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 Page 22 of 27 21) CAN WE LEAVE LAND DISPOSAL AND ALL RURAL AFFAIRS IN THE HANDS OF THE SOVIETS OF PEASANTS’ DEPUTIES ALONE?A. (to the right of the C.D.) and B. (C.D.). The land owners and capitalists are generally opposed to full and undivided power being vested in the Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies in the countryside; but if these Soviets are unavoidable, then we had better confine ourselves to them alone, for the rich peasants are also capitalists.C. (S.D. and S.R.). For the present, perhaps, yes, although Social-Democrats “in principle” do not deny the necessity of a separate organisation for the agricultural wage-workers.D. (“Bolsheviks”). We cannot confine ourselves to the general Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies alone, for the wealthy peasants are also capitalists and are always liable to wrong or cheat the agricultural labourers, day-labourers, and poor peasants. Therefore separate organisations for these groups of the rural population must be set up immediately both within the Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies and as separate Soviets of deputies from the agricultural labourers. Prev Next