Page:The Proletarian Revolution in Russia - Lenin, Trotsky and Chicherin - ed. Louis C. Fraina (1918).djvu/401

 from the principal problem of convincing the people and suppressing the exploiters by force to the now principal problem of management.

For the first time in the history of the world the Socialist party has succeeded in completing, essentially, the task of securing power and suppressing the exploiters, and in coming close to the problem of management. We must prove worthy of this, the most difficult (and most promising) problem of the Socialist revolution. We must not fail to see that, besides the ability to convince and to win in civil war, successful management depends on the ability for practical organization. This is the most difficult problem,—it means the organization, on a new basis, of the deepest foundations—the economic—of the life of tens and tens of millions. And it is the most promising problem, for only after its essential solution shall we be able to say that Russia has become not only a Soviet, but a Socialist republic.

This objective situation, which was created by the extremely oppressive and insecure peace, by the terrible disorganization, unemployment and starvation, which we have inherited from the war, and from the rule of the bourgeoisie (represented by Kerensky and his supporters, the Mensheviki and right Social-Revolutionists),—all this has inevitably produced an extreme weariness and even an exhaustion of the toiling masses. It is but natural that they insistently demand some rest. The restoration of the productive forces destroyed by the war and by the mismanagement of the bourgeoisie; the curing of wounds inflicted by the war, defeats in the war, speculation, and the attempts of the bourgeoisie to establish the overthrown power of the exploiters; the economic rehabilitation of the country; the maintenance of elementary order;—these are the urgent problems to which we must turn. It may seem paradoxical, but the fact is that in view of objective conditions, there can be no doubt that at the present moment the Soviet power cannot make secure the transformation of Russia toward Socialism, unless it can solve in a practical way these most elementary problems of social life—in spite of the resistance of the bourgeoisie, the Mensheviki and the right Social-Revolutionists. In view of the concrete peculiarities of the present situation and in view of the existence of the Soviet power with its laws on socialization of the land, on workers' control of industry, etc., the practical solution of these elementary problems would mean that we will have overcome the organization difficulties of the first steps toward Socialism.

Keep accurate and conscientious accounts, conduct business