Political Parties in Russia and the Tasks of the Proletariat Index POLITICAL PARTIES IN RUSSIA AND THE TASKS OF THE PROLETARIAT 1) WHAT ARE THE CHIEF POLITICAL PARTY GROUPINGS IN RUSSIA? 2) WHAT CLASSES DO THESE PARTIES REPRESENT? WHAT CLASS STANDPOINT DO THEY EXPRESS? 3) WHAT IS THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SOCIALISM? 4) WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT DO THEY WANT AT PRESENT? 5) WHAT IS THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS RESTORATION OF THE ROMANOV MONARCHY? 6) WHAT IS THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE SEIZURE OF POWER? WHAT DO THEY REGARD AS ORDER, AND WHAT AS ANARCHY? 7) SHOULD THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT BE SUPPORTED? 8) FOR UNDIVIDED POWER OR DUAL POWER? 9) SHOULD A CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY BE CONVENED? 10) DOES THE STATE NEED THE USUAL TYPE OF POLICE AND A STANDING ARMY? 11) DOES THE STATE NEED A BUREAUCRACY OF THE USUAL TYPE? 12) SHOULD OFFICERS BE ELECTED BY THE SOLDIERS? 13) IS IT DESIRABLE FOR THE SOLDIERS, ON THEIR OWN DECISION, TO DISPLACE THEIR SUPERIORS? 14) FOR OR AGAINST THE PRESENT WAR? 15) FOR OR AGAINST THE PREDATORY INTERNATIONAL TREATIES BETWEEN THE TSAR, GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, ETC. (FOR THE SUBJUGATION OF PERSIA, THE PARTITION OF CHINA, TURKEY, AUSTRIA. ETC.)? 16) FOR OR AGAINST ANNEXATIONS? 17) FOR OR AGAINST THE LIBERTY LOAN? 18 ) FOR OR AGAINST THE CAPITALIST GOVERNMENTS ASCERTAINING THE PEOPLES’ WILL TO PEACE? 19) MUST ALL MONARCHIES BE ABOLISHED? 20) SHALL THE PEASANTS TAKE ALL THE LANDED ESTATES IMMEDIATELY? 21) CAN WE LEAVE LAND DISPOSAL AND ALL RURAL AFFAIRS IN THE HANDS OF THE SOVIETS OF PEASANTS’ DEPUTIES ALONE? 22) SHALL THE PEOPLE TAKE OVER THE LARGEST AND MOST POWERFUL CAPITALIST MONOPOLIES, THE BANKS, THE SYNDICATES OF MANUFACTURERS. ETC.? 23) WHAT KIND OF SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTING A FRATERNAL UNION OF THE WORKERS OF ALL COUNTRIES DO THE PEOPLES NOW NEED? 24) SHOULD FRATERNISATION AT THE FRONT BETWEEN SOLDIERS OF THE BELLIGERENT COUNTRIES BE ENCOURAGED? 25) WHAT COLOUR BANNER WOULD BE IN CHARACTER WITH THE VARIOUS POLITICAL PARTIES? NOTES ALL PAGES 1917 V.I Lenin Share TweetPage 16 of 27 15) FOR OR AGAINST THE PREDATORY INTERNATIONAL TREATIES BETWEEN THE TSAR, GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, ETC. (FOR THE SUBJUGATION OF PERSIA, THE PARTITION OF CHINA, TURKEY, AUSTRIA. ETC.)?A. (to the right of the C.D.) and B. (C.D.). Absolutely and entirely for. At the same time, we must not publish these treaties, both because Anglo-French imperialist capital and its governments will not permit it, and because Russian capital cannot afford to reveal its shady affairs to the public.C. (S.D. and S.R.). Against, but we still hope that with the aid of the Contact Commission and a series of “campaigns” among the masses, it may be possible to “influence” the capitalist government.D. (“Bolsheviks”). Against. The whole point is to enlighten the masses as to the utter hopelessness of expecting anything in this respect from capitalist governments, and as to the necessity of the power being transferred to the proletariat and the poor peasants. Prev Next