The Stalin school of falsification - Marxists Internet Archive

Stalin School of Falsification - Chapter 14
party structure in dependence upon the attitude on the question of defensism. As far as I know, within the
Bolshevik tendency there is tak ing place the same struggle around the question of the atti tude to
defensism. In consequence, we must do away with the old division between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks,
and speak only of our attitude toward the war. Comrade Rozanov cor rectly said that precisely at the
moment when the question of the unity of the social democracy is especially vital, we are being
threatened with a split in the party. But he forgot another great danger: That the proletariat may become
isolated from the rest of the democracy at such a moment as we are now living through, and the social
democracy in its turn may become isolated from the proletariat. And I appeal to you not to forget the
enormous task facing us, and not to substitute for this problem, the dominant role of the social
democracy.
Every attempt to evade giving an answer to the question of our attitude to defensism is doomed to failure,
because the bourgeoisie is conducting a forthright agitation. It is politi cally more advantageous to
renounce defensism altogether than to come out with a compromise. For we cannot face unarmed the
bourgeoisie which is conducting an agitation. In the resolution we speak of: Soldiers, Workers. But up to
now it has been our habit to operate with the class. Where is the place of the class? Where is its post?
[VOICE: "Remain at yourpost!"]
The formula of the resolution, you must agree, is not an answer, but an evasion. It is inacceptable both to
you and to ourselves. For the sake of the urgent need of the unity of the proletarian front, in order that the
victory of the revolution may be made secure, and bearing in mind that we have not yet conquered-we
ought to remember that we cannot adopt a resolution which isolates the proletariat from the democracy,
while isolating the social democracy from the proletariat. The delegates from the provinces report that
the moods locally are quite different from the mood prevailing here. If we do not stand in a majority on a
position opposed in principle to that of the Executive Committee.
KAMENEY: We do so stand.
LIENER:. . . then there was no need to carry on any discus sian. But we are facing an abyss, not a party,
but an abyss into which we are plunging the proletariat. Can the social democracy permit itself the luxury
of digging an abyss between itself and the workers and the soldiers who have gathered for the
Conference? If the question involved the triumph of the chauvinist moods expressed at the Conference
by a few soldiers, then of course I would be in favor of an abyss, because this mood of the soldiery can
lead the prole tariat into the abyss. But the question is whether we should strive to break away the more
conscious section of the dele gation, or repel them towards the less conscious. This, of course, does not
do away with the necessity of advancing those sides which we think necessary to advance. The line of
conduct, dictated by political tact, speaks for the necessity of uniting the majority of the Conference on a
platform which, though less illuminating, will be acceptable to all. We will vote for the resolution of the
Executive Committee, but this will not hinder us from coming forward with our own, more illuminating
declaration.
VOITINSRY: I am ready to put my signature to every word of comrade Lieber. In both factions there are
both tendencies. There are two viewpoints that are far removed from each other. The representatives of
both factions are on the Execu tive Committee. The entire work of the Soviet has been con ducted under
our banner. If we engage in a battle over the resolution, we will discredit our representatives on the
Executive Committee not only at the present session but in the future as well. The Executive Committee
must be far more cautious in its actions than a political party. It is impermissible to thrust socialist views
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