JC CASE OF RIAZANOV At the moment we write these lines, By LEON TROTSKY would have gained by that? Who sought we know nothing about the expulsion from this international scandal around the name the party of Riazanov except what is com party. But the Riazanov affair cannot foreign languages. Bolsheviks having the of, Riazanov?
municated by the official telegrams of the be set into this framework. Riazanov is same qualities occupy, almost without ex It is precisely on this that we can agency. Riazanov is expelled not an upstart, an adventurist, a Bessedov ception, responsible administrative posts advance explanations that flow with exfrom the party not for any differences with sky or any sort of agent of the Mensheviks. and are not available for a scientific in ceptional force from all the circumstances.
the socalled general line, but for treason Riazanov line of development can be restitution. On the other hand, among the In recent years, Riazanov, as is said, has to the party. Riazanov is accused no more traced year by year, in accordance with Mensheviks there are numerous demobilized withdrawn from active politics. In this and no less of having conspired with the facts and documents, articles and books. politicians who have retired from the strug sense he has shared the fate of many old Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionists In the person of Riazanov we have a man gle or who, at least, feign to have retired. members of the party who, despair in their allied with the conspirators of the indus who for more than forty years has parti In the domain of historical research, of hearts, have quite the internal life of the trial bourgeoisie. This is the version of the cipated in the revolutionary movement: commentary, of annotation, of translation, party and have shut themselves up in official communication. What does not and every stage of his activity has in one of important correction, etc. comrade Riaz economic or cultural work. It is only this seem clear at first sight is that for Riaz way or another entered into the history of anov based himself to a certain point upon resignation that has permitted Riazanov anor the affair is limited to his exclusion the proletarian party. Riazanov had ser this species of Menshevik in retreat. In to insure his Institute against devastation from the party. Why has he not been ar ious differences with the party at various the Institute, they played about the same in the whole post Leninist period. But in rested and arraigned before the Supreme times, including the time of Lenin, or ra rôle that the bourgeois engineers play in the last year it became impossible to mainTribunal for conspiracy against the dicta ther, especially in the time of Lenin, when the State Planning Commission and the tain oneself in this position. The life of torship of the proletariat. Such a question Riazanov participated actively in the daily other economic organs. Communist who the party, especially since the Sixteenth must pose itself before every man who re policy of the party. In one of his speeches, directs any institution, as a general rule Congress, has been converted into a conflects. even for anybody who does not know Lenin spoke directly of the strong sides of defends his specialists, sometimes even tinual examination into loyalty to the chief, the persons in question. The latest com Riazanov and of his weak sides. Lenin did those who lead him around by the nose. the one and only. In every nucleus, there munications say that Riazanov is namel in not see a politician in Riazanov. Speaking The most illuminating example of it is the are now agents fresh from the plebiscite the indictment by Krylenko. As an accused of his strong sides, Lenin had in mind former chairman of the State Planning whe on every ision, inte the of tomorrow?
his idealism, his deep devotion to the Marx Commission, the member of the Central hesitant and the irresolute: do they reThe Wensheviks and the Social Rev. lan doctrine, his exceptional erudition, his Committee. Krzhyhanovsky, who many gard Stalin as an infallable chief, as a olutionists represent parties which seek the honesty in principle, his intransigeance in years, foaming at the mouth, defended great theoretician, as a classic of Marxism?
re establishment of capitalism. The Men the defense of the heritage of Marx and against the Opposition the minimal pro Are they ready on the New Year to swear sheviks and the Social Revolutionists are Engels. That is precisely why the party grams and plans of his subordinates sabo fidelity to the chief of the party to Stalin?
distinguished from other parties of capital put Riazanor at the head of the Marx En tagers. The director of the Marx Engels The less the party shows itself capable of Ist restoration loy the fact that they hope gels Institute which he himself had created. Institute could not but assume the defense controlling itself by an ideological strug.
to give the bourgeois régime in Russia dem The work of Riazanov had an international of his Menshevik collaborators when they yle, the more the bureaucracy is forced to importance, not only of a historico scienti.
ocratic forms. There are very strong eurwere threatened with arrest and deportacontrol the party with the aid of agents rents in these parties which consider that fic, but also a revolution:ry and political tion. This role of defender, not always provocateurs.
any régime in Russia, regardless of its character. Marxism is inconceivable with crowned with success, has not been prac THE PLEBISCITARY REGIME.
political form, would be more progressive out the acceptance of the revolutionary dictised by Riazanov since yesterday. EveryAND ITS VICTIMS than the Bolshevik régime. The position tatorship of the proletariat. Menshevism is body, beginning with Lenin, knew it; some For many years Riazanov was able to of the Mensheviks and the Social Revolu the bourgeois (lemocratic refutation of this joked about it, understanding perfectly the hold his tongue very prudently too prutionists is counter revolutionary in the dictatorship. In defending Marxism against administrative interests that guided Riazdently on a whole series of burning quesmost precise and objective sense of the revisionism. Rinzanov, by all of his activ anov.
tions. But Riazanov was organically inword, that is in the class sense.
