Page:Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - Lessons of the Revolution (1918).djvu/19

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III.

After the overthrow of the Tsar's rule the power passed into the hands of the Provisional Government. The Provisional Government consisted of representatives of the bourgeoisie—that is to say the capitalists, with whom the landlords too joined hands. The party of the Cadets, the leading capitalist party, occupied first place as the ruling and state party of the bourgeoisie.

It was not by sheer accident that the power came into the hands of this party, though of course it was not the capitalists who fought the Tsar's troops, who shed blood for freedom's sake, but the workmen, peasants, sailors and soldiers. The ruling power nevertheless fell into the hands of the capitalistic party, because the capitalist class had at its command the power of wealth, of organization, and of education. Since 1905, and particularly during the war, the capitalist class, together with its joint partner the landlord class, won great success in its work of organization.

The Cadet party, has always been monarchistic, in 1905 as well as all the years until 1917. After the people's victory over the tyranny of Tsardom, this party proclaimed itself republican. Historic experience teaches that whenever the people vanquishes its ruling dynasty, the capitalist class is ready to be converted to republicanism, in order to preserve the privileges of capitalism and to assert its hegemony over the people.