Lessons of the Revolution/Appendix

by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Appendix.

I.

A country may be spoken of in terms of either is political or economic-industrial form. In the political sense countries are: Autocracies (where politically privileged classes still exist; though now there are no more absolute monarchies, and the autocracies still extant may be called semi-democracies); and Democracies (where no personal or class privileges exist, and the individual enjoys perfect freedom of movement). In the economic sense all nations are capitalistic; that is all necessities of life are produced and distributed on the basis of a politically legalized principle of private ownership in land, national resources, and factories. This system of national economics is such that the great accumulation of wealth produced by nothing but labor remains as if by magic in the hands of a Few.

II.

All revolutions known until now, though always started by, and in the interest of, hungry stomachs, have always remained in the end merely political. Autocracies were reduced to semi-autocracies, (as in Germany, Italy, Austria), or to democracies, (France, America). Now there seems to have set in an era of a few sort of revolution,—the economico-social,—and Russia seems to be leading the way. Study the parties and know!

«Cadets»—Constitutional Democrats, (so-called because of the first initials of their name). Its official title is «Party of People’s Freedom». This party is only political. In order to ppreserve economically the capitalist order, it is ready to make concessions right and left—to Kornilovs and Tchernovs. Its representatives are: Miliukov, Rodzianko.

«Essers»—Socialists, Revolutionists, (also called by, their initials). A predominantly economic party, but originally one-sided, representing only the peasants. It stands for the abolition of private property in land only, and that by redemption. In its new program the redemption clause is abandoned in face of the rapidly-growing power of its left wing, the.

«Left Essers»—Who share the present Soviet government with the.

«Bolsheviks»—The most powerful wing of the Social Democrats, and the revolutionary party which achieved the October revolution, now in control of the government. This party expresses the desires of the whole toiling masses of the people, poor peasants as well as factory workers, to replace in the economico-industrial foundation the principle of private property and capitalism by that of national ownership and Socialism. The name «Bolshevik» does not mean «Maximalist», as commonly supposed, but «member of the majority»; and it is derived from the fact that at a former congress of the Social-Democratic Party, the delegates split into two factions, the ſ or bolshinstvo, favoring immediate proletarian action to hasten the coming of Socialism. Since 1905 the Bolsheviks have really, been in a minority, until September, 1917; while the dominating faction was the.—

«Mensheviks»—Or as it would be translated, «members of the minority»: now only too true. This party includes many shades: Internationalists, Social-Patriots, etc. It represents the Intellectuals, which means: inasmuch as the great achievements of knowledge and education are still in the hands of the old order, the Intellectuals as a class and as the incarnation of those achievements are nearer to the Cadets than to the Bolsheviks.

Assorted Social-Democrat—Certain «groups», with a small following, on the fringes of the Social-Democratic party, whose tactics differentiate them from the main branches of the party. «Edinstvo» group, headed by Plekhanov; the «Unified Social-Democrats», headed by Maxim Gorki, etc. These groups range from almost perfect reactionaries to Intellectual internationalists, and have little influence at the present time.

Note—Just as every, political party has its Right, Center and Left, so every, faction, every group is so divided.

 

III.

Some Definitions.

Landlord (Pomiestchik). A member of a class of the old nobility which owned most of the land, holding the poor peasants almost in slavery. In the last two decades of greater political liberty there have sprung up two new types of landlord:

«Fist» (Kulak). The name for a parvenu rich villager who buys up the land of the poor peasants, and keeps them in bondage by various financial schemes.

Capitalist Landlord. This is the rich city, manufacturer investing his surplus capital in land, and becoming as ruthless a Fist as his prototype.

Of course these three sub-classes compose the Landlord Class, which in its policy goes hand in hand with the Cadets, forming the.—

(Grand) Bourgeoisie. All the classes opposed to an economic revolution.

Petty Bourgeoisie. The small property-holders, bosses, shop-keepers, etc. They occupy the middle class stage and their policy is divided: the poorer ones embracing Bolshevism, the richer remaining with the bourgeoisie.

Constituent Assembly (Utchreditelnoe Sobranie). A representative body elected on the basis of universal suffrage, both sexes, age 20, voting secret ballot. This body is supposed to assemble January, 5-th, 1918, (old style), to lay the foundation of a State constitution.

(See Introduction).

Soviet (Council). The Soviets of Workmen's, Soldiers' and Peasants' Delegates are bodies elected directly by small units of the population, so that from 200 to 500 votes have one representative.

(See Introduction).

C. E. C. Central Executive Committee, representing the United Soviets of All Russia and electing the People’s Commissars—now the Provisional government of the Russian Republic. The C. E. C. is the parliament of the new government.