,WAS ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION A ,FAILURE8 
7,A ,SYMPOSIUM7 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,PAUL ,MATTICK 

,TEXT 3 

,S\RCE3 ,! ,MOD]N ,QU>T]LY1 ,FALL #a#i#c#h1 PP4 #a#f-#b4 
,TRANSCRIB$3 BY ,?OMAS ,S*MIDT 
,PRO($3 BY ,JONAS ,HOLMGR5 
,! ,QUE/IONS 

,DID ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION A*IEVE ITS PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES8 

,IS ! DICTATOR%IP ( ! PROLET>IAT CONSONANT ) ,P>TY ,DICTATOR%IP8 

,CAN A PROLET>IAN ,/ATE >ISE ON ! BASIS ( ! WAGE SY/EM1 MANAG$ BY A 
,P>TY-,/ATE8 ,:AT CON/ITUTES ! ABOLITION ( CAPITALISM8 

,DOES ,L59'S !SIS ?AT 9 ! IMP]IALI/ EPO* ! PROLET>IAT 
ALONE CAN LEAD A REVOLUTION TO COMPLETE ! 0,B\RGEOIS TASK0 CLAIM 
VALIDITY 9 VIEW ( ! C\RSE PURSU$ BY ,C>D5AS 9 ,MEXICO1 ,KEMAL ,PA*A 9 
,TURKEY1 ETC48 

,VIEW$ 9 RETROSPECT1 DID ! SEIZURE ( P[] BY ! ,BOL%EVIKS RET>D ! 
,WORLD ,PROLET>IAN ,REVOLUTION8 

,I4 

,I D5Y ! ASSUMPTION ( ! FIR/ QUE/ION ?AT ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION 
HAD PROLET>IAN AIMS4 ,! PROLET>IAN *>ACT] ( ! ,RUSSIAN ,REVOLUTION IS 
ONLY APP>5T4 ,IT IS TRUE ?AT ! REVOLUTION>Y WORK]S W]E /RIV+ = A 
VAGUELY CONCEIV$ SORT ( SOCIALISM1 BUT 9 EV]Y B\RGEOIS REVOLUTION 9 :I* 
WORK]S P>TICIPAT$1 PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES W]E EVID5T4 

,! IDEAS & SLOGANS CONNECT$ ) PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES1 & EV5 ACTUAL 
/RUGGLES & =MS ( ORGANIZATION PECULI> TO ! 9DEP5D5T PROLET>IAN 
CLASS MOVEM5T1 >E NOT 5\< TO GIVE ! ,RUSSIAN ,REVOLUTION A PROLET>IAN 
*>ACT]4 ,C]TA9LY MANY WORK]S BELIEV$ ?AT ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION W\LD 
5D 9 SOCIALISM1 H[EV]1 ! ILLUSIONS ( ! WORK]S CANNOT REPLACE ! 
NECESS>Y ACTION TO ATTA9 PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES4 ,SOCIALISM AS A SLOGAN1 AS AN 
IDEAL1 /ILL FITS P]FECTLY 9 AN O!RWISE B\RGEOIS REVOLUTION & SOCIETY4 
,PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES1 FIR/ ( ALL1 MU/ 9CORPORATE ! ABOLITION ( ! 
PROLET>IAN CLASS ?R\< ! ABOLITION ( ALL CLASS RELATIONS4 

,! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION1 H[EV]1 ASPIR$ TO ! DEVELOPM5T ( MOD]N 
9DU/RY & ( A MOD]N PROLET>IAT1 A FACT :I* COMES CLE>LY TO LI<T 9 
! BOL%EVI/IC CONCEPT ( 0SOCIALISM10 :I* /ILL CONTA9S WAGE 
LABOR & CAPITAL PRODUCTION1 & SECURES ?OSE RELATIONS ?R\< ! DIVISION 
( SOCIETY 9TO RUL]S & RUL$4 ,?AT ! ,RUSSIAN ,REVOLUTION FIR/ ( ALL WAS 
A PEASANT REVOLUTION CANNOT BE D5I$2 ?AT !SE PEASANTS1 /RIV+ = L& 
& PROP]TY1 HAD NO PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES IS OBVI\S4 ,9 SO F> AS ! 
,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION F\ND SUPPORT BY ! PEASANTS & 9 TURN SUPPORT$ !M1 
NO PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES W]E 9VOLV$4 ,= ?IS REASON ! ,BOL%EVIKS 
REG>D$ !IR E>LY PEASANT POLICY AS AN UNAVOIDABLE CONCESSION TO ! 
BACKW>DNESS ( ,RUSSIAN CONDITIONS4 ,! LAT] COLLECTIVIZATION DRIVE 9 
AGRICULTURE ILLU/RATES H[ E>NE/LY ! ,BOL%EVIKS AGRE$ ) ,WE/]N 
,SOCIALISM ?AT ! DI/RIBUTION ( L& TO ! PEASANTS IS NO SOCIALI/IC GOAL4 
,H[EV]1 ! COLLECTIVIZATION ( AGRICULTURE1 & ! TRANS=MATION ( 
9DEP5D5T PEASANTS 9TO WAGE WORK]S1 IS /ILL NO PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVE1 BUT 
A B\RGEOIS DESIRE ( LONG /&+ & HAS LITTLE *ANCE ( BE+ REALIZ$ 
)\T RADICAL & RISKY *ANGES 9 ! SOCIO-ECONOMIC SET UP4 

