Page:The Proletarian Revolution in Russia - Lenin, Trotsky and Chicherin - ed. Louis C. Fraina (1918).djvu/291

 the significance of the Soviets. As a catch-word of the moment, they prate of organizing the masses around the Soviets. Yet putting the question in this empty fashion is a profoundly reactionary procedure. Under an ostensible call for organization it attempts to circumvent the question as to the political aims and methods of the struggle. To organize the masses in the name of "elevating the authority" of the Soviets is a wretched and useless undertaking. The masses had faith in the Soviets, followed them, and elevated them to an immense height. As a result they witnessed the surrender of the Soviets to the worst enemies of the masses. It would be childish to suppose that the masses could or would repeat for the second time an historical experiment already disposed of. In order that the masses, having lost their confidence in the present dominant centre of democracy, should not also lose their confidence in the Revolution itself, they must be supplied with a critical estimate of all the political work previously accomplished in the Revolution, and this is tantamount to a merciless condemnation of all the labors of the Social-Revolutionist and Menshevik leaders.

We shall say to the masses: they blame the Bolsheviki for everything, but how is it that they were powerless to fight the Bolsheviki? On their side was not only the majority in the Soviets, but all the authority of the government, and yet they managed to get themselves defeated by a "conspiracy" on the part of what they call an insignificant band of Bolsheviki.

After the events of July 16-18, the S.-R.'s and Mensheviki in Petrograd grew weaker and weaker, while the Bolsheviki grew stronger and stronger. The same thing took place in Moscow. This clearly demonstrates the fact that by its policy Bolshevism gives expression to the actual demands of the revolution as the latter progresses, while the Social-Revolutionary and Menshevik "majority" simply perpetuates yesterday's helplessness and backwardness of the masses. But today, this mere standing-pat is played out; it must, therefore, be re-inforced by the most savage repression. These persons are struggling against the logic which is inherent in the Revolution, and for that reason you find them in the same camp with the class-conscious enemies of the Revolution. For just that reason we are in duty bound to weaken the confidence in them,—in the name of the day of Revolution that is our tomorrow.

The complete emptiness of the catchword, "strengthen the Soviets," comes out most clearly in the mutual relations of the