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THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE November 20, 1918 Why Soviet Russia Made Peace By Lenin police for a Socialism all in its power This article, publisked here for the first time in the United States, either in Russian or English, consists of Lenin 1. The present state of the Russian Revolution is such theses urging the acceptance of the Brest Litousk treaty.
If the German Revolution does not take place in a few (since all the workers and the great majority of the peasants months, the continuation of the war would have the conseare in favor of putting all power into the hands of the Soquence that still greater defeats would force Russia to accept viets, and in favor of the Social Revolution inaugurated by Jenko, the commander of our army, one hundred roubles a still more onerous peace; and peace would not be concluded the Soviets) that the stocess of the Social Revolution in month for each soldier if we should continue to wage war.
by a Socialist, but mixed government, for example, by Russia seems to be assured.
And even if we should not accept a penny from the Entente, a coalition between the adherents of Chernov and of the Meanwile, the civil war brought about by the desperate we should yet, as far as the outcome is concerned, have bourgeois party or something of the sort, for the peasant ressistance of the possessing classes, who are well aware that become their agents in holding portion of the German army, sick and tired of the war would overthrow the Socialist this is to be the last, the determining conflict for the reten troops at the front.
government in a few weeks.
tion of private ownership of land and of the means of pro On this point: We can free ourselves as little in one case 18. Conditions being as indicated above, it is intolerable duction, has not yet reached its climax. In this conflict the as in the other, entirely from the imperialistic shackles, for thus to jeapardize the ate of the Russian Revolution.
victory of the Soviets is certain, but for some time our inthat is impossible without the annihilation of world imperial19. The German Revolution will absolutely not be made tensest efforts will still be required. period of disorgan ism. It taerefore follows that after the victory of Socialism more difficult by the conclusion of a separate peace. It will ization is incvitable that is the case in all wars, all the more probably be awakened for a time by chauvinism, but the in one country, these questions must not be decided from so in a civil war before the resistance of the bourgeoisie the standpoint of preference for one capitalism, but from conditions in Germany will remain very critical. The war is broken.
that of developing and strengthening under the most favorwith America and England will last long and Imperialism This resistance takes the form chicfly of passive ma able conditions the social revolution that has already begun.
will fully be unmasked completely, both sides. The nifestations, not of a military force: of sabatage, bribery In short, our policy must be based, not on a choice between example of the Russian Revolution will continue to inspire of varants, bribery of agents of the bourgeoisie, who per two imperialisms, but on the possibiity of strengthening the the peoples of the world, and its influence will be enormous.
meate the rankss of the socialists in order to compromise their Socialist revolution, or at leasst, on the necessity of enabling On the one side will be the bourgeois system and war for cause, etc. etc. This resistance is so obstinate and assumes it to offer resistance until the other countries join the rev conquest waged by two imperialistic groups, on the other such varying forms, that the conflict must go on for some olutionary movement.
peace and the Socialistic Republic.
months, since the victory of Socialism is not possible until II. It is maintained that the German Socialist minority 20. By a separate peace we free ourselves, in so far as all the encumbrances have been removed.
has asked us to not to yield to German Imperialism. But we present conditions will permit, from the two imperialist Finally, the task of socialist reorganization Russia is do not not consider this a good interpretation. We have always coalitions; by taking advantage of their warfare and their so great and so difficult, both because of the petit bourgeois fought our own Imperialism, but the overthrow of the Im mutual enmity preventing them from uniting against us, elements who are taking part in the revolution, and because perialism of one country by means of an alliance with the we shall utilize the time so gained, in order to strengthen of the unsatisfactory level of the proletariat, that its solution Imperialism of another is a line of action that we reject the Socialist Republic in Russia.
still requires some time.
