COMMENT ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE “LEFT COMMUNISTS”

Lenin

Since the  conclusion of  the  Brest peace, some   comrades who call themselves “Left Communists” have formed an “Opposition” in the Party, and in consequence of this their activity is slipping further and further towards a completely disloyal and impermissible violation of Party discipline. 

Comrade Bukharin has refused to  accept the post of  member of the C.C. to which he was appointed by the Party Congress.

Comrades Smirnov, Obolensky and Yakovleva have resigned from their posts as People’s Commissars and as business manager  of  the  Supreme  Economic Council.

These are absolutely disloyal, uncomradely actions that violate Party discipline, and such behaviour was and remains  a step towards a split on the part of the above mentioned comrades....*

Written in the  second  half of March 1918 

First  published  in  1929                                          

Lenin Miscellany XI         

                                                   

* Here the manuscript breaks off.—Ed.