The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-03-19
SPEECH OF COMRADE LENIN.
End Installment.


international situation; he is received with
loud applause, which becomes an enthusiastic
ovation.
In my report shall dwell somewhat in
detail on the international situation.
Main Features of Imperialism.
THE basis of the entire international
situation as we find it to-day is the econ
Onic situation of Imperialism. During the
entire twentieth century this new, higher
and last stage of development of capitalism
became fully defined. Of course you all
know that the most characteristic traits of
imperialism are found in the fact that
capital attained enormous proportions. Mon
opoly replaced free competition. Capitalists
of gigantic size in insignificant numbers
were able to concentrate iii their hands
sometimes whole branches of industry. They
set about to establish unions, syndicates,
artels, and trusts of an international char
acter, seizing financially and on the basis
of property rights, and in part also with
respect to production, entire branches OF
industry, not only in individual countries
but with respect to the entire world
"On this foundation they developed an
unprecedented and unheard-of rule Of an
insignificant number of banks, the rule Of
am insignificant number of financial kings,
of fiancial magnates, who in fact converted
even the freest republican countries into
financial monarchies, as has been admitted
by the writer Lessis ~, who is not at all
revolutionist
Division of Colonies.
This rule by an insignificant handful of
capitalists reached it's complete development
when all lands were finally divided up not
only in the sense of seizure by the largest
capitalists of the main sources of raw
material and production, but also in the
sense of final preliminary division of
colonies. Thirty years ago the population in
these colonies did not exceed quarter Of
a billion, and they were subjected to six
large powers. On the eve of 1914 the po-
pulation in the colonies was about 100000
900, and if we add such countries as Persia,
Turkey, and China, which were in fact in
semicolonial condition, then we have
population of 1,000,0O0000, which was op-
pressed by the richest, most civilized and
freest countries by means Of colonial depend
ence. And you all know that colonial depend
ence means unheard-of economic and finan-
cial oppression, means a whole series of
wars, which the 'pacifist' European petty
bourgeoisie does not even consider wars be-
cause frequently these wars are merely
clashes in which European armies, armed
with the best equipment beat up the un-
armed and unprotected inhabitants of col
onial countries.
Imperialistic War of 1914.
"As result of this dividing up of the
entire earth, and of this rule Of capitalistic
monopoly, of this rule Of an insignificant
number Of the largest banks--not more
than four to five banks dominate the entire
life even in the most rich, enlightened, and
free country-as a result of this rule the
imperialistic war developed inevitably. The
purpose of the war of 1914 was to redistri-
butte the world; that is, determine which
one of this small group of States, England
or Germany, would receive the possibility
and right to rob, oppress and exploit the
entire world.
"You know how the war decided this
question in favor of the English group, and
as result of the war we have an immeasur-
ably increased sharpening of all antago-
niSms.
Results of the War.
'The war Immediately threw about
quarter of billion of the population of the
earth into situation which was practically
that of colonies-Russia, with its population
of 130,000,0OO; Austria Hungary, Bulgaria,
and Germany, with populations totaling
120,O00000 The war, which led TO the COM
plete defeat Of these countries through the
Versailles Treaty, imposed ON them such
conditions that these civilized peoples have
become dependent, like the colonials, and
like the latter, ruined starving, and with
out rights For many generations they are
doomed to this condition by the treaty,
condition in which formerly no civilized
l,,I to