Page:The Proletarian Revolution in Russia - Lenin, Trotsky and Chicherin - ed. Louis C. Fraina (1918).djvu/200

 dence of the people,—has, both by a direct understanding with the Provisional Government and by a series of virtual concessions, voluntarily placed the powers of the state in the hands of the bourgeoisie and a bourgeois government. It is still surrendering positions to the bourgeoisie, has voluntarily accepted the domination of the bourgeoisie and agreed to support it, limiting itself to the role of a supervising body. Why? Is it because Cheidse, Tseretelli, Steklof & Co. are making a "mistake"? No such thing. A philistine may think that way, not a Marxist. The reason is to be foimd in the insufficient class consciousness and organization of the workers and peasants. The "mistake" of the leaders mentioned lies in their petit bourgeois position, in their inspiring the workers with bourgeois illusions instead of fighting to destroy these illusions, in their strengthening the influence of the bourgeoisie over the masses instead of liberating the masses from this influence.

This most peculiar situation, unparalleled in history, has led to the simultaneous existence and co-action of two dictatorships: a dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry, the Councils of Workers' and Soldiers' Delegates, and a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, for the Provisional Government is not based on statutes nor on the expressed will of the nation, but was simply the assumption of power by a definite class, the bourgeoisie.

There is not the slightest doubt but that such a combination can not last long. There can not be any dualism of authority in the government. One of the two powers is bound to dwindle to nothing, and the bourgeoisie is already straining all its energies in an endeavor to weaken and finally annihilate the Councils of Workers' and Soldiers' Delegates and concentrate all authority in a bourgeois government.

The Provisional Government must be overthrown. It is an oligarchical, bourgeois government, not a popular one. It must not be overthrown at once, for it is being maintained by a straight and clear agreement, in form and in fact, by the Soviets, chiefly with the principal Soviet, that of Petrograd. It must not be "overthrown" in the customary manner, for it is based on the "support" of the second government, the government of the Soviets, and this second government is the only possible revolutionary government, since it expresses directly the consciousness and the will of the great majority of the workers and peasants. In order to become a power, the class conscious workers must win over a majority to their side: as you cannot resort to force against the masses, there is no