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

NOTES OF A PUBLICIST225sheviks and otzovists that were endorsed by a majority ofthe nationals,* the Bolsheviks ensured that the sole issuefor all Social-Democrats irrespective of trend, except theprofessional blackmailers, became the implementation ofthe Party’s anti-liquidationist and anti-otzovist policy.Under the resolution which depended on the national Social-Democrats,access to Party work, to taking part in theimplementation of this policy, was not barred to anyone,to any single member of the Party; no obstacles to its implementation,no extraneous hindrances remained. So ifthe liquidators now raise their heads again, more conspicuouslythan ever it proves that their extraneous obstacleswere a fiction, a blind, scandalmongering dodge, a contrivanceof sectarian intriguers and nothing more.That is why the process of demarcation and divisionbegan in real earnest only after the plenum. This divisionis taking place solely over a most important question ofprinciple—that of the liquidation of our Party. Those“conciliators” who were shocked, aggrieved and astonishedbecause this process of demarcation began after the plenum,only proved by their astonishment that they were underthe spell of sectarian diplomacy. A sectarian diplomatmight think that a conditional agreement with Martov andMartynov, Maximov and the second Vperyodist 96 meansthe end of all demarcation, for a divergence of principleis a minor matter to such a diplomat. Conversely, peoplewho attach primary importance to the fundamental questionof liquidationism and otzovism see nothing surprisingin the fact that a demarcation purely on the basis of principlehad to begin after satisfying all the claims of Martov,Maximov and Co., after the maximum concessions to themon questions of organisation, etc.What has been taking place in the Party since the plenumis not the collapse of Party unity, but the beginning of theunion of all those who are really capable and desirous ofworking in the Party and in the Party spirit, the beginning* Remember that those with the right to vote at the plenum were4 Mensheviks, 4 Bolsheviks, 1 Vperyodist, 1 Lett, 2 Bundists and 2Poles, i.e., the Bolsheviks did not have a majority over the Mensheviksand the Vperyodists even with the Poles and the Lett; the Bundistsdecided.