both on reasons of principle and because we consider it The reorganization of Russia, based on the dictatorship of All this means that the success of the Russian Revoluinadmissible. This argument, therefore, is really only a the proletariat, the nationalization of banks and of big intion will require, at least for some months, that the Russian repetition of the former one. If the international Socialists dustry, the exchange of the products of the cities with the Government shall have a free hand, in order to conquer the of Germany should ask us to postpone the conclusion of cooperatives tives of small peasants in the country, is economically bourgeoisie in its own country, in order then to undertake a time, and should guarantee us the outbreak of quite feasible, provided we have few months to devote the great task of reconstruction.
the revolution in Germany by a fixed time, we might even energetically to the job. Such an organization will make The international policy of the Soviets must be based tually take the matter under consideration. But the German Socialism unconquerable in Russia, and will provide a perchiefly on the conditions of the revolution in Russia, for the international Socialists not only do not say this to us, but they manent basis for the formation of a powerful red army of international situation, in the fourth year is such that in actually are saying, formally, Offer as much resistance as peasants and workers.
general, it is not possible to fix a time for the overthrow of you can, but decide on this point in agreement with the 21. truly socialistic war could not, at this moment, have imperialistic powers (including the German Government. interests of the Russian Revolution, for it is impossible at any other character than that of a war between the socialistic There is no doubt that revolution must and shall break out present to make any definite promises with regard to the republic and the bourgeois countries, with the distinct object, in Europe. All our hope in a decisive victory of German Revolution.
approved by the red army, of overthrowing the bourgeoisie is based on this conviction, on this scientific hypothesis. Our 12. It is maintained that we had promised to wage rev in the other countries.
propaganda in general, and that of fraternization in parti olutionary warfare and that the conclusion of a separato But we cannot at present attack this object. In reality cular, must be deepened and extended. But it would be an peace was a betrayal of our own promise. This is not true. we should now fight for Livland and Kurland. No Marxist, error to base the tactics of the socialist government on the We spoke the necessity of prepairing and waging revolu no Socialist of any kind, can deny, without contradicting probability that the European Revolution, particularly the tionary warfare in the epoch of Imperialism. We said this the basic principles of Socialiem, that the interests of Social Germag, will take place within a few months. As prediction in contradiction of the theory of abstract pacifism, the total ism transcend the right of self determination of a nation is here absolutely impossible, all efforts in this direction negation of national defense in the epoch of Imperialiam Our republic has done and continues to be mere gamble.
and we said this in order to resist the merely physical instincts to obtain for Finland and for the Ukraine the right to de7. The negotiation of the Brest Litovsk Treaty has now of some of the soldiers; but we have never assumed thie termine their own lot. But, granting that the existence of (January 7, 1918) shown that the military party has gained obligation of waging a revolutionary war without for a mo the Socialist Republic is threatened by the violation of the the upper hand in the German Government, and that this ment asking ourselves whether it was possible to wage it at right of Poland, Lithuania, and Finland to determine their party has its own way with the governments of the other a given moment.
own fate, it is nevertheless self evident that the interests countries in the Quadruple Alliance. The military party And now it is our duty to prepare the revolutionary war.
of the Socialist Republic transcend all other considerations.
already has actually sent an ultimatum to Russia, the official We are keeping this promise, just as we have kept all pro We are not enthusiastic about the peace based on the liberaform of which we may expect in a few days. This ultimatum mises that circumstances have permitted us to keep: we have tion of Poland, make German Imperialism stronger as means: either the continuation of the war or the conclusion published the secret treaties, we have offered a righteous opposed to England, Belgium, Serbia, etc. The peace based of peace by annexation, e, the Germans will retain all peace to all nations, we have drawn out the peace confer on the liberation of Poland, Lithuania, and Kurland would the districts occupied by them, while we must give up the ences in order to give all the peoples an opportunity to join be a patriotic peace from the standpoint of Russia, but it districts occupied by Russian troops, and an indemnity will us. But the question of the present possibility of waging would none the less be a peace with the German annexationbe imposed upon us (under the guise of a compensation for a revolutionary war can be decided only from the standpoint ists and Imperialists.
the maintenance of prisoners) of nearly three milliards, to of its material possibility, and from the standpoint of the be paid in a few years.
