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A Documentary History of Communism in Russia - From Lenin to Gorbachev Edited by \ Robert V. Daniels A Documentary History of Communism in Russia A Documentary History of Communism in Russia From Lenin to Gorbachev Edited, with introduction, notes, and original translations by Robert V. Daniels University of Vermont Press Burlington, Vermont Published by University Press of New England Hanover and London UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT PRESS Published by University Press of New England, One Court Street, Lebanon, NH 03766 www.upne.com © 1993 by the Trustees of the University of Vermont Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the pub- lisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Members of educational institutions and organizations wishing to photocopy any of the work for classroom use, or authors and publish- ers who would like to obtain permission for any of the material in the work, should contact Permissions, University Press of New England, One Court Street, Lebanon, NH 03766. CIP data appear at the end of the book ISBN-13: 987-0-87451-616-6 ISBN-IO: 0-87451-616-1 Contents Preface (i960 Edition) xiii Preface (Revised Edition) xv Preface (1993 Edition) xvii Introduction: The Evolution of the Communist Mind —In Russia xix CHAPTER ONE: Leninism and the Bolshevik Party, to 1917 3 Lenin as a Marxist: What the "Friends of the People" Are and How They Fight the Social-Democrats (1894) 3 The Foundation of the Russian Marxist Party: Manifesto of the Russian Social- Democratic Workers' Party (1898) 4 Lenin's Theory of the Party: What Is to Be Done? (1902) 6 Lenin on the Party Split: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back (May, 1904) 11 Marxist Reactions to Lenin—Rosa Luxemburg: Leninism or Marxism (1904) 14 Marxist Reactions to Lenin—Leon Trotsky: Our Political Tasks (1904) 16 Organization of the Bolshevik Faction: Resolution of the Twenty-Two (August, 1904) 17 Lenin on the Revolution of 1905: Two Tactics of Social-Democraq^ in the Democratic Revolution (July, 1905) 19 Trotsky on "Permanent Revolution": Results and Prospects (1906) 23 Lenin on Democratic Centralism: Freedom of Criticism and Unity of Action (June, 1906) 25 Bogdanov's Philosophical Revision of Marxism: Empiriomonism (1905-6) 26 Lenin's Philosophical Orthodoxy: Materialism and Empiriocriticism (1908) ^° The Purge of the Bolshevik Left Wing (June, 1909) 32 a) Communique on the Conference ^^ b) Resolution on Otzovism and Ultimatism ^ The Ultra-Left on Lenin's Compromises: Declarations of the "Forward" Group (i9IQ) 34 a) Bogdanov, "Letter to All Comrades" 34 b) "Letter to Our Bolshevik Comrades" 3 5 Stalin on National Self-Determination: Marxism and the National Question (1913) 36 Lenin on the Uneven Prospects of Revolution: The United States of Europe Slogan (August, 1915) 38 Bukharin on the Imperialist State: On the Theory of the Imperialist State (1916) 38 vi Contents CHAPTER TWO: The Bolshevik Revolution, 1917-1921 42 Lenin's Return to Russia: On the Tasks of the Proletariat in the Present Revolution (April 7 [20], 1917) 42 Lenin on the Soviets: On the Dual Power (April 9 [22] 1917) 44 Lenin's Vision of the Revolutionary State: The State and Revolution (August-September, 1917) 47 Lenin's Call for an Uprising: Marxism and Insurrection (September 13-14 [26-27], 1917) 52 The Declaration of Revolutionary Intent—Trotsky: Declaration of the Bolshevik Fraction (October 7 [20], 1917) 54 The Decision to Seize Power: Resolution of the Central Committee, On the Armed Uprising (October 10 [23], 1917) 55 Bolshevik Opposition to the Insurrection: Statement by Zinoviev and Kamenev (October 11 [24], 1917) 56 The Military-Revolutionary Committee 57 Triggering the Uprising 59 a) Circular of the Military-Revolutionary Committee (October 24 [November 6], 1917) 59 b) Minutes of the Bolshevik Central Committee (October 24 [November 6], 1917) 60 The October Revolution: Proclamation of the Military-Revolutionary Committee (October 25 [November 7], 1917) 62 The Soviet Government: Decree on the Formation of a Workers' and Peasants' Government (October 26 [November 8], 1917) 62 Bolshevik Revolutionary Legislation 63 a) Decree on the Land (October 26 [November 8], 1917) 63 b) Decree on Suppression of Hostile Newspapers (October 27 [November 9], 1917) 65 c) Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia (November 2 [15], 1917) 66 Coalition or One-Party Government 67 a) Resolution of the Central Committee on the Opposition (November 2 [15], 1917) 67 b) Bolshevik Statements of Resignation (November 4 [ 17], 1917) 68 Industrial Democracy: Decree on Workers' Control (November 14 [27], 1917) 69 The Secret Police: Decree on Establishment of the Extraordinary Commission to Fight Counter-Revolution (December 7 [20], 1917) 70 The Dissolution of the Constituent Assembly: Lenin, Draft Decree on the Dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (January 6 [ 19], 1918) 71 Trotsky on the Red Army: Labor, Discipline, Order (March 27, 1918) 72 Lenin on Economic Expediency: The Immediate