The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-26
''FOLLY NOT TO
WORK IN Old
UNIONS"-LENIN
Without 1t, Impossible
to Win Power
BY N. LENIN, April 81, 1920

~ I'VE EENtiNg fAPTi ~ i9EO
In countries more advanced than
in Russia, the reactionary tendencies
in the trade unions are naturally
more pronounced and more conspic-
ious than in our country. In Russia,
the mensheviki had land to some ex.
tent still have in a very few trade
unions) the support of the trade
unions due to trade narrowness and
opportunism and craft exclusiveness.
The mensheviki of the western
countries have greater influence in
the ranks Of the trade unions because
these unions are dominated by more
powerful element of labor aristocra-
cy, who uphold trade union narrow
ness and the self-interest and sordid-
ness of these petty bourgeois inspired
imperialistic trade unions whose lead
ers are corrupted and bribed by the
capitalist imperialists.
These statements cannot be sue
cessfully contradicted. The struggle
with the Gomperses, Jouhauxes, Hen.
dersons, Merrheims, Legiens ct al, in
western Europe and America, is much
severer than the conflict with our
own menshevik who represent a
more homogeneous social and polite
al type.
No Compromise
This struggle must be carried on
without compromise and these react.
ionary and incorrigible social patriot
ic, opportunist leaders must be ex-
posed, discredited and expelled in dis
grace from the trade unions. II is i'm
possible to conquer political power
until this fight has. been waaed up to
a certain degree.
In different countries and in differ
ent circumstances, the degree to
which the fight should be carried is
not always identical. These condi-
tons can be carefully appraised only
by trained, Thoughtful and experienced
political leaders Of the proletariat Of
each country.
In Russia, for example, the criter-
ion of success in this conflict was de-
termined by the election to the Con-
| stituent Assembly in Nov. 1917-a
few days after the proletarian up
rising Of October 25, 1917. In these
elections, the mensheviki were over
whelmingly defeated, receiving 70O,-
900 votes (including trans-Caucasia-
100000 votes) as against 100000
votes received by the Bolsheviki.
All To Win The Masses
The struggle with the tabor artist
ocracy" we carry on in the name OF
the working masses and for the pur-
pose of winning the masses over to
our side. This struggle with the so
cial-chauvinist and opportunist lead
ers must be carried on in order to at
tract the working class to us.
It would be sheer folly to ignore
this most elementary and self-eyident
truth. And it is precisely this folly
that is being committed by the left"
German Communists, who, because of
the reactionary and counterrevolu-
tionary character OF the leaders OF
the trade unions. jump at conclusions
and withdraw from the unions, re
fuslna to work within them; evolving
new and fantastic forms Of labor or
CARNATIONS.
In persisting in this objectionable
folly, the Communists are rendering
the greatest service to the bourgeo
Isle. For the mensheviki, the social
chauvinist and Kautskian leaders o.
the trade unions are nothing less than
agents OF the capitalists within the
working class movement, Gust as we
have always said Of our own menshe
viks) or, in the fine and profoundly
truthful expression used by De Leon
in America, 1.-The labor lieutenants OF
the capitalist class"
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