The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-08

viks? The division developed on a
number of issues especially:
l. The conception of the revoIu-
ton. Since the immediate task of
the future revolution was the over
throw Of tsarism and feudalism,
that is, the fulfillment of the bour-
geois-democratic revolution already
completed in western Europe, the
Mensheviks held that the regime
and government succeeding tsarism
must necessarily be that of the
bourgeoisie. and that the role of the
working class would be to strive
to win concessions within this
regime, while giving it general sup
port. The Bolsheviks argued that
the revolution could only conquer,
not under the leadership of the
bourgeoisie, but under the leader
ship OF the working class. in alli-
snce with the peasantry; and that
the working class must fight to
establish the revolutionary dem
ocratic dictatorship of the workers
and peasants as the form Of state
to succeed tsarism.
2. The relationship to the liberal
bourgeOisie. The Mensheviks IA
yored alliance with the liberal bour-
geoisie, on condition of the latter
promising to support the workers
demands. The BolSheviks. while
ready to utilize all tactics accord
ing to circumstances, insisted on
the necessity to expose uncompro-
misingly the real character of the
aims and reactionary role of the
liberal bourgeoisie.
3. The conception of the party.
The Mensheyiks favored a. more
elastic form of party organiza
ton, which would leave member
ship open to individual supporters
Of the program isolated intellec-
tuals, etc. who were not directly
members of the underground work.
ing groups, but only worked under
their control; that is, in effect, to
sympathizers who hesitated to face
the consequences of direct revolu-
tionary work The Bolsheviks in
sisted that the party would only be
the weaker for these elements, and
must consist solely of members
directly participating as responsible
party workers in a party organiza-
ton; only on this basis could the
party be an effective revolutionary,
disciplined, fighting force, without
weak, passive or vacillating
elements.
THESE were some of the principal
issues dividing Bolshevism and
Menshevism in the early years. 1t
will be seen that these issues al
ready contained in germ the essen
tial line of division between revolu-
tionary socialism and reformism,
between the fight for the workers
revolution and the line of adapta-
tino to capitalism.
This division revealed it's true
character more and more COM
pletely in the succeeding years.
Menshevism developed to the line
of national defense" or support OF
imperialism during the War; to
ministerial coalition with the bour-
geoisie after the revolution in
March, 1917, maintaining imperial
ism and throwing the Bolsheviks
into prison; and finally to armed
counter after the Boil
shevik capture of power, when the
Mensheviks joined the White camp
of the bourgeois and monarchist
forces in open war on the workers
rule.
This subsequent working out, step
by step. of the whole character of
Menshevism, which was in fact no
peculiar Russian phenomenon, but
is an international tendency, proved
the correctness of Lenins judg-
ment of its character at the out
set.
(To Be Continued