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

364REPORT ON THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONOF PETROGRAD WORKERSAND THE TASKS OF THE WORKING CLASS,DELIVERED AT A MEETINGOF THE WORKERS’ SECTIONOF THE PETROGRAD SOVIET OF WORKERS’AND SOLDIERS’ DEPUTIESDECEMBER 4 (17), 1917NEWSPAPER REPORTThe Revolution of October 25 had shown the exceptionalpolitical maturity of the proletariat and its ability to standfirm in opposition to the bourgeoisie, said the speaker. Thecomplete victory of socialism, however, would require atremendous organisational effort filled with the knowledgethat the proletariat must become the ruling class.The proletariat was faced with the tasks of transformingthe state system on socialist lines, for no matter how easyit would be to cite arguments in favour of a middle coursesuch a course would be insignificant, the country’s economicsituation having reached a state that would rule out anymiddle course. There was no place left for half-measuresin the gigantic struggle against imperialism and capitalism.The point at issue was—win or lose.The workers should and did understand this; this wasobvious because they had rejected half-way, compromisedecisions. The more profound the revolution, the greater thenumber of active workers required to accomplish the replacementof capitalism by a socialist machinery. Even if therewere no sabotage, the forces of the petty bourgeoisie would beinadequate. The task was one that could be accomplishedonly by drawing on the masses, only by the independentactivity of the masses. The proletariat, therefore, shouldnot think of improving its position at the moment, butshould think of becoming the ruling class. It could not beexpected that the rural proletariat would be clearly andfirmly conscious of its own interests. Only the working classcould be, and every proletarian, conscious of the great pros-