The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18
THE STRUGGLE IN RUSSIA.
Tactics and Programme or the Party 0i
Revolutionary Socialists.

IdctirS anu programme Oh INC fuTty "
Revolutionary Socialists.
ST. PETERSBURG, March THE period
of actual revolution through which Russia
Is now passing compels the existing political
parties to put forward only the main prinoi-
pies of their programmes, without insisting
on the working out OF the full detail intended
for time Of peace.
@The party of Revolutionary Socialists in
Russia holds that true democracy can be
embodied only in the republican form Of
government. For the present time it aims
at putting into the hands OF the nation the
free choice OF the form Of government and
Of the establishment of political and social
order.
The party will therefore resist any form
OF Constitution granted by the bon pldisir
Of the autocratic power and will strive for
the convocation of a constituent assembly
ON the basis of universal suffrage, by which
free expression of popular opinion is to be
secured by certain guarantees. These
guarantees are:
!. Freedom OF speech and press; freedom
OF meeting and association; freedom OF creed
and personal security.
.. Right OF voting for every citizen Of legal
age, without distinction of creed, sex or race.
The party aims at the establishment OF
a Federal State, based upon a wide system
Of communal and municipal self govern
ment. In short, the party strives for the
establishment of a Russian federatiye
republic.
In the department Of political economy
the members of the party, like all Socfa lists.
aim at the adjustment of private property.
in the means Of production and Of exchange.
and at the conversion of the same into
social property. But in the process OF
this conversion the party takes into ac-
count the dual nature Of the social means Of
production and of national wealth.
This conversion requires n carefully
planned organization Of labor and Of con-
sumers. This work Of organization for
the purpose Of the final liquidation Of the
capitalistic economy will be put by the
party at the forefront of its activity ~
soon as the nation has secured political
freedom and democratic institutions.
H AGRARIAN PROBLEM.
Another part of the social means of pro-
duction and of the national wealth is the
land with its natural riches. Here also q
complicated organization is needed. The
party deems it therefore necessary to solve i.
the agrarian problem at the same time al
the political, by way of naturalization
and specialization Of the land, i. p, by trans
ferring the latter to communal, municipal
and regional boards for distribution among
organized agrarian communities and asso-
Citations.
The use of the land must be organized
on the principle of equalization. The
party is opposed to any system of renting
the n~ationalined land to capitalists en-
ploying paid workmen. The land must
- .Lo -.o-artu 80 fba uho1a nation ond
afford economic security to the rural popu-
lation.
The radical solution Of the agrarian
problem is in the first place dictated to the
party. not only by social and economic
but also by political considerations Russia
is par excellence an agricultural country
and is likely to remain in this condition for
a long time to come, il not forever. The
rural population forns the chief productive
part of the nation and therefore the chief
source of State revenue.
On the international market Russia In
the chief provider of corn and raw material.
Owing to the extortion pract.sed by the
autocracy, the Russian people are entirely
ruined and burdened with debt to foreign
and home capitalists for several generations
to come Apart from the payment OF this
debt, the establish ment of the new demo-
cratic regime, the fulflment Of a series OF
new reforms, will require enormous financial
means. Without a radical solution Of the
agrarian problem, without securing the
land, without radically ameliorating the
condition of the chief body Of the tax
paying population no real political freedom
is possible.
THE REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA.
l. The revolution in Russia Is not only O
political but also a social one. The auto
cratic government will always hinder
Russia from turnir & to the path Of peaceful
political and social evolution, because IL
ment.
When the party began its struggle with
the autocracy the world c~onslqered it's
action as mere temerity, but the world
agrarian problem in Russia by way OF
specialization Of the land may also appear
TO the world as a new teme Gritty, but the
party entertains the hope that the world
will have once more been mistaken.
Conscious OF the thickness OF the social
atmosphere in the oapitalistio countries,
the party is fully aware Of the influence
which the political social movement in
Russia is to exert on the international prole-
tariat. Being a part Of the international
sooialistic army, the rarity considers itself
as an advanced guard fighting for the reali-
cation of the ideal of international socialism,,
and therefore consciously acts in conform
ity with the aspirations, interests and policy
of the international proletariat.
Ii the near future Russia has to perform
a complex work OF political and social re-
construction. After the agrarlan problem
there is the whole financial system on newI
principles, abolition Of indirect taxati9h,
introduction OF progressive income tax fnd
the tax on legacies,
WOULD ABOLISH II ARMY.
The party is radically opposed to any
aggressive foreign policy and considers the
abolition Of n standing army and the insti-
tuition Of n national militia in it's stead IA
the best means OF defence against attacks
from outside and as the best guarantee OF
freedom within the country.