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

300REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM PEASANTS 120In reply to numerous questions from peasants, be it knownthat all power in the country henceforth belongs whollyto the Soviets of Workers’, Soldiers’ and Peasants’ Deputies.The workers’ revolution has won in Petrograd andMoscow and is winning everywhere else in Russia. TheWorkers’ and Peasants’ Government ensures the alliance ofthe mass of the peasants, the poor peasants, the majorityof the peasants, with the workers against the landowners,against the capitalists.Hence the Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies, primarily theuyezd and then the gubernia Soviets, are from now on, pendingthe convocation of the Constituent Assembly, vestedwith full governmental authority in their localities. Landedproprietorship has been abolished by the Second All-RussiaCongress of Soviets. A decree on land has already been issuedby the present Provisional Workers’ and Peasants’ Government.In conformity with this decree all landed estates passover wholly to the Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies.The volost land committees must at once take over theadministration of all landed estates, instituting the strictestaccounting, maintaining- perfect order and safeguardingwith utmost strictness the former property of the landowners,which henceforth is the property of the whole people andwhich the people themselves must therefore protect.All rulings of the volost land committees issued with theapproval of the uyezd Soviets of Peasants’ Deputies havethe force of law and must be carried out unconditionallyand without delay.