,SO F> ! MAK+ ( WAGE WORK]S WAS ALWAYS CONSID]$ ! TASK ( 
CAPITALISM2 BY MAK+ ?IS TASK !IR [N1 ! ,BOL%EVIKS FULFILL$ 
CAPITALI/IC OBJECTIVES4 ,IT IS TRUE ?AT )9 ! :OLE REVOLUTION>Y 
SITUATION 9 ,RUSSIA !RE W]E ALSO =CES :I* F\<T = \TSPOK5 
PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES4 ,!Y W]E A*IEV$1 H]E & !RE1 ?R\< ! 
EXPROPRIATION ( FACTORIES & O!R =MS ( PROP]TY BY ! ,SOVIETS4 ,!Y 
W]E LO/ AGA9 AS SOON AS ! ,BOL%EVIK ,/ATE >OSE :I* SUPPLANT$ ! P[] 
( ! ,SOVIETS ) ?AT ( ! ,BOL%EVIK ,P>TY4 

,IT IS (T5 ASK$ H[ IT IS POSSIBLE ?AT P[] WON BY ! WORK]S BY WAY ( 
REVOLUTION MAY BE LO/ AGA9 )\T A C\NT]-REVOLUTION4 ,! LATT] H]E IS 
CONCEIV$ AS A RETURN ( ! OLD AU?ORITIES1 BUT C\NT]-REVOLUTION>Y ACTIONS 
>E NOT CONF9$ TO OLD AU?ORITIES2 NEW (FICIALS CAN 5GAGE 9 !M JU/ AS 
WELL1 OR EV5 BETT]4 ,! C\NT]-REVOLUTION AGA9/ ! /ATE-CAPITALI/IC 
9T5T ( ! ,RUSSIAN ,REVOLUTION WAS DEFEAT$ BY ! ,RUSSIAN MASSES FOLL[+ 
! DIRECTIVES ( ! ,BOL%EVIKS4 ,! C\NT]-REVOLUTION AGA9/ ! 
PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES EXPRESS$ )9 ?IS REVOLUTION WAS TRIUMPHANT ) ! 
SUCCESS ( ,BOL%EVISM1 :I* TRANS=M$ PRIVATE PROP]TY 9TO /ATE PROP]TY1 
& CONT9U$ ! EXPLOITATION ( ! WORK]S ON /ATE-CAPITALI/IC T]MS4 

,NOT )\T OPPOSITION & /RUGGLE W]E ! ,SOVIETS R$UC$ TO A M]E 
9/RUM5T ( ! ,BOL%EVIKS' RULE OV] ! :OLE ( SOCIETY4 ,GR\PS ( 
WORK]S 9 ,WE/]N ,EUROPE AS WELL AS 9 ,RUSSIA RECOGNIZ$ QUITE E>LY ! REAL 
*>ACT] ( ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION4 ,O!RS1 >IS+ 9 OPPOSITION TO ! 
,/AL9 MA*9ES BELIEVE EV5 TODAY ?AT ! LATT] IS A P]V]SION ( 
,BOL%EVISM1 & ?AT ! ORIG9AL ,L59ISM 9T5D$ SOME?+ ELSE ?AN :AT 
EXI/S 9 ,RUSSIA4 ,?IS1 H[EV]1 IS NOT TRUE4 ,! ,RUSSIA ( TODAY REPRES5TS 
! ESS5TIAL ASPIRATIONS ( ! E>LY ,BOL%EVIKS BE=E & AFT] ! ,OCTOB] 
,REVOLUTION4 ,?AT ! ,BOL%EVIKS C>RI$ ?R\< A B\RGEOIS REVOLUTION ( :I* 
! B\RGEOISIE WAS NO LONG] CAPABLE1 WAS /AT$ MANY TIMES BY ,L59 HIMSELF4 
,! FACT ?AT ?IS REVOLUTION1 ESS5TIALLY B\RGEOIS 9 ITS TASKS1 MADE USE ( 
A ,M>XIAN T]M9OLOGY1 GAVE RISE TO ! ILLUSION ?AT ITS SOCIALI/IC TR5DS 
W]E /RONG 5\< TO ALT] FUNDAM5TALLY ITS ORIG9AL *>ACT]4 ,H[EV]1 ALL 
?AT HAPP5$ WAS ?AT ! ,BOL%EVIKS W]E NOT ONLY =C$ OR WILL+ TO 
FULFILL ! FUNCTIONS ( ! B\RGEOISIE1 BUT BY ?IS PROCESS !Y BECAME ! 
NEW RUL+ & EXPLOIT+ CLASS4 

,I,I4 

,! DICTATOR%IP ( ! P>TY CANNOT BE CONSONANT ) ! DICTATOR%IP ( 
! PROLET>IAT4 ,EI!R ! PROLET>IAT RULES OR IS RUL$4 ,! P>TY IS ONLY A 
SMALL GR\P 9 SOCIETY2 IT IS NOT ! 5TIRE PROLET>IAT2 IT RULES AS A 
M9ORITY & IS AN EXPRESSION ( ! CONDITIONS ( EXPLOITATION4 ,BY ! V]Y 
CONDITIONS ?AT MAKE IT NECESS>Y1 IT IS IMPELL$ TO RULE 9 ITS [N 
9T]E/S--?AT IS1 REPRODUCE CONT9UALLY ! CONDITIONS ( ! 
DICTATOR%IP OV] ! PROLET>IAT--UNTIL ! PROLET>IAT F9ALLY 5DS ! 
RULE ( ALL M9ORITIES BY DE/ROY+ ! BASES ( EXPLOITATION1 :I* >E WAGE 
LABOR & ! /ATE4 

,I,I,I4 

,! /ATE ALWAYS & 9V>IABLY REPRES5TS DOM9ATION OV] ! PROLET>IAT4 
,IT IS ! UNMI/AKABLE BADGE ( ! EXPLOIT+ SOCIETY4 ,A 
0SOCIALISM0 ?AT IS REALIZ$ BY ! /ATE ALWAYS 9CLUDES ! 
CONT9UATION ( CLASS RELATIONS1 9EQUALITIES ( 9COME1 MONEY & M>KET LAWS1 
& O!R =MS ( MOD]N EXPLOITATION4 ,LIKE ANY O!R CONTRADICTION 9 T]MS1 
A 0PROLET>IAN /ATE0 IS QUITE 9CONCEIVABLE4 ,IT IS POSSIBLE TO 
CONCEIVE1 H[EV]1 ! TEMPOR>Y & DIRECT EXECUTION ( /ATE FUNCTIONS BY ! 
>M$ PROLET>IAT--! ACTUAL REVOLUTION TO ! 5D ( SECUR+ ! 
DEVELOPM5T ( SOCIALISM1 OR ! ASSOCIATION ( FREE & EQUAL PRODUC]S & 
CONSUM]S4 

,I,V4 

,! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION WAS NOT L$ BY ! PROLET>IAT BUT BY ! MIDDLE 
CLASS4 ,! B\RGEOISIE ( ?AT C\NTRY WAS EXTREMELY WEAK1 & ! 
9TELLIG5TSIA & ALL ! 0PROGRESSIVE0 =CES /RUGGL+ AGA9/ 
REACTION C\LD OBTA9 SUPPORT NEI!R FROM !M NOR FROM ! ALREADY 
REACTION>Y B\RGEOISIE ( WE/]N ,EUROPE4 ,ONLY 9 ! WORK]S' MOVEM5T 
C\LD IT F9D A USABLE REVOLUTION>Y IDEOLOGY1 & ONLY ) ! WORK]S' 
HELP1 TOGE!R ) ! AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION>Y NECESSITIES1 C\LD ! 
9TELLIG5TSIA HOPE TO *ANGE ,RUSSIA 9TO A MOD]N /ATE4 

,9 ,TURKEY & ,MEXICO1 AS WELL1 IT IS NOT ! PROLET>IAT :O LEADS1 BUT ! 
MIDDLE-CLASS1 :O MAKE USE ( ! PROLET>IAT = !IR [N 5DS4 ,IMPORTANT 
LAY]S ( ! MIDDLE CLASS1 NO LONG] ABLE TO SECURE OR ELEVATE !IR ECONOMIC 
POSITIONS )9 ! OLD-/YLE CAPITALISM1 TRY TO SECURE !IR FUR!R 
EXI/5CE AS NON-WORK]S BY POLITICAL MEANS1 BY ELEVAT+ !MSELVES 9TO 
RUL+ POSITIONS1 TO CONT9UE TO P>TICIPATE 9 ! EXPLOITATION ( 
LABOR--NATURALLY 9 ! 09T]E/ ( LABOR40 

,! /ATE HAS ALWAYS PLAY$ AN IMPORTANT P>T 9 ! DEVELOPM5T ( 
CAPITALISM4 ,ITS ROLE 9CREAS$ 9 IMPORTANCE ) ! RELATIVE /AGNATION 9 
CAPITAL EXPANSION4 ,A :OLE REVOLUTION WAS NECESS>Y = ,RUSSIA TO SECURE BY 
POLITICAL MEANS :AT IT C\LD REA* NO LONG] BY ECONOMIC W>F>E3 ! COMPLETE 
C5TRALIZATION ( ALL POSSIBLE P[] 9 ! H&S ( ! DICTATORIAL /ATE1 AS 
! NECESS>Y PR]EQUISITE = A SWIFT DEVELOPM5T ( MOD]N 9DU/RY 9 
,RUSSIA1 TO SAVE ! C\NTRY FROM BECOM+ A COLONY ( ONE OR MORE ( ! 
IMP]IALI/IC NATIONS1 & TO 5D ! MIS]Y RESULT+ FROM ! BACKW>DNESS ( 
! C\NTRY4 ,! ,BOL%EVI/ POLICY1 ASPIR+ TO A /ATE CAPITALI/ SY/EM1 WAS 
BE/ SUIT$ TO SAVE ,RUSSIA FROM SEMI-COLONIAL CONDITIONS1 & TO ELEVATE IT AS 
A P[] AMONG ! O!R WORLD P[]S4 ,IMP]IALISM AS A H9DRANCE TO ! 
DEVELOPM5T ( ! BACKW>D C\NTRIES BR\<T =? ! MOD]N NATIONALI/IC 
MOVEM5TS TO 5D IMP]IALI/IC OPPRESSION4 

,TO BUILD TODAY SUCCESSFULLY A MOD]N /ATE CAPABLE ( MA9TA9+ ITS 
9DEP5D5CE1 ! SL[ PROCESS 9 :I* PRIVATE PROP]TY EXP&S IS USELESS2 
9/EAD1 ! HI<E/ CONC5TRATION ( ALL CAPITAL RES\RCES IS NE$$ :I* 
NECESSITATES A RADICAL ONSLAU<T ON ?OSE 9T]E/S DEF5D+ ! BACKW>D 
/ATE ( AFFAIRS4 ,9 ORD] TO BR+ RESULTS1 ! /RUGGLE = NATIONAL 
LIB]ATION HAD TO TAKE ON REVOLUTION>Y =MS4 ,?IS NECESSITY DET]M9ES ! 
DEVELOPM5TAL TR5DS 9 O!R C\NTRIES LIKE ,TURKEY & ,MEXICO1 ALSO 9 
C\NTRIES TRY+ A COME-BACK AS AN IMP]IALI/IC =CE1 LIKE ,G]MANY4 

,O!R C\NTRIES DID NOT GO AS F> AS ,RUSSIA 9 ?IS CONC5TRATION PROCESS 
) POLITICAL MEANS1 = REASONS ( DIFF]5T 9T]NAL & EXT]NAL 
CONDITIONS4 ,IT WAS1 = 9/ANCE1 RELATIVELY EASI] = ,RUSSIA1 TO *ALL5GE 
! IMP]IALI/IC NATIONS ?AN IT IS = ,TURKEY OR ,MEXICO4 ,H[EV]1 /ATE 
CAPITALISM EXPRESSES AN ECONOMIC WEAKNESS )9 ! C\NTRIES EMPLOY+ IT1 AS 
WELL AS AN EXI/+ WEAKNESS ( WORLD CAPITALISM1 :I* LOSES CONTROL OV] ! 
BACKW>D C\NTRIES1 AS ?IS CONTROL CAN NO LONG] BE SECUR$ ECONOMICALLY4 
,ECONOMIC W>F>E NO LONG] SUFFICES2 POLITICAL W>F>E1 ! OP5 BRUTAL 
SLAU<T]1 BECOMES ! ONLY POSSIBILITY = COP+ ) ! ECONOMIC /AGNATION 
:I* /RANGLES ! CAPITALI/IC WORLD4 ,UND] SU* CONDITIONS ! P[] ( ! 
/ATE 9CREASES CONT9U\SLY4 ,! REAL RUL]S ( SOCIETY >E NO LONG] 
RECOGNIZABLE BY !IR PRIVATE MONEY BAGS1 BUT BY !IR POSITION )9 ! 
/ATE APP>ATUS4 

,RUSSIAN /ATE CAPITALISM HAS BECOME ! EXAMPLE = O!R NATIONS AS 
9DICAT$ 9 ! RISE ( FASCISM & ! GR[? ( GOV]NM5TAL CONTROL 9 ALL 
C\NTRIES4 ,H[EV]1 ?IS TR5D IS NO SIGN ( 0PROGRESS10 AS MANY 
PEOPLE BELIEVE4 ,IT DOES NOT CORRESPOND TO A 0HI<] /AGE0 ( 
CAPITALISM1 BUT 9DICATES ! DECL9E ( WORLD CAPITALISM4 ,! TR5D T[>D 
BOL%EVIZATION & FASCIZATION IS ONLY ! POLITICAL EXPRESSION ( ! 
/AGNATION & DECL9E ( ! CAPITALI/ SY/EM2 IT IS B>B>ISM4 

,V4 

,! WORLD-REVOLUTION>Y PROPAG&A ( ! ,BOL%EVIKS 9 ! FIR/ YE> ( 
! REVOLUTION IS (T5 TAK5 AS AN ASSURANCE ( ! PROLET>IAN *>ACT] ( 
,BOL%EVISM4 ,H[EV]1 ?IS 09T]NATIONALISM0 AT NO TIME ASPIR$ TO 
MORE ?AN TO SECURE ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION1 TO HELP ! ,BOL%EVIK ,P>TY TO 
REMA9 9 P[]4 

,AS SOON AS ! ,BOL%EVIKS RECOGNIZ$ ?AT ! PROLET>IAT WAS TOO WEAK TO 
E/ABLI% /ATE CAPITALI/IC SY/EMS FAVORABLE TO ,RUSSIA 9 O!R C\NTRIES1 
& ALSO ?AT ! B\RGEOISIE WAS NO LONG] WILL+ TO RISK ANY?+ 9 A 
/RUGGLE AGA9/ /ATE CAPITALI/ ,RUSSIA1 ?AT IS1 AB\T #a#i#b1 ! ,BOL%EVIKS 
CEAS$ TO SUPPORT REVOLUTION>Y MOVEM5TS 9 O!R C\NTRIES & 9/EAD 
PREP>$ = A PEACEFUL SIDE BY SIDE EXI/5CE ) ! O!R CAPITALI/IC 
SY/EMS4 ,NO MORE ?AN ,/AL9 TODAY1 W]E ,L59 & ,TROTSKY 9T]E/$ 9 
HELP+ ! WORLD REVOLUTION TO REA* PROLET>IAN OBJECTIVES4 ,! DECL9E ( 
! REVOLUTION>Y MOVEM5T 9 ! WORLD1 & ! CONSOLIDATION ( ! P[] ( 
CAPITAL N[ ALSO S]V$ ! NE$S ( ,BOL%EVIK ,RUSSIA4 

,/ILL1 IT CANNOT BE SAID ?AT ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION RET>D$ ! WORLD 
REVOLUTION4 ,IF ATTEMPTS T[>D ! LATT] FAIL$1 ?IS FAILURE WAS QUITE 
9DEP5D5T ( ! ,BOL%EVIK POLICIES1 OR ! POLICIES ( ANY O!R M9ORITY 
GR\P = ?AT MATT]1 & WAS DUE ONLY TO ! /ILL 5ORM\S P[] & 
VITALITY ( WORLD CAPITALISM4 ,! ,BOL%EVIKS CAN BE BLAM$ ONLY1 IF AT ALL1 = 
H9D]+ ! PROLET>IAT FROM DRAW+ ! NECESS>Y LESSONS ON ITS FIR/ GREAT 
DEFEAT AFT] ! LA/ W>1 & = DE/ROY+ ! FIR/ ATTEMPTS TO CREATE A 
REAL REVOLUTION>Y LABOR MOVEM5T 9 CON=MITY ) ! NECESSITIES ( 
TODAY4 

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,M>* #b1 #bba 3 ,WAS ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION A ,FAILURE8 -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #h1 #bbb 3 ,WAS ! ,BOL%EVIK ,REVOLUTION A ,FAILURE8 -- ,UPDAT$4 

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