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

250V. I. LENINIn accordance with the sense of justice of democrats ingeneral, and of the working classes in particular, the governmentconceives the annexation or seizure of foreign lands tomean every incorporation of a small or weak nation into alarge or powerful state without the precisely, clearly andvoluntarily expressed consent and wish of that nation,irrespective of the time when such forcible incorporationtook place, irrespective also of the degree of development orbackwardness of the nation forcibly annexed to the givenstate, or forcibly retained within its borders, and irrespective,finally, of whether this nation is in Europe or in distant,overseas countries.If any nation whatsoever is forcibly retained withinthe borders of a given state, if, in spite of its expresseddesire—no matter whether expressed in the press, at publicmeetings, in the decisions of parties, or in protests anduprisings against national oppression—it is not accorded theright to decide the forms of its state existence by a free vote,taken after the complete evacuation of the troops of theincorporating or, generally, of the stronger nation andwithout the least pressure being brought to bear, suchincorporation is annexation, i.e., seizure and violence.The government considers it the greatest of crimes againsthumanity to continue this war over the issue of how todivide among the strong and rich nations the weak nationalitiesthey have conquered, and solemnly announces itsdetermination immediately to sign terms of peace to stopthis war on the terms indicated, which are equally just forall nationalities without exception.At the same time the government declares that it doesnot regard the above-mentioned peace terms as an ultimatum;in other words, it is prepared to consider any other peaceterms, and insists only that they be advanced by any of thebelligerent countries as speedily as possible, and that inthe peace proposals there should be absolute clarity and thecomplete absence of all ambiguity and secrecy.The government abolishes secret diplomacy, and, for itspart, announces its firm intention to conduct all negotiationsquite openly in full view of the whole people. It willproceed immediately with the full publication of the secrettreaties endorsed or concluded by the government of land-