Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 26 - From Marx to Mao

REVISION OF THE PARTY PROGRAMME175of collecting material on what has been done in other countriesin order to “feel the way” (according to Comrade Bukharin’scorrect expression) for a new programme (the “Tribunists”73 in Holland, the Lefts in Germany. The SocialistPropaganda League in America 74 has already been mentionedby Comrade Bukharin; we may also mention theAmerican Socialist Labour Party 75 and its demand that“the political state give way to industrial democracy”).Comrade Bukharin has pointed out a flaw in my draftwhich I must acknowledge to be absolutely correct. Hecites a passage in the draft (page 23 of the pamphlet*) whereI discuss the present situation in Russia, the capitalistProvisional Government, etc. Comrade Bukharin is right incriticising this passage and saying that it should be transferredto the resolution on tactics or to the platform. Itherefore propose either to leave out the last paragraphon page 23 altogether, or to put it as follows:“Striving for a political system which would best ensureeconomic progress and the rights of the people in general,and, in particular, make the transition to socialism as painlessas possible, the party of the proletariat cannot rest content”,etc.Finally, I must answer one question raised by a few comrades,but as far as I know, not yet discussed in the press.This is the question of Clause 9 of our political programmeon the right of nations to self-determination. This clauseconsists of two parts: the first part is a new statement on theright to self-determination; the second contains not a demandbut a declaration. I am asked whether a declaration isin place here. Generally speaking, there is no place for declarationsin a programme, but I think an exception to the ruleis necessary here. Instead of the word self-determination,which has given rise to numerous misinterpretations, I proposethe perfectly precise concept: “the right to free secession”.After six months’ experience of the 1917 Revolution, itis hardly possible to dispute that the party of the revolutionaryproletariat of Russia, the party which uses the Great-Russian language, is obliged to recognise the right to secede.When we win power, we shall immediately and uncondition-* See present edition, Vol. 24, p. 471.—Ed.