Speech by S.V. Kosior at the plenum - on Rykov and Molotov

Speech by S.V. Kosior at the plenum of the Central Committee and Central Control Commission of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on the release of Rykov and assignment of A.I. Molotov.

December 19, 1930

The tragedy of the Soviet village. Collectivization and dispossession. Documents and materials Volume 2. November 1929 - December 1930. Moscow ROSSPEN 2000. Pp. 772-773.

Archive: RGASPI. F. 17. Op. 2. D. 460. L. 45. Typographic copy.

№ 272

Kosior. I think that at this plenum, taking into account everything that has been said here, we cannot do without some conclusions of a practical nature. In the conditions of an intensified class struggle, the Party now has to solve a number of difficult tasks; in order to solve these tasks, we have to carry out a radical restructuring of the entire Soviet and economic apparatus, a change in its methods of work. Since we want the difficulties that we have and will overcome more quickly, we must ensure that the Party leadership and the leaders at the head of the entire Soviet apparatus constitute a single, powerful, and strong fist that must beat the one point.

Voice. Correct!

Kosior. I think that at the present time we do not have a position in the Council of People's Commissars similar to this powerful united fist, which should carry out our party line. The situation that has developed in the Council of People's Commissars—and you all know this, most know it from personal experience, from observation—this situation is completely intolerable: Comrade Rykov is not providing us with the kind of unity that we need now.

We have heard here from Comrade Rykov, and we have heard it more than once, that he recognizes the general line of the party, that he defends it, but for the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars—comrade Kuibyshev was absolutely correct in saying this—this is absolutely not enough, it is still very little. We need the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, who directs our entire Soviet and economic apparatus, to stand at the head of the leadership in the struggle for the party line, so that, as the comrades rightly say here, he fights with furious energy for the carrying out of the party line, primarily in the Soviet and economic work. Only under such conditions can we work properly. We do not have this at the present time, and there is no hope that someday this situation with Comrade Rykov will change with us. That is why we will have to draw appropriate organizational conclusions from all this. You know, that after the 16th Congress the Party made attempts to achieve good work with Comrade Rykov at the head of the Council of People's Commissars. But, as you know, it's not our fault that nothing came of it. Comrade Kuibyshev is correct in saying that Comrade Rykov does not have the main thing, the main thing is an understanding of the party line. This is basic. There is no understanding of the need for its persistent and proactive implementation in all our work, in the leadership of our entire Soviet and economic apparatus. Proceeding from this, I think that we should decide at this plenum to release Comrade Rykov from the duties of Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Union. But we cannot limit ourselves to this one. At the same time, I think it is necessary to raise the question of Comrade Rykov's continued presence in the Politburo. You all remember, after the 16th Congress, when we removed two of the troika from the Politburo and left the so-called. Rykov in the Politburo, the party could not understand, and quite rightly, why we did it. You also know that we kept Comrade Rykov in the Politburo because he remained in the post of Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars.

In the present state of affairs, when we will inevitably have to decide to release him from the duties of chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, it is necessary at the same time to release him from the duties of a member of the Politburo.

Instead of comrade Rykov, I propose that comrade Molotov be appointed chairman of the Council of People's Commissars. ( Prolonged applause from the entire audience.)

Comrades, I have several other proposals, let me read them all together:

1) Release comrade Rykov from the duties of chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and from the duties of a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks.

2) Confirm Comrade Molotov as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, with his release from the duties of Secretary of the Central Committee and member of the Organizing Bureau.

3) To approve comrades Rudzutak, Kuibyshev and Andreev as deputy chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR.

4) In view of the election of Comrade Andreev as chairman of the Central Control Commission of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, release him from his duties as a candidate member of the Politburo.

5) Introduce comrade Ordzhonikidze to the membership of the Politburo.

Chairman. Would it be pleasing to vote on Comrade Kosior's proposals separately, point by point, or as a whole?

Vote. Generally.

Chairman. Who is in favor of accepting Comrade Kosior's proposals?

Ordzhonikidze. Vote in parts, what is there as a whole.

Chairman. I asked the plenum how they want to vote, they want to vote as a whole. 

Who is against the proposal? 

Who abstained? No. 

Adopted unanimously. ( Prolonged applause from the entire audience.)