Tasks of the Soviet Government (April, 1918) 74 The Left Communists on a Proletarian Economic Policy: Theses on the Present Moment (April, 1918) 77 One-Party Dictatorship: Decree on the Expulsion of the Right Socialist Parties from the Soviets (June 14, 1918) 80 Contents vii Red Terror: Lenin on the Kulaks (August 11,1918) 81 War Communism: Decree on Nationalization of Large-Scale Industry (June 28, 1918) 81 Western Radicals on the Communists: Rosa Luxemburg, The Russian Revolution (1918) 82 The Party Program of 1919 85 Centralization of the Communist Party: Resolution of the Eighth Party Congress, On the Organizational Question (March, 1919) 89 The Civil War: Lenin, All Out for the Fight Against Denikin (July, 1919) 91 Bukharin's Apology for War Communism: The Economics of the Transformation Period (1920) 92 Trotsky on Terror and Militarization: Terrorism and Communism (1920) 95 The "Democratic Centralists" in Opposition to Centralization: Osinsky, Minority Report on Building the Economy, Ninth Party Congress (March, 1920) 97 Lenin on Revolutionary Purism: "Left-Wing" Communism: An Infantile Disorder (April, 1920) 99 The Reaction against Bureaucracy: Resolution of the Ninth Party Conference, On the Coming Tasks of Building the Party (September, 1920) I o 1 The Communist Ideal in Family Life: Alexandra Kollontai, Communism and the Family (1920) 102 The Trade Union Controversy and the Workers' Opposition: Kollontai, The Workers' Opposition (1921) 104 The Kronstadt Revolt: What We Are Fighting For (March 8, 1921) 107 Institution of the Monolithic Party 109 a) Resolution of the Tenth Party Congress, On Party Unity (March, 1921) 109 b) Resolution of the Tenth Party Congress, On the Syndicalist and Anarchist Deviation in Our Party (March, 1921) 110 The New Economic Policy: Lenin, The Tax in Kind (April, 1921) 112 CHAPTER THREE: Soviet Communism: The Era of Controversy, 1922-1929 114 Protests against the New Economic Policy 114 a) The Declaration of the Twenty-Two (February, 1922) 114 b) Appeal of the "Workers' Truth" Group (1922) 115 Lenin's "Testament": Continuation of Notes (December 24, 1922) 117 Lenin on Nationality Policy: On the Question of the Nationalities or of "Autonomization" (December 30-31, 1922) 118 Lenin on the Prerequisites for Socialism: Our Revolution (January, 1923) 120 Lenin on Administrative Reform: Better Fewer, But Better (March, 1923) 121 Trotsky on Industrialization: Theses on Industry (March, 1923) 124 Formation of the Trotskyist Opposition 125 a) Trotsky Protests Bureaucratization (October 8, 1923) 125 b) Declaration of the Forty-Six (October 15, 1923) 127 viii Contents The "New Course" Controversy of December, 1923: Trotsky, The New Course (December 8, 1923) 129 The Condemnation of the Trotskyist Opposition: Resolution of the Thirteenth Party Conference, On the Results of the Controversy and on the Petty-Bourgeois Deviation in the Party ( January, 1924) 130 The Formation of the USSR Constitution of the USSR (January, 1924) 131 Stalin on Leninism and the Party: The Foundations of Leninism (April, 1924) 133 Stalin on Socialism in One Country: The October Revolution and the Tactics of the Russian Communists (December, 1924) 136 Preobrazhensky on the Economics of Industrialization: The New Economy (1926) 139 Soviet Cultural Policy—The Liberal Period: Resolution of the Central Committee, On the Policy of the Party in the Field of Literature (July 1,1925) 141 Soviet Educational Policy—The Revolutionary Period: Pinkevich, Outlines of Pedagogy(1927) 142 The Zinoviev-Kamenev Opposition 144 a) Zinoviev on State Capitalism (December, 1925) 144 b) Kamenev on Stalin (December, 1925) 145 The United Opposition: Declaration of the Thirteen (July, 1926) 147 Bukharin on the Opposition: The Party and the Opposition Bloc (July, 1926) 151 The Theoretical Debate on Socialism in One Country 153 a) Kamenev's Criticism of Stalin (November, 1926) 153 b) Stalin's Reply to Kamenev (November, 1926) 156 Stalin on the Expulsion of the Left Opposition: Report of the Central Committee to the Fifteenth Party Congress (December, 1927) 158 Stalin on the Grain Crisis: On the Grain Front (May, 1928) 159 The Right Opposition 162 a) Bukharin on Peasant Policy ( July 10, 1928) 162 b) Bukharin on the Menace of Stalin (July 11, 1928) 163 Kuibyshev on Industrialization: The Economic Situation of the Soviet Union (September 19, 1928) 164 Bukharin on Equilibrium: Notes of an Economist (September 30, 1928) 166 CHAPTER FOUR: The Transformation Under Stalin, 1929-1953 170 Stalin's Revolution: Stalin, The Right Deviation in the CPSU(B) (April, 1929) 170 Disciplining the Intellectuals: Resolution of the Second Ail-Union Conference of Marxist-Leninist Scientific Research Institutions, On Contemporary Problems of the Philosophy of Marxism-Leninism (April, 1929) 173 Rakovsky on Bureaucracy 175 a) Letter on the Causes of the Degeneration of the Party and Governmental Apparatus (August 2, 1928) 175 b) Circular of the Bolshevik-Leninist Opposition (April, 1930) 176 Stalin on the Liquidation of the Kulaks: Problems of Agrarian Policy in the USSR (December, 1929) 177