This ity, conducted a struggle against the social There is no doubt that certain Menshe capable of cowardice, of platitudes; all osposition cannot but lead to attempts to democracy and consequently against the vik collaborators. perhaps the majority tenatious display of the sentiment of fidelutilize the discontent of the masses for a Russian Mensheviks. How then Riaz used the Institute to cover up their conspira ity was repugnant to him. One can imsocial uprising. The activity of the Menanov position in principle to be reconciled tive work concealment of archives and agine that the meetings of the nucleus sheviks and the Social Revolutionists is with his participation in the Menshevik documents: correspondence, contact with of the Institute, he often flew into a pasnothing but the preparation for such an conspiracy? To this question there is no abroad, etc. One can imagine that Riaz sion against the debauched youngsters of uprising. Are blocs of the Mensheviks and rauly. And we think that there cannot anov was not always sufficiently attentive that innumerable order of young professors the Social Revolutionists with the indus be such a reply. We do not doubt for an to the admonitions coming from the party, who usually understand very little of Marxtrial bourgeoisie excluded. Not at all. The instant that Riazanov did not participate and showed an excessive benevolence to ism but for that excel in falsehood and inpolicy of the social democracy throughout in any conspiracy. But in that case, where wards his perfidious collaborators. But we forming. This sort of internal clique, no the world is based upon the idea of a does the accusation come from? If it is inthink that this the extreme limit of the doubt, for a long time had its candidate for coalition with the bourgeoisie against the vented, then by whom and with what ob accusation that might be addressed to com the post of director of the Institute and. reaction and the revolutionary proletarject?
rade Riazanov. The books edited by Riaz what is still more important, its relations lat. The policy of the Mensheviks and the THE MENSHEVIK COLLABORATORS anov are before the eyes of everybody: in the and the Secretariat the Social Revolutionists in 1917 was entirely AND THE MARX ENGELS INSTITUTE there is neither Menshevism nor sabotage Central Committee. Had Riazanov alluded based upon the principle of the coalition To this, we can only give hypothetical in them, as in the economic plans of Stalinsomewhere, even if only in a few words, with the liberal bourgeoisie, republican as explanations, based, nevertheless, upon a Krzhyzhanovsky.
to the fact that Marx and Engels were only well as monarchical. The parties which sufficiently sure acquaintance with the peo But if one accepts the fact that Riaz forerunners of Stalin, then all the strataconsider that there is no way out for Rus ple and the circumstances. We will assist anov mistake does not exceed credulous gems of the debauched youngsters would sia other than the return to the bourgeois ourselves, moreover, with political logic and protection of the Menshevik specialists, collapse and no Krylenko would dare to régime cannot but make a bloc with the revolutionary psychology. Neither the one where then does the accusation of treason make a complaint against Riazanov for his bourgeoisie. The latter cannot refuse aid, innor the other can be abolished by the tele come from? We know, from a recent ex benevolence towards the Menshevik translacluding financial aid, to its democratic grams of perience, that the Stalinist is cap tors. But Riaza nov did not accept this. As auxiliaries. Within these limits everything Comrade Riazanor directed a vast scien able of casting into the ranks of Irreproachfor the general secretariat, it was unable is clear, for it fows from the very nature tific institution. He required a numerous able revolutionists an officer of Wrangel.
to go any further in concessions.
of things. But how could comrade Riazanov qualified personnel. of collaborators, of Menahinsky and Yagoda would not hesitate After having acquired the power of the happen to be among the participants in the people initiated in Marxism, the history of for a moment to attribute any crime what apparatus, Stalin feels himself internally Menshevik conspiracy? Here we are con the revolutionary movement, the problems soever to Riazanov as soon as they were weaker than ever. He knows himself too fronted by an obvious enigma.
of the class struggle, and those who knew ordered to do it. But who ordered it? Who well and that is why he fears his own sitTHE MARXIST RIAZANOV uation. He needs a daily confirmation of MENSHEVIK?
his rôle of dictator. The plebiscitary ré gime is pitiless; it does not reconcile itself When Syrzov was accused of doubie with doubt. it always demands new enthuclealing. every conscious worker had to siastic acknowledgments. That is ask himself: How could an old Bolshevik MOSCOWmanner. He placed his people everywhere, Riazanov turn came. If Bucharin and who, not so long ago, was pat by the CenThexe recent wecks the newspapers giving them instructions to defend the gen Rykoy feel victims of their platform tral. ommittee into the post of chairman have devoted a lot of space to greetings eral line throughout and to elect Stalinists which it is true, they have renounced two of the Council of People Commissars.
addressed to Molotov. In this respect, ev hy half to the leading organs in order in or three times, Riazanov fell victim.
suddenl; the illegal defender of erything seems to be in order. Everything this way to divert suspicion. The aim in of his personal honesty. The old revoluopinions which refuted and condemned has the air of being as should be, and mind with this procedure was the forma tionist said to himself: To serve while officially? From this fact, one could only the rumors about the quarrel between the tion of the greatest possible number of fac holding one tongue, with teeth gritted establish the extreme duplicity of the Stal Arst secretary and the second are ap tional nuclei to spring up on the next all good; to be an enthusiastic lackey imposinist régime, in which the real opinions of parently denied. But better informed peo. Russian conference or congress, as a full sible. That is why Riazanov fell under che members of the government are deterple and a number of objective symptoms, delegation, and to lay down their cards. the justice of the party of the Yaroslavskys.
mined by the intermediary of the slight though they are. show that things The Syrzov faction was betrayed by Then Yagoda furnished the elements of the But in the Syrzov affair, it was only are otherwise. The post of chairman of one of its own partisans, Reznick. The accusation. In conclusion, Kiazanov was a matter of conflicts between the Centristo the Council of Commissars, since Rlkov oc fact that this name is mentioned in the declared a traitor to the party and an agent and the Right wing of the party, and noth cupied it for two years under attack, has papers as one of the double dealers was of the counter revolution.
ing more. The Riazanov affair is incomlost all political importance, and from this oniy intended to detract attention. Thanks In the and in the Western parably more significant and more strik point of view the designation of Molotov to Reznick provocation, the Political Bur sections of the Comintern, many are the Ing All of Riazanov activity was mani is one of the most honorable forms of ad eau was informed of every one Syrzov Communists who observe with consternafested in the realm of ideas. of books. of ministrative exile. But Molotov, it is said, steps. While Syrzov was participating in tion the work of the Stalinist bureaucracy, publications, and already by that alone, it has been stubborn for a long time. He had a factional deliberation at Nussinov home, but justify their passivity, saying: What was under the constant control of hundreds a fit of blues, did not show himself; that is, the Political Bureau was hastily gathered can be done? One must hold his tongue of thousands of readers throughout the he made use of the Stalinist policy towards together and Syrzov was called there dir so as not to convulse the foundations of world. Finally, and this is the most im Lenin. The greetings have as their ob ectly from Nussinov home. At first, the dictatorship. This possibilism is not portant thing, Riazanov is accused not of ject to console Molotov and to reconcile Syrzor flatly denied the existence of the only poltroonish but more than that, it is sympathy for the deviation of the Rights him to his fate. For, it seems. Stalin does factional deliberation and declared that the blind. From the foundation of the dictain the party, but of participation in the fear a new conflict after all. even without comrades were quite simply occupied with tatorship, the apparatus of the official party counter revolutionary conspiracy.
that, the number of people who consider the problem of developing the breeding of is being converted more and more into That numerous members of the Com that his leadership is costing the party too cattle. That is the explanation of the dull an instrument for its decomposition. This munist Party of the Soviet Union, theor deur, is already pretty high. And on the jokes by Kaganovitch on the breeding of process cannot be arrested with silence.
eticians and practicians of the general line, other hand, Molotor is also unable to pull cattle, cows. etc. in the press. But after Internal explosions are becoming more and are Mensheviks without knowing it: that the cord any tighter, considering that Stalin it was explained in the Political Bureau more frequent and each time assume ever numerous former Mensheviks, who had is well enough armed against him: in pri that everything was known and documents more threatening forms. The struggle changed names but not their essence, suc vate conversations Stalin throws all the were presented as proof Syrzov Lom against the Stalinist régime is a struggle cessfully occupy the most responsible posts responsibility for the third period upon inadze confessed everything, adding for the Marxian foundations of a proletarPeople Commissars, ambassadors, etc. Molotov and tells how foreign delegates they themselves could not understand how ian policy. This foundation cannot be won finally, that within the framework of the have come and begged him: Free us from they were able at this point to deny the without party democracy. The plebiscitary no mean place is occupied, by the third period and. from Molotov. existence of the faction. At the Central régime of Stalin is not durable by its very the side of the Bessedovskys, the Agabekovs It is likely that all this will rise to the Control Commission, Syrzov, at the outset, nature. So that it shall not be liquidated and other corrupted and demoralized ele surface at the next operation.
had a provoking attitude. He is the one by the class enemies it is indispensable to ments, by direct agents of the Mensheviks inform you belatedly on some details who produced the following charcterization liquidate it by the efforts of the advanced on that score we have no doubts at all. about the Syrzov Lominadze faction. The of Stalin: stupid man who is leading elements of the Communist International.
The Stalinist régime is the culture of all faction was especially strong in Caucasia, the country to ruin. He is also the one This is the lesson of the Riazanov affair. sorts of microbes of decomposition in the where Lominadze procedel in the following Continued on page 5)
Prinkipo, March 8, 1931.
Behind the Scenes in the Russian Party how