourselves the task now: to manage ourselves,
or is this leftist childishness, or stupid doctrinairism?
10b. Is it not imperative to set the task now as follows: in view of
the gigantic danger of the collapse of Soviet power due to
economic ruin and backwardness, the danger of falling behind, of not catching up,
to set the task only as follows:
to catch up with the help of an alliance with foreign capital?
"If we give up */4, we will not fall behind by 2/4" — this is the ideal,
which we will not achieve in a year, but if we achieve it in 5 years, it
will be a great victory.
This is a businesslike, not childish, formulation of the question.
11. Why £ * * Causes a gigantic political error?
Incorrect assessment of prospects, class relations both
in Russia (proletariat, peasantry, bourgeoisie) and throughout the world.
12. Economic significance = (a) block with advanced state
capitalism against the petty-bourgeois and backward element =
((3) block with one imperialist trust against another.
"Not to notice"? Whom? Tsarist and bourgeois officials?
Us.
Give up */4? An ideal for learning. Give up */4, catch up by 2/4
(3/4 unattainable ideal). Then in 30 years (average concession term)
peaceful victory is assured, and probably in 15 years we will buy it out.
E tw a : ***
13. § 1. Observance of the latest scientific and technical rules.
§ 2. Import of bread, clothing, etc., consumer goods (for the workers of "their" enterprise).
§ 3. Import of equipment.
§ 4. Any import from abroad (§ 2 and § 3) gives us
*/4—г/з* of the same product (By lot from 3 "boxes" one to us.)
* Point 9 is missing in the manuscript.
** — sum.
*** — Approximately.

14.
§ 5. We give a minimum (forest, for example) and for a special
fee.
§ 6. Our laws are binding.
§ 7. We give "them" 50—75% of the oil.
§ 8. We alternately feed our workers and specialists.
§ 9. We learn seriously, and do not shout "we will overwhelm them with caps."
Should we strive to find such concessionaires on such terms?
This is the only correct formulation of the question.