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tendencies to practical anarchism belonging to my race；
should certainly object most strongly if I were mobilized and set to
work in a particular factory； and might even want to work in some other
factory just for the sake of not doing what I was forced to do。 Trotsky
replied： 〃You would now。 But you would not if you had been through a
revolution； and seen your country in such a state that only the united；
concentrated effort of everybody could possibly reestablish it。 That is the
position here。 Everybody knows the position and that there is no other
way。〃
WHAT THE COMMUNISTS ARE
TRYING TO DO IN RUSSIA
We come now to the Communist plans for reconstruction。 We have
seen； in the first two chapters； something of the appalling paralysis which
is the most striking factor in the economic problem to…day。 We have seen
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how Russia is suffering from a lack of things and from a lack of labor；
how these two shortages react on each other； and how nothing but a vast
improvement in transport can again set in motion what was one of the
great food…producing machines of the world。 We have also seen
something of the political organization which； with far wider ambitions
before it； is at present struggling to prevent temporary paralysis from
turning into permanent atrophy。 We have seen that it consists of a
political party so far dominant that the Trades Unions and all that is
articulate in the country may be considered as part of a machinery of
propaganda； for getting those things done which that political party
considers should be done。 In a country fighting； literally； for its life； no
man can call his soul his own； and we have seen how this fact…a fact that
has become obvious again and again in the history of the world； whenever
a nation has had its back to the wall…is expressed in Russia in terms of
industrial conscription； in measures； that is to say； which would be
impossible in any country not reduced to such extremities； in measures
which may prove to be the inevitable accompaniment of national crisis；
when such crisis is
economic rather than military。 Let us now see what the Russians；
with that machinery at their disposal are trying to do。
It is obvious that since this machinery is dominated by a political
party； it will be impossible to understand the Russian plans； without
understanding that particular political party's estimate of the situation in
general。 It is obvious that the Communist plans for Russia must be
largely affected by their view of Europe as a whole。 This view is gloomy
in the extreme。 The Communists believe that Europe is steadily shaking
itself to pieces。 They believe that this process has already gone so far
that； even given good will on the part of European Governments； the
manufacturers of Western countries are already incapable of supplying
them with all the things which Russia was importing before the war； still
less make up the enormous arrears which have resulted from six years of
blockade。 They do not agree with M。 Clemenceau that 〃revolution is a
disease attacking defeated countries only。〃 Or； to put it as I have heard it
stated in Moscow； they believe that President Wilson's aspiration towards
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a peace in which should be neither conqueror nor conquered has been at
least partially realized in the sense that every country ended the struggle
economically defeated； with the possible exception of America； whose
signature； after all； is still to be ratified。 They believe that even in
seemingly prosperous countries the seeds of economic disaster are already
fertilized。 They think that the demands of labor will become greater and
more difficult to fulfill until at last they become incompatible with a
continuance of the capitalist system。 They think that strike after strike；
irrespective of whether it is successful or not； will gradually widen the
cracks and flaws already apparent in the damaged economic structure of
Western Europe。 They believe that conflicting interests will involve our
nations in new national wars； and that each of these will deepen the
cleavage between capital and labor。 They think that even if exhaustion
makes mutual warfare on a large scale impossible； these conflicting
interests will produce such economic conflicts； such refusals of
cooperation； as will turn exhaustion to despair。 They believe； to put it
briefly； that Russia has passed through the worst stages of a process to
which every country in Europe will be submitted in turn by
its desperate and embittered inhabitants。 We may disagree with them；
but we shall not understand them if we refuse to take that belief into
account。 If； as they imagine； the next five years are to be years of
disturbance and growing resolution； Russia will get very little from abroad。
If； for example； there is to be a serious struggle in England； Russia will get
practically nothing。 They not only believe that these things are going to
be； but make the logical deductions as to the effect of such disturbances on
their own chances of importing what they need。 For example； Lenin said
to me that 〃the shock of revolution in England would ensure the final
defeat of capitalism；〃 but he said at the same time that it would be felt at
once throughout the world and cause such reverberations as would
paralyze industry everywhere。 And that is why； although Russia is an
agricultural country； the Communist plans for her reconstruction are
concerned first of all not with agriculture； but with industry。 In their
schemes for the future of the world； Russia's part is that of a gigantic farm；
but in their schemes for the immediate future of Russia； their eyes are
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fixed continually on the nearer object of making her so far self…supporting
that； even if Western Europe is unable to help them； they may be able to
crawl out of their economic difficulties； as Krassin put it to me before he
left Moscow； 〃if necessary on all fours； but somehow or other； crawl out。〃
Some idea of the larger ambitions of the Communists with regard to
the development of Russia are given in a conversation with Rykov； which
follows this chapter。 The most important characteristic of them is that
they are ambitions which cannot but find an echo in Russians of any kind；
quite regardless of their political convictions。 The old anomalies of
Russian industry； for example； the distances of the industrial districts from
their sources of fuel and raw material are to be done away with。 These
anomalies were largely due to historical accidents； such as the caprice of
Peter the Great； and not to any economic reasons。 The revolution；
destructive as it has been； has at least cleaned the slate and made it
possible； if it is possible to rebuild at all； to rebuild Russia on foundations
laid by common sense。 It may be said that the Communists are merely
doing flamboyantly and with a lot of flag…waving；
what any other Russian Government would be doing in their place。
And without the flamboyance and the flag…waving； it is doubtful whether
in an exhausted country； it would be possible to get anything done at all。
The result