so far, outside the domain of war.  It makes it possible to suppose that, if Russia is allowed to have peace, an amazing industrial development may take place, making Russia a rival of the United States.  The Bolsheviks are industrialists in all their aims; they love everything in modern industry except the excessive rewards of the capitalists.  And the harsh discipline to which they are subjecting the workers is calculated, if anything can, to give them the habits of industry and honesty which have hitherto been lacking, and the lack of which alone prevents Russia from being one of the foremost industrial countries.

FOOTNOTES: 

[4] In Theses (p. 6 of French edition) it is said:  “The ancient classic subdivision of the Labour movement into three forms (parties, trade unions, and co-operatives) has served its time.  The proletarian revolution has raised up in Russia the essential form of proletarian dictatorship, the soviets.  But the work in the Soviets, as in the industrial trade unions which have become revolutionary, must be invariably and systematically directed by the party of the proletariat, i.e. the Communist Party.  As the organized advanced guard of the working class, the Communist Party answers equally to the economic, political and spiritual needs of the entire working class.  It must be the soul of the trade unions, the soviets, and all other proletarian organizations.

“The appearance of the Soviets, the principal historical form of the dictatorship of the proletariat, in no way diminishes the directing role of the party in the proletarian revolution.  When the German Communists of the ‘Left’ ... declare that ’the party itself must also adapt itself more and more to the Soviet idea and proletarianize itself,’ we see there only an insinuating expression of the idea that the Communist Party must dissolve itself into the Soviets, so that the Soviets can replace it.

“This idea is profoundly erroneous and reactionary.

“The history of the Russian Revolution shows us, at a certain moment, the Soviets going against the proletarian party and helping the agents of the bourgeoisie....

“In order that the Soviets may fulfil their historic mission, the existence of a Communist Party, strong enough not to ‘adapt’ itself to the Soviets but to exercise on them a decisive influence, to force them not to adapt themselves to the bourgeoisie and official social democracy, ... is on the contrary necessary.”

VI

THE FAILURE OF RUSSIAN INDUSTRY

At first sight it is surprising that Russian industry should have collapsed as badly as it has done, and still more surprising that the efforts of the Communists have not been more successful in reviving it.  As I believe that the continued efficiency of industry is the main condition for success in the transition to a Communist State, I shall endeavour to analyse the causes of the collapse, with a view to the discovery of ways by which it can be avoided elsewhere.