Lenin CW-Vol. 23.pdf - From Marx to Mao

NOTES39987Lenin intended this article for the newspaper Novy Mir(New World) published in New York by Russian socialist émigrés.The article did not appear in Novy Mir and Lenin re-edited thefirst two sections, which were published in the last issue (No. 58)of Sotsial-Demokrat, January 31, 1917, under the heading “A Turnin World Politics” (see pp. 262-70 of this volume). p. 17588The Manifesto of February 19, 1861 abolished serfdom in Russia.p. 18689909192The French Confédération générale du Travail (General Confederationof Labour) was founded in 1895 and was strongly influencedby anarcho-syndicalists and reformists. Its leaders recognised onlyeconomic struggle, opposed proletarian party leadership of the tradeunion movement, sided with the imperialist bourgeoisie in theFirst World War and advocated class collaboration and “defence ofthe fatherland”.The congress mentioned by Lenin met in Paris on December24-26, 1916 and discussed: (1) report of the Executive for the periodfrom August 1914, and (2) industrial issues. At the concludingsession the Executive informed the congress of President Wilson’speace appeal to the belligerent nations, and the congress adopted,by a nearly unanimous vote, the resolution cited by Lenin.p. 186The French Socialist Party was founded in 1905 by the merger of theSocialist Party of France led by Guesde and the French SocialistParty led by Jaurès. Dominated by reformists, the party adopted achauvinist position from the very start of the imperialist war. Itsleaders openly supported the war and justified participation in thebourgeois government. The Centrist wing, led by Longuet, took asocial-pacifist line and a conciliatory attitude towards the socialchauvinists.The Left, revolutionary wing adhered to internationalistpositions and drew its support mainly from the party rank andfile.The party congress mentioned by Lenin met on December 25-30,1916, the chief agenda item being the question of peace. A number ofresolutions were adopted, including one opposing propaganda ofthe Zimmerwald principles, and another moved by Renaudel, approvingsocialist participation in the war-time government. p. 186La Bataille (The Battle)—organ of the French anarcho-syndicalists,published in Paris from 1915 to 1920 in place of the bannedLa Bataille Syndicaliste. Leading contributors included Grave,Jouhaux, and Cornelissen. Adopted a social-chauvinist positionin the First World War. p. 189This article was written in reply to an open letter by Boris Souvarine,the French Centrist, “A nos amis qui sont en Suisse” (“To OurFriends in Switzerland”), published in Le Populaire du Centre,December 10, 1916.