BolshevismBourgeoisieCapitalismSocialismSovietWorking ClassWorld War

PAGE POUR RUSBIA CONCESSIONS TO CAPITALISM.
In the measure that the Brest peace reckoned with, the question for Soviet claims but it must throw its miners into despite its robber character was of posi Russia is not that of seeking and finding the fury of battle.
tive significance to Soviet Russia, in that a modus vivendi for the states that are Consider the matter in this way. If it it ended the great war. Soviet Russia did still capitalist. If tomorrow the proletawere a question of economic, Socialist not extort it by its own power, the work rian revolution conquers in Germany or reconstruction or war against world capiers of Germany did not extort it; the in France the situation of Soviet Russia talism, which sets limits to Socialist repressure of the Entente army in the West will be better, because two proletarian construction, the correct decision would created the Brest peace, states, as an economic and military force, be war.
But matters do not stand so.
Even if the victorious imperialism of can exercise a greater pressure on the The question which is to be decided is the Entente now concludes a still worse capitalist world; but it will despite this either Socialist reconstruction within the robber peace, as long as this peace perhave an interest in concluding peace with limits of a temporary compromise or war mits Soviet Russia the possibility of existthe States which are still capitalist so as without economic reconstruction, ence the main breach will be in the capito begin economic reconstruction.
As early as the spring of 1918 the questalist state system since this peace will Soviet Russia will not permit itself to tion of an economic compromise faced be a result of the opposition which Soviet be beaten and we are certain that if the Russia leads with its own forces and with Entente States do not hold out an acthe Soviet Government. When Colonel the aid of the world proletariat.
ceptable peace it will starve and struggle Raymond Robins, unofficial American reBut why should Soviet Russia, which still more and they will be forced later presentative in Russia, left Moscow for cannot be destroyed by the sword, conto offer a better peace. The exhaustion Washington on May 2, 1918, he took with clude a compromise peace with the Enof a country with Russia resources by him a concrete proposal of the Soviet tente? Why should it not want to wait, a blockade demands a period of time Government containing the conditions of with weapons in its hands, until the time which the imperialist curs of the Entente economic concessions. At the same time when the crumbling Entente capitalism countries will not survive.
Bronski, assistant to the People Comhas made such progress that it must hold But it is clear that if Soviet Russia out an honest peace to Soviet Russia. missar for Commerce and Industry, submust struggle much longer it cannot begin economic reconstruction. The war remitted in his first meeting with the reThe answer to this question is simple, During the World War, which the crimin quires that its lessened productive forces presentatives of the German Government al policy of all imperialist states pro be placed in the service of making muni practical proposals for the co operation tracted, a swift catastrophe for world capi tions, its best forces be applied to war of the Soviet Government with German talism could be counted on, and the manufacture, its ruined railroads devoted capital. Like proposals were communiestablishment of the power of the workto the transport of troops.
cated to Bruce Lockhart, the English reers in many countries where the slaughter The necessity of war demands that the presentative to the British Government.
permitted them no other solution. At 1ower of attack be centralized in the hands the conculsion of the Brest peace the Soof the state executive, threatens the Soviet It may be granted that at that time, in viet Government considered the breathing system and what is more important, threatthe midst of the word war, there was space allowed by this peace a very short ens to devour the best elements of the ground for hope that a revolutionary exone; either the world revolution would working class. The Soviet Government plosion might do away with the necessity soon come and save Soviet Russia or else it (Soviet Russia) would soon collapse has accomplished a superhuman task to for such concessions, but the principal in the unequal struggle, as we thought oppose all this. What it has done in its thing is that the policy of granting these then. This conception expressed the situ cultural work, despite all difficulty, already concessions had already been arrived at.
ation at that time.
astonishes even honest bourgeois opponThe collapses of German imperialism, ents (read Goode reports in the ManAs long as the proletariat in all of the the inability of the Allies to crush Soviet chester Guardian) and in two or three most important States has not won; as Russia by military means, and at the long as they are not in a position to use years Soviet Russia will add over a hundsame time the fact that the World War red thousand new educational organizaall the productive forces in the world for came to an end; that the crisis of demobi reconstruction; as long as capitalist states lization was overcome; that the world revtions and new cultural forces.
exist beside proletarian ones; so long will olution affects the capitalist world not as How seriously the leaders regard the an explosion but as a breaking up, and it be necessary for proletarian countries accordingly as a lengthy danger attending reconstruction, the danocess, comto make compromises; so long will there pletely changes the situation and condiger of the bureaucracy in a new form, is be in ose countries neither a pure Sotions of foreign policy for the Soviet shown very clearly by the minutes of the cialism nor a pure capitalism, but, territoGovernment.
debates at the March convention of the rially separated from each other, they On the one hand we cannot count on Bolsheviki in 1819, which have now been will have to make concessions in their a speedy, mechanical liberation; on an published. But war is war, a gruesome own spheres of state authority.
instantaneous mass movement that would destroyer, and if war can be ended by drive Clemenceau. Lloyd George, Wilson sacrifice it must be concluded.
The extent of these concessions, which and everybody connected with them to the must be made to capitalism, will depend Certainly it is indeed bad that the Ruswall; and on the other hand, we cannot upon the power of the respective proletabe convinced with mathematical certainty sian people must allot excellent concessions rian states. That concessions must be that the process of capitalism collapsing talists, for it could make better use of to English, American and French capimade can be contested by no one who is making progress rapidly enough to ease does not at the same time show the means theses concessions itself than to pay triSoviet Russia conditions.
by which the opponents of this policy can bute. But so long as it must carry on achieve immediate victory for the proletaBut as it is a lengthy process to be the war not only can it not work its riat in all countries.