Bolshevik conference: comrades were wandering in the dark'.
RIC SISSONS continues our series Revolution.
The April Theses lit up the contours of the class struggle like a phosphor flare over the trenches at ine ront. Many leading boisne viks, particularly Stalin and Kamenev, blinded to the new situation. clung to outworn dogmas. Lenin spoke harshly of those Bolsheviks who could not grasp the new tasks - *they should be consigned to the archive of "Bolshevik" revolutionary antiques.
in ine second thesis, makes a concise assessment of the nature or te rebruary revolution.
*State power Russia Dassee into the nanes or a new class, namely, the bourgeoisie and Januowners who nae occone bourgeois. To this extent the bourgeois democratic revolution it Russia is completed .... seizure of power by the people from below. (which) is the sole guarantee of the real success of the revolution .... the new bourgeois does not deserve the confidence of the proletariat even in the sphere of internal policy, SUDDORI of this government by the proletariat is admissable.
UNWORTHY Lenin's consistent position of no support to the Evov-MillukovKerensky government was out again in thesis four: *The new government is unworthy of the slightest confidence in the field of foreign policy."
These statements contrasted snarply with tose of une cantors or Pravda, Stalin and Kamenev. The WO Bolsheviks, in mid March, called SUDDOLL LO the Provisiona 'in so far as it reaction and SIUELICS counter revolution'.
Despite the arrival of Lenin this The April Theses, the 'exploding bomb' as one Petrograd Bolshevik called them, transformed the Bolshevik Party. They charted out a completely new line of march for the Bolsheviks which set them on course for the seizure of power six months later. The impact of Lenin's arrival was summed up by a delegate to the 14 April all-Petrograd 'Before arrived all on the Russian Dositon was maintained. On 8 AD me Gay Theses were published in Pravda, namenev assertca m an cantonal 'As for the general schema of Comrade Lenin, it seems to us unacceptable in that it starts from the democratic revolution is ended, and counts upon EDIC transformation of this revolution into a socialist revolution.
Lenin DYNAMIC has Immediately upon Lenin grasped the dynamic future events. In thesis five he staled.
The main feature of our revonon .. Is the dual power wnien arose in the very first days after the tumon ormne revo unon Petrograd Soviet .... is voluntarily Hans crime state Dowel bourgeoisie and its Provisional Two cannot exist in a state. One of them is bound to pass away.
Six days previously Stalin made a speech accepting as its starting point the existence of the Provisional Government and the Soviets, but which came to the conclusion that: *The roles have been divided. spelt The Soviet has in fact taken the initiative transformation…..
Visional Government has in tact taken the role of fortifier of the of the revolutionary people.' As the 'fortifier of conquests' stalin, inrough Pravda, nad de manded that the Government be pressurised into opening negoula tions to end the war. Until such a Шс TOOD front and fight on. This attitude was the logical outcome of his position of critical support to the Government. but was one which brought sharp condemnation from Lenin Government of the capitalists that i nounce annexanons is non Without naming nine of Lenin's clearly aimed at certain old bol sheviks as well as the mensheviks. *Revolutionary defencism.... the worst enemy of the further progress and success of the Russian revolution have yielded on this point and have slightest concession to revolution DOUrECOIS ary defencism is a betrayal of socialism, a complete renunciation a maccate of internationalism.' It was from this standpoint that Lenin denounced the 'Appeal to the people of the whole world' made by the Petrograd Soviet on 14. March. Lenin his arrival Male, innocent and pious, tnere of isn't a word in it imbued with class COnSCIOUSIeSS.
Stalin had welcomed its appearance. The April Theses argued tha the February revolution had taken une usE sco to cho une war. out that this could only be completed with the transter of state power to Ine proletariat'. The war had to become a civil war. - Dowers HEROIC Lenin recalled the heroic stand of the German revolutionary Karl Liebknecht who called on German workers and soldiers to turn their weapons against their own government. As a minority of one Lteoknechi position in the revoluuondr ment.
And the Pro- Lenin Theses that the Bolsheviks take a new name, the Communist Party. In thesis 18 Lenin scathingly deat ine WITH THE generally low profile of the left on the question of wave of chauvinist hysteria surrounding the bombings and the "show-trials', it takes considerable courage to mount an anti-British rock-opera on the subject of the Irish war.
Roadshow have done, taking the oddlv-titled Not As Green As It Cabbage round the country, from Cathays, alsoury to oKegness to.
group. And no easy form either Tackling the cuts, unemployment or even abortion is easy meat, compared to their task. simply a rock-band and a handful of slides, they attempt to get inside the war without skimping on the music or totally burying the politics, they mainly succeed.
OMISSIONS
There are omissions, reference to the IRA is the most canous. but given me umitanons of the form (a rock-opera about that!), their achievement is considcrable pioneer this form last year, with their confused Urban Rock. Belt and Braces have cap ably extended it. Here the extremely well-written songs instrumental sue Home tice underline and draw out the implications of the spoken monologues, demand trom the names, thesis document was • nose wit considered it imperialist mation expressed German parlia proposed in the tain even ist.
Ireland these days and the recent man is king.' the argument.
That's what Belt and Braces SKILFUL vived the trip and they deserve No easy agitprop theme for this Using the complex, woven around terse, Six Counties, song and nounced Stalin's ideas of joining hands with the Mensheviks:
'There is no need to waste many words explaining mat ne amaiga of Social Democrats in Russia is out of the question. It is better to remain with one friend means remaining with the revolutionary proletariat, than to enter- conference for moment any delegates thought of amalgamation with the The recurring theme is expressed in the sinister, poetic phrase: In the land of the blind, the one-eyed them -The music meanwhile is overlaid and interspersed by back-projections, highlighting key points in The skilful interaction of these elements firmly puts paid to purists, like the socialist song-writer Leon Rosselson, who have argued that the electrification of music acts as a source of alienation. For him rock-music, in all its forms, cannot be used by the left. Yet here electric music is expressive lyrics, with not a traditional rebel' sight (strong as tne temptation may have been).
the whole production is minimal theatrically, with much dramatic potential be ine missed mouen me accents of blamey mcucan and bucca roi lock, in the spoken interludes, are Soldiers raise the Red Flag outside the Kremlin in Moscow after the abdication of the Tsar.
party of the Organising Committee, with chelaze and i seretent.
Lenin arrived in Petrograd politically isolated. At the Bolshevik Petrograd conference of 14 April Kamenev's position for watchful control over the Provisional defeated. Ten days later the All Russian party met. Here called Tor rapid transfer of all state power into the fringe projects around just now.
Yet the cast of six outnumbered the audience by one the night I saw they deserve many, many more. They're playing the Half Moon Theatre in London's East end on Apn 1i-13. rack i ou hands of the Soviets.
space of twenty day.
Lenin had WOR majority of the Bolsheviks to the April Theses. The last line of the April Theses had been taken heart; It is time to cast off the soiled shirt and put on clean linen.
* Next issue — The April Days. every night, please. Their. guts skill and commitment will amaze.
the TACT benefit on April 17 ring Andy on 228 2223 for details
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