Russian Revolution that has already begun, The Russian Government therefore pressing 13. Considering the arguments in favor of an immediate The Kaiser, by fleeing like a coward, escapes the problem to solve: Must this annexation peace be accepted at revolutionary war, as a whole, it is evident that they cononce, or must the revolutionary war be waged at once? There stitute a policy that may perhaps be in line with a fine gesture, fate of the Czar. But German Capitalism will not is no middle path in this question. The solution cannot be but they have absolutely no relation with the material and escape the fate of Capitalism in Russia.
postponed, as we have already done all in our power to gain class conditions of the present moment.
time and draw the thing out.
14 It is beyound doubt that our army can neither now, Among the arguments made use of to show that revnor at any time within the next few weeks or even months, LONDON, November 14, Throughout Germany olutionary warfare must be waged at once, there is, in the resist or push back the German offensive, in the first place first place, the following: an immediate, separate peace, rethe struggle between the moderate and radical Socialbedause of the fatigue and exhaustion of most of our soldiers The Scheidemann Socialists are gardless of the intentions of those who conclude it would ists is going on.
and the total disorganization of the provision supply, in the amount to an agreement with the German imperialists, and second place because of the absolute insufficiency of horses unequivocally opposed to stirring up class hatred and therefore, such a peace would be a breech of the principles which makes defeat for our artillery a certainty, in the third civil war. But as in Russia under Kerensky the newlyof international socialism.
place because it is impossible to defend the Riga coast, thus formed Councils of Soldiers, Workmen and Peasants, This reasoning is all wrong. Workingmen who lose a assuring the enemy of the conquest of the rest of Livland, constituted after the fashion of the Bolsheviki Soviets, strike and are compelled to accept conditions favorable to and fasciliating the occupation of Petrograd.
the capitalists and unfavorable to themselves, do not betray are now beginning to clamor for complete authority.
15. Furthermore, there is no doubt that the majority of Socialism. Only those betrtay the interests of the proletariat, All power to the Soviets. in Germany as in Russia.
the peasants in our army would now be who betray Socialism, who accept inadmissible conditions.
favor of a peace Those who call the war with Germany a righteous and by annexations by the Germans and not a revolutionary war, defensive war are the true betrayers of Socialism, because while the organization of a revolutionary army and the forming of a Red Guard have hardly been begun.
they are in reality supporting French and English ImperialRecently, Joffe, the Bolshevik Ambasador in ism and concealing the secret treaties from the people. These, serious business to wage war against the Berlin, was expelled from Germany because he was will of the majority of our soldiers, now that the entire on the other hand, who conceal nothing from the people the centre of a revolutionary propaganda against and make no secret treaties with the capitalists, they are army is demoralized; and it will be many months before a Kaiserism. According to the press, the Bolsheviki are by no means betraynig Socialism when they conclude a peace truly proletarian army, socialistic through and through, can pro Kaiser; but apparently, this particular Bolshewhich is disadvantageous for a weak people and advantageous for the capitalists of one group, at a momen when 16. The poorest section of the Russian peasants would be vik was too pro Kaiser to suit the Kaiser! But now, there is no possibility of continuing to wage war.
ready to support a revolution headed by the working class, Kaiserism having collapsed, comrade Joffe is back 10. In the second place, we are reproached with be but they are not ready to support a revolutionary war at in Berlin representing the Soviet Republic.
present. It would be a serious error to overlook this state coming, through the conclusion of a socialistic peace, agents of things.
of the German Government against our will, since we are giving to it the possibility of withrawing troops from our 17. The question of revolutionary war therefore stands The Council of Workmen and Soldiers in Berlin front and are liberating millions of their prisoners of war. as follows: if revolution should break out in Germany within But this argument also proves nothing, since a revolutionary the next three or four months, the revolutionary war tactic, has sent its fraternal greetings to the Russian Soviets.
war against Germany would make us agents of the Anglo for immediate action would not be fatal to our Russian Rev International proletarian solidarity is becoming a French Imperialism. The English promised outright to Kry olution.
fact!
would It would be a be formed.