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

442ON THE HISTORY OF THE QUESTIONOF THE UNFORTUNATE PEACEIt might be argued that this is no time to deal with history.Certainly, this kind of assertion would be permissibleif a particular question from the past were not inseparablyand directly connected in practice with the present. Thequestion of the unfortunate peace, the exceptionally harshpeace is, however, such a burning question that it calls forelucidation. I am therefore publishing my theses on thissubject that were read at a meeting of about sixty of theleading Petrograd Party functionaries on January 8, 1918.Here are these theses:January 7, 1918.THESESON THE QUESTION OF THE IMMEDIATE CONCLUSIONOF A SEPARATE AND ANNEXATIONIST PEACE 1611. The position of the Russian revolution at the presentmoment is such that nearly all the workers and the vastmajority of the peasants undoubtedly side with Soviet powerand the socialist revolution which it has started. To thatextent the socialist revolution in Russia is assured.2. At the same time, the civil war, provoked by thefrantic resistance of the wealthy classes, who realise full wellthat they are faced with the last and decisive fight for thepreservation of private ownership of the land and means ofproduction, has not yet reached its climax. The victory ofSoviet power in this war is assured, but some time mustinevitably elapse, no little exertion of effort will inevitably