The Russian Revolution: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) by S. A. Smith

Author:S. A. Smith [Smith, S. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2002-02-20T18:30:00+00:00

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In the purely peasant and semi-proletarian provinces soviet power in general and the Communist Party in particular has no social base. You will not find there broad layers of the population who are committed to us, who share our programme, and are ready to act for us. I am not speaking about kulaks or the remnants of the bourgeoisie, of which hardly any remain. I am talking about the broad mass of workers, artisans, and, especially, peasants. We have contrived to frighten off the mass of middle and poor peasants. Voluntary mobilization has failed. We met with the refusal of entire trade unions to give up even one man. And matters with the peasantry were entirely antipathetic. I do not say that these are consciously counter-revolutionary forces, they are not. But the mass of the population is indifferent or hostile to our party. In many districts they are waiting for Kolchak. It’s true that when he arrives the mood changes to our benefit, but not for long. The reasons for this are many. But the central fact – and this is true on a national level – is that we have actually given nothing to the peasants except hardship. Terror reigns. We hold on only through terror.

Report of Iu. M. Steklov, editor of Pravda, to the Central Committee, June 1919

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