Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 13 - From Marx to Mao

17The recent Teachers’ Congress, 2 which the majoritywas influenced by the Socialist-Revolutionaries, 3 adopteda resolution calling for a boycott of the Third Duma. Theresolution was adopted with the direct participation of aprominent representative of the Socialist-RevolutionaryParty. The Social-Democratic teachers and the representativeof the R.S.D.L.P. abstained from voting, as theyconsidered that this question should be decided by a Partycongress or conference, and not by a non-Party professionaland political association.The question of boycotting the Third Duma thus arisesas a current question of revolutionary tactics. Judging bythe speech of its spokesman at the Congress, the Socialist-Revolutionary Party had already decided that question,although we do not yet have any official decisions of theParty or any literary documents from among its members.Among the Social-Democrats this question has been raisedand is being debated.What arguments do the Socialist-Revolutionaries useto support their decision? The resolution of the Teachers’Congress speaks, in effect, about the utter uselessness ofthe Third Duma, about the reactionary and counter-revolutionarynature of the government that effected the coupd’état of June 3, 4 about the new electoral law being weightedin favour of the landlords, etc., etc.* The case is presented* Here is the text of this resolution: “Whereas: (1) the new electorallaw on the basis of which the Third Duma is being conveneddeprives the working masses of that modest share of electoral rightswhich they had hitherto enjoyed and the winning of which bad costthem so dear; (2) this law glaringly and grossly falsifies the will ofthe people for the benefit of the most reactionary and privileged strataof the population; (3) the Third Duma, by the manner of its election