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

75THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST CONGRESSIN STUTTGART 40A feature of the International Socialist Congress heldin Stuttgart this August was its large and representativecomposition: the total of 886 delegates came from all thefive continents. Besides providing an impressive demonstrationof international unity in the proletarian struggle,the Congress played an outstanding part in defining thetactics of the socialist parties. It adopted general resolutionson a number of questions, the decision of which hadhitherto been left solely to the discretion of the individualsocialist parties. And the fact that more and more problemsrequire uniform, principled decisions in differentcountries is striking proof that socialism is being weldedinto a single international force.The full text of the Stuttgart resolutions will be, foundelsewhere in this issue. 41 We shall deal briefly with eachof them in order to bring out the chief controversial pointsand the character of the debate at the Congress.This is not the first time the colonial question has figuredat international congresses. Up till now their decisionshave always been an unqualified condemnation of bourgeoiscolonial policy as a policy of plunder and violence.This time, however, the Congress Commission was so composedthat opportunist elements, headed by Van Kol ofHolland, predominated in it. A sentence was inserted inthe draft resolution to the effect that the Congress did notin principle condemn all colonial policy, for under socialismcolonial policy could play a civilising role. The minorityin the Commission (Ledebour of Germany, the Polishand Russian Social-Democrats, and many others)