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

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION AND CIVIL WAR33of the active revolutionary masses in Petrograd on April20-21, June 18, 20 and July 3-4.A comparison of the data on the “parliamentary” electionsand the data on the above-named mass movementsfully corroborates, in respect of Russia, an observationoften made in the West, namely, that the revolutionaryproletariat is incomparably stronger in the extra-parliamentarythan in the parliamentary struggle, as far as influencingthe masses and drawing them into the struggle isconcerned. This is a very important observation in respectof civil war.It is quite clear why in all the circumstances and theentire situation of parliamentary struggle and electionsthe strength of the oppressed classes is less than the strengththey can actually develop in civil war.The strength of the Cadets and the Kornilov revolt isthe strength of wealth. The press and a long series of politicalactions show that Anglo-French capital and imperialismare in favour of the Cadets and the Kornilov movement.It is common knowledge that the entire Right wing of theMoscow Conference 21 of August 12 gave frantic supportto Kornilov and Kaledin. It is common knowledge thatthe French and British bourgeois press “aided” Kornilov.There are indications of his having been aided by the banks.All the power of wealth stood behind Kornilov—andwhat a miserable and rapid failure! There are only twosocial forces among Kornilov’s supporters apart from thewealthy—the Savage Division and the Cossacks. In thecase of the former it is only the power of ignorance anddeception, and this power is the more formidable the longerthe press remains in the hands of the bourgeoisie. Aftera victory in the civil war, the proletariat would underminethis source of “power” once and for all.As to the Cossacks, they are a section of the populationconsisting of rich, small or medium landed proprietors(the average holding is about 50 dessiatines) in one of thoseoutlying regions of Russia that have retained many medievaltraits in their way of life, their economy, and their customs.We can regard this as the socio-economic basis for a RussianVendée. 22 But what have the facts of the Kornilov-Kaledinmovement proved? Not even Kaledin, the “beloved leader”