The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-07-18

(From the Speech of Earl BrOwder, June 24)
A WORD about the development in the Soviet
"a Union, which still has not been adequately
dealt with in the convention. 1t is impossible
to obtain proper perspective of the world
situation, except in the light of developments
in the Soviet Union. What is going on there
is perhaps the most important step in the
development o the world revolution since Octo-
ber 1917. We are passing a turning point
in the history of the revolution. Let US try
to understand what it means. The success of
the socialist construction, under the Five Year
Plan, has brought us to a new high level of
the world revolution
This development is based upon the success
full construction of industry and especially of
heavy industry, which Comrade Lenin taught
us is the material basis for socialism In the
growth of industry in the Soviet Union, the
foundation has been solidly laid. And now,
upon this foundation, we witness the collectiv-
ization of agriculture which represents the in
PRODUCTION of a new type of relationships never
before seen in history. This is one of the
creative contributions of the revolutionary
masses. The result of the successful move
ment for colectivization has been that social
ism now in the Soviet Union finds its base
not only il industry, but also'a constantly
growing base in agriculture. The age-old con-
",
industry and agriculture is being wiped out
by the proletarian dictatorship.
Profound Charges.
This is the great historical significance of
the period which we are now living through
The result of collectivization is a profound
change in class relationships in the Soviet
Union. Formerly in the village were poor
peasants, middle peasants, and kulaks. The
first were the firm allies of the proletariat in
the building of socialism; the last were en-
emies; while the middle peasants were the
object of struggle for political leadership be-
tween the proletarat and poor peasants on
one side and the kulaks on the other With
the collectivization movement, we witness the
whole agricultural population or growing large
sections OF the country passing over the new
economic and social relationships which wipe
out these old divisions, in which the entire col
lectivized reputation of poor and middle peas
ants, with the kulaks liquidated as a class
becomes part of the socialist order. We sec
constantly expanding socialist sector in ag-
riculture, now occupying the most important
grain producing areas, in which the class en-
envy has beer deprived of all material basis
in which agriculture itself and the agrarian
population gives new and wider basis for the
proletarian dictatorship.
In the peasantry of the colectivized areas
divisions are based upon the position which
the class occupies in the productive machinery
of the country, and the collectivized peasantry
occupies an entirely position. This new
position in the machinery of production newt
ably makes them part of the foundation of
the dictatorship. the class forces making
for socialism in the Soviet Union 1t is at
the same time demonstration of that process
of the wiping out of class divisions which will
be completed with the final victory of social
ism.
Sharp Turn.
The tremendous achievements in building
socialist industry provided the basis of this
sharp turn in policy. 1t is accompanied by
sharpened class struggles. Collectivization can
only be successful in sharp struggle against
the capitalist elements in agriculture, against
the kulaks. Victorious socialist construction
made possible the turn from the policy of lin
itation and squeezing out of the kuaks, to the
policy of liquidation of the kuaks as class,
rallied in the coectivized areas. The I'M
precedented rate Of growth OF industry espec-
islly heavy industry, was the economic pre-
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