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The Revolutions of 1917. Selected Writings: 2

VI Lenin2024

Lenin’s writings from 1917 are a marvellous insight into the Bolshevik leader’s thinking in this crucial year.

1917 witnessed a series of dramatic turns that propelled the Bolsheviks, the most revolutionary party in history, from some 8,000 members to a mass force of 400,000 in just nine months.

Following the February Revolution, Lenin was forced to rearm the Bolsheviks with a new perspective of socialist revolution. With skilful tactics and a bold approach, he presided over the growth of the party. Although the Bolsheviks were driven underground in July, and Lenin branded a state criminal by the Provisional Government, the failed coup by General Kornilov in August transformed the situation.

By fighting in a united front against Kornilov, the Bolsheviks succeeded in winning a majority in the Soviets. Under Lenin’s guidance, outlined in this volume, this victory prepared the way for the October Revolution.

These selected writings draw out the invaluable role of the revolutionary party and its leadership. They are an essential guide for those fighting for socialist revolution today.

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Contents

Only the introduction can be read here. The whole book is in the Wellred edition. Buy the book

  1. Note on Dates
  2. Introduction

March

  1. The First Stage of the First Revolution (First ‘Letter from Afar’)
  2. The New Government and the Proletariat (Second 'Letter from Afar')
  3. Concerning a Proletarian Militia (Third ‘Letter from Afar’)
  4. Farewell Letter to the Swiss Workers

April

  1. Lenin’s Speech in the Finland Station Square to Workers, Soldiers and Sailors
  2. The Tasks of the Proletariat in the Present Revolution (April Theses)
  3. Letters on Tactics
  4. The Dual Power
  5. The Tasks of the Proletariat in Our Revolution
  6. A Shameless Lie of the Capitalists
  7. The Provisional Government’s Note
  8. Icons versus Cannons, Phrases versus Capital
  9. Resolution of the CC of the RSDLP(B)
  10. Honest Defencism Reveals Itself
  11. Resolution of the CC of the RSDLP(B)
  12. Lessons of the Crisis

May

  1. The ‘Crisis of Power’
  2. They Have Forgotten the Main Thing
  3. Nothing Has Changed
  4. Impending Debacle
  5. Has Dual Power Disappeared?
  6. A Question of Principle
  7. The Harm of Phrase-Mongering
  8. The Petty-Bourgeois Stand on the Question of Economic Disorganisation

June

  1. A Mote in the Eye
  2. The Enemies of the People
  3. ‘The Great Withdrawal’
  4. Confused and Frightened
  5. Speech on the Cancellation of the Demonstration
  6. The Turning-Point
  7. The Class Origins of Present-Day and ‘Future’ Cavaignacs
  8. The Eighteenth of June
  9. The Revolution, the Offensive and Our Party
  10. To What State Have the SRs and the Mensheviks Brought the Revolution?
  11. A Class Shift

July

  1. All Power to the Soviets!
  2. Three Crises
  3. The Political Situation (Four Theses)
  4. Letter to the Editors of ‘Proletarskoye Dyelo’
  5. On Slogans
  6. Our Thanks to Prince GY Lvov
  7. An Answer
  8. The Beginning of Bonapartism
  9. Lessons of the Revolution

August

  1. Kamenev’s Speech in the CEC on the Stockholm Conference
  2. To the CC of the RSDLP (On the Kornilov Revolt)

September

  1. On Compromises
  2. On Zimmerwald
  3. The Bolsheviks Must Assume Power
  4. Marxism and Insurrection
  5. The Russian Revolution and Civil War
  6. Heroes of Fraud and the Mistakes of the Bolsheviks
  7. From a Publicist’s Diary: The Mistakes of Our Party
  8. The Tasks of the Revolution
  9. The Crisis Has Matured

October

  1. Can the Bolsheviks Retain State Power? (Extract)
  2. To Workers, Peasants and Soldiers!
  3. Letter to the CC, the Moscow and Petrograd Committees and the Bolshevik Members of the Petrograd and Moscow Soviets
  4. Letter to the Petrograd City Conference
  5. Advice of an Onlooker
  6. Letter to the Bolshevik Comrades Attending the Congress of Soviets of the Northern Region
  7. Meeting of the CC of the RSDLP(B)
  8. Meeting of the CC of the RSDLP(B)
  9. Letter to Comrades
  10. Letter to Bolshevik Party Members
  11. Letter to the CC of the RSDLP(B)
  12. Letter to CC Members
  13. To the Citizens of Russia!
  14. Meeting of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies
  1. Timeline
  2. Glossary
  3. Further Reading

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