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

THESES ON THE QUESTION OF A SEPARATE PEACE449imperialist groups, we take advantage of their mutual enmityand warfare which hamper concerted action on theirpart against us, and for a certain period have our hands freeto advance and to consolidate the socialist revolution. Thereorganisation of Russia on the basis of the dictatorshipof the proletariat, and the nationalisation of the banks andlarge-scale industry, coupled with exchange of products in kindbetween the towns and the small-peasant consumers’ societies,is quite feasible economically, provided we are assureda few months in which to work in peace. And such a reorganisationwill render socialism invincible both in Russiaand all over the world, and at the same time will create asolid economic basis for a mighty workers’ and peasants’Red Army.21. A really revolutionary war at this juncture wouldbe a war waged by a socialist republic against the bourgeoiscountries, with the aim—an aim clearly defined and fullyapproved by the socialist army—of overthrowing the bourgeoisiein other countries. However, we obviously cannotset ourselves this aim at the present moment. Objectively,we would be fighting now for the liberation of Poland,Lifland and Courland. But no Marxist, without renouncingthe principles of Marxism and of socialism generally, candeny that the interests of socialism are higher than theinterests of the right of nations to self-determination. Oursocialist republic has done all it could, and continues to doall it can to give effect to the right to self-determination ofFinland, the Ukraine, etc. But if the concrete situationis such that the existence of the socialist republic is beingimperilled at the present moment on account of the violationof the right to self-determination of several nations(Poland, Lifland, Courland, etc.), naturally the preservationof the socialist republic has the higher claim.Consequently, whoever says, “We cannot sign a humiliating,atrocious, etc., peace, betray Poland, and so forth”,does not realise that by concluding peace on the conditionthat Poland is liberated, he would only be strengtheningGerman imperialism against Britain, Belgium, Serbia andother countries still further. Peace on the condition of theliberation of Poland, Lifland and Courland would be a “patriotic”peace from the point of view of Russia, but would by