Lenin's "April Theses" - course towards socialist revolution

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Our task is not to consider the consequences, but to determine the source. We are talking about a single theoretical work - Lenin's "April Theses". Today, more than ever, we are faced with a different vision of the role of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (Ulyanov) in the history of our country. Moreover, the points of view are often polar opposites. From the traditional Soviet view: “He is the leader of the world proletariat”, to direct accusations regarding the organization of repressions against the intelligentsia and the peasantry. The topic for discussion about this is bottomless, like our entire history. This article is not set by her at all.

Only ten conceptual ideas reflect Lenin's April Theses. A summary of this document is provided below.

• The first thesis is strategic. He logically justifies the need to overthrow the power of capital as the only way for Russia to get out of the meat grinder of the First World War.
• The second one is tactical. Vladimir Ilyich considers the results of the bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1905 intermediate, unconvincing, since the bourgeoisie seized the initiative. “What happened is only the first stage,” they stateLenin's "April theses" - ahead - the transfer of power to the proletariat and to the poorest peasantry.”
• The third defines the attitude towards the existing parliamentary power - the Provisional Government: no support, as well as consistent exposure of its pro-bourgeois orientation.



• The fourth shows the process of formation of new authorities. The Bolsheviks, on the one hand, declare their future function as an organ of power, and on the other hand, the Soviets, perceiving Bolshevik ideas “from the inside”, themselves become the conductors of the party course.
• Lenin's "April Theses" in the fifth paragraph declare a unique, fundamentally new political structure in Russia - the Republic of Soviets.
• The sixth solves the dual problem of economic policy. First, it indicates the priorities of land policy: confiscation, nationalization, land administration by the Soviets. Secondly, a complete reorganization of the entire executive branch, as well as the police and the army.
• The seventh is about the nationalization of financial institutions, the merger of banks.
• The eighth summarizes the control function of the Soviets as the basic principle of the further construction of socialism. (Isn’t it true that the depth of theoretical study is surprising: the Soviets are still Menshevik, and Lenin’s “April Theses” already illuminate the new economic policy?)
• The ninth defines intra-party organizational tasks, including renaming the party. Its essence is now "communist".
• The tenth takes into account interaction withinternational labor movement, for which it is proposed to create a new International.

It's hard to write more meaningful and also concise.

Obviously, this work goes beyond the mainstream of the dominant social democratic theory. A single person was able to feel the dynamics of development in the midst of the political, economic, social collapse of a practically ungovernable country, "resembling a man beaten to a pulp." It is noteworthy that it was Lenin’s “April Theses” that determined the start of the creation of communist parties in the world. Briefly, this theoretical development outlines a unique path of development, incomprehensible at first even to Lenin's closest associates, the Social Democrats.

I would also like to draw your attention to the obvious: Lenin the theoretician is at the same time an outstanding organizer, convincing and inspiring. After all, there were principled, influential, authoritative opponents of the ideas of the Theses: Kamenev, Plekhanov. Having remained misunderstood by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, and then by the united Congress of the RSDLP, Vladimir Ilyich tripled his energy, explaining, convincing. As a result, exactly 10 days later the conference of the RSDLP(b) included Lenin's ideas in its program.