Written: 5 November, 1919
First Published: Bednota No 478, November 7, 1919; Published according to the Bednota text
Source: Lenin’s Collected Works, 4th English Edition, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1965, Volume 30, pages 124-126
Translated: George Hanna
Transcription/HTML Markup: David Walters & Robert Cymbala
Copyleft: V. I. Lenin Internet Archive (www.marx.org) 2002. Permission is granted to copy and/or distribute this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
The newspaper Bednota45 is read mostly by peasants. On this, the second, anniversary of the establishment of Soviet power, I wish to extend greetings to the many millions of working peasants who have been liberated from landowner and capitalist oppression and say a few words about that liberation.
Soviet power, which overthrew the rule of capital and placed power in the hands of the working people, has to contend in Russia with unparalleled and incredible difficulties.
The landowners and capitalists of Russia, now joined by the landowners and capitalists of the whole world, are still making frenzied attempts to destroy Soviet power. They fear the example it has set; they fear that it will win the sympathy and support of workers the world over.
Conspiracies within the country, the bribing of the Czechoslovak forces, the landing of foreign troops in Siberia, Archangel, the Caucasus, South Russia and near Petrograd, the hundreds of millions of rubles being spent to help Kolchak, Denikin, Yudenich and other tsarist generals—every conceivable method is being employed by the capitalists of all countries, who have accumulated millions and thousands of millions from war contracts, in an attempt to overthrow the Soviet government.
But all in vain. The Soviet government stands firm, overcoming all these unparalleled and incredible difficulties, despite the measureless suffering caused by war, blockade, famine, shortages, breakdown of the transport system and general economic dislocation.
Soviet power in Russia has already won the support of the ‘Workers of the whole world. There is not a single country where the people do not talk of Bolshevism and Soviet power.
The capitalists talk of it with hatred and rabid malice, slandering and vilifying it without end. But this malice gives them away, and the mass of workers are turning their backs on the old leaders and coming out in support of Soviet power.
Despite the crushing, painful burden imposed by the enemy assault on Russia, Soviet power has triumphed throughout the world—triumphed in the sense that everywhere the sympathy of the working people is already on our side.
The victory of Soviet power throughout the world is assured. It is only a question of time.
Why is Soviet power so firm and stable, despite the incredible ordeals, the terrible famine and the difficulties created by war and economic dislocation?
Because it is the power of the working people themselves, of the millions of workers and peasants.
The workers hold state power. The workers help the millions of labouring peasants.
The Soviet government has overthrown the landowners and capitalists and is steadfastly defending the people against attempts to restore their rule.
The Soviet government gives all the aid it is capable of to the labouring peasants, the poor and Middle peasants, who make up the vast majority.
The Soviet government holds a tight rein on the kulak, the village money-bag, the proprietor, the profiteer, on everyone who wants to get rich without having to work, everyone who battens on the misery and hunger of the people.
The Soviet government is for the labouring people, against the profiteers, proprietors, capitalists and landowners.
That is the source of the strength, stability and invincibility of Soviet power throughout the world.
Tens and hundreds of millions of workers and peasants all over the world are suffering oppression, humiliation and plunder at the hands of landowners and capitalists. The old state apparatus, whether of a monarchy or a "democratic" (pseudo-democratic) republic, helps the exploiters and oppresses the workers.
Tens and hundreds of millions of workers and peasants in all lands know this; they see it and experience it in their everyday life.
The imperialist war lasted over four years; tens of millions were killed and crippled. What for? For the division of the capitalists' spoils, for markets, profits, colonies and the power of the banks.
The Anglo-French imperialist predators defeated the German imperialist predators. With every passing day they are exposing themselves for what they are-robbers and plunderers, oppressors of the working folk who batten on the misery of the people and tyrannise weak nations.
That is why support for Soviet power is growing among the workers and peasants of the world.
The severe and arduous struggle against capital was victoriously begun in Russia. It is now spreading in all countries.
It will end in the victory of the World Soviet Republic.