Page:Theses Presented to the Second World Congress of the Communist International (1920).pdf/47

 necessary for the socialisation of such land. In some probably exceptional cases parts of their estates will be confiscated if they are leased in small parcels, or if they are specially needed by the surrounding small-peasant population. A free use must also be secured to this population, on definite terms, of a part of the agricultural machinery of the landed peasants, etc. As a general rule, however, the state power must leave to the landed peasants their land. confiscating it only in case of resistance to the power of the labouring and exploited peasants. The experience of the Russian proletarian revolution, whose struggle against the landed peasants became very complicated and very long because of a series of particular circumstances, has nevertheless shown that this class has been at least taught what it costs to make the least attempt at resistance, and is now quite willing to serve loyally the ends of the proletarian State. It begins even to be penetrated, although very slowly, by a respect for the power which protects every worker and deals relentlessly with the idle rich.

The special conditions which have complicated and prolonged the struggle of the Russian proletariat against the landed peasantry, after the overthrow of the bourgeoisie, consist chiefly in the fact that after the coup d'état of October 25 (November 7,1917), the Russian revolution traversed a stage of "generally democratic",