The Stalin school of falsification - Marxists Internet Archive

Stalin School of Falsification - Chapter 14
"3) to clarify the true class nature of the present Government."
GARIN: I do not believe, comrades, that there is anybody here who would agitate for undermining the
confidence in the Provisional Government in so far as its activity is directed toward the benefit of the
people. But naturally we must issue a declaration to the effect that the revolution has been accomplished
by the people, that the Provisional Govern ment has given the people an I.O.U. which it must pay. But if
it should fail to fulfill its obligations, then the people will demand not only full payment, but collect the
interest too.
The Helsingfors Committee of the S.D.L.P.R. has adopted the following resolution:
"To support the Provisional Government, in so far as it fulfills its obligations as proclaimed to the whole
nation, and so long as the Provisional Government is inclined to follow the path of the revolutionary
conquests for the benefit of Free Russia. While so doing, we, social democrats, must use all means to
eliminate among the people those trivial demands which prior to the convocation of the Constituent
Assembly might raise a wall between the people and the Provisional Government."
MILIUTIN: We are all agreed that the Provisional Government is counter-revolutionary in essence. Then
why are there disagreements on the question of our attitude toward it? Voitinsky says that the Provisional
Government is bourgeois, but that it received the power from the hands of the people and is carrying
through the people's program. The power is in our hands and we must give active support to the Govern
ment in carrying through the measures aimed to fortify the conquests of the revolution. Stalin, on the
other hand, speaks of the broadening of the tasks of the revolution. The difference lies not in the
conclusions but in the tactics. We proceed from different basic assumptions. Voitinsky has caught the
technical side but missed the socio-political side. The fact that the Provisional Government submitted the
ministerial slate is meaninglcss. Our revolution is not only a political but also a social revolution. A
government consisting of the rep resentatives of the bourgeoisie is therefore counter-revolu tionary. The
most important things that the Provisional Government must realize are: the war question, the social
questions. In this sphere we can place no confidence in it. We must extend and fortify the conquests of
the revolution but not solidarize with the steps of the Provisional Government.
STAROSTIN: Voitinsky has missed the social side of the revolution, hut he has grasped the political
side. What has compelled the Provisional Government to take the power into its hands? The fear lest it
lose the possibility of attaining its imperialist plans. On the other hand, the working class was unable at
that time to advance its own slate, and we our selves didn't know what was going to happen. Petrograd
could not sit and wait for a number of Vendees. Had we known here that the whole of Russia would join
in, then per haps we might have taken power into our own hands.
An offensive against democracy is already in progress. Noroye Vrema writes that the soldiers have to
stay in the trenches 24 hours at a stretch, but the workers are introduc ing the eight-hour day. In some
places, outright pogrom agitation is being conducted. It is necessary to make a defi nite declaration as to
the extent of our support to the Provisional Government. The speaker is not in agreement with the point
on the "Red Guard." This might be construed as mistrust of the Red Army and engender discord. If the
revolutionary Army does not back us up, then dozens of Red Guard detachments will not be able to
accomplish anything. Our task therefore must be to do our utmost to strengthen our influence on the
revolutionary Army.
GOLOSCHEKIN: Should the Provisional Government take revolutionary steps-for instance, proclaim
the confiscation of the lands-we will support it. But we cannot vote it com plete confidence. Everybody
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