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

NOTES OF A PUBLICIST2193. THE TERMS OF UNITY AND SECTARIANDIPLOMACYTo proceed. The editorial article of Golos on the resultsof the plenum compels us to touch on the question of thedeletion of the words liquidationism and otzovism from theresolution. This editorial article (in No. 19-20, p. 18)declares with an audacity unusual and unprecedented (exceptamong our Golosists) that the term “liquidator” is aselastic as india-rubber, that it has “engendered all kindsof misunderstandings” (sic!!), etc., and for this reason “theCentral Committee decided to delete this term from theresolution”.What can we call this version of the Central Committee’sdecisions on the deletion of the term when the editors ofGolos cannot but know that it is contrary to the truth?What calculation was in the minds of these editors, twoof whom were at the plenum and know the “history” ofthe deletion of the term? Did they really count on not beingexposed?The majority of the commission which drew up theresolution approved the retention of the term. Of the twoMensheviks in the commission, one (Martov) voted forits deletion, the other (who repeatedly inclined towardsPlekhanov’s position) was against. At the plenum the followingstatement was put forward by all the nationals(2 Poles$2 Bundists$1 Lett) and Trotsky.“Recognising that it would be desirable intrinsically to applythe term ‘liquidationism’ to the trend which, as indicated in theresolution, has to be combated, yet taking into account the statementof the Menshevik comrades that they too consider it necessary to combatthis trend but that the use of such a term in the resolution is of afactional character directed against them, the Mensheviks—we, in theinterests of eliminating all unnecessary hindrances to the unificationof the Party, propose that this term be dropped from the resolution.”Thus the majority of the Central Committee and, moreover,all the non-factional elements, state in writing thatthe word liquidationism is intrinsically correct and thatliquidationism must be combated, yet the editorial boardof Golos explains that the term was deleted as being intrinsicallyunsuitable!!