Eleventh Congress of the R.C.P.(B.)
Collected Works, Volume 42,
March 27-April 2, 1922
Proposal to the Draft Resolution on the Report of the R.C.P.(B.) Delegation in the Comintern
The purpose and sense of the tactics of the united front consist in drawing more and more masses of the workers into the struggle against capital, even if it means making repeated offers to the leaders of the II and II 1/2 Internationals to wage this struggle together. When the majority of the workers have already established their class, i.e., their Soviet, and not “general national” (i.e., in common with the bourgeoisie) representation, and have overthrown the political domination of the bourgeoisie, then the tactics of the united front, of course, cannot require co-operation with parties such as that of the Mensheviks (the “R.S.D.L.P.”) and the S.R.s (the “Party of Socialist-Revolutionaries”) for these have turned out to be opponents of Soviet power. Influence upon the working-class masses under Soviet rule has to be extended not by seeking co-operation with the Mensheviks and S.R.s, but in the manner mentioned above.[2]
Speech on the Question of Printing Advertisements in Pravda
April 2[3]
Comrades, an almost fatal mistake has occurred here. I have risen to a point of order (as the chairman made clear) and not to make a closing speech. I have taken the floor to ask the congress to waive standing orders and procedure. There is a rule that after a decision has been passed there can be no interference on that question. I ask the congress to give me 4 or 5 minutes in order to oppose the decision that has been wrongly passed here.
When I heard that the congress had passed this decision and when I heard that Comrade Ryazanov had defended it (Ryazanov: “That is not so.”) All the better—at least one absurd decision has by-passed Ryazanov. If we were dealing here with an innocent young lady of some twelve summers, who had learned only yesterday that there was such a thing in the world as communism, and she would have put on a frilly white frock with red ribbons and said that Communists were just pure tradesmen—that would be funny, and we could enjoy a hearty laugh over it, but seriously, what are we doing? Where will Pravda get the money to make up for the advertisements we have deprived it of? I ask—how much money does Pravda need to keep up with Izvestia? You don’t know? Nor do I!
Notes at the Congress Meeting
April 2
Sedoi:
α) ... Contradictions, abnormality, inconsistency....
β) “greatest trust” and!!?
1) Groundlessness of the accusation that the C.C. is persecuting the former Workers’ Opposition
2) refusal to do positive work
3) concentration on playing at opposition
4) behaviour at metalworkers’ congress
5) ditto after the congress
6) is there such a division within the former Workers’ Opposition, which makes the Party draw a line between the majority who are working loyally in the Party, despite difference in views, and the minority (perhaps even an insignificant one) who are behaving in a definitely unloyal manner.
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