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

AGRARIAN PROGRAMME OF SOCIAL-DEMOCRACY403semi-feudal stagnation of “possessional” production. 139aNeither the Stolypin nor the Cadet agrarian policy can bringabout any appreciable improvement in the conditions of lifeof the masses, and unless these conditions are improved, really“free” industry will not develop in the Urals. Only a peasantrevolution could quickly transform wooden Russiainto iron Russia. The Socialist-Revolutionary peasant has atruer and broader conception of the conditions necessaryfor the development of capitalism than have the swornservants of capital.Another Socialist-Revolutionary, the peasant Khvorostukhin(Saratov Gubernia), said: “Yes, gentlemen, ofcourse, many spokesmen of the Party of People’s Freedomhave accused the Trudovik Group of wanting to transferthe land to those who wish to till it. They say that then alot of people will leave the towns, and this will make thingsworse. But I think, gentlemen, that only those who havenothing to do will leave the towns, but those who havework are used to work, and since they have work theywill not leave the towns. Indeed, why should land be givento those who do not want to cultivate it?”... (774.) Is it notobvious that this “S.R.” does not in the least want universal,equalised land tenure, but the creation of free andequal farming on free land?... “It is necessary, at all costs,to release economic freedom for the whole people, particularlyfor the people who have suffered and starved forso many years” (777).Do not think that this correct formulation of the realcontent of S.R.-ism (“release economic freedom”) is dueonly to the clumsy, peasant way of expression. It is morethan that. The S.R. leader Mushenko, an intellectual,who replied to the debate on the agrarian question on behalfof the Socialist-Revolutionary Party, was far morenaïve in expressing his economic views than the peasantsKabakov and Khvorostukhin.“We say,” declared Mushenko, “that proper resettlement, properdispersion, will be possible only when the land is unfenced, when allthe barriers erected by the principle of private ownership of the landare removed. Further, the Minister spoke about the increase in thepopulation of our country.... It turned out that for this increase alone[1,600,000] about 3,500,000 dessiatins of land will be needed. Hesays: Thus, if you have equalised the land, where will you get land