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

CONGRESS OF SOVIETS OF PEASANTS’ DEPUTIES325breaking away from the policy of compromise, but to thisvery day the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries are stretchingout a hand to the Avksentyevs, while offering the workersonly their little finger. If compromise continues, the revolutionis doomed. Only if the peasantry supports the workerscan the problems of the revolution be solved. Compromiseis an attempt on the part of the masses of workers, peasantsand soldiers to get their needs satisfied by means of reforms,by concessions on the part of capital, without a socialistrevolution. But it is impossible to give the people peace andland without overthrowing the bourgeoisie, without socialism.It is the duty of the revolution to put an end to compromise,and to put an end to compromise means taking thepath of socialist revolution.Comrade Lenin went on to defend the instructions to thevolost committees 126 and spoke of the necessity of breakingwith the leading organs, such as the army committees, theExecutive Committee of the Peasants’ Deputies, etc. Weadopted our law on the volost committees, he said, fromthe peasants. The peasants want land and the prohibitionof hired labour; they want implements for the cultivationof the soil. And this cannot be obtained without defeatingcapital. You want land, we said to them, but the land ismortgaged and belongs to Russian and world capital. Youare throwing down a challenge to capital, you are followinga different path from ours; but we are at one with you inthat we are marching, and must march, towards the socialrevolution. As for the Constituent Assembly, the speakersaid that its work will depend on the mood in the country,but he added, trust in the mood, but don’t forget yourrifles.Comrade Lenin went on to deal with the question of thewar. When he referred to the removal of Dukhonin and theappointment of Krylenko as Commander-in-Chief, there waslaughter among the audience. It may be funny to you, heretorted, but the soldiers will condemn you for this laughter.If there are people here who think it funny that we removeda counter-revolutionary general and appointedKrylenko, who is against the general and has gone to conductnegotiations, 127 we have nothing to say to them. Wehave nothing in common with those who do not recognise