AnarchismBourgeoisieCapitalismCivil WarCommunismDemocracyLeninMarxRussian RevolutionSocialismSovietWorking Class

The New York COMMUNIST Vol. I, No. 10 New York, Saturday, June 21, 1919 Price cents Proletarian Dictatorship Speech by Nicolai Lenin Translated by Wilenkin ing millions, nay tens of millions of the laburing stand that these courts are the organs of the power to the conclusion that the main task of the and exploited masses to participate independently of the laborers and poorer peasants, means of Russian Soviet Government is the creation of a in the affairs of the slate to administer the state. education and discipline.
rigid organization together with a strengthening of These masses learn through their experiences The consciousness, thác the main focs of the discipline, the majority of the workers do not con to select the most reliable leaders among the disRussian revolution are hunger and unemployment sider the application of compulsion and dictation ciplined and conscious vanguard of the proletariat.
But dictatorship is a word which should not be did not sufficiently penetrate the minds of the necessary to the realization of these decisions. The used merely as a hollow sound.
masses, still less, the knowledge that each one who presumption that the transition from capitalism to Dictat. rship violates the discipline necessary during the proces Socialism will be possible without compuision and means iron might, a revolutionary, energetic power, of labor, is causing hunger and unemployment and dictation, is Llopian and senseless. The Marxian inexorable in the suppression of exploiters, as well theory most emphatically refutes all such petty. as the slum proletariat (hoodlums. Hitherto the must be adequately punished; must be indicated before the people and unrelentingly panished. The bourgeois, deniocratic, anarchistic nonsense. The proletarian dictatorship has not been steadfast development of Russia during the year 1917:18, cougabe and peste modu before ottom barat be bouet ically combatted, are due to lack of understanding power in two different ways: in the first place, by tions still influence many who say to themselves: and only those who are very stupid or who wilfully overt methods of conspiracy, Kornilovist riots, lies pervert the truth, can fail to comprehend this. As for me the rest may perish.
in the press Either the dictatorship of Kornilov or the dictatorCadets, Mensheviki and RightSocial Revolutionaries, and in the second place, by This combat between proletarian discipline and ship of the proletariat; there can be no other way thanks to the tremendous tempo of development concealed means such as the utilization of all the decaying elements in order to augment bribery, tic form in the railroad problem. After poin petty bourgeois tendencies appears in its mont dow in Russia and the sudden transitions due to the dislack of discipline, and chaos. The nearer the com. ing out the necessity of introducing dictatorial organization created by the war.
plete suppression of bourgeois power approaches, discipline in the railroad administration, Lenin the giraler becomes the petty bourgeois, anarchistic sums up the question of personal dictatorship show There are two causes which make dictatorship imperative during the transition period from caping that not only was it necessary in forres rorola tions, but also that it does not conflict with the italism to Socialism and the dictatorship aims in Soviet power. two directions. The piletariat cannot conquer New York State Locals and Language without suppressing the ing classes, who are not Branches, Attentio If we are not anarchists, we have thus to recog willing to renounce their privileges, and who will The first meeting of the Provisional Left nize the need of compulsion during the transition endeavor to overthrow the hated power of the proWing State Caucus was held in Albany, June from capitalism to Socialism. The form of com Istusidi. On the other hand, great revolution, 8th. The foundation of a State wide organpulsion is determined by the degree of developmo. cat nd above all Do Socialist revolution, is possible ization was laid; in view of the expulsion of the predominant revolutionary clases deterthout civil war even if no exterior war is tactics of our officialdom it behooves every mined by that which was inherited from a long fought. It does not require much mental exertion Left Wing Local and Branch throughout the reactionary war, and by the armed power to understand that various elements, mostly those State to affiliate itself with the Provisional resistance of the bourgeoisie. he difference be connected with the petty bourgeoisie, cannot but State Caucus so that we can all act in harmony, tween proletarian and bourgeois dictatorship lice reveal themselves in their true light by robbery, in the fact that the former is directed against the Take this question up at the next Central speculation, bribery, etc. and time and an iron Committee meeting of your Local or Branch exploiting minority in the interest of the exploited hand are required to suppress these things.
and elect delegate to Syracuse.
majoriy each individual reform is promoted not only by the laboring and exploited classes but also Minutes of previous meeting went on request.
In all great revolutions the poople have instinctively understood the true stale of affairs, and Don forget!
through their organisations (as for instance the Soviet. acted without mercy against the burglars who Provisional Left Wing State Coucus meets were often shot out of hand The misfortune of in Syracuse, July 4th.
In the special case, which is determined by the All communications and credentials should modern situation, we must state that mich large former revolutions was that the enthusiasm, which be sent to individual industry, ie, the basis of production is nocessary for the realization of these measures; and the foundation of Socialism, requires strong was of shcort duration. This enthusiasm animated MAXIMILIAN COHEN, Secrelary unity of will, determining masses only for a short time, because the workers labor of bmdreda, Provisional Left Wing Caucus played a relatively unimportant part in former thousands and tens of thousands. This has alway 43 291h St.
revolutions. The proletariat is able, if it is numer.
been acknowledged by student of Socialism as the ically strong, disciplined and class conscious, to first condition, and this can be created only by the subjection of the will of thousands to the will of attract the majority of the laboring and exploited masses and thus retain power long enough to effect menace. These elements cannot be fought solely one individual. This subjection may assume the ively suppress all exploiters and all elements of by means of agitation; the application of compul. mild form of management, if great class cotacion decay. This supports the historic experience which sion becomes necessary. The more the administraDess and discipline prevails in the ranks of the Mari recapitulated in a brief but drastic formula: tion of society, and not the suppression of the working class, or it will bave to asstrome the sterner bourgeoisie, becomes the chief activity of the Sovi.
form of dictation if discipline is lax. But in cuck the proletarian dictatorship.
ets, the more the People Tribunals not lynching road concerns it is twofold, threefold as important.
case absolute subjection is necessary. In the rail That the Russian revolution trod the right path courts must serve the nieans of compulsion.
in order tu fulfill the historic mission of the work. The revolutionary mases have already taken the The transition from one political problem ers is proven by the triumph which has been at initial steps in the right direction by the creation another, which seems to be entirely different, die tained by all the peoples of Russia, through the of the People Tribunals. But they are not yet tinguishes the present day period, and whereas the Soviet power. The Soviet power is the organization strong enough; they have not yet liberated them transition cannct avoid shocks and racillations, the of the proletarian dictatorship, the vanguard of the selves sufficiently from the spirit of the bourgecisie. highest perfection of the vanguard of the poole class which is creating a new democracy and induc The people are not yet conscious enough to under tariat is its iron discipline Friday, June 20th Friday, June 20th MONSTER MASS MEETING FRIDAY, O CLOCK MADISON SQUARE GARDEN TO PROTEST THE RAID. ON THE SOVIET BUREAU COMRADE MARTENS WILL BE THE PRINCIPAL SPEAKER. OTHER SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED Under the auspices of The Russian Socialist Federation Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden