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

SECOND ALL-RUSSIA CONGRESS OF SOVIETS2574REPORT ON LANDOCTOBER 26 (NOVEMBER 8)We maintain that the revolution has proved and demonstratedhow important it is that the land question shouldbe put clearly. The outbreak of the armed uprising, thesecond, October, Revolution, clearly proves that the landmust be turned over to the peasants. The government thathas been overthrown and the compromising parties of theMensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries committed a crimewhen they kept postponing the settlement of the land questionon various pretexts and thereby brought the countryto economic chaos and a peasant revolt. Their talk aboutriots and anarchy in the countryside sounds false, cowardly,and deceitful. Where and when have riots and anarchybeen provoked by wise measures? If the government hadacted wisely, and if their measures had met the needs ofthe poor peasants, would there have been unrest amongthe peasant masses? But all the measures of the government,approved by the Avksentyev and Dan Soviets, went counterto the interests of the peasants and compelled them torevolt.Having provoked the revolt, the government raised a hueand cry about riots and anarchy, for which they themselveswere responsible. They were going to crush it by blood andiron, but were themselves swept away by the armed uprisingof the revolutionary soldiers, sailors and workers. Thefirst duty of the government of the workers’ and peasants’revolution must be to settle the land question, which canpacify and satisfy the vast masses of poor peasants. I shallread to you the clauses of a decree your Soviet Government