The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism · Chapter
Endnotes explained
The endnotes provide citations and references to Bolshevik documents, particularly the Theses Presented to the Second Congress of the Communist International, discussing electrification, land grants, the role of the Communist Party, and the
What happens
The endnotes provide citations and references to Bolshevik documents, particularly the Theses Presented to the Second Congress of the Communist International, discussing electrification, land grants, the role of the Communist Party, and the state of printing and agitation in Soviet Russia.
Themes in this chapter
Power and Dictatorship
The endnotes cite Bolshevik texts asserting the Communist Party's directing role over soviets and trade unions, emphasizing the necessity of a strong party to exercise decisive influence.
Methods of Transition to Socialism
References to electrification and land grants to peasants illustrate Bolshevik methods for reorganizing industry and agriculture toward socialism.
Key passages
“Electrification is desired not merely for reorganizing industry, but in order to industrialize agriculture.”
The goal of electrification extends beyond industrial reorganization to include the industrialization of farming.
From the Theses on the Agrarian question, emphasizing the role of electric energy in transforming agriculture.
“It would be an irreparable error … not to admit the gratuitous grant of part of the expropriated lands to poor and even well-to-do peasants.”
Failing to grant some expropriated land for free to both poor and prosperous peasants would be a disastrous mistake.
From the Theses, indicating a policy of land distribution to secure peasant support.
“The ancient classic subdivision of the Labour movement into three forms (parties, trade unions, and cooperatives) has served its time.”
The traditional division of the labor movement into parties, unions, and cooperatives is now obsolete.
From the Theses, arguing for the primacy of the Communist Party over other proletarian organizations.