Ten Days That Shook the World · Chapter
XII: The Peasants’ Congress explained
The Peasants' Congress debates the Land decree and the Bolshevik-led Social Revolution.
What happens
The Peasants' Congress debates the Land decree and the Bolshevik-led Social Revolution. After intense negotiations, the Left Socialist Revolutionaries and Bolsheviks reach an agreement to unite the Peasants' Soviets with the Workers' and Soldiers' Soviets, culminating in a celebratory procession through Petrograd.
Themes in this chapter
Peasant Question and Land Reform
The central issue of the Congress: the Land decree and its implementation, with debates over confiscation and distribution.
Proletarian Revolution and Dictatorship
Lenin argues that the Land question is inseparable from the global Social Revolution, and that only the triumph of the workers' revolution can secure peasant gains.
Struggle for Legitimacy and Power
The conflict between the old Executive Committee and the Bolshevik-Left SR alliance, with Tchernov's popularity waning as the agreement is reached.
Workers' Control and Economic Transformation
The resolution calls for confiscation of banks and agricultural machinery, linking land reform to broader economic transformation.
Characters to notice
- Victor Tchernov
Speaks at the Congress with modest impartiality, remains popular but is ultimately outmaneuvered by the Bolshevik-Left SR agreement.
- Grigory Zinoviev
Vehemently opposes making Tchernov honorary President, accusing the old Executive Committee of a trick.
- Vladimir Lenin
Delivers a key speech linking the Land question to the global Social Revolution, reads the Bolshevik resolution, and remains in the government after the agreement.
- Leon Trotsky
Mentioned as remaining in the government after the agreement, despite initial demands for his elimination.
- Yakov Sverdlov
As president of the Tsay-ee-kah, greets the peasant delegates at the union ceremony.
- Nikolai Avksentiev
Criticized by Lenin for pulling the people with his little finger, representing the conciliatory wing.
- Ustinov
Reads the anonymous note about Tchernov and later announces the agreement between the Peasants' Congress and Smolny.
- Nathanson
The white-bearded dean of the Left SRs, reads the report of the union with tears in his eyes.
Key passages
“The Peasants’ Congress sustains entirely the Revolution of November 7th … as a social revolution, and expresses its unalterable will to put into operation, with whatever modifications are necessary, but without any hesitation, the social transformation of the Russian Republic.”
The Congress fully endorses the October Revolution as a social revolution and commits to implementing social transformation without delay.
The Congress aligns with the Bolsheviks' revolutionary agenda.
“If Socialism can only be realised when the intellectual development of all the people permits it, then we shall not see Socialism for at least five hundred years.”
Waiting for universal enlightenment before building socialism would delay it indefinitely.
Lenin argues for revolutionary vanguard action rather than waiting for mass consciousness.
“Count on that revolutionary determination, but don’t forget your gun!”
Trust the people's revolutionary spirit, but remain armed and vigilant.
Lenin emphasizes the need for force to defend the revolution.
