The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-06-12
Mensheviks Give Up Revolution.

,
ton for the next revolutionary struggle. Butt
so much had the situation changed by the sum-
mer of 1906, that the Bolsheviks no longer adj
vocated boycotting the elections. They fought
determinedly against the tendency within their
own group which favored the boycott. 1t is
interesting to know that Martov accused the
Bolshevlks OF opportunism He claimed that
they advocated permanent election alliances.
Lenin showed that this was unfounded In
the frSt-Stage elections, when the masses do
their voting, the party must act wholly indie
pendently But in the second stage the Boil
sheviks approved of an electoral alliance with
the Trudoviky ('Toilers' -peasants) and this
especially in order to counterfeit the half-ca-
diets C"Popular Socalists''). Lenin explained
that the workers party cannot make per-
manent alliance, because even the bourgeois
democrats are enemies. But it is permissible
to ally with revolutionary democrats at the
final stage of the elections in order ia split the
bourgeois groups. But many Mensheviks like
Plechanov, advocated first-stage alliances,
even with the cadets (the Liberals).
But the reaction gained a foothold. It was
apparent that the revolutionary struggle was
delayed By an accident, Lenin escaped being
arrested in his home, on the Finnish side of
the border. He moved to Helsngfors and
then, in 1907, went abroad. The first question
now was to analyze the significance of what
had happened. The Mensheviks published their
four-volume investigation, and came to the
conclusion that the workers were to blame for
the defeat. They had, unconsciously followed
the Bolshevfk line; the Soviet had been too
radical, and the eight-hour day demand had
forced the bourgeoiSie to the side of czarism
The Bolsheviks explained, as causes of defeat:
% The international situation 1.-THE loan to
czarism from abroad). (2) The lack of class
consciousness, amengbthe peasants: as soldiers
they had shot down the workers. They did not
make a decisive fight against the landlords
the peasants had not elected Soviets 60 The
bourgeoisie had betrayed the workers, had raj
lied to the nobility. The Mensheviks had not
understood the revolution. 1t had been, in spite
OF the defeat great revolution. And that was
because of the Moscow rebellion and the Sow
lets The revolution will rise again. Soviets
viii be elected, and they will be victorious.
The Mensheviks regarded the revolution as
lost They considered that Russia would now
go along the German path, that czayism would
develop into constitutional monarchy; that
liberties would be gained gradually; that the
landlords would become bourgeois agricultur-
alsts (like the German Junkers); the peasants
would become farmers. Against this, Lenin
explained that the basic causes of the revolu-
ton would flare up again.
The Party convention was held in London,
1907. The Bolsheviks had the majority, altho
this was very uncertain. The main question
was the relation to the bourgeoisie should
the proletariat be the rear guard of the bour-
geoisie, or the leaders of the fight? Rosa Lux
emburg was present as the representative of
the Polish Socialist-Democracy More prole-
tarians from Russia attended than before, and
Lenin had their support In the central com
mittee elected by the convention there were
Lenin and Zinoviev. The Mensheviks were
represented by Martinov and varski (now
Communists). The Poles>were represented by
Tyshko murdered in 1919 in German pris
ON. The Let's were represented by Rosin |
Cater in America, died 1919 as member of
the LatYian Soviet goYernmentl Thoro ,,.oro |