Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 16 - From Marx to Mao

136V. I. LENINFROM MARXTO MAOto domination. Translated into simple and clear language,to proceed “parallel” means to exploit the masses politically,trapping them with democratic words and betraying them inpractice. “To support them [the Octobrists] systematicallyin constitutional questions”, these words in Mr. Milyukov’sreport express the essence of the policy of the Cadets. In practicethe Cadets are accomplices of Octobrism, they are awing of bourgeois constitutionalism. Struve and the otherVekhists admit this in candid, blunt and straightforwardterms, and demand that the Cadets should stop “ogling theleft and fawning on the revolutionaries who despise them”(the words of the well-known renegade Mr. Izgoyev in MoskovskyYezhenedelnik, 74 1909, No. 46, page 10). Milyukovand Co. are dissatisfied only with the bluntness and straight-⋆forwardness of the Vekhists only because the Vekhists arespoiling their diplomacy, are making it hard for themto lead the backward elements of the masses by the nose.Milyukov is the practical politician, Struve—the liberaldoctrinaire, but their peaceful coexistence in the sameparty is no accident, but a necessity, because by the verynature of the case the bourgeois intellectual vacillates betweenplacing hopes in the masses (who can help to pullthe chestnuts out of the fire) and placing hopes in the Octobristbourgeoisie. NOT FOR“The fact that it is impossible for the present regime topermit free intercourse between the democratic elementswho are politicallyCOMMERCIALenlightened and the democratic massesprevents the realisation of the main promises contained inthe Manifesto DISTRIBUTIONof October 17,” writes Mr. Milyukov. Here,inadvertently, he has spoken a deeper truth than he intended.Firstly, if it is true that it is impossible for the presentregime to permit intercourse between the masses and thedemocrats (and that is unquestionably true) then revolutionarytactics are necessary, not a “constitutional” struggle;the people need to be led to the overthrow of this regime, notits reformation. Secondly, October-December 1905 and theFirst Duma and the Second Duma all proved that “it isimpossible to permit free intercourse” between the “democraticmasses” and the Social-Democrats or even the Narodniksof all shades not only “for the present regime” but alsofor the Russian liberals, the Russian Cadets. The